Do you ride safely?
Poll: Do you ride safely?
Total Members Polled: 78
Discussion
Probably a difficult question to answer honestly, as people often not the best judge of their own behaviour.
When I write safely I principally mean two things:
1. Thinking about and looking out for hazards at all times eg before overtaking checking no junctions/driveways, check behind, lifesaver etc
2. Always riding at a speed where you could stop within the distance you can see ahead on your own side of the road.
Personally I am guilty of not keeping to 2 enough.
I think if you don’t do both you are just relying on the fact that the chance of being caught out is relatively low and that you can get away with unsafe riding most of the time.
When I write safely I principally mean two things:
1. Thinking about and looking out for hazards at all times eg before overtaking checking no junctions/driveways, check behind, lifesaver etc
2. Always riding at a speed where you could stop within the distance you can see ahead on your own side of the road.
Personally I am guilty of not keeping to 2 enough.
I think if you don’t do both you are just relying on the fact that the chance of being caught out is relatively low and that you can get away with unsafe riding most of the time.
As someone mentioned in another thread "would you do it if a marked Police car / bike was behind you ?"
99% of my riding would fall outside of that
I'd say that I ride relatively sensibly and calculate the risk to be acceptable to me
Can I stop in half the distance I can see ?
Along with everyone else on the road - no
99% of my riding would fall outside of that
I'd say that I ride relatively sensibly and calculate the risk to be acceptable to me
Can I stop in half the distance I can see ?
Along with everyone else on the road - no
I like gojng fast but time and place are a huge factor. Through towns and big roundabouts I go at a relaxed pace as that's where you're going to get knocked off. Never really had a problem where I was going too fast for a corner and thought I would actually crash, but I do like to push it on routes I know well.
I answered 'most of the time' but this is my own opinion and I'm not sure everyone would agree 
I've started taking my 11 year old lad on the back which obviously brings the pace down significantly; less overtakes, less abrupt acceleration / braking etc. But this got me thinking, when I'm on my own I do take more risks so could you class that as completely safe - probably not.
One thing I do pride myself on when riding at a reasonable pace is to slow down or at least cover the brakes when passing a side junction. Too many past experiences of being pulled out on have inbedded this approach into my brain. Having ridden with groups of bikes though, I noticed a lot don't bother and rely on being seen which to me is excessive risk. I'll open the taps when it's safe to do so and if there's a clear line of visibility I'll lay the bike right over, but on blind bends I try to keep a bit in reserve. I once came across a broken down car on a blind bend with an RAC van directly behind him. Luckily I wasn't going bonkers but quick enough to turn the seat brown!
I've started taking my 11 year old lad on the back which obviously brings the pace down significantly; less overtakes, less abrupt acceleration / braking etc. But this got me thinking, when I'm on my own I do take more risks so could you class that as completely safe - probably not.
One thing I do pride myself on when riding at a reasonable pace is to slow down or at least cover the brakes when passing a side junction. Too many past experiences of being pulled out on have inbedded this approach into my brain. Having ridden with groups of bikes though, I noticed a lot don't bother and rely on being seen which to me is excessive risk. I'll open the taps when it's safe to do so and if there's a clear line of visibility I'll lay the bike right over, but on blind bends I try to keep a bit in reserve. I once came across a broken down car on a blind bend with an RAC van directly behind him. Luckily I wasn't going bonkers but quick enough to turn the seat brown!
I ride to what I think is safe for me at all times. It's getting harder though as I live in the SE and the combination of falling driving standards and more and more cars makes riding more and more frustrating and sometimes leads to poor decision making on my part.
For example, about 15mins of my commute is on the M25 in Kent and it is EXTREMELY difficult not to ride up the left-hand side of centre lane hogs. Last night I undertook a few and gave them a toot on the horn as I undertook them! It's an epidemic issue and at busy times on the M25 causes material delays.
When I'm filtering on the dual carriageways in to London I'm extremely vigilant but most drivers are used to the commute and expect bikes, but you develop a spidey sense for those that are not. I'm increasingly worried about phone use in these queues. Filtering through crawling cars you obviously can peer in and see what people are up to and I'd estimate that probably 20% of drivers are on their phones - I even saw a scooter delivery guy in Leytonstone on a face time call as he weaved in and out of traffic. Insane. Video calls in cars are pretty common in traffic. I'm always worried about erratic movements from these people, so is my filtering "safe". Maybe not.
Also, marijuana use! Again, riding in and out of London you realise just how prevalent drug use is broadly but also amongst drivers. I smell drugs multiple times every single journey and often follow vehicles who obviously are the producers of it - builders vans in the mornings and private cars in the afternoons. It is literally all over the place. That can't be safe for me or anyone else!
So, is commuting in to central London on a motorcycle "safe". Probably not, but I try to mitigate the risks by being sensible and holding myself back!! I don't do it because I have to, I do it because I choose to but it is getting more and more sketchy.
