My daughter, a teacher always tells me off for stereotyping, last year I rewired her house, she had a local firm in to fit a new kitchen
as soon as i saw them, looked at their vehicle, their tools and the way they dressed, I knew they were imbeciles, I told her and her husband to boot them out
she kept me well away during the install
3K to put right the damage that the morons did
45 years as a tradesman means i can spot the idiots, same as when I learnt to ride a motorcycle, Dad insisted that I took proper training, so I did an RAC ACU scheme and some extra stuff with a black rat
he taught us that certain types of drivers are killers, look for the way they dress, the condition of their cars, types of cars, and how the drove
he was not wrong
London was a dodgy place back then, but it kept me safe
nowadays you would probably get arrested for pointing out the types of people that will kill you !
oh and he did not miss out on motorcyclists either !
Just to mention, I was speaking from the viewpoint of my own experiences on the roads, not just regurgitating what Iāve heard or read somewhere, i.e. popular stereotypes. And I did say not all.
I rode that road last Wednesday and there was a battered car (red hatchback iirc rather than silver convertible) in a field by that switchback that looked like it had been rolled coming over that switchback - worrying. Itās a great road to ride, but one to take chances on.
Having passed my tests on both 2 & 4 wheels nearly 43 years ago, Iām inclined to side with the general view that driving standards have vastly deteriorated over the decades; but reflecting on this in reality there have always been dangerous idiots & muppets aplenty (be they driving a Capri Ghia in 1980 or a Audi A3 TDi in 2024 - thereās some stereotypes for you )
Without doubt I was a little more āprogressiveā in my Astra GTE 40 years ago, or on my CB750 than I am today in my BMW M335, or Guzzi Griso / VMax 1700. However the traffic density today is exponentially worse than 40 years ago, plus there are the distractions of phones, internet, TIk Tok videos that didnāt exist back in the day; & now the driving tuition is focused on passing the test rather than the starting point for the continuous learning of roadcraft
It was around 12 years ago when i voluntarily decided to do the short Bikesafe course - no necessity to escape points, I just thought after over 30 years of riding Iād probably developed some habits, & getting some up to date training would be a good idea. I was really enthusiastic to take this forward & enrolled with the IAM for first 2 & then 4 wheels.
Iād recommend this to anyone keen to hone their riding or driving skills. Whilst itās not rocket science the techniques of hazard perception, reading the road, positioning, cornering, and elevating your general awareness enhance the riding experience for me
It is a sad fact that everytime we go out it may be our last. That fact gives me a good outlook on life- very positive. I have left a full set of intructions for my daughter where every thin is, stopcocks etc, and have made my will and given a copy to family. I love biking and never expected to live to retirement, but now I head off on long solo rides for up to 3 weeks, do a refresher for ābikesafeā every 2 years and rely on skill to enjoy the ride and to stay alive. I ride quick but not fast so make good progress. Not bothered about overtaking/ getting ahead of cars as opportunities present themselves all the time.
Ride safe people and try not to gamble (too much). If you lose, the outcome is not normally good for us
Tisā funny, people who think they need retraining or futher training tend to be better riders/ drivers than those who think they donāt need it and believe they are good at roadcraft
Not in my case , I have an Audi Q7 and RR P38. I still drive like I ride, including life savers, which do continue to save me. Although pre-covid lockdowns, it was always RR Vogues that drove like pillocks, hogging the outside lane on motorways.
They seem to have retired now and been replaced by Teslas driving on main beam all the time. Probably because the glare from the ipad is so bright they canāt see over it
The standard of driving around certain towns on/near motorways and A roads is deadly. Birmingham, Luton, Crawley, Hemel Hempstead and Hatfield areas? You need an F35 defensive suite of tools, and most of those special tools are in black Audi A3ās and BMWās. I love the 80-100mph undertakes and weaving at high speeds.
Iāve also had the pleasure of being baited by an unmarked male chicken on a Pan Honda near Oulton Park on the A556 for almost 7 miles. (Iāve seen him once or twice since sitting on guard at the petrol station).
He rode like a complete b*ll end. He finally decided to pull me over and we had a 20 minute roadside discussion after accusing me of doing over 100mph on the dual carriage way. I never do it, so I stood my ground and told him to prove it, he couldnāt and said he didnāt have to, I could argue it in court. Anyway, it eventually calmed down. He went his way, I went mine.
Glad youāre ok. Iāve had those moments coming round bends as well. Iām sure it took 10 years off my hear. I do visit Squires occasionally, but not for a few years now.
All good now, rode to squires quite a few times since, to exorcise the demons. But called at the āmonkey potā today, as the food is outstanding and a good cup of tea too. As ive mentioned elsewhere on this forum i think Yorkshire as a whole needs a whattsapp group so anyone can mention if they are popping out for a last minute ride/cuppa and wish to invite others along. Im happy riding alone to be honest, but meeting other guzzis over a cuppa for a chat seems a nice idea, i just dont do organised im more right im off . Best wishes everyone Mark
I like the idea of a WhatsApp group for impromptu rides in Yorkshire. It may be an option to drum up support for that idea at the Seaways breakfast meet on Saturday morning or the monthly Guzzi club meet at Wetwang if you can make either of thoseā¦although I hear you that you ādonāt do organisedā!
As a āBack to Bikerā having passed my motorcycle test in the 80āS and not ridden a motorcycle for many years I booked myself on a āBack to Bikingā course just to be sure I was ok before taking it any further. All went very well with the instructor giving me the thumbs up.
I have since bought the Police Motorcycle Roadcraft book that makes an excellent read.
Might well attend a Police Bike Safe course as well.
In all my years of driving I have never known the state of the roads to be so bad (Pot holes & worn out road services) and poor standards of driving.
Drivers using their mobile phone as in texting and fiddling around with their satnav!
Bike safe is really worthwhile, especially if you have not ridden for many years
Totally agree with your comments, the conditions of UK road surfaces are truly atrocious, can only be described as 3rd world
I was driving home a few weeks ago ( luckily not able to ride yet) young fella in a van, texting away, didnt see my white car
bang
two written of vehicles, an expensive lesson for him, especially as I do not trust people, so my car had telematics installed and high end camera and recording systems
collision speed 24mph ouch
his insurance are buying me a better car !!
I watch those police patrol programmes from time to time but shouldnāt as it makes my blood boil.
Thanks to Automatic Number Plate Recognition (APNR) the number of drivers detected that are uninsured, no license, no road tax, no MOT and or driving whilst disqualified is staggering to say the least!
I have no memory of it, TBH. A long while ago now, around 10 years ago. Heās real, Iāve seen him since at the HQ when I was at a presentation hahaha. He looked twice at me
Itās all about spending on the toys. No one in the justice chain wants to really do anything about any of itā¦
Otherwise they would, wouldnāt they?
)
, I have an Audi Q7 and RR P38. I still drive like I ride, including life savers, which do continue to save me. Although pre-covid lockdowns, it was always RR Vogues that drove like pillocks, hogging the outside lane on motorways.
. Best wishes everyone Mark