I have read through all the post on this, so here goes my ten pence worth!
I'm A biker (when i have a bike, not at the mo) and have been riding for about 20 years.
I'm a Car Driver and have been driving for about 25 years.
I Drive A Transit Tipper for work (twin wheel rear axel, which makes it HGV class) and tow a plant trailer , so i'm articulated on the road.
There are Good and Bad Drivers/riders on the roads in General.
When you first Pass your driving test, all the rules and regs are to an extent still fresh in your mind although the one thing you lack is experience on the road.
Some Younger drivers tend to push the limits a bit of their vehicles and due to a lack of training /roadcraft & experience it usually ends up with a Bang of some sort.
Most of us have been there in our youth and as a youngster i thought i was almost imortal and did some pretty stupid stunts, one of which could have cost me my life ( but for a full roll cage, im still here to tell the tale).
A true Boy racer i was indeed, with modified cars, tuned to the max.
That accident made me realise that there was place for Driving competatively and it was not on the road, as you are simply playing russian rouhlette with your own life and those of other road users.
I got involved in the Motorsport scene, mainly Rallying at clubman level and i loved every minute of it.
You get to drive fast in a supervised and up to a point somewhat contolled enviroment ( put it this way, you aint gonna hit someone coming the other way on a blind bend on the wrong side of the road).
The cars are modified for Safety more than they are for performance and you soon learn that crashes hurt!!!!!!!
I learned alot of skill and techniques that have made me a safer driver today on the roads.
What i'm getting at is that learning roadcraft on the track, whether it be In a Car or on a bike , will in turn improve your everyday Driving/Riding.
The problem is when people see the public highway as the race track and thats when people get seriously injured and Killed.
As a biker, i have to be aware that i'm more vunerable than the car drivers and make myself as visible as possible to them and give them a chance to realise that i'm there.
You soon learn to process information (potentail hazzards) quicker than in a car, simply because you arrive at them sooner.
That does not mean that you are speeding, just that a bike accelerates faster than most cars even within the speed limits.
Hazard perception and judgement of speed and distance on a bike as a matter of survival.
I'm no saint and have had more than my fair share of fines and points for speeding (now with no points) over the years, but as you get older (i'm only 40 btw) you tend to calm down a bit and realise that if you contine to ride at 170mph on the roads then the chances of you dying increase.
leave that for the track days.
I now have A wife and 2 kids that i think would miss me.
Most bikers ride because of the sense of freedom and the adrenaline buzz.
That and the fact that one a bike, you have the ability to filter through congested traffic.
Something that in turn sems to irritate some car drivers to the point that they feel the need to deliberately block the gap.
You are tought to filter through traffic on your bike training & test, as long as its safe to do so and you are not endangering your own life and the same of other road users.
In other words (dont deliberately, put yourself in a dangerous and comprimising position).
I have travelled thousands of miles up and down the motorways of this country in previous employment and have seen many silly and downright stupid (near fatal) mistakes.
Most of which are caused by a lack of Observation of other road users actions.
Checking your mirrors frequently leads to you being more aware of what is going on around you.
Dont take your eyes of the road in front of you for to long, just a glance every now and then is enough.
If you allowing enough safe braking ditance, then you should be able to stop (even if the car in front brakes at the very second you look in the mirrors).
In anyone on her thinks that not using your mirrors is good driving, then simply place your guide dog on the roof of your car and he will show you the way to A&E.
Because eventually thats where you will end up, or at worst take take some other poor innocent s*d with you!
Just maybe if we all stopped blaming each others poor driving and took a long hard look at our own faults and at least tried to correct them by being more observant and considerate to other road users, then there would be fewer accidents.
Wether its Car drivers/bikers or Hgv drivers, just put yourself in the others shoes for a minute.
Vehicles dont kill people, BAD drivers Do!!!!!!!!!!
