Apparently it\'s my fault!!
 

I don't know whether anyone else saw this, but in today's paper I came across an article entitled "Rise in motorcyclists blamed for the failure to reduce road deaths". Reading the article the following is worthy of comment:

"Mr Jamieson (transport minister) said that one of the main reasons why the death rate had stuck at about 3,400 was the popularity of high-performance motorcycles. Almost a fifth of people who died on the roads in 2002 were motorcyclists. The largest proportion of these were so-called 'born-again' bikers, men in 30s and 40s riding machines over 500cc. A strategy on cutting motorcycle deaths will be announced in the autumn".

So there you have it, I fit into that age bracket and ride a high-performance bike, so I'm to blame for the increase in the number of deaths. What seems to be left out is the reduction in the numbers of traffic police leading to an increase in the number of drivers speeding and also drink driving. Of course this will have no impact at all, it is after all, firmly and squarely my fault.

I don't think you can take all the blame webbyc....it's my fault as well!

Yeah, lets just blame webby :D

I'm in that age and bike group also, but have never given up the bikes so I'm not a born again.

Surely part of the blame has to be the large increase in traffic on the roads caused by the reduced speed limits. One journey I do on a regular bassis use to take me 35 mins sticking to the speed limits it now takes 55 mins on a quiet evening. Now if I left home at 19.55 and arrived at 20:30 I wouldn't meet those who started their journeys at 20:35, now as I arrive around 20:50 I will meet those drivers on the road after 20:30 which obviously increases my chance of getting involved in a accident with them, when originally it was a impossibility.
So maybe the authorities should accept some of the blame for the increase in accident figures

Kev, all that proves is that there are Lies, Dam Lies, and Statistics.:lol:
But since Webby has generously offered to take the blame who am I to stop him, and anyway it can't be MY fault 'cause I'm older than that....................

John

I wonder how they established they were"born again" bikers - did they ask them posthumously about their riding experience. What is a "born again biker" anyway?

Webby - your'e a bloke, so its definately your fault:devil:

:lol::lol:

C:saint:

I always knew there was something I didn't like about you Chris. I'll blame you too :frog:

Most of the articles i've read appear to say that the majority of bike accidents these days are single vehicle accidents, typically the rider loosing control on a left hand bend and drifting into oncoming traffic.
Thats certainly what i have noticed as i've been out and about. I cant think of a single bike accident that i've seen recently that has involved another vehicle. I'm not saying that they dont happen, of course they do.

I live in an area thats popular with bikes so we tend to get more than our fair share of incidents.

I'm just a "born biker" as never rode before I got to 30-ish. Think I'm absolved of all blame on this one :)

Issue here is one of public choice, is it not? Theres no denying it, biking is bloody dangerous and we all know the ultimate price for our hobby/passion/sport. Making a cut to an absolute target like the "number of road deaths" is to all intents and purposes saying that the Govt intends to curb our individual choice in the matter.

Yep, theres a cost to road deaths.. someone has to close the roads and clear up afterwards, but surely this cant be the reason for such an intention - we could save much more by, say, not going to war so often.

Nope, all smacks of the same old story...Govt chases votes by disadvantaging a small section of society in order to brag to the majority.

Ok I do accept that it all my fault and I intend to own up to Tony Blair about it - that's the sort of guy I am!!!

The real worrying issue here is that we have effective anti-biking proposals coming out in the autumn that are suppposedly aimed at reducing deaths on the road. How the hell do they know what to do? When was the last time that you saw any MP or Government representative at your local bike meet? Do they talk to us?

go for it and invite them......

:lol:

Great idea. Roy you should invite your local MP to the Popham megameet!!!

\'ang on, \'ang on, lets take a closer look at the stats
 

I thought the first in this series of posts said that almost a fifth of all road death were caused by bike(r)s
Well in my unmathmatical way, that means that four fiths were caused by non bike related incidents
so calculator in hand, 2720 who unfortunately were killed on our roads were not bikers, out of the 3,400 who were.
That says to my simple mind (no comments needed KB) that we as bikers are better off that the 4 wheel muppets. 1 in 5 chance for us, 4 in 5 chance for them.?????

And I cant be in Mr Jamieson's statistics as a born again rider as Im 55 yrs young, so fall outside of his 30 - 40 yrs old category

be safe out there folks and watch out fer senile 4 wheel muppets doin left or right turns wiffout indicators, or like the pilchard I followed down a motorway slip road today at 40 to join the motorway at that speed with likkle trucks trying to change lanes to miss the fergin pilchard doin 45 in the inside lane wiffout indicating expecting all and sundry (with apologies to Mrs Sundry) to get out of their way!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rant over, and I'll get me coat
best rgds
a wondrous "how they ever got a license" Mort:roll::o:o:roll:

The thing that makes me laugh about all of this is that the gov' make it so difficult to pass your blinkin bike test...It's the only licence that hubby doesn't have...
He has an LGV, PCV, CBT + an ordinary car licence...all, he reckons fairly easy to pass.
In the near future (allegedly...not sure how true it is!) they contemplate making bikers do their test in controlled conditions in a purpose built test centre for bikes...Making bikers do their emergency stops at the correct speed with a light gun! How much harder do they want to make it?...I haven't done a soddin U turn since the day I took my test!!!!
Surely those that past these stringent conditions MUST be better riders/drivers...More aware on the road etc. It's the numpty car drivers that need educating...A biker is much more aware of what is going on around them BECAUSE they know that they can pay the ultimate price.
But...who's the easiest target?
The crack dealer that sells drugs outside the local secondary...Or the biker that occasionally goes a bit over the speed limit?

