Disbelieve

[fatboy18]

Couldn't make it up today, turned onto a dual carriageway and was following a what looked like new young rider L plates on a new scooter, riding along about 30mph in a 40, mobile phone in hand holding it up in the air taking selfies of himself, I gave him a toot and waved my finger and pointed out the dash cam in my Van!

I'm not going to report this lad, but frankly I just could not believe what I was seeing. What would he get for that 12 points on the licence?

[croyde]

I'm seeing this all the time on my London commute.

Mainly scooter riders fiddling with their phones either in their hand or on their handlebars.

As bad as the bloody car drivers.

I looked at a couple of new bikes a few weeks ago and took them for test rides.

The sales guys were very excited about showing me all the millions of buttons and various things I could do with the screen (no clocks). Music, sat nav and Bluetooth to my phone.

I said 'Mate! I'm not interested in all of that rubbish, I'll be too busy having fun and making sure I don't hit anything ie concentrate.'

Sales guys both said that everyone wants connectivity these days and loads of tech.

Real shame, as I loved both bikes but it would be nice if they did cheaper versions without the tech.

Anyway back to topic.

I now find that when I'm on my bike the most danger comes from other two wheelers, mainly scooters.

I currently ride a scooter too.

[Donbot]

I'm not sure how beeping at an already distracted rider helps. Probably thinks you are giving a that's-cool-bro horn.

He'll learn a painful lesson at some point. Best ignore.

[Simes205]

croyde said:

I'm seeing this all the time on my London commute.

Mainly scooter riders fiddling with their phones either in their hand or on their handlebars.
.

I can’t remember if you ride in near me (Coulsdon) but the A23 along the London Road Norbury is littered with Just Eat / Deliveroo bods, who love a bit of phone fiddling to add to their shocking undertaking!

[HHZ]

One hand on the phone, one leg sticking out speedway style. Dat's da way to look cool innit fam.

[Nick928]

After a Tiger Rally Pro & a GS1250 Adventure which both had loads of tech and connected gadgets I went for a T7 Tenere.
Back to basics, no connectivity and a breath of fresh air.

[Salted_Peanut]

croyde said:

I said 'Mate! I'm not interested in all of that rubbish, I'll be too busy having fun and making sure I don't hit anything ie concentrate.'

Real shame, as I loved both bikes but it would be nice if they did cheaper versions without the tech.

+1. Me, too.

[stu67]

As a bike commuter into London I see it all the time, people watching TV on their phones either in their cars / vans or even on scooters. Always makes me laugh when I see the scooter riders with their phones rammed into the side of their helmets, hands free init!

[fatboy18]

Donbot said:

I'm not sure how beeping at an already distracted rider helps. Probably thinks you are giving a that's-cool-bro horn.

He'll learn a painful lesson at some point. Best ignore.

I gave him a toot to get his concentration back on track! He glanced round and I pointed to my dashcam. Police would have ripped him down a peg or two. This was not a diliverroo driver just a young lad on a brand new bike. As a Dad I was more concerned for his saftey, especially being a long time motorcycle rider.

Edited by fatboy18 on Friday 7th October 21:03

[Donbot]

fatboy18 said:

Donbot said:

I'm not sure how beeping at an already distracted rider helps. Probably thinks you are giving a that's-cool-bro horn.

He'll learn a painful lesson at some point. Best ignore.

I gave him a toot to get his concentration back on track! He glanced round and I pointed to my dashcam. Police would have ripped him down a peg or two. This was not a diliverroo driver just a young lad on a brand new bike. As a Dad I was more concerned for his saftey, especially being a long time motorcycle rider.

Fairy nuff. It's that people normally just get pissed off when other drivers / riders point out their stupidity and they tend to get annoyed instead of seeing that they are being a bit of a prat.

[black-k1]

Salted_Peanut said:

croyde said:

I said 'Mate! I'm not interested in all of that rubbish, I'll be too busy having fun and making sure I don't hit anything ie concentrate.'

Real shame, as I loved both bikes but it would be nice if they did cheaper versions without the tech.

+1. Me, too.

The key point is that the tech cost the manufacturers the square root of bugger all but bikes without it don't sell.

Edited by black-k1 on Saturday 8th October 13:55

[N111BJG]

fatboy18 said:

Police would have ripped him down a peg or two.

Edited by fatboy18 on Friday 7th October 21:03

Given the number of bruvs I see doing this, or similar, that sail past marked Met cars I would not be so sure.

TBH I don't think either have seen each other as both are too engrossed in their respective tech to pay any attention to the chore of driving / riding proper.

[HybridTheory]

Not saying it's right but sure he wasn't trying to get a signal to know where he's going !

[fatboy18]

HybridTheory said:

Not saying it's right but sure he wasn't trying to get a signal to know where he's going !

Nope, it was more a case of look at me on my new ride! The guy was not aggressive, simply did not understand he was doing anything wrong! As I slowed for a queue of cars waiting at the next set of traffic lights he pulled out and cruised past me phone in one hand and the other steering his new scooter.

[808 Estate]

black-k1 said:

The key point is that the tech cost the manufacturers the square root of bugger all but bikes without it don't sell.

Biggest selling UK bike (over 125cc) is a Royal Enfield Meteor. As low tech as its possible to get. Not everyone wants connectivity and gizmos. Sometimes a good honest bike it all you need.

[fatboy18]

The bike this lad was on was a new Vespa type scooter

[DodgyGeezer]

fatboy18 said:

Donbot said:

I'm not sure how beeping at an already distracted rider helps. Probably thinks you are giving a that's-cool-bro horn.

He'll learn a painful lesson at some point. Best ignore.

I gave him a toot to get his concentration back on track! He glanced round and I pointed to my dashcam. Police would have ripped him down a peg or two. This was not a diliverroo driver just a young lad on a brand new bike. As a Dad I was more concerned for his saftey, especially being a long time motorcycle rider.

Edited by fatboy18 on Friday 7th October 21:03

Maybe you should dob him in, potentially save his life (or at least a painful scrape)

[Sporall]

Nick928 said:

After a Tiger Rally Pro & a GS1250 Adventure which both had loads of tech and connected gadgets I went for a T7 Tenere.
Back to basics, no connectivity and a breath of fresh air.

Interesting, and I get why you did this. How's the T7 on a long day out?

Edited by Sporall on Thursday 13th October 18:29

[fatboy18]

DodgyGeezer said:

fatboy18 said:

Donbot said:

I'm not sure how beeping at an already distracted rider helps. Probably thinks you are giving a that's-cool-bro horn.

He'll learn a painful lesson at some point. Best ignore.

I gave him a toot to get his concentration back on track! He glanced round and I pointed to my dashcam. Police would have ripped him down a peg or two. This was not a diliverroo driver just a young lad on a brand new bike. As a Dad I was more concerned for his saftey, especially being a long time motorcycle rider.

Edited by fatboy18 on Friday 7th October 21:03

Maybe you should dob him in, potentially save his life (or at least a painful scrape)

No, but if I had seen him pull up on a driveway I would have stopped and tried to have a friendly chat with him about his actions. Sadly that didn't happen.

[BlackG7R]

croyde said:

I now find that when I'm on my bike the most danger comes from other two wheelers, mainly scooters.

I couldn't agree more, had a little ride round Central London the day before QEII's funeral just to see what was going on, and without doubt the two wheelers are are a far bigger danger to each other than any slow moving car or bus in heavy traffic.

I was filtering through the traffic, but at a sensible speed, and nearly got taken out by a number of scooters who think It's perfectly acceptable to do 40mph between, or up the inside of cars that are moving at 5mph.