This will make you think.
Hi John, reminds me of the Britanny ferries ban (about 20 years ago) on motorbikes over 20 years old because they considered that the riders would always be a group of grubby Hells Angels sorts. Therefore they turned away classic bikes, 50s Triumphs and everything else until there was a commotion in the bike press and a general boycott. Meanwhile, they were taking in coach loads of boozy tourists who were throwing up in the restaurant, plus I remember a riotous group of rugby supporters who decided to throw furniture about. Oh and plenty of 20+ year old stinking cars that were dripping oil on the ferry decks ... but hey, at least they weren't 20+ year old motorcycles.
We've had wonderful treatment in France on our bike but were turned away a few times in the UK due to our dress (leather jackets, leather trousers, boots, all top of the range). My husband once said that what we were wearing was about twice the cost of a Savile Row suit. As a solo female rider I've been turned away from a pub since the "previous lot of bikers smashed up the toilets". Yes, of course, that's exactly why I went there alone, to smash up the ladies' loo ..... idiot!
A friend went to a restaurant and was turned away: "we don't serve motorcyclists". Despite trying to argue the point, the manager was resolute. So he came back with a dozen friends and they changed in the car park into suits and ties and walked in, and were served. Just as the food arrived (and before they'd touched any bread or drink) my friend asked for the manager, and asked him in they served bikers. "Oh definitely not sir" came the toadying reply. So my friend said "what a great shame, guess we'll have to go" and they all got up and walked out back to their bikes.
I think they have tried that a number of times in various places perhaps it would be a good idea if everyone had 6 months on two wheels they would then be far more aware of road conditions French drivers and the French in general are far more tolerant of bikes probably because most started on two wheels riding 50cc at a far younger age than the UK . the public in the UK still see motorcyclists as Marlon Brando in the Wild One or the Tonup boys of the 50s/60s though it appears they have turned their anger onto cyclists since Wiggy won the T d F and cycling has once again increased in popularity. Over 50 years on the bike i have been refused a room in a hotel, meals in a restaurant and pub, petrol and served in a shop, coming to France many years ago was a eye opener my favorite story.A hotel in Sederon that didn't have a car park told me to park the bike in the restaurant it stood in the center covered in 2000 miles of dust and grime while the hotel manager took great pride in explaining to all that it belong to a guest who had traveled all the way from the UK, while i was hoping and preying it didn't develop an oil leak, the next morning there was a ceremonial send off everything bar a 21 gun salute and flypast. During those three weeks i only saw and spoke to one Brit and he stole my Rayban sunglasses
I remember having a beer outside a pub in London one warm evening when a young man left the pub with his latest and they both squeezed into his shiny Lotus 7 parked just outside. With about fifty people watching he revved up and shot off only to have the car bonnet lift off and flip over the car to general amusement!
very sad and, yes, speed played a factor in not being able to stop and the car driver misjudging the distance. However, as a motorcyclist and car driver, I have the say that the "sorry I didn't see you" car driver is in the majority. I've seen FAR more car drivers playing with their sat navs/reading maps/fiddling with the radio/having their vision obscured by big cuddly toys hanging from the front mirror/oepning sweets while driving/being distracted by screaming kids in the back, etc., etc., etc. than I've ever seen kids wheeling about on scooters.
Years ago there was a campaign (can't remember what it was called) where car drivers, lorry drivers, bikers, etc., could all discuss their problems. Lorry drivers' blind spots, cars as well, and they not being aware of bikers' problems (light rainfall after days of sunshine can bring oil to surface and make them a skidpan). The white surface of a zebra crossing in rain is slippier than the black surface, etc. A very enlightening campaign with new knowledge on all sides and increased tolerance.
While waiting at the traffic lights in town some time back all the kids were coming out of school for lunch the inevitable show off appeared on a small off road bike and was pulling wheelies until he got to cocky and flipped it he ended up sitting on his a... while his bike skidded down the road and all the girls rolling about laughing
Luckily a teenager prone to doing wheelies in the middle of our village has just moved away. However with the autumn come quad bikes Some of the youngsters "tune" theirs and modify the exhausts to sound more sporty. When the mud and snow come, as surely they do, they love drifting their machines through the village, sometimes straight over a mini roundabout. An accident seems inevitable. Mid you many farmers round here have serious, and sometimes fatal, accidents on their tractors.
