What can be done to make roads safer for motorcyclists?

Johnboner

Johnboner wrote:

I know I would as it is the main reason for using a bike in town or city so don't have to sit in traffic for hours. There is one thing I love about this country and it is the fact that filtering is legal, I couldn't imagine sitting behind a car like an idiot like in most states in the USA, literally defeats the purpose of owning a motorbike in a city. Anyway I am pretty sure you are trolling or have never ridden a bike.

Not trolling and have ridden bikes but I chose to drive a car.
Just annoyed at how motorcyclists seem to think that they can do what they want on the roads.

GBX

GBX wrote:

That's great. Did you report the reg to the Garda? I would have.

I would have if he hadnt been past the car in front of me so fast i couldnt get his number.
When i called to the station i got a reply from the garda on duty of no number no offence

Max Headroom

Johnboner wrote: »

So making roads safer is pointless, ok dude.

No..i said the thread is pointless....dude...;)

GBX

theValheru853 wrote: »

Not trolling and have ridden bikes but I chose to drive a car.
Just annoyed at how motorcyclists seem to think that they can do what they want on the roads.

Which part is doing what they want? Filtering? Or is it just because you have had an encounter with one biker who damaged your car that you think its wrong and bikes should be banned because you see all bikers as bad?
Car drivers are no angels either .. :rolleyes:

theValheru853 wrote: »

I would have if he hadnt been past the car in front of me so fast i couldnt get his number.
When i called to the station i got a reply from the garda on duty of no number no offence

That's unfortunate.

CaptainR

theValheru853 wrote: »

Which wouldnt have happened if filtering wasnt allowed.

And if it wasnt allowed, how many would do it anyway?

That is the most ridiculous thing I've read on here. How many thousands of bikes filter past you per year without incident?

Never said car drivers were angels. In fact im trying to figure out how a lot of them are still on the road.

GBX

theValheru853 wrote: »

Never said car drivers were angels. In fact im trying to figure out how a lot of them are still on the road.

Oh I agree ... some of them car drivers should be locked up. Have a look at the antics in this thread, I'm sure you'll see the majority on the videos posted are on more than 2 wheels ..

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=102688249

CaptainR

CaptainR wrote:

That is the most ridiculous thing I've read on here. How many thousands of bikes filter past you per year without incident?

Thousands....really? How many motorcycles u think are in the country.

Id put the figure in the tens in a year that would filter past me.

GBX

theValheru853 wrote: »

Thousands....really? How many motorcycles u think are in the country.

Id put the figure in the tens in a year that would filter past me.

That's not a lot... sh1t luck so. No wonder you don't like bikers anymore

two wheels good

Del2005 wrote: »

Filtering isn't illegal so they aren't doing anything wrong. If you have a problem report it to the Gardaí and don't be sounding like a vigilante.

If the rider is crossing a solid white line, into the oncoming lane, to filter that's illegal.

Johnboner

theValheru853 wrote: »

Never said car drivers were angels. In fact im trying to figure out how a lot of them are still on the road.

I am quite sure that most motorbike riders are competent relative to car drivers.
1 They can't use the phone
2 You have to be aware of everything(look where you are going) or you will mess up and cause an accident very quickly, but if you have ridden motorbikes I am sure you know all this...
A motorbike will not be holding you up at the traffic lights but this cannot be said about car drivers as it takes a long time for everyone to move off after the light turns green, and this alone should be a good indication of who pays more attention to the road and who doesn't. Obviously there are absolutely excellent car drivers, just like there are motorcyclists but I believe there is more in cars due to the fact that you can get away with not paying attention a lot of the time.
My point is that you can't be angry at every motorcyclist because of actions of one.

CaptainR

theValheru853 wrote: »

Thousands....really? How many motorcycles u think are in the country.

Id put the figure in the tens in a year that would filter past me.

If you live or work in Dublin it could very easily be that high. The same bike can pass you by more than once for god's sake.

the_pen_turner

Filtering is great most of the time. It reduces the volume on the roads.


I don't mind it on wide roads. Pleanty of room.


I think it should be banned on roads where is is too narrow to safely do.

If I drove my car beside someone and was only a few I inchs from them , they would be pissed and rightly so. What's the difference.

Johnboner

the_pen_turner wrote: »

Filtering is great most of the time. It reduces the volume on the roads.


I don't mind it on wide roads. Pleanty of room.


I think it should be banned on roads where is is too narrow to safely do.

If I drove my car beside someone and was only a few I inchs from them , they would be pissed and rightly so. What's the difference.

What about bicycles? Should they be banned from filtering too?

the_pen_turner

As for the thread topic.
Make lights be on all the time and make them as wide as the bike . That way they are less likely to be missed.

Make co co put barriers up to stop makers hitting corners of buildings or piers that stick out. Better the slide along it than stop dead.

the_pen_turner

Johnboner wrote: »

What about bicycles? Should they be banned from filtering too?

Only when it's unsafe to do so

CaptainR

the_pen_turner wrote: »

As for the thread topic.
Make lights be on all the time and make them as wide as the bike . That way they are less likely to be missed.

