Mini-Rant

My SO and I decided to take a trip up to Hunstanton yesterday on the
bike. My eldest daughter, son-in-law and grandson were staying in a
Caravan so we decided to pop up.



You may find the next bit disturbing.

We left home with the bike stashed up with gear and decided to make
steady progress up the M11, A14, A10 then the 149. We passed loads and
loads of bikes ranging from a pussy of Harleys [1] to some tasty sports
bikes. There were about 6 Harleys stuck behind a slow car, a GPZ in
front of me tucked in behind them. I overtook all of them at the next
clear piece of road. When I looked in my mirrors they were still all
stuck behind that slow car.



My gripe is this. Why oh why buy a nice bike then just sit behind
traffic, at least the guy on another Ninja 600 did try in a straight
line but I had to brake hard to prevent us running into him on the
bends. In the end we overtook him on the bend.



What are we coming to when a grandfather and grandmother visiting the
seaside on a lardy old Triumph Thunderbird are the fastest on the road?
[1]



I kid you not. We must have passed at least 50 bikes.



So if any of you were on the M11, A14, A10 or A149 between 11:00 and
1:00pm yesterday hang your heads in shame.



[1] Well at least on the roads we were on yesterday.

 

ITYWF they will be back in hibernation in 3 months.

 

I honestly think that they are either A) scared or B) still in car
driving mode.

 

Perhaps they enjoy just pootling along. You passed them, they didn't hold
you up, what the **** are you moaning about. You do your thing, they do
their's and we all live in peace and harmony and all that bullshit.

Bill

 

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 16:30:14 +0100, "Alan.T.Gower"

I find the same on my humble F650 at times. The only kind conclusion
that I can draw from this is that the riders are unfamiliar with the
route and are worried about their licenses[1]. Any alternative
explanation is just sad.

[1] I *do* vaguley stick to speed limits on unfamiliar roads.

 

Good point, I'll bear it in mind. ;o)

 

I wonder if it's some sort of unwritten-law kind of thing? I notice
this especially at traffic lights when bikers mostly seem to allow the
first person who got there to be first to leave.

Going north on the M1 on Friday making good progress in the 17 mile
tailbacks and was caught up by another bike who refused to overtake
me even though I pulled over to let him do so on several occasions.
I think part of it is that some people like to use you as a plod
shield in the hope that you get pulled first...

Paul

 

I meant to post sopmething similar this morning. Guy on a bandit
slowing down traffic (me) by riding at about 100kph on a clear, wide,
90kph limit road. Even when there was a straight bit with perfect
visibility for a mile and a half.

Natch, I overtook him, but really, being passed by a Peuget 206cc? I'd
never live the shame down.

 

the only thing I can think of that's vaguely related is the politcal
hierarchy within "patch clubs" that means they ride in formation and
stick to it.

Can't see why that means they tuck in behind other vehicles, unless the
pres. is driving up front - in which case bloody poor show!

I'll shurrup now.

 

I fail to see what pleasure can be gained from sitting in a queue of
traffic inhailing fume. Perhaps you might explain htis to me?

Amen to that brother.

 

Bwahahaha.

 

Claire and I drove back from a wedding in Newcastle on Sunday down
the A1. We saw a brace[2] of 'wings, more with trailers than without.
Two had what appeared on first glance to be identical numberplates;
and also both white, one with a trailer, and the numberplates were
both a yellow background with mirrored letters[3].

As they came past, I said, "hang on, they look identical", and
we set about chase to get close enough to check. A bit of aggressive
Micra driving later, and we caught them. One letter different; the age
related letter. "Sad" we decided. My driving style didn't calm down
for a while, and we found ourselves in front of them by 10 cars or
so when we reached a tailback.

5 boring miles later, and then some *other* wings (with trailers)
filtered past. Both lanes were moving very consistantly, the two
white wings hadn't come past.

