rlmr wrote:
It all goes back to my often used and misquoted Burns except...
"The gift to see us as others see us."
Wise words indeed sir!
When I was half the age I am now ... actually, make that even slightly longer ago ... my bicycle was the only means of transport I had in NornIron. Then I moved to Edinburgh and again my push-bike was my main means of transport - -but riding there was a whole lot different to riding on the empty country roads I was used to!
To survive, and I mean that literally, you had to make and maintain as safe a space as possible. Sidling up the side of an HGV at a junction or pedestiran crossing? Madness! Moving up the inside of a line of cars at a four-way corssroads controlled by lights? Common practice to get the space to get a safe exit across the junction.
Then I progressed to a car and now a motorcycle. Even sat a test, pay insurance, road tax and all that sort of thing.
Now, as for ....
rlmr wrote:How often are we (bikers) flashed by oncoming car drivers when we are in the overtaking position yet we are back, safely on our side of the road for some considerable distance before they are level with us. If you are not a biker you may not appreciate the abilities of the machine (and rider). Similarly we must all take time to understand about the other road users.
This did happen to me in the past, and it started happening more often until I told myself to wise up and go do some training again (so I went off to do the RoSPA test).
Motor-sickle Roadcraft tells us that when overtaking, you don't want to come into conflict with another vehicle, whether seen or unseen on the instigation of the manoeuvre.
"Coming into conflict includes causing either driver to alter course or speed or to be concerned for their safety. It does not refer only to the need to take drastic evasive action."
Sadly, that's one of my favourite bits! I'm not about to say it has never happened since, but I am certainly more circumspect than I used to be!
I don't think we can expect everyone out there to drive to even that required to pass a normal driving test. Being a pragmatist, we can only arm ourselves with the tools to spot a developing situation early enough so that our passengers are not even aware that there was the potential for danger. I do not claim to be close to this high state, but I will keep trying. And if more of us out there are doing the same on whatever mode of transport we happen to be using at the time, then it should work out better for us all.
Have fun out there now.
- Spud.