AND Mort...didn't you see VMans thread about me having a 30% lower I.Q...I wont say a word about yours then...LOL
:devil::frog::devil:

But Lisa, the statistics I've seen tend to imply that bike accidents are increasing and that most bike accidents are single vehicle accidents which means that no other vehicle was involved so anything that helps reduce that is going to be better than things going on the way they are.

Yes some car drivers can be dangerous as Mort's example shows but we have to take responsibily for some of it oursleves.

How many people on this board have had an accident that didnt involve another vehicle?

Interseting one at the end of last summer - on the way back from Bury Hill in Sussex, came across 2 bikers in the road.
Biker 1 had been minding his own business on his Mille, when rider 2 came round the tight corner - on the wrong side of the road on his 2 week old R1 (on HP) in the other direction.
Later: Turns out Mr Mille rider was doing less than the 40 mph limit (36), and Mr R1 was doing over 60 - and had only passed his test 3 weeks prior.
Mr Mille suffered a broken collarbone & a completely stuffed front end of his bike (so was lucky to get away with the injury he had) - Mr R1 lots of broken bones. Lost his licence in Jan, so we heard.

Certainly made us think on the way back that day, so kept in touch with Mr Mille (as helped drag his bike out of the road & called police etc) to find out what the court result was.

C

Lies, damn lies, and statistics....
 

OK, so they say that bike accidents are on the increase. But so is the number of bikes! I'd like to see the statistics in the form of number of accidents per 100 bikes, or suchlike. Who knows, it may actually turn out that the accident rates have gone down!

Saz

PS. Long time reader, first time poster. Hi to CK and anyone else from the UKMOC :o

[Edited on 8-4-2004 by SazzaJ]

Statistics can be made to say whatever you want them to and any Government will exploit that to the full in order to back up any policy that they may have.

To refer back to the point about passing your test being difficult nowadays, well when lot of the born agains took their tests all you had to do was ride round the block - well that's all I had to do!!!! Anyway during their break away from biking bikes have changed immesureably in terms of performance etc. Perhaps one of the answers would be that if you've been away from biking for more than a year, then you have to undertake some sort of refresher training.

Nah, they are just trying to encourage us to take to something "safer" like this: :devil:


Apparently, they are available in both red and yellow.

[Edited on 9-4-2004 by topper]

Lies, damn lies, and statistics....

I agree, everyone has a point...but the statistics thing is so true...They do it with teachers telling us that the quality of teaching is pushing performance up...when in reality the children have always performed at the same rate!:(
Government eh??? :mad:

Statistics?
 

Twist em round yer little finger and make them say whatever YOU want.

No matter what improvements have been made over the years to the safety of car occupants the majority of their deaths arise from serious head injuries. Why has the govt not taken this to heart and introduced a law making the wearing of crash helmets compulsory for all car users!?!

Same goes for pedestrians. There's that good old saying that you're more likely to die crossing the road than in an air crash! So why have we not seen the development of personal air bags (those of you over 21 stone may be excused :lol: ) and crash hats for pedestrians!?!

I also fall into the classification of "born again" biker although I've ridden bikes fairly continuously for over 20 years (yes, that does include petrol stops). It's a typical knee-jerk reaction term applied by anyone wanting to be a part of the majority of selfish bike-knocking car drivers that think they own the road and should get priority consideration cos they pay a tax to use it! Dont forget that we all pay for that PRIVILEGE, it's not a right.

Look…………..

…we all agree that the rise in motorcycle fatalities is a major cause for concern and that there are several different avenues that we, the politicians and the police can follow to reduce it.

But…………….

…you are all missing Webby’s point in this thread….

He is willing to take the blame - which is fair does in my mind.

Top fella………………..now punishment???

I think he should face the (DPP) Ducatisi Public Prosecutions committee on Sunday at Box Hill. Thereafter, stripped to his Y fronts he should be soundly birched, smeared in chain lube and then forced to sit astride a tricked up rice burner in garish colours for the rest of the morning.

We could get old Limpwrist Biscuit (or whatever his name is) and other pro-biking politicos down there, invite News at Ten and seek public absolution for the sins of Born Again Bikers.

What do you think? I think we should take up Webbys offer now.

:D:D:D:D

I prefer the old methods, Ducking Stool or the Stocks for him, Birching would be OK if it was the Isle of Man residents that were blaming him.

OK then Webby is the one at fault
 

Flog him, hang, draw and quarter 'im, but again I say, if 4/5ths are not bikers at fault,or bikers at all, then maybe we need to improve those non 2 wheel people to a better education
rgds
mort:roll::roll:

Unless we just stuff the education bit...(I'm tired and it's end of term!)
AND just flog webby instead...Bags I with the whip!!!;)

Now KB with a whip, what will you will be wearing, leathers?:D