Power rangers, are not all totally ignorant!

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I went to the bmf show at Kelso this weekend on my ratbike (which has no mirrors). There were a lot of older guys on low mileage superbikes flying about, I was geting a trifle hacked off by how close they came next to me when overtaking (often unexpectedly...if you are looking over your shoulder all the time, you aint watching the road and they weren't exactly hanging about.) It can be quite disconcerting when a bike with loud cans comes screaming past you doing more than double your speed and almost clips your handlebars!

At one point, I caught sight of something out the corner of my eye as I was swinging into the middle of the road to take a blind left hander. It was a guy on something fast and plastic who had decided that it would be a good place to overtake. Changing line on the bike I was on is not an option so I kept going, when what should be coming the other way but a bus. I somehow managed to shoogle over a bit and the sportsbike squeezed past, but he must have had to tuck in his elbows.

This hacked me off quite a lot and I continued the journey muttering under my breath about no wonder my insurance is so bloody expensive/there are so many gatsos on the road etc. Nothing annoys me more than having to take action in order to prevent someone else having an accident through their own stupidity/lack of observation.

I had almost forgotten about it at the rally when a guy walked up to me and said 'sorry about that dodgy overtake earlier, it was a stupid place to try it'. I was so gobsmacked that I didn't know what to say. Let us all hope he learned from it before the next bus actually hits him!
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I owuld add that this was not a 'finely timed overtaking manouver' where he slotted into the gap just as the bus got there. At one point there was me, the other bike (both in the same lane on a blind corner) and the bus all next to one another. Shocked

____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Hmm,
Its interesting that you insist on lumping all of the riders of supersports bikes in together as 'power rangers' as you put it. That strikes me as being as bad as cagers thinking we are all hells angels types.

I agree than many of the 'Sunday Rider' types can't ride to save their lives and poorly judge overtakes etc.

However, in my experience most supersports bike riders /can/ ride and do not judge overtakes badly. A lot of the time the bad ones are following their mates and somehow get egged on into some sort of mad riding frenzy. Its really bad that grown men seem to get drawn into this fast riding competitiveness on the road.

I am a strong believer in year round riding. This weekend warrior image seems to be detrimental to overall riding skill.

I am certain that Born again bikers play a large part in this too with their belief that bikes are just the same as they remembered in their first biking life.

I really just want to point out that us plastic fantastic riders are not all like that! Smile

____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

Shaun · Likes 'em bent Joined: 17 May 2003 Karma :

Were not all out there to try and kill our selves, there are some idiots out there though as there is with all groups of people, although admittedly I have pulled off some dodgy overtakes myself at times, I guess we all our have our stupid moments.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Don't like to generalise myself, but you have to come up with a reasonably snappy title for a post which is why I qualified it by mentioning "Older guys on low mileage superbikes.", perhaps I should have said "born agains' or something. Noone fits exactly into a category but there is a definate group of riders out there who can afford a very fast bike and think this means they know how to ride it even though they can't claim to get into four figure mileages most years. They all seemed to be in Kelso this weekend and you do tend to think 'Not another one'

I was impressed by the guys attitude which is why I brought it up.
I suppose it was also to have a rant about the close quarters, high speed overtaking which is something I would never do unless I was sure the person in front had seen me and indicated I should do so by either signalling or tucking in to the side. Believe me, the number of people who did it to me this weekend was WELL into double figures, which is where the 'ignorant' part of the title comes in.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

Ava_Banana · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Karma :

I have just bought myself a set of two-piece leathers.

On Ebay. A veritable bargain.

And I ride a faired bike.

Does this make me a Power Ranger? Or does the fact that I commute every day, rain/shine/snow/wind to work just make me a hardened commuter?

Not after an argument, just wondered how people view a leather-suited sports(tourer)-bike rider?

As I was putting the kids were playing up the other night as I was downstairs squeezing into my new leathers, I did have to go upstairs and explain to them, to go to sleep as I had to go out and fight criminals and Orks. Very Happy

For a couple of minutes............they believed me! Cool

(I went up later with my back protector on and got accused of trying to look like a TMNT Cool

)

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Fair enough! Thumbs Up

Yeah there is a certain aspect of "Its an expensive plaything" about the dangerous people, personally I put a huge amount of effort into trying to improve the quality of my riding. I'm sure that a lot of riders believe they are great and thats the end of it.

Its all about people misjudging their own skill really. Smile

____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

Shade_BW · I'm better than you Joined: 13 Jul 2004 Karma :

Actually, the worst drivers I have seen, are those who think they are proffesional drivers.

Taxi drvers, lorry drivers, couriers.......

They think that because they are out there every day, that they must be good drivers/riders.