Make co co put barriers up to stop makers hitting corners of buildings or piers that stick out. Better the slide along it than stop dead.

A lot of bikes now only have a high and lo beam switch with no off button, my lights are always on because of it and it definitely makes a difference being seen.

Older bikes used to have two headlights on at the same time but people were mistaking them for a car much further away and were pulling out in front of them.

BrokenArrows

ted1 wrote: »

Give them a designated lane on the m50. Officially Allow them to use bus lanes, ban taxis without passengers from bus lanes. Remove all VAT on safety equipment, kids, jackets, etc

I dont think banning empty taxis from bus lanes will help anyone. Taxis need to get to their customers quickly to pick them up.

However i do agree that in certain situations motorcycle lanes would be a good addition if it is deemed inappropriate to allow them to use the bus lane.

Motorcyclists will always filter, its legal if done correctly but its risky and most of the time we all filter too fast which makes it illegal but we do it anyway.

There is no logical reason i can think of to prevent bikers from using bus lanes.

If dedicated biker lanes were to be added they would need to be at a reduced speed limit compared to the main road or wide enough to allow for full speed travel (which would need to be a full car lane in width).
Personally if a whole new lane was going to be added i would rather this was a full car lane which would be better served.

bladespin

the_pen_turner wrote: »

Filtering is great most of the time. It reduces the volume on the roads.


I don't mind it on wide roads. Pleanty of room.


I think it should be banned on roads where is is too narrow to safely do.

If I drove my car beside someone and was only a few I inchs from them , they would be pissed and rightly so. What's the difference.

The law already states you can only filter if it's safe to pass.

Cienciano

Del2005 wrote: »

The first thing that they should do is ban surface dressing. I still can't figure out how that gets past health and safety legislation, let's throw several tonnes of loose chippings onto the road and leave it there as a death trap for 2 wheelers and impossible for wheelchair or buggies to get through.

slavetothegrind wrote: »

Make illegal any truck fuel tank filler system which can allow spillage onto the road .

These are my two biggest problems. The amount of diesel spilt on the road is amazing. Nothing will be done about it because it's hard to police.
But loose chippings are a fúcking disgrace.

bladespin

Cienciano wrote: »

These are my two biggest problems. The amount of diesel spilt on the road is amazing. Nothing will be done about it because it's hard to police.
But loose chippings are a fúcking disgrace.

Too right about loose chippings, in this day and age!!!!

Tbh to stop it someone will have to sue (it'll happen with our society going the way it is).

the_pen_turner

bladespin wrote: »

The law already states you can only filter if it's safe to pass.

You wouldn't think it.
If never seen it policed

bladespin

I know it and yes, I've seen it policed.

Of course a safe distance is a matter of opinion, but a few inches clear on either side is fine.

frozenfrozen

pen turner if you only see tens of filtering bikes a year it would be weird if you had seen it policed.. the odds are against you with such a small sample size.

have a look at videos of people filtering in london.. you'll either have a heart attack or see that when done safely it is one of the biggest answers to congestion in cities

Cienciano

Dublin seems to have a tiny amount of motorcycles compared to other European cities. Considering how bad public transport is, I'm surprised how few bikes I see.

the_pen_turner

frozenfrozen wrote: »

pen turner if you only see tens of filtering bikes a year it would be weird if you had seen it policed.. the odds are against you with such a small sample size.

have a look at videos of people filtering in london.. you'll either have a heart attack or see that when done safely it is one of the biggest answers to congestion in cities

I'm living down in the stchicks . Only ever see it when in major cities.

I agree . A small sample size isn't reprisenitive really .
Of the 30 is I see a year at least half are dangerous and none were policed as far as I could see

CaptainR

Cienciano wrote: »

Dublin seems to have a tiny amount of motorcycles compared to other European cities. Considering how bad public transport is, I'm surprised how few bikes I see.

It has never been pushed as an alternative mode of transport like cycling was with the bike to work tax scheme. I honestly believe that if the government or council made a concerted effort to highlight the benefits of biking it would see a minor revival as an economical way of getting around time and cash wise.

I live in Louth and travel 20km to college on a N road and I haven't seen another bike on my commute since September.

bladespin

the_pen_turner wrote: »

Of the 30 is I see a year at least half are dangerous and none were policed as far as I could see

Again it comes down to what do you consider dangerous?

the_pen_turner

bladespin wrote: »

Again it comes down to what do you consider dangerous?

I agree it subjective.
Passing only inches away
Passing at a speed that they couldn't stop if someone opened a door or moved the vehicle slightly on a vehicle a few Cars ahead

bladespin

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I agree it subjective.
Passing only inches away
Passing at a speed that they couldn't stop if someone opened a door or moved the vehicle slightly on a vehicle a few Cars ahead

Could be lots of room for the rider, often the speed means you're out of the way of danger; the faster you get by the better.
That said, I'm not so fond of the close quarter fly bys as I used to be, silliness of youth, the craic you could have by 'buzzing' a car.