Did my first ride down to lorne today. Headed down there the backway through deans marsh. We rode through a couple of patches of very heavy rain which i can only look at as experience. From lorne we came back on the GOR. I was a little dissapointed as the roads were pretty wet so i didnt feel confident enough yet to give it a good crack, but had a blast all the same. Also had my first scare today. I was turning right at a large two lane roundabout and was watching a ute who's elderly driver had not yet looked at me. He was carrying enough speed to be able to come out infront of me and carry on with out me having to adjust my speed. at the last minute he looked to his right and saw me, he decided that the best thing to do would be to slam on his brakes which left him right in my path of travel. although i was ready i downchanged a little to quickly with slight pressure on the rear which proceeded to lock. i was able to bring it back with out to much concern, but thought i would share my experience's of the day with you all. Feel free to add ur first ride down there as well <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s --> Cheers. Sam
I always wonder why car drivers reach straight for the brake pedal when they dont know whats going on?? <!-- s:sniper: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_snipersmilie.gif" alt=":sniper:" title="Sniper" /><!-- s:sniper: -->
I can beat that <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s --> In the space of 5 minutes I had 2 vehicles fail to give way to me on Tuesday. The first was a delivery van (hi-ace or similar) just around the corner from my home. He pulled up at a give way sign at an intersection then proceeded to go across in front of me. Locked up the back end and pulled up to dead stop. By the time he was half way across the road he saw me and then stopped but was already blocking my path. He ended up reversing out of my way. The second was a big delivery truck and also pulled up to the T junction just as I was approaching on the main road then he proceeded to pull out. I think the passenger in the truck must have seen me and shouted to stop. I was on the brakes fairly hard and managed to get around the front of that one and turn in the street he was coming out of. It is really the first (and second time ) that I have had to take serious evasive action since I have been riding (2.5years). I generally ride fairly defensively and always watchfull of other drivers when on the bike. One of my workmates is a riding instructor (with Decca) and always says to have an escape route planned, good advice. I am thinking the headlights should be on high beam as I don't think low beam stands out that much of a daytime. I have also had a few comments from others that red bikes are hard to see..
I always ride with my Hi-Beams on during daylight hours. Escape routes are a good thing, even while waiting at a traffic light.
I was not trying to win, but rather point out that when riding a bike you can't be too carefull in traffic. I can see why bike insurers charge more if you say you ride to work, etc. I don't mind having the odd blat every now and then, but I pick the time and place wisely.
Sorry mate, i should have made it clear that i wasnt making a joke or competition out of dangerous events. It was more of a sarcastic comment, which unfortunately is hard to determine with typing. Everybody be safe riders out there as it happens to all of us and you can never tell what is around the next corner. Cheers guys, Sam
No need to be sorry, I did not take offence, it is prob half my fault anyway. Bike riding is the most fun thing you can do with your clothes on, but the risks are there. I have heard figures of about 10x the death rate of car drivers. I have been keeping an eye on the news and it seems mostly it is by going too fast then running out of road or, cagers not seeing the bikes and turning in front of them. One rider nearly cut a kombi in half with his hayabusa. Pulled out in front of him at a T junction - Speed might have been an issue in that one, the bike was prob not in sight when they started to pull out.
Dave, how do you go riding your bike with the black ice in tassie? i've been there many times in a cage but thinking of taking the bike , i always remember when stopping a servos you always get that warning. yeah by the way i am the 2nd oldest member here, been riding on and off for 30 years <!-- s:alcoholic: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_all_coholic.gif" alt=":alcoholic:" title="Alcoholic" /><!-- s:alcoholic: -->
As a general rule you can't ride on black ice <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_sad.gif" alt="" title="Sad" /><!-- s --> .. I have ridden a few times in cold weather when there has been frost on the sides of the road at 2 in the afternoon but not found any ice. i generally try to get out for a day ride every second weekend, even in winter. Last weekend was a good ride but it was about 50% on wet roads so have to take it easy. Black ice is rare in town these days, although I did hear a bike crash early one frosty morning on a corner near home 2 years ago, looked out the window and saw the rider and a passer-by helping to pick the bike up. I did hear of a few crashes (cars) near Sheffield last week due to black ice, but it is only a winter time thing and then only during a cold snap. Probably would not get it on the main highways, but down the Murcheson and Lyell hwy one would have to be carefull early of a morning if frost is about. Another couple of notorious bad spots are the last 10K in to Waratah and the Cradle mt. link road, where it goes over the Black Bluff range . All these spots are high above sea level. The worst spots are on bridges (less thermal mass that the ground) and where ever there is tree cover preventing the sun getting on the roads. Winter is not the best time to come to come to Tas.. Feb to April inclusive would be the most settled weather with the least prospect of rain. Drop a line if coming down. I rode for few days with a group of touring mainland riders in Feb from the <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.svdownunder.com">http://www.svdownunder.com</a><!-- m --> forum that I am member of. I can usually organise holidays or a few rostered days off to suit most things. I'd like to know who is the oldest then? Me??
Well, you put a spell on the Tassie weather... record period of cold weather over the last week, lots of cars crashing in the early mornings, even on the states main highway between Hobart and Launceston, particularly spring hill (around 600m ASL). Moral of the story is, IF YOU RIDE A BIKE, HAVE A GOOD SLEEP-IN. <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s --> You were right about the age thing, you are the second oldest and beaten only by me.. <!-- s:waiting: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/th_waiting.gif" alt=":waiting:" title="waiting" /><!-- s:waiting: -->
ok so i take it, it's not a good time of the year to go for a holiday in tassie, might leave it till summer, allthough i think would make for some great riding . second thought was SA 20 minutes from the city and you're in the country with hardly any traffic. here's the twist to who is the oldest, i have 2 sons 22 and 24 , the 24 year old is a rider but currently bikeless he got the bug when he was 3, i took him for a ride around a carpark doing 20k an hour and to this day he tells me how scared he was. son number 2 thinks we are both mad for riding bikes. son number 2 has a child so i guess that makes me the youngest grandpa in this forum <!-- s:-? --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_Eyecrazy.gif" alt=":-?" title="Eye Crazy" /><!-- s:-? -->
Ok I would not let a bit of bad weather discourage me from riding. My son and I went out on a group ride sunday this weekend and it was a cloudy winter day, never saw the sun all day, but we managed 260K in 8-10deg temps and very little wet road. I also rode to work this morning, still half dark but a milder day than what we had last week. A few of my workmates only rego their bikes for 6 months a year, but I reckon they are just wimps. I have 2 grandkids too, and four children ranging from 29 to 19 and both sons have bike licences but only the older one has a bike. Sometimes I will sit the Gkids on the bike and have a little ride around the back yard.
