Around the table

[Rob]

You wrote it so i'll ask.One handed?

I would have thought from your knowledge of my whereabouts on the web you'ld have known all that.

I lost the use of my left arm, and damaged my left knee somewhat, as well as one or two other minor injuries, in a motorcycle accident some 30 years ago.

My knowledge of your whereabouts on the web?

[snoopysue]

I think you overestimate Rob's knowledge SRD!!

[MarkCDodd]

Tis' another reminder why I am happy to whiz between trees and over jumps on my motorcycles but will never venture on the road again.

[snoopysue]

Tis' another reminder why I am happy to whiz between trees and over jumps on my motorcycles but will never venture on the road again.

I'm not keen on motorbikes (seen too much at work), but my husband has two and already had a bike before I met him. He's reponsible (fairly) about it, wears all the right protection, but although he may be a careful driver who's to say the vehicle coming in the other direction is?
I don't like him going out on it when I'm on call - if he ever does have an accident I don't want it to be on my shift!

[SRD]

I wouldn't allow anyone to have a 4 wheel driving licence without first getting a 2 wheel one.

Another story: a few years ago I was feeling a bit rundown etc. and, as my grandfather had maturity onset diabetes from his twenties I went to see my GP. He did all the tests, which were negative, and then checked to see if I was depressed, with equally negative results. After he had relayed the results to me he asked after my arm and knee etc. remarking that "...at least that isn't a family predisposition." I admit to being utterly wicked when I responded, completely truthfully, "Actually Bill, my father was killed in a motorcycle accident."

[snoopysue]

I wouldn't allow anyone to have a 4 wheel driving licence without first getting a 2 wheel one.

Another story: a few years ago I was feeling a bit rundown etc. and, as my grandfather had maturity onset diabetes from his twenties I went to see my GP. He did all the tests, which were negative, and then checked to see if I was depressed, with equally negative results. After he had relayed the results to me he asked after my arm and knee etc. remarking that "...at least that isn't a family predisposition." I admit to being utterly wicked when I responded, completely truthfully, "Actually Bill, my father was killed in a motorcycle accident."

It's certainly make them more aware of motorcyclists, if car drivers had tried it themselves - but it's probably create a lot of accidents! A pity we can't take someone's MC licence away if they haven't riden a MC regularly. Those men who hit the male menopause and buy a 1000cc bike when they haven't riden for years and then probably only on a 250cc model, shouldn't be allowed.
Having said that the two wheel accidents we see the most of, are mopeds and the like - partly to do with cars being expensive, therefore lots of youngsters with them. And partly to do with not needing a licence for the ones that can't go above 45km/ hour - popular with middle aged men who've lost their driving licence due to drunk driving. I'm always extra careful when there's moped on the road, especially when the person on it seems to think a helmet is just a elbow protector (usually means no brains to protect!).

[MarkCDodd]

They did a huge amount of research on motorcycle accidents on the European contient a few years ago.

They found that somebody who rode motorcycle and drove cars was less likely to have any sort of accident.

As a motorcycle rider you learn to be defensive and stare at other driver to ascertain their intention.

You learn to respect the road and weather conditions.

You learn to treat every other road user as a potential accident.

I stopped riding on the road because of close calls I had in my car.

If they couldn't see my car then they wouldn't have seen my bike.

[Antie Em]

I had a couple of close calls on my motorbike. Once going over Darby's Hill, I hit ice and the bike slid down the hill with my leg stuck underneath - another was when I was driving through the entrance to Harvington Hall and I hit some chicken wire which stopped the wheel and I went up and over the top. My dad had a 650 Thunderbird and I used to love driving this down the "Hagley Mile" and dad made sure we all had crash helmets long before it became law. I lost control of it once and went over Burntree Island instead of round it, with my dad on the back (he wasn't impressed).

My point here is - just from personal experiences, that although I escaped with a couple bruises and ripped my best leathers - it could have been much worse but I wouldn't have been so vulnerable in a car. So pehaps there aren't so many accidents but the incidence of injury must be much worse.

[snoopysue]

They did a huge amount of research on motorcycle accidents on the European contient a few years ago.

They found that somebody who rode motorcycle and drove cars was less likely to have any sort of accident.

As a motorcycle rider you learn to be defensive and stare at other driver to ascertain their intention.

You learn to respect the road and weather conditions.

You learn to treat every other road user as a potential accident.

I stopped riding on the road because of close calls I had in my car.

If they couldn't see my car then they wouldn't have seen my bike.

They're running a campaign here at the moment to try and get both motorcyclists and drivers to be aware of each other. It's important for the bikers to know that they're not as visable as other vehicles, as well as if they are going fast (as they do) that this decreases the chance of other road users seeing them and/ or reacting in time!

One of my husbands aquaintances was killed a few years back, due to someone turning on to main road who didn't see him. There were rumours saying that he was doing over 200km in an 80km zone (his bike wasn't even capable of doing that), but when technical results came back, he was judged to be doing the speed limit. Apart from the driver overlooking him (he was killed as well), the motorcyclists lack of experience probably didn't help, as he may have expected the driver to see him, and not turn onto the road.

[snoopysue]

I had a couple of close calls on my motorbike. Once going over Darby's Hill, I hit ice and the bike slid down the hill with my leg stuck underneath - another was when I was driving through the entrance to Harvington Hall and I hit some chicken wire which stopped the wheel and I went up and over the top. My dad had a 650 Thunderbird and I used to love driving this down the "Hagley Mile" and dad made sure we all had crash helmets long before it became law. I lost control of it once and went over Burntree Island instead of round it, with my dad on the back (he wasn't impressed).

My point here is - just from personal experiences, that although I escaped with a couple bruises and ripped my best leathers - it could have been much worse but I wouldn't have been so vulnerable in a car. So pehaps there aren't so many accidents but the incidence of injury must be much worse.

My husband always wears his biking gear,including a spine protector - he thinks the people who go out in jeans and a t-shirt are asking for trouble!
He also considers his motorbike as "toy", rather than a mode of transport - which means he doesn't use it in the rain, ice, snow, etc. He's very careful about where he drives when they're harvesting corn (due to it being spilled on the road). And if he doesn't know the road he's even more careful than usual. He's also careful when he's just had new tyres, as it's easier to skid. The one bike he has is a road bike, and the other an off roader, he's been riding bikes every summer since he was old enough to get his license!