http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...CBQ0JVC?xml=/motoring/2005/09/09/mfsafe10.xml ....which may not work as it has my sessionID in it... Otherwise try www.telegraph.co.uk and look for Motoring in the Inside Today section on the right, and the link "Watch out for motorbikes". -- Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration, Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN GSX600F, RG250WD, DT175MX "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO# 003, 005 WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon) KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".
Ironically I saw the immediate aftermath of 3 sports bikes on the A2 this morning by Riefield Rd, Eltham, in a pile because they were filtering in 1a and the lead came unstuck as a cage turned left to take the left lane for exit. 2 unconscious, 1 moving but on floor. Dunno the outcome -- R_O_B_B_O Trophy 1200 1998 BotaFOF #19. E.O.S.M 2001/2002/2003/2004. B.O.S.M 2003, 2004, 2005 FURSWB#1 KotL..YTC449 PM#7 ..
The journalism has always been very good, and apart from headlines and leaders most of the reporting is remarkably 'straight'. Has been my only paper of choice for many years, even though I don't (always) agree with its politics. -- _______ ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom) \`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2 `\|/` `
Link worked fine for me. I wouldn't normally read that paper, so I have certain preconceptions of its attitudes to things, but it did seem rather positive. Anything that can bring about a two-thirds reduction in accidents, even locally, without spoiling our fun is surely a Good Thing, as long as that doesn't simply mean "it was 1 last year compared to 3 the year before".
Its rail reporting tends to be the most accurate (other than the Morning Star which is remarkably accurate in this regard).
WTF !!! Luckily, my chap was filtering defensively, and was able to "jump off and run across the road" without injury. How is that possible if someones just done a U turn into your path ?
The car started the U-turn as the rider was alongside it. Happens all the time. Most recently, the night before last, in a tale of inexperience and self-righteousness. As I rode up the hill out of town in rush hour traffic, I came up behind a rather slow retro Triumph, 2-up, both devoid of any bike-specific gear apart from 2 shitty old helmets. I overtook him, and another vehicle nice and safely, and then began filtering through the stationary traffic. At the top of the hill is a zebra crossing, shortly followed by junction to the left. A bus was sat on the crossing, having left a gap in front of him for emerging traffic to turn right across my path. I approached the front of the bus with my usual caution, expecting the (to me) obvious. Instead, I was shocked and a little amused to see the Triumph go past on my outside at about 40mph. My first thought was that I'd been had, followed quickly by a certain knowledge that i had done the right thing, that if I hadn't slowed, a car would almost definitely have pulled out, and that Triumph bloke had put himself and his quite young T-shirt wearing lady pillion in severe danger, but had wanted to prove some kind of point to me. I settled for thinking he was a ****, and pottered up the outside of the traffic behind him. As I watched his filtering for the next 500 yards, I concluded that he wasn't that good at it. My mind couldn't decide whether to hope this couple were going to get home safely, or selfishly hope the **** would be taken out at the next junction. To save my mind from turmoil, the decision was kindly taken out of my hands by a myopic mondeo driver who decided to turn right from the stationery traffic into a side road, just as the Triumph was passing. It all went slow motion for a while as the two of them battled for the same piece of tarmac, with the mondeo eventually winning the bout. A wheel trim, half a lever and some scratches, the only casualties. No gore, everyone safe, but I just had to stop and pass on my congratulations. The car guy looked quite pissed off as I pulled up, but soon chilled. Tri-guy looked really sheepish, said he was ok, and thanked me for stopping. (I hadn't actually decided whos' side I was on at that point, but it didn't matter anyway) I called him a soft ****, told him to be careful, and grinned like a smug twat all the way home.
'South Gloucestershire council, having spotted certain junctions where clusters of accidents involve bikes, has started its own campaign, designed to turn the well-worn "Sorry mate…" apology into a memorable acronym - "smidsy" - that will be recognised by drivers as well as riders.' Keep up at the back eh?
