As a motorised road user you would automatically think that going about your business and getting to work safely was a given. I dont know about you but every day for me is a battle for survival to get to work. From my observations I have come to quite a solid conclusion…not many car drivers really know how to drive in Ireland. The distance from the left hand on the steering wheel to that little stick used to activate indicators isn’t really that far you know…so why on earth do drivers feel that they can move from one lane to another without indicating first. Some feel that indicating after they start to move is enough while others must feel that the stretch to that all important lever is just too much work and move with no consideration of that road user who already occupies that space they are adament in taking control of…even if it means you end up in a ditch.
You may think that I’m a fool and I haven’t a clue what I’m talking about… I bet you think your such a good driver and that you couldn’t possibly be the one who would do such a thing. I’ll put forward two simple questions: Have you received driving lessons recently? After your driving test was done and passed did you bother picking up that phone to book further lessons?
I can bet that many of you have just said to yourselves “sure I passed my test, why in the world do I need to get training…I know how to drive!!”. This is my point…this is why so many motorists these days drive around on our roads with no clue of the rules and safety.
Only this morning a man in his black ford shoebox decided that being behind a truck on the overtake lane on the dualcarriageway when approaching a roundabout just wasn’t his cup of tea so he decided that my space to his left was a more preferred spot. He obviously didn’t look in his mirror and he most certainly didn’t indicate but it was a very close call and I praise my horn for its ability to alert this dozy shoebox pilot that he was crossing over on top of my vehicle.
Now I can probably go on for ever about this sort of behaviour, on average situations like this occur at least four times on my 24 mile drive in the morning and again in the evening. I passed my driving test four months ago and I have continued to keep my training up, I have received hours of training since getting that pink licence. The only difference between me and a car driver is that my preferred mode of transport is a motorcycle.
Next time you get into your car, think about those who have only a piece of leather between their skin and the road. These people are not lesser citizens than you just because they chose to travel with two wheels and not four, they simply want to get to work or college or to their loved ones in one piece. Motorcycling is only a dangerous mode of transport because a great percentage of the general public believe that the road is ment for cars and cars only and dont leave adequate space for bikes to drive in. Day in and day out I have cars tailgating me to get by even though I’m doing the legal limit just because I’m on a small vehicle and they feel that they have a right to be in front of me. I will not move in regardless of what you feel is the right thing to do, moving in only gives me a small piece of road to drive in and most times this part of the road is company to potholes and gravel, both of which can tip a bike over very easily. So to all you ShiteDrivers, get some training and think of others when on the road. Too many people are dying due to stupidity, get educated and reduce your chance of leaving your bloodstained mark and possibly the mark of an innocent person on the road.
Thank you.
5 Comments
Much as I feel for you… you sadly neglected to mention that wonderful trait that 99% of motorcycle drivers have (dont worry im sure you are the exception)…
“F**k traffic, f**k road position, and f**ck waiting, Im smaller and faster why shouldnt I undertake, overtake, drive between and generally work my way through busy traffic as I damn well please…. then piss and moan when cars dont take ME into consideration!”
Thats not an accusation aimed at you, simply a statement that you really should have included that nugget of information in you justifiable rant if you didnt want people to think that your mouthing off was purely a momobikes vs. momocars battle!
No problem Brian, I wouldn’t take that response to be aimed at me. I know that within both the car and bike group there are those that drive very well and those that dont. I do not undertake when it’s illegal to do so, I only undertake when the vehicle in front is turning right at a junction. Overtaking and filtering are completely legal when done in a safe and controlled manner. I do agree that some bikers do feel that they can throw their bikes around and can bully their way into spots, but I see it more with cars each day.
My post wasn’t much of a rant, I could have thrown out statements that were generalised but I didn’t because we all know where generalisations get us so I stuck to my own personal experience.
What you have said is that us bikers “piss and moan when cars dont take <em>US</em> into consideration”…when I drive I stick to my lane and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front…when a car decides to pull in front of me, who do you think will come out worse if a collision were to occur? Me. We are a minority on the roads and my daily commute continuously highlights that many car drivers paint all bikers with the same brush and automatically assume that 99% of us are the same and that we dangerously undertake, split lanes, and filter whatever way we please.
My point was in terms of cars and the fact that car drivers should be more aware of their surroundings before carrying out a maneuver. Its not that I sadly neglected to mention that trait you say 99% of us display on the road, it simply was not the subject of my post.
The worst that would happen to a car would be a few scratches, maybe a few dents and some muscle damage to the car drivers neck in an impact with a bike whereas the biker would/could suffer with numerous broken bones (A guy I know, who is highly trained and was driving in a safe manner was knocked down by an SUV doing a U turn and suffered two broken wrists and ribs and this was not at high speeds.). Bikers can also suffer extensive loss of skin, bone loss, neck and brain damage and obviously death. Glancing a motorcycle can prove to be fatal while the car may only suffer some minor scratches. The story I mentioned in my original post about the driver failing to look in his mirrors came within a few centimeters of my front wheel, if he continued on his path, I wouldn’t be at home now, I would definatley be in hospital.
I can fully concur with this. But the main problem in this country, I think, is the inadequate driver education. The whole system is perhaps fitting to the road situation in 1970′s Ireland, but not in todays. It’s like in many other areas (housing, schools etc.) – there are too many users (drivers) demanding a limited service (roads), and it’s not regulated enough to cope with this high demand.
The whole system of provisional licenses and the ridiculously easy driver license test simply doesn’t fit. In other European countries it is mandatory to go through a thorough education with a School of Motoring and then pass the test with an independent, licensed tester together with the teacher, so that there would be immediate feedback in case of failure. And only until this test is passed, the driver is allowed to go on the road.
Btw, I never have problems with bikers, don’t mind if they pass by on a jammed road. This is also part of the eduation (and intelligence), to let other road users “alone”.
So in conclusion, yes, driving behavior in Ireland is sh..te, but don’t just blame it on the drivers, most of them don’t know better, and the system lets them drive
despite their inability.
And there are more hot topics hidden here: bad roads and slow drivers. But I shall leave this for another day.
Matthy
To add to what Matthy says regarding the easy driving test (that doesn’t cover motorway driving!), lest we forget the ‘amnesty’ years ago when all those on the waiting list were given full licenses, so the backlog could be cleared! I lad I work with told me that his dad has every category license and didn’t do a test for any of them – madness!!
“When we do right – no one remembers. When we do wrong – no one forgets”.
apply to ANY “group” of road users – and it fits.
Bikers (yes, i am one, actually teach people to ride them on occasion) often get “noticed” only when behaving badly.
the tiniest of minorities behave badly, but stick out like a sore thumb.
ALL the rest are tarred with the same brush. Same could be said for…. Taxis / White Van Man / little old ladies in Micras / Flat Cap Man in Morris Minor – take your pick!
oh – by the way, the origin of the quote i started this reply off with… was the motto of the Original Hells Angels, circa late 1940′s / early 1950′s!