2 more boring tailback miles later, reached the cause of the tailback
(a roundabout!) and everything opened up. A short stop for a
bite to eat, and we saw the white wings come past. They had been
sitting in the queue as well for 7 miles. And, even when some other wings
*with trailers* filter past, they don't join in.

I just don't understand.

[2] I presume that's the collective noun
[3] uck.

 

They did.

Aha, that might be the case.

Aye, that's true.

 

It wasn't just the Harleys but everyone. I really do mean everyone.

I am certainly not what I would call *quick* on the Trumpet so it can't
be that I was giving it beanz.

 

Seems the norm now. I've noticed it more so with the yoof on their
scooters and 125s here.

I saw the same thing on the M4 in 38 degree C heat. If I had done that on
my Bandit the bloody thing would have seized up in no time.

 

I'm with you on this one all the way, brother Alan.

We ambled across to Chelmsford Monday afternoon/evening, with bike
trailer and loaded with The Rat on the homeward leg. A lot of
unaccustomed sitting in lines of traffic was perforce involved, but
this did allow a different perspective to be drawn. A perspective
that showed users of motorcycles in a poor light.

Time after time a headlight would appear in the mirror on the horizon
- and it would stay there for ages, then gradually creep closer
(probably as intervening vehicles turned off) and then the rider would
sit (annoyingly, in The Slot) on my shoulder, following. At 45mph
FFS.

Three times I managed to make enough space and give a hefty hint by
lifting off (from no more than 50) _and_ indicating left at which
point they would pass. Those three notables were astride an R1, a
ZX-9R and a ZZR 600 respectively. All equipped with nice leathers
(but not to PR standard), rucksacks and miniature numberplates. They
really didn't need the tiny plates as there was no way that any of
them were in danger of exceeding 60mph.

We bimbled along the A507 from Bruntingford to Baldock, which is one
of God's own motorcycling roads - with a big BMW tagging along at >55.
We saw shitloads of bikes along the A507, A10, A120 and A12. Not one
of the riders was using his machine in the way that it was intended.
Despite its old and sheddy appearance, the big white Renault gets some
suspicious looks from other road users, checking to see if it is an
unmarked Plodmobile, I assume. Unlikely to be Old Bill towing a tatty
bike trailer though, am I? Even less with a tatty Rat on the back.

No fucking excuse - cunts, the lot of 'em. They should all be forced
to give their bikes to Bear and given ride-on mowers in return.

 

Southbound M1 on Friday was jammed solid down to Meadowhell. I made good
progress through it and was surprised by a few bikes whose riders just sat
there and accepted it. Ferfuxache, I was riding the GTR with both panniers
attatched, heading for Sheffield. It was a bit tight, and I did need to
stop occaisionally to avoid clunking cars with the bags, but I still made
progress.

Sheffield business concluded and back North on the M1. Big respect to the
to old guys on Wings, laden to the gunwhales heading south through the
traffic. They were making progress through it at ( I'd estimate ) 20mph,
about what I was doing an hour earlier.[1]

They sailed past one or two stationary bikes too.

I guess some folk just freak and freeze and some of us just get on with the
job.

I really felt for the poor saps sat in the 20-30 mile tailback. For limited
values of felt that is. I must admit that I -enjoy- filtering most days.
Some days I can't be arsed, some days, like this morning, I revel in it and
find myself singing and boogie-ing away to my self.

Kinda embarrasing when you get to traffic lights, folks have the windows of
the car wound down, and you are bellowing 'Holiday In Cambodia' to yourself
though.[2]

[1] I reckon 20mph through stationary traffic is OK, I can be a wuss.
[2] I did follow it with 'Kill The Poor'.

 

Strange isn't it. I find the majority of cars on Nar-**** roads will
move over for a bike.

 

Bear was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

They were probably comparing sizes...

 

snip

snip

You waited?
To find this out?
Derrr....

--
Nidge
ZX6R J2 Stunning in zit yellow. Bits of CB500S in Norwegian Parrot blue.
BOTAFOT#63

'Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand'.
(Homer Simpson).