Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > So, speeding kills does it?

[twpd]

Interesting article - it seems that the most common contributory factor to accidents is failing to look - as I suspect ost of us here already knew.

click here

[andyb]

Dont forget that that failing to look also applies to motorcyclists.........

[twpd]

I'm sure it does but, that's not the point of the post, is it? It's not about who the blame is apportioned to, it's about the erroneous claims that speeding kills and how it seems that the governments own stats show this to be the case.

[andyb]

Its because people fail to look, or have poor observation skills that there has to be a limit on speed..............ie, more time to react!

[twpd]

[andyb]

Heres a question........and its not aimed at anyone..........

Are you as good a driver/rider as you think you are?

[twpd]

Originally Posted by andyb

Heres a question........and its not aimed at anyone..........

Are you as good a driver/rider as you think you are?

Yes. I've been riding 25 years. I last fell off 16 years ago (racing excluded). I used to instruct including at advanced level. I have an IAM ticket. I hold an international race permit entitlement (point being that you don't get to that level by having rubbish machine control)

I've won umpteen road riding safety competitions. My riding will happily stand scrutiny even though I admit I have some very bad habits - like a love for riding fast on the road.

Next?

[Ray]

Maybe just maybe there is a glimmer of hope that the loud chants of the Speed kills mantra are reducing.

Some pretty general terms used Loss of control covers a multitude is sins as it were, root causes and effects.

I wonder what effect the major strides being taken in road car safety are having on the KSI figures.


er anyone know what the speed record is for blind drivers at the mo' well over 150MPH last time I heard.

Failing to "see" the accident coming is the problem, a combination of what the eye sees (plus other other inputs) and what the brain makes of that information.

If you see something you need to be able to assess the image to take the necessary action.

Thats why I mentioned the speed record, no visual inputs, they rely on other inputs such as feel, sound and have a helper to do SOME of the calculation about what action to take.

Hence the noisy can debate, Motorcyclists can't always rely on others seeing them, so some hope they can hear them, with a V twin booming away some might even be able to feel them!!

Ray.

[philthy]

So excessive speed is a factor in 26% of all fatal accidents and loss of control is a factor in 35% of fatal accidents.

Surely a loss of control could also result from driving / riding at an excessive speed for the conditions.

Having some experience of writing off / causing major damage to several cars and a couple of bikes ( In my youth, and thankfully no one else was hurt ) I can honestly say that they were all as a result of loss of control due to excessive speed.

As Andy says, a lower speed gives all of us more time to react to situations that we find ourselves in, whether due to our own or other peoples mistakes / bad driving.

And that is my excuse for riding like an old woman

[Ray]

Whats a Good driver???

One who doesn't have any accidents, one who never speeds, one who doesn't cause others to have accidents, one who can drive without stressing the vehicle, and so on.

Using some of those criteria One could say they are are good driver, other using other's bad driver.

It's far too simplistic a term and means different things to different people.

Ray.