I ride in groups quite a bit but like to be at the front or near it, even thought it usually sedate. If I'm with a couple of mates we will ride 'enthusiastically' but we know and trust each other, and also know the risks. As for seeing riders coming up behind, 999 mirrors are crap. OGR
When I have ridden with a group or friends we are staggered not behind each other I move over to the left for anyone who overtakes and pulls up along side me. I think over confidence causes the problem I have seen some dangerous moves lately by bikers One particularly at a junction pulled up on my right hand side I'm in my car and as I turned left he went the same way right across my path thank goodness I managed to avoid him
I always let a bike that catches up with me go by. In Sussex it's as likely to be the Police as a faster rider. You can no longer tell the Police by the bike, other than they don't have older Superbikes, but they have had "plain clothes" R1s, 'blades, Blackbirds, FJR1300s etc. There's no way I'd bet against them having a S1000RR now as they always seem to have the latest thing. Having said that, I ride on my own and in groups of varying sizes. I can't say I ride any differently and I suppose there's the problem, those that do succumb to peer pressure and get out of their comfort zone. I try to only ride with riders who say they're slow - normally they're the quicker ones who have learnt that what other people think doesn't matter. I've generally found that when someone tells you they're fast they normally are.....in a straight line. All a generalisation, but whenever riding with someone new I take the last position, better to see someone else's accident than be involved in it! When we do ride in Groups there is a no overtaking rule, the position you set off in is where you finish (unless someone is painfully slow and there's a very long straight to pass on, no diving under someone on corners). Just my two pence worth and in no way a comment on the accident that started this thread as I don't know anything about it.
I saw a plain clothes copper bike on my travels on Sunday. Along the A272. It was amongst a largish group of other bikes going the other way to me. I just caught sight of the blue LED's in the air scoops. Twas a Blade I think. Hope the guys in that group spotted him too.
Yep, they do like a 'blade!! They have (or did have) some bikes that have no distinguishing features other than cameras, which let's face it are getting more common on "civilian" bikes now as well. The easiest way to tell is because their gear doesn't normally look right on the bike e.g. brand new 'blade, plain white Schuberth lid. They often have fully marked up bikes on call to pull you over, that way they don't give away the identity of the plain clothes bike. I try to ride on Saturdays rather than Sundays just to lower the risk. Not just of Rozzers but Sunday drivers in Sussex coast are unbelievable - it's going to get scary in a few years when they've all replaced their Rovers as they'll be harder to spot!
From the report A black Mitsubishi L200, being driven by a 50-year-old man, was on the A5 northbound, waiting to turn right into the racecourse, when a grey Yamaha R6, being ridden by a man, travelling southbound was involved in a collision with the vehicle. So it would seem it was the L200 driver at fault, turning across the path of the bike. After that, it seems all hell broke loose.
Bit of a presumption from the way I read this. "Waiting to turn right" would suggest a stationery vehicle and not "turning across the path". Not saying you're wrong, just "playing devils advocate" and pointing out that we (probably) weren't there and don't know the facts. Reports in the media don't always tell you the facts either.
As echoed elsewhere, you never overtake a stationary vehicle waiting to turn right on their right hand side, it's just about the biggest no no in the book. If you must pass, do so cautiously on the left.
Well yes, but the stationary vehicle may not be indicating. Or may indicate one way but move the other way. So even more cautiously.
This is so true, I always work on a speed differential of 10% so if the car is stopped in the middle of the road, the maximum speed i pass is only about 10mph, just in case it does something unexpected. Just about every stupid move in the world has been pulled at dome point, better to hit the guilty party at 6 instead of 60. Really hope the guy is ok, thus could be the accident that saves his life later on in life with the experience gained.
Reminds me of a biggie in Oz . Some woman wrote to some bike mags , wailing and crying on coz her boyfriend got himself killed on his road rocket ( I think in was a gsxr1000 ) but anyhow she bleated on about car drivers not looking etc ... all the usual shit . Even after saying that all he did was pass about a dozen cars on their right hand side (from behind ) which were qued up to turn right, at about a zillion miles an hour when ( I thought predictably ) the car at the head of the que turns right and the dumbass T boned it , and this woman cant understand why everyone thinks its his fault . I don't understand why they even printed the story , the guy deserved everything he got
There was no overtaking involved: the car was Northbound, the bikes Southbound. That suggests that the car had been waiting for one or more vehicles to pass Southbound before he made the turn. The racecourse is just south of the edge of Towcester, so possibly the bikes were accelerating hard having left the 30 mph zone (we all do that eh?) and may have closed the gap to the traffic ahead pretty quickly. If the L200 driver made an initial observation of '3 cars coming, then it's clear' he may not have checked again before pulling across after the third car had passed. No excuse for that - but I can see how it might happen. A bike's ability to accelerate so quickly puts us at risk of taking car drivers by surprise, and if they're not paying attention then we pay the price... I like Phil's 10% speed differential idea, although I'm not sure I could stick to it religiously, but worth keeping in mind...
or maybe the L200 was waiting to turn right and the bikes went for an overtake of vehicles southbound and hit said L200 head-on as he waited? Whatever happened it's a real downer for all concerned,especially relatives...and of course there'll be many parents reading the report and scaring their kids into not riding any PTW....ever... I hate riding in even reasonably close proximity to other bikes...tbh race days scare me witless.When I see the standard of riding,(and lack of respect for any other road user), by a large percentage of bike riders,I'm surprised there are not more accidents....
You're not wrong there, while you can make good progress on the road, I'm embarrassed by the behaviour of a significant chunk of bikers out there. They are typically on sports bikes, but that's to be expected - its what attracted the owners to them in the first place
I was waiting at a roundabout yesterday. The two bikes who appeared both took the first exit without indicating while I waited for them to go straight on. So people on bikes are just as selfish and annoying as people in cars. Now, why don't I find that surprising?
living in this part of the world i will see a lot of fatalities. my mates that come up from the city drive like loons. i think thay forget its all high speed accidents out here. i know of three people that have died at the scene in last 8 months.
I am sure you would have considered it, but equally they could have been indicating, by mistake, and still gone straight on. I never believe indicators, until I see evidence to support ' indicated intention' , where ever possible . Trust no other person/pedestrian on the road, if possible.
Very wise words. If there ever can be an upside to an accident like this it's that it's got us all thinking about our safety, with some very good tips and pointers.
