motorbikin

[JuanKing]

why do people go motorbikin. is it not a form of madness? if you crash you car, the car protects u a bit. if u fall off your bike, you are in a wheelchair if u r lucky. what are the stats. and you bikers out there, why do u do it? why do u think it safe?

[Impret-Sir]

I can only assume you have never done it, in which case it is hard to understand. On a bike you have a sence of freedom and release, a sence of being close to the smells and sensations of the countryside around you, that you can never get in a steel box. Bikes have a degree of manouverability, acceleration and braking that most cars can never match, and riding one well is a skill that gives you pleasure and pride, after a good ride you come home with a smile on your face. Also, it is not true that, "if you fall off you are in a wheelchair", as you put it. If you are sensible and wear the correct clothing, and dont ride like a complete idiot, you can reduce the risk of serious injury when riding to almost nothing. You will never need to be cut out of your bike after an accident, and how many professional sports bikers get badly injured every year? very few in fact. We dont "think its safe", we know the risks, but we accept them and take steps to minimise them, to persue a way of life that we love, life without any risks would not be life at all.

[JuanKing]

thanks for that. i did ride pillion once and it scared me witless.

even in a car i am scared of other drivers, some lunatic overtaking into me or pulling out of a junction without looking.

and lets face it, there may be responsible bikers out there, but the majority i see

-overtake when they dont need to

-do 30 percent over the speed limit

-go round corners at breakneck speed. what if they slip on something?

i'd love to do it, just still looks too dangerous.

[tubeway]

I was in an motorbike accident years ago, and have not been able to ride since. I really do miss those days. I enjoy driving but do not get the sense of freedom that being on the bike gave me. I recently was speaking to someone who has spent the last 20 years paralysed from the neck down as a result of being hit by a car while on his bike - and still does not regret being a biker.

 By the way if on 19th Sept 1980 you pulled out of a side turning and knocked a bike underneath a lorry coming the other way - and then drove off. I did get over it, I am still in pain but hope that you sometimes feel at least the slightest twinge of guilt from time to time.

[dothawkes]

My fella was out for a ride on his bike last Sunday and doing 38mph in a 40 limit on a straight road, a police van pulled up at a junction ahead to turn left onto the road, it waited till my fella was nearly at the junction and then pulled out in front of him and my fella nearly slid under the van,  the cop got out and was dead sorry and said he thought he had time to pull out!  There were no other cars on the road, what would the reaction have been if my bloke had been killed?

[Zen]

I believe the term is "sorry mate I didn't see you "
All drivers should be made to ride a powered two wheeler for a period,will make them more aware of other road users.