I suppose then, it all depends on your perspective, where you ride and how much you want to ride!
For example, about 15mins of my commute is on the M25 in Kent and it is EXTREMELY difficult not to ride up the left-hand side of centre lane hogs. Last night I undertook a few and gave them a toot on the horn as I undertook them! It's an epidemic issue and at busy times on the M25 causes material delays.
When I'm filtering on the dual carriageways in to London I'm extremely vigilant but most drivers are used to the commute and expect bikes, but you develop a spidey sense for those that are not. I'm increasingly worried about phone use in these queues. Filtering through crawling cars you obviously can peer in and see what people are up to and I'd estimate that probably 20% of drivers are on their phones - I even saw a scooter delivery guy in Leytonstone on a face time call as he weaved in and out of traffic. Insane. Video calls in cars are pretty common in traffic. I'm always worried about erratic movements from these people, so is my filtering "safe". Maybe not.
Also, marijuana use! Again, riding in and out of London you realise just how prevalent drug use is broadly but also amongst drivers. I smell drugs multiple times every single journey and often follow vehicles who obviously are the producers of it - builders vans in the mornings and private cars in the afternoons. It is literally all over the place. That can't be safe for me or anyone else!
So, is commuting in to central London on a motorcycle "safe". Probably not, but I try to mitigate the risks by being sensible and holding myself back!! I don't do it because I have to, I do it because I choose to but it is getting more and more sketchy.
I suppose then, it all depends on your perspective, where you ride and how much you want to ride!
I tend to ride in the same way I drive. I don't hoon on the bike at all really. The odd pull on faster roads where it allows is about as adventurous as I get. I don't think road conditions allow for a lot of speed. There's the inevitability of someone with a dash cam every tenth car so any "fun" you might want to have on the road will be on YouTube and with the police before you've got home. I just don't get that thrill others seem to have by riding like I'm going for a podium.
If that's the definition of riding safely then yup all the time, although thinking about and doing aren't always the same. A 'perfect ' ride is a rare beast.
I'd definitely add thinking about and anticipating the actions of others onto that list, and I do okay there. But sometimes people get under my skin, which can affect my behaviour. I'm also not averse to brainfarts affecting bike handling skills, and I don't like squared off tyres in the wet.
I avoid three figures nowadays, I enjoy the turns but, whilst I can lean the bike, I'm not fast and I want a good view of the turn. Slow in fast out.
I'd definitely add thinking about and anticipating the actions of others onto that list, and I do okay there. But sometimes people get under my skin, which can affect my behaviour. I'm also not averse to brainfarts affecting bike handling skills, and I don't like squared off tyres in the wet.
I avoid three figures nowadays, I enjoy the turns but, whilst I can lean the bike, I'm not fast and I want a good view of the turn. Slow in fast out.
Skeptisk said:
Probably a difficult question to answer honestly, as people often not the best judge of their own behaviour.
When I write safely I principally mean two things:
1. Thinking about and looking out for hazards at all times eg before overtaking checking no junctions/driveways, check behind, lifesaver etc
2. Always riding at a speed where you could stop within the distance you can see ahead on your own side of the road.
Personally I am guilty of not keeping to 2 enough.
I think if you don’t do both you are just relying on the fact that the chance of being caught out is relatively low and that you can get away with unsafe riding most of the time.
1) Yep. All the time since I did my blue light course at work. Reinforced now I've done my advanced car and advanced bike. When I write safely I principally mean two things:
1. Thinking about and looking out for hazards at all times eg before overtaking checking no junctions/driveways, check behind, lifesaver etc
2. Always riding at a speed where you could stop within the distance you can see ahead on your own side of the road.
Personally I am guilty of not keeping to 2 enough.
I think if you don’t do both you are just relying on the fact that the chance of being caught out is relatively low and that you can get away with unsafe riding most of the time.
2) As above.
That being said, some people wouldn't think how I ride is safe.
There's a bend on my way home that I've taken at 110 on the work bike on a course on the wrong side of the road overtaking. Perfectly safe, but people would think it isn't. I get why. It's not a normal thing.
Back when I was young and foolish... and that is considerably further back than last week... the answer would definitely be "No". After a few accidents, a few broken bits and even being pronounced dead on one occasion, I did start to change my behaviour. Pretty much all my accidents were down to me doing stupid stuff like drink driving (read as extremely pissed), rolling burnouts, wheelies and generally hurtling into situations far too fast without thinking... even then I was always very wary of other road users and their potential for killing me.
