Bike Prejudice?!

[Nighteyes]

I was talking to my eldest sister last night who's recently moved down to Brighton & ended up being on the blunt end of one of her 'I hate you wanky bikers' rants.

She then proceeded to go on about how we are all rude, arrogant idiots who think we own the road, cut drivers up, appear out of no-where wearing very little & giving offensive gestures all the time whilst endangering ourselves & everyone else on the road.

Nothing I could say to her would get her to think 'hmmm maybe I'm wrong' (but then knowing my sis I should of known any attempt to would be fruitless ).

So I'm wondering.....Do you often find yourselves defending bike riders on the whole? And if so what do you say to them to quell the prejudice?
____________________
My Precioussss!, My Bikes, The Lord & Master, Canis Lupus!
39. Something nice about the person who sent this to you? She's beautiful, funny, and has a huge heart.

[0ddball]

I think she's has a point. Pro rata there are far more nutters on bikes than in cars (i think vans give us some competition).

[mr.z]

Some times,

But i just tell them to fuck off, do a rolling burnout over their heads and let off the brake and go into a 60mph wheelie through a school playground
____________________
>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Marcg868]

Bikers nutters????................. nah not me, i just like kicking fuck out of people who endanger my life
____________________
JACK, MISS YOU LOADS YOU LEGEND.

[MarJay]

[Wave2k]

I use the road for fun, cars get in my way, this is fine, but its when they deliberatly move into my pass to obstruct or just do stupid things that i give them the 1 finger.
____________________
Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[tsmith]

when i encounter a car driver venting his obnoxious anti bike twoddle i just love to chip in about the bike's superior fuel economy, cheaper insurance, never getting stuck in traffic and of course way better acceleration, braking, manoeuvrability and free parking.

The then very frustrated car driver almost always ends with "I've got a metal cage around me so I can knock you off" which says it all really

[ram_doom]

I get this a lot, especially rants about how "this idiot came from nowhere and cut in just in front of us" I reply if you werent so dozy and paid more attention you'd have seen it, "bikers always have to do the thinking for you", I tell them
____________________
TL1000s, KDX200

[G]

I get it quite a bit, but it doesn't really bother me.
Reply depends who I'm talking to, generally a bit more restrained, especially with people higher up in my company .

Going to get a push bike that I got on ebay I mentioned to the woman (was her son that sold it) that I was selling a motorbike when she mentioned her sun was selling his motorbike as well.

"I bet your family are glad you're getting out of biking she says" - I go on to explain how I'm just packing to go Motorcycle racing - and go on about how you /can/ be safe if the rider actually puts some effort in etc.

[Aikman666]

[niff5855]

Ah Fuck'em
____________________
Live fast - die....erm...well...old !!!

[Hex]

Dont think I've ever had it.
____________________
The BCF's very own Party boy! Though he's getting old and feeling it!
Monkey hanger, Born and bred
My little photo portfolio

[Annabella]

[bazza]

I'm sure sheep would describe wolves in the same way...
____________________
"That's it. You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college."
'98 Ducati 750SS, '08 Suzuki GSX650F ©2004-2014, Bazza's Harmless Banter

[ISLAND GIRL]

IMO there are just as many pricks in cars as there are on bikes !
____________________
Live on the Isle of Wight and ride a CBR600F

[kawakid]

There are a lot of nutters on bikes.

On the way up to the lakes, i've seen at least 3 bikers over take on a blind corner.

I saw a biker recently filtering at about 80, weaving to the left and right of the outside lane.
____________________
I've a twin and a 4.

[killa]

Almost every week I am defending it for something.

My flat mate isn’t a fan of bikes, TBH nothing which could scare him, possibly due to the fact he’s knows almost nothing about bikes doesn’t help the matter either.
He thinks you’re lucky you manage to stay upright and that coming off is just something that will happen, as much as I try to ignore it, the pure arrogance of the opinion annoys me as I’ve probably had less accidents and or near misses than him in his cager years.

My parents don’t like the fact I have a Ninja now, my old man knows what the bikes about, a thorough bred race machine that I commute on.
But I find it’s only as dangerous as you want make it, and cagers certainly know how to put themselves in danger.

As said in a post above we do have to think for some people, give them a wide birth and basically cater for their actions.
I was on the dual carriageway the other day, some bloke in a Mondeo, on the phone, was looking as if he was going to cut in front of me, I held back and watched the display, sure enough he would have casually ploughed into me as I came up the side of him. But I saved him the insurance pay out and guilt trip by making sure he didn’t have the chance.
As I passed him safely I pointed at my head to indicate to him that he should be paying attention.
____________________
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[byke95]

These conversations are fairly easy for me. I tend to agree with them:

"You're right, all bikers are terrible road users and not one of them is polite"

I do this for three reasons:

- If I return with a comment in disagreement this just sets the scene for a debate, where I am 'for' and they are 'against'. Once this scene has been set the conversation cannot go anywhere.

- It gives them nowhere else to go, me being a biker and agreeing with them upsets the 'normal' balance of human conversation (as above)

- More often than not (and because of the above) the person who would be 'against' usually ends up saying something like 'must be nice to get out of the traffic though' or 'but you don't ride like that do you?'.

In some cases, the person may even say something positive about bikers as they feel compelled to balance your comment.

[colezxr]

i get this as well but i just argue against thier point.

the worst place was when i crashed a few months ago, i had to get 4 stitches put in my knee, and the docter and two nurses were going write into telling me that bike dangerouse and how i should get a car and be safer. i just told them that when they get on a bike and exspriance what i do then they can come back and talk to me about getting a car.
____________________
Its better to live your life for one hour as a tiger, Than it is to live your whole life like a worm.
past: gilera dna125. kawasaki zxr400h1, honda cbr 900rrr fireblade (currently being sold for parts). present honda hornet 900

[steveh]

i dont get into that convo, just laugh and walk away.


Steve.
____________________
Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[Blunet600]

cars are just as bad. Everyone that has a vehicel that can go fast usually does, i hate when its gets associated solely to bikers, because cars drive fast all the time as well.
its just people get annoyed at bikes and give tem bad names because bikes are usualy faster, esp off the lights and can jump through traffic and get annoyed they cant.