h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

No worries mate!

H&K
Z

Sorry to butt in gents, butt I think everyone who intends to drive should be compelled to ride a Bike for at least three months. It would teach respect for other road users, give the best possible and possibly intimate introduction to road surface conditions and best of all make them look where they're going!

It sounds like a great idea but can you imagine how the accident and death on roads statatics would rise

Came off the bike a couple of weeks ago. the cars in front of me all started crashing into the back of each other, it all happened so fast,
unfortunatly I just clipped the last one and it sent me sliding along the road into the path of oncoming vehicles. Luckily they were sensible enough to mount the verge and miss me.

Bugger! Least they all missed you, could have been a lot worse!

Much damage to the bike? Or to you?

H&K
Z

Luckerly there was no damage to me Just a bruised shin, and the bike only cost £360.00 to repair, the rev counter was smashed and the brake pedal and hanger plate that it is attached to, It could have been much worse. But it has made me more careful cause of how quickly it all happened, I was so shooked thet I didn't see it coming.

Especially as the vision on the bike is so good, Thats what shock me up. I didn't see the cars crashing into each other untill I realised the car in front had come to stand still, there were no brake lights cause the car just crashed into the car in front. Although it is a must to wear a helmit I think if I hadn't had one on I would have herd the cars crashing into each other but the helmit blocked out the sound.

Happens to us all, mate. A moments inattention, and bang...!

I don't find my lid blocks out sounds very much, in fact I wear ear-plugs to reduce the wind noise.

Glad you got y'bike fixed, and not too badly injured.

H&K
Z

Sitting bolt-upright, legs stuck out in front of you doing about 50 with your bike sliding along 5 feet in front of you is quite a laugh 'n' all )

ROFL! Sounds fun. And when the bike is behind you, coming after you, things get fun also! Did you escape unbadly hurt, MLH?

H&K
Z

I've been lucky... Since I fell off the first time ('78 XL-350), I switched to a bike that handles badly enough that I don't want to push it ('78 Honda CB750F3).

When I fell off, I was hammering my bike around a backwards angle, off camber corner, and would normally have been nearly touching my handlebars on the ground, except that my rear tire was oiled up from all of the oil spraying out of the clutch adjuster, and I hadn't been riding hard lately, so the oil had built up. Not only that, the tire was under-inflated. My leg ended-up sore, the beer was shaken-up, and the engine was flooded.

It's true that some people will move across to block you. They do it to me and I drive a car.

I personally always move over to let bikers by. No point holding everyone up because I can't get past the obstacles in front.

There are times when a long queue builds up behind a lorry and the opposing road is clear yet nobody overtakes. So after a while of waiting, I start overtaking from the back, then one of the car drivers in front will suddenly wake up and pull out to start overtaking. Usually with no indicator and always without looking in their mirror.

I blame this on the fact that learner school has very limited tuition on overtaking. At least in terms of practice. Some people just have no idea how to do it.