Oh what a feeling

After about 18 years of fancying bikes and 13 years after I last rode my
moped (stolen....sniff...), I rode again. Bought a mate's Freewind a couple
of weeks ago and I am now for the first time a proud owner of a proper bike.
I'd forgotten how great it feels to ride and it's even more wonderful on a
large-ish bike. I only rode to work and I did ride like an 80 year old
auntie mind (got my full license a couple of months ago so I'm pretty
green), still, that feeling!

The main issue is that what used to be a "bloody hell, I could have killed
that careless bastard" when I was driving to work in a Land Rover, is now a
"bloody hell, that careless bastard could have killed me". If you think I'm
exaggerating about the danger, know that I live in Greece where there's 2
dangerous bastards and 4 clueless bastards every 10 drivers you encounter.
Add one random/uncategorised bastard and you get the picture. Not that bike
riders are any better....

Either way, I still have half a silly grin on my face. I can't wait to see
what it'll be like after the weekend, weather permitting.


Geo

 

Geo () gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying :

So you don't even have to get on a bike to pass the test in Greece? Shit,
that explains plenty about the roads out there...

 

Obviously, I did get on a bike in order to pass the test, it's just that a
few lessons werent' enough to make me feel really adequate, even though I
was good enough to pass. Additionally, the lessons were mostly in somewhat
quiet areas, not the busiest intersections in town.

You should have seen the pre-EU norm test for 50cc bikes back then (although
Greece was already an EU member). I had a brief look at the "theory" book
the night before the written test, passed (was piss easy), then went to the
test course and did two "eights" with the scooter without putting my foot on
the ground. There, passed. Total cost: around 20 quid. Total time on bike
required: less than two minutes. Full license test wasn't that much better
either iirc.


Geo

 

The Greek road casualty rate is supposed to be the worst in Europe. So
bad, in fact, that the government stopped publishing official
statistics several years ago.

 

<TOG@toil>; <>; <>
wrote in message

I still remember one weekend during the Yugoslavian civil war: the news gave
the number of the war casualties for that weekend, which was in the low
double digits. Then in other news, they mentioned the number of traffic
fatalities in Greece for the same weekend (which was a three-day one iirc,
hence a massive automotive exodus from Athens on Friday and back to the city
on Sunday) and it was higher by something like 5 people.

Greek drivers aren't bad in terms of skill or reflexes, there's two minor
misconceptions that makes them more prone to causing accidents:
a. They think the road belongs to them and only to them. Both directions.
b. They think they are indestructible.

Geo

 

They share the latter with the Italians. Apparently, there is a cathedral
somewhere that does good business for the Pope by blessing motor vehicles.
It's a site of pilgrimage for Italians. Once your vehicle is blessed you
become invincible apparently.

However, I have been pleasantly surprised at how courteous Italian drivers
are, mainly. You just have to play by the rules i.e. don't ever hesitate,
if they leave a gap it's yours for a nanosecond. The fun comes on mountain
passes on single track roads as their invincibility means that there will
never be something coming the other way on a blind hairpin...

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

ITYF that Bear doesn't wear PJs.

He's more of a 'green dressing gown' type of chap.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart)
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
Kawasaki GTR1400

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Bear

The alternative is unthinkable, so many thanks for putting my mind at
rest.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart)
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
Kawasaki GTR1400