A traffic warden told me to move on as parking meter bays are for cars only. That Was 20 years ago I don't know if it is still true( or if it ever was). The laws in London have been tightened. Places where you used to be able to park on wide pavements are now a no-go area.
David N is correct you are an outcast if you ride. The stigma is still there from the 50's and 60's, though not as bad as it was. Maybe now it's because you are different from the mainstream rather than a hoooligan per se.
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Dave N
I'd guess you're not a fan of Michael Meacher either.......
In my view THe Growler is quite in order to park in a normal bay, he stiil won't take up as much room as those badly parked 4X$'s, vans, Volvo estates etc.
Rob S
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I wonder that as a Harley is more like a 4x4 than a bike anyway, they should always be in car spaces!
(Sorry about the bad grammar, putting 'Harley' and 'Bike' in the same sentence)
Regards
'Triton' Mike
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Of course, bikers never do anything wrong, do they?
Over the weekend the traffic was very heavy on the Sunderland to Portmouth journey. But even when the traffic was moving at 80+ with all three lanes full there were still bikes filtering through regardless of the fact that the traffic was already exceeding the speedlimit, there was more often than not a less than 2 second gap (less than 1 second) between one car and the car in front, and the effort required to concentrate on the indicating lane changers meant unless you expected someone to scream past inches away from your mirrors, using the lane you're occupying then how more riders aren't hit is as much a testament to many drivers' reactions and their fear of being responsible for someone's death as it is of a rider's perceived self-ability.
Most motorists seem to have the utmost respect and consideration for bikers. Most motorists wish they could be on a bike instead, but have to carry family, luggage, stuff from IKEA. As a biker who eventually learned to drive I discovered that motorists don't have the same level of visibility or manoeuverability as bikers - this was news to me, and now, on a bike and in the car, I make sure I'm seen before changing direction, overtaking, whatever.
Granted there are plenty of myopic drivers out there - but they're as likely to write off another car, as they are a biker. Equally, there are plenty of riders out there who don't take responsibility for their own safety and cloak this disregard in hatred for motorists.
The traffic police I've met are great: they're enthusiastic about driving and riding, trained to the highest possible levels, and have a common sense when it comes to road safety and traffic flow - everyone understands the desire to press on and have the chance to safely enjoy a little bit of performance.
As with all drivers, riders, and police, there will always be a minority who buck the trend of maintaining high standards on the roads. Certainly, the UK road casualty statistics suggest this.
Riding in the UK is brilliant, but the best roads and views may be a little convoluted for cruising. . .
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Neil wrote:
>
> Of course, bikers never do anything wrong, do they?
>
There will always be some plonkers, usually the young and foolish. Bikers usually understand there own mortality.
Unfortunatly, there is a very high percentage of car drivers who have little regard for the safety of others on the highway. On the way to work I was seriously cut up three time in my Land Rover. There was no need. It is bright yellow and so highly visible, I was driving corrctly etc. It was just because they had to be in front. If only they knew just how effective the 20 yr old brakes are, mind you I did lock all wheels on one occasion
How many cars did you see this morning with there fog lights on?, because they look soooo good don't they. Dazzling everybody else. How many were speeding in an "inappropriate" place (i.e. in housing estates rather than on the motorway). How many were too close on the motorway - because we mustn't let anyone get in "our" space. How many in the middle lane mile after mile.
If a biker comes off he may kill himself, car driver will kill the entire bus queue with their arrogant bullying ways.
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The points I was making were that:
a) Although bikers may understand their own mortality, they're not aware of how difficult it is for motorists to see them.
b) Riding on the rear quarter of a car, in the same lane as that car, when that car is already travelling at 80+ mph is as idiotic as cutting up (this is what was happening on Sunday evening) especially if you believe car drivers are blind idiots and haven't seen you - where's the sense?
c) Regardless of whether road users drive, bike, cycle, walk, or ride there are always some who have complete disregard for the safety of others, and complete self-assuredness in their own abilities.