Sorry, still being alive doesn't mean you are good.

Shade
Respect when it is earned.

Nighteyes · Dirty Bint Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Karma :

Rollins · Trackday Trickster Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Karma :

All this talk of lack of skills made me think - is there a minimum age limit to take advanced training? I'm 18 and would love to get Police Class 1 or a RoSPA Gold level before I'm 21 (does that sound a bit optimistic?) And does it cost much??? I'm sure the insurance companies would back off a bit, and help me achieve my goal of owning a ZX-10R (hmm, rather more optimistic ) sometime in the future.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

skyline · Scooby Slapper Joined: 20 May 2004 Karma :

i suppose i'm some way we will all sterotypicalise (yes i know i don't think its achully a real word but you know what i mean). hell i've had my vfr400 for 4 days now, i've clocked 800km (ran out of petrol money now though Crying or Very sad

) but hell sometimes i ride like 'power rangers' when im trying to keep with my mate on the cbr600rr who you would class as a 'powerranger' as he keeps his bike always clean and has brought nice new leathers, although he is 24 and doesnt even have a car licence...i dont think that all powerrangers are crap riders, the chances are i bet some of them are better than the people who critcise them. ive had more anoyances with super moto riders deciding to ride in my blind spot which is very off putting when your still finding the limits of a new bike and i had to of them do it when i went to matlock earlyer today.

how many of you have achully spoken to a 'powerranger' or rode with them or get there side of the story..?

Tarmacsurfer · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Shaun · Likes 'em bent Joined: 17 May 2003 Karma :

yambabe · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I have to admit that this used to be a real problem for me too, people on bikes (of all shapes & sizes) coming far to close when overtaking, riding on my back wheel, cutting in in front of me etc.

However, I appear to have solved the problem in the last couple of weeks. I passed my test and binned my L plates! Suddenly other bikes are giving me much more room and respect.......

And Stinky just as an aside, perhaps these people wouldn't be able to creep up on you quite so bad if you had some mirrors on the bike? Even if you do paint them matt black or tie them on with string or something...... Razz

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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate. Very Happy

tintin · Traffic Copper Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Karma :

Mirrors - my point as well!
I've also come across Super Moto riders who have something to prove and stuff you up the inside going into a roundabout in th emiddle of London.

AND, why do lots of BMW riders always want to race you away from the lights? Is it the 'I might have bought a sensible bike, but it goes really fast' attitude?
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The older I get the better I was

Luke_Retrofly · Silly Lesbian Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Karma :

Hi
Don listen to mar-jay he just like fights.

Sorry about your insidant, would prolly be thinking the same thing ou were, except i ride a plastic thingy too Smile

. But i dont do dodgy overtakes. Most of the time

Luke

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

There are 2 kinds of riders - those that are wankers and those that are not wankers. In my experience, what bike they're on and what they're wearing actually has very little to do with it. Smile

I've had cruisers, smotos, scooters, commuters, sportsbikes and everything in-between pull some kind of stupid move on me at some point. Only this morning an old bloke on a Goldwing (who you'd assume knew better) nearly took the front wing off my VW. Rolling Eyes

- Bendy
Grubby bike, scruffy leathers but shiny power ranger boots.

map · Mr Calendar Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

Riding back from Barton bike night was overtaken by three sports bike power ranger wannabees - me in happy plodding mode behind a cage at around the legal limit.

First two no problems, last one wanted to use the same gap but was now closed by oncoming lorry. Car braked hard, I braked and just missed car and third bike just made the gap. No wonder car drivers have a low opinion of bikers, thanks guys Evil or Very Mad

Luke_Retrofly · Silly Lesbian Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Karma :

Hi
If we get a post by some bloke who rides a gold wing saying "some crazy bitch tried T-boning me in her cage" we will know who it was Thumbs Up

Luke

Steve H · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Karma :

Bendy's right, there are tossers (my words, not hers Wink

) and there are others that are sensible.

This isn't necassarily a bike thing, it's a life thing. Wherever you go, wherever you are you'll meet and come into contact with both groups, it's down to the individual to react to these person(s) in whichever way they deem appropriate - I would like to advocate the 'meh' approach Smile

iCraig · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Jun 2004 Karma :

Well I have brand new leathers but a manky commuter bike, so does that make me a semi-power ranger? Razz

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Danny · Ask Me About Stoppie School Joined: 26 Jan 2003 Karma :

If you saw me on the road you would probably think me a 'power ranger' (red/black/white leathers which match the bike)*, but I ride every day and I'm not usually a wanker on the road. But I think every now and then most of us do some silly maneuver and cut someone up or similar.

*although my bike is considerably less shinny after Saturday's trackday mishap. Embarassed