Frightens the life out of me when i see young girls riding scooters in shorts and Tshirt looks cool the girls look very attractive but would they look so attractive after sliding down the road at 50kph. Gravel rash is very painful some years ago there was a report giving the time it took to remove the flesh from your forearm sliding down the road at 30mph it was but a few seconds I find French car drivers so much more observant regarding bikes, moving over to give more room to pass never ever have i had a bad experience on a bike in France in over 30 years of touring
I know this junction quite well (my cousin used to live a mile from there). The visibility is quite good both ways but with the speed of the motorbike, I guess the driver misjudged it or just made a mistake - really makes me think. I cycle a lot and have come to realise that often drivers are in a hurry and just can't see you...(even if I am wearing luminous pink kit!) I was nearly mowed down at a junction recently by a driver crossing from the main road in front of me - he obviously saw my husband in front of me and I was a few bike lengths behind....but for some strange inexplicable reason he didn't see me - he heard me scream though....as I narrowly missed slamming into the side of his car! My theory....too many people are in too much of a hurry to get to where they are going to - especially in the UK
One of my cousins got killed on a motorbike, ironically, he was stationary... waiting at a red light, and a lorry just ploughed into him. I hate lorries on the roads anyway but hated them even more when I was a biker.
You don't have to qualify it Robert. I do 80 kms to work and back and I cross a lot of people cutting corners even on blind ones, it's just downright bad driving.
Texting on scooters seems to be common practice round here as well.
Yeah but were they up front or on pillion?
On the same scooter.....lol
I've just come back from picking up the middle daughter in Dax - a 7 minute drive and noticed TWO kids texting whilst riding scooters. Beggars belief....
I agree totally with phrase "driving defensively" as mentioned by Julian. Particularly when riding an engine on wheels. It is a sad state of affairs but that is exactly what many of us have learned to do on a daily basis. I am aware that this a little controversial but the way some of the french drive makes you that way. As mentioned by Donna a moment ago. Many times I have rounded a bend and found a french car in the middle of the road. What tickles me is, sometimes, they will look at you as if to say, "what are you doing there, you weren't there yesterday?" So yes I, like you Donna, I drive very warily on these here roads.
I feel I must try to qualify the remark about French drivers. I feel that because they drive on very much quieter roads than we are used to England. A certain degree of complacency must creep in given enough time? This not necessarily their fault I feel......it's just how it appears to be. I'll duck now...;o))
What i said is The vast majority of motorcyclist ride with care, approaching a junction yes slow down and be aware, forward vision and forward planning are essential. i believe an accident would have occurred either with the bike or the car behind as the car driver at the junction hadn't seen either of them, injuries may have been reduced if the speed had been more in keeping with conditions.We have all been there over the years we learn very quickly how vulnerable we are
NSU Quickly when i was 15 dad used to let me ride up and down the road on it i built my own Tribsa in 1968 and still got it alongside my ZZR riding in France is so much more of a pleasure than the UK
I think nobody would disagree with you John about the level of driving. However I think you would agree that 97mph approaching a junction like that is foolhardy to say the least.
Just two points from me personally.
1/ I do ride a bike and have done for a long time starting with 16er specials ;)
2/ I didn't say over 100 mph, someone else did.
You are probably a very responsible bike rider, but you should come and see some of the "idiots" racing down the road to Figeac. Overtaking on blind bends, cutting corners with a car in front. The road is limited to 50kph for a reason.
Just sayin'.
I don’t ride a motorbike but have spent all my life with them as my brother, brother in law, boyfriends and now husband has had a passion for them. Sadly I have lost friends who have been involved in accidents or who have lost limbs and my own husband spent 6 months in ITU following a crash that defide doctors prognosis of " sorry but expect the worse "
97mph or 102 mph makes little odds on impact crashes. My point is that if you’re an experience motorcyclist then you should be more aware of cars at junctions and have slowed down to expect the unexpected. Yes an accident may still have happened but David would probably be alive.
Unfortunately this video won’t stop bad drivers. I followed an English plated ford through a single lane type country road yesterday and he was traveling between 60/70 mph. Obviously he had ex ray vision and could see around corners! I held back expecting the usually french white van to be on the wrong side of the road. Luckily for him ( and me ) no other vehicle came the opposite direction. Why is everyone in such a hurry!
Yet again i see the non motorcycling public attempt to blame or at least part blame the motorcyclist he was riding at about 97mph not over 100mph yes its fast but the speed didn't contribute to the accident it did contribute to the seriousness of the injuries. Almost certainly an accident would have occurred if David had been travelling at 50mph but possibly the injuries would not have been so severe if you read the rest you find that the car driver didn't see the bike neither did he see the car behind so it seems he would have got one of them anyway, the car driver wasn't looking that was the cause of the accident
As a motorcyclist of over 50 years with an advanced certificate for both car and bike some of the driving standards of both car and bike are appalling, my step son was killed on a 50cc scooter due to a woman pulling out from a right hand junction while turning round telling off her children on the back seat, her own admission in court, taking the turn so wide she was on the wrong side of the road and ploughed straight into and over both scooter and my step son, a friend who was a police driving instructor killed outright at 40 mph by a 78 year old man backing out of his drive into a busy main road. We are vulnerable the vast majority of us ride with that in mind but still through lack of concentration and misjudgment accidents occur as the wife of one elderly man said to me after an accident ,its only a bike