Not all drivers speed in built-up areas. There are bikers who do speed in built up areas. Not all drivers tail-gate. There are bikers who tail-gate.
Simple generalisations and phrases such as the "arrogant and bullying ways [of car drivers]" are as likely to apply to some car drivers as they are to some bikers, some cyclists, some truck drivers, and some of most types of road users (with the possible exception of electric-powered milk-float drivers). The generalisations don't work.
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Yes they do. Generally most car drivers are dangerous in their arogant ways. The point is the pedestrians et al will hurt only themselves (generally). Last week I was verbally abused by a driver in the outside lane who haveing indicated wanted to pull straight over into my lane, bullying by pretending to want to pull into me. I have just been out for lunch and seen a Mondeo parked right over the pavement because there are double yellow lines. He thinks that it is ok because he has his hazards on. My wife used to have to walk our eldest child to school in the road because car drivers think that pavements are car parks.
Why do you think each year there are so many accidents when the weather turns and gives us fog, ice, snow, and even darkness. You may pretend that the outside does not exist with your stereo on, air conditioning, double glazing, air bags, seat belts etc but there are some things you cannot bully and nature has a way of biting back.
It's funny that I generallly never get surprosed by the motorcyclists. Maybe it's because I use my mirrors.
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yesterday morning, coming into work.
Along behind (on a busy dual carriageway) comes a large MB ambulance - flashing red lights, siren, the whole shebang.
everybody (almost) slows down and dives into inside lane - except one woman, who continues to casually drive along at 60km/h, with the ambulance on her back bumper. at the next junction, he whips past on the inside, and goes haring off at speed.
2 minutes later, I pass the woman (me on the inside!) and she is nattering away on the phone...
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Graham wrote:
>
> Yes they do. Generally most car drivers are dangerous in
> their arogant ways. The point is the pedestrians et al will
> hurt only themselves (generally). Last week I was verbally
> abused by a driver in the outside lane who haveing indicated
> wanted to pull straight over into my lane, bullying by
> pretending to want to pull into me.
But did all or most of them try or pretend to pull into you?
We'll have to disagree on whether all or even most car drivers are arrogant. You're likely to meet equal proportions of arrogant riders and motorists.
>>
My wife used to have to walk our eldest child to school in the road because car drivers think that pavements are car parks.
>>
And of course, no biker has ever parked on a pavement. . . There are more cars on the roads, therefore you're likely to see more examples of bad behaviour by motorists than motorcyclists. Similarly, you're more likely to see more examples of courteous behaviour by motorists than motorcyclists.
> Why do you think each year there are so many accidents when
> the weather turns and gives us fog, ice, snow, and even
> darkness. You may pretend that the outside does not exist
> with your stereo on, air conditioning, double glazing, air
> bags, seat belts etc but there are some things you cannot
> bully and nature has a way of biting back.
Crashes occur because people drive and ride too fast for the road conditions and their ability - be that near a school, on a near-deserted A-road, on a motorway, in fog, wherever. One of the most common types of motorcycle crashes involves no other vehicles at all: there are Police in North Yorkshire who provide guides to ride the interesting roads safely. It isn't a car thing, it's a people thing.
> It's funny that I generallly never get surprosed by the
> motorcyclists. Maybe it's because I use my mirrors.
Maybe it's because people who ride bikes are aware of the performance of motorcycles. Most motorists don't expect a car to try to squeeze through the 3' gap between them and the car to their left (or the central reservation, or the opposing traffic). If you've ridden a bike and ridden through gaps then, when you're in a car you will look out for people who may try exactly the sort of thing you've done. But as a rider who drives, I wouldn't attempt such a move on the assumption that I can - wait for the driver to see that I'm there and provide some indication that they've seen me.
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I don't disagree with any of that.
Safe journey and best regards to you Neil.
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