Nowadays, I'm older and a lot wiser, I no longer drink, no longer pull wheelies and tend to use my bike mainly for bimbling about. I ride defensively, particularly when "making progress", but my biggest change is how I behave around cars... some junctions make me distinctly nervous (my other half had her leg ripped off by someone pulling out of a junction, a mate had his ankle broken in similar circumstances and I can thank a driver changing lanes for some of my aches and pains - yep, I'm a lot more careful nowadays). We moved into the countryside and I am now so out of practice at riding in traffic that I am extremely careful. I very rarely filter, unlike when I used to do so at anything up to about sixtyish, hate big roundabouts and rarely venture onto motorways - give me a gravelly, single track any day of the week.
Nowadays, I'm older and a lot wiser, I no longer drink, no longer pull wheelies and tend to use my bike mainly for bimbling about. I ride defensively, particularly when "making progress", but my biggest change is how I behave around cars... some junctions make me distinctly nervous (my other half had her leg ripped off by someone pulling out of a junction, a mate had his ankle broken in similar circumstances and I can thank a driver changing lanes for some of my aches and pains - yep, I'm a lot more careful nowadays). We moved into the countryside and I am now so out of practice at riding in traffic that I am extremely careful. I very rarely filter, unlike when I used to do so at anything up to about sixtyish, hate big roundabouts and rarely venture onto motorways - give me a gravelly, single track any day of the week.
I moved to an Indian Scout Bobber last year partly due to my riding on my Dorsoduro. It’s worked, mostly, and I’m happy just blobbing along if I have to and just enjoy the ride.
Sometimes it’s nice to open it up a bit more, I’m perfectly happy with a decent amount of peg scraping, but even then mostly very much on the side of caution and not going very quick by litre bike standards.
But then the other day I found myself daydreaming for a second, approaching a narrowing bend, braking like mad, snaking the back wheel out and slightly over the other side of the road. I’d taken my eye off the ball and luckily I ride quiet roads and no one was coming. If they had been I’d have died.
So I try to be safe. Mostly im safe. Sometimes it goes wrong (albeit this is the second time I’ve f
ked up in about a decade) and if it had turned out bad, I’d have had to take my lumps (or my family would have to pick up the pieces).
Sometimes it’s nice to open it up a bit more, I’m perfectly happy with a decent amount of peg scraping, but even then mostly very much on the side of caution and not going very quick by litre bike standards.
But then the other day I found myself daydreaming for a second, approaching a narrowing bend, braking like mad, snaking the back wheel out and slightly over the other side of the road. I’d taken my eye off the ball and luckily I ride quiet roads and no one was coming. If they had been I’d have died.
So I try to be safe. Mostly im safe. Sometimes it goes wrong (albeit this is the second time I’ve f
ked up in about a decade) and if it had turned out bad, I’d have had to take my lumps (or my family would have to pick up the pieces). Part of the problem here is defining safe! Too many people judge safe by the speed limit.
Do I break speed limits? Yes, regularly! Do I ride at speeds that could get me locked up? Yes, occasionally! To I try to ride using the principles of advanced riding/roadcraft? Yes, almost all the time. Am I safe? I like to think so!
Do I break speed limits? Yes, regularly! Do I ride at speeds that could get me locked up? Yes, occasionally! To I try to ride using the principles of advanced riding/roadcraft? Yes, almost all the time. Am I safe? I like to think so!
I'm going less fast than when younger- I often recall achieving 120 on my commute home down the M23 on my zzr600 but rarely go over 95 now on my fireblade (and that's with the extra lane)
Most bikes I see are deliveroo type scooters who seem to have zero clue but just survive on luck and others' bailing them out.
I don't really ride with a crowd though, so never fell in with the "who can do the stupidity overtake and brag about it later" types.
As to whether I'm safe? In 20 years I've been knocked off once and had my bike pushed over in traffic once (when I blocked someone who was preventing someone else from merging in that I took exception to)
Had the odd bum wobble on gravel and slipped off in snow which was no-ones fault (not even the Romans)
I've never had to rely on an emergency stop (thank god as I have no idea what would happen) and got lucky maybe twice where a car driver hit the anchors to bail me out of something stupid I'd done, like filter up the left past a van only to see a car turning into a driveway)
So I would say I'm doing ok but I try not to take anything for granted.
Most bikes I see are deliveroo type scooters who seem to have zero clue but just survive on luck and others' bailing them out.
I don't really ride with a crowd though, so never fell in with the "who can do the stupidity overtake and brag about it later" types.
As to whether I'm safe? In 20 years I've been knocked off once and had my bike pushed over in traffic once (when I blocked someone who was preventing someone else from merging in that I took exception to)
Had the odd bum wobble on gravel and slipped off in snow which was no-ones fault (not even the Romans)
I've never had to rely on an emergency stop (thank god as I have no idea what would happen) and got lucky maybe twice where a car driver hit the anchors to bail me out of something stupid I'd done, like filter up the left past a van only to see a car turning into a driveway)
So I would say I'm doing ok but I try not to take anything for granted.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff