Are motor cyclists are the safest drivers?

[Bridgette01]

Do you agree, responsible people that ride or have ridden on the road can see potential hazzards( behind the wheel ) before they happen better then people that have never ridden on the road. Is this true? What do you think.

[cs123]

I think a lot of bike riders are enthusiasts, excluding the scooter craze, and self preservation means you pay a lot more attention. So I'd say generally speaking, yes bike riders as a whole are better than car drivers.

That being said I've seen bike riders do pretty silly things at times.

[Bridgette01]

Agreed, thats why I included the word " responsible "

[ratter]

I have no proof but have quite often thought this

[nstg8a]

id agree too, im a rider as well as a driver and i like to think im pretty aware on the road.

having said that, i got on my bike today after 2-3 weeks of not riding due to work, and i couldnt believe how un-co i felt for the first half hour or so.

theres no doubt fatigue was screwing up my perception and hand eye co-ordination.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by cs123

I think a lot of bike riders are enthusiasts, excluding the scooter craze, and self preservation means you pay a lot more attention. So I'd say generally speaking, yes bike riders as a whole are better than car drivers.

That being said I've seen bike riders do pretty silly things at times.

^^ Pretty much.

Riding certainly sharpened my skills at seeing hazards, although I was taught when I was learning to drive to always look further ahead than the car in front. Id say driving a truck can do similar too. As much as people think they arent at risk due to size, that can actually make them more at risk, but absent that they know how nasty it can be if they run up the back of a say a Prius or any car really. To drive safely you have to make allowances for cars as well as choose the right gear, lane choice because you cant just dart across lanes like cars often do, all of that and more before you realise you need whatever because by then its too late so you have to plan more and anticipate more. Ive got both truck (HC) and bike licences and would suggest anything not a car probably makes you a little more aware.

[Pedro]

Whether motor cyclists are safer or not doesn't help them much when it comes to a collision. Last Qld stats I read listed motor cycles as 5 percent of registered vehicles and motorcyclists as thirty percent of fatalities.

[Full Noise]

The thing I notice about motorcycle riders is that it’s very easy to pick an inexperienced one. Yes, they have to read the road more than a car simply because of the road surface itself but as far as looking ahead, bah.

A motorcycle can out manoeuvre ANY car, so a split second lane change isn’t a big deal for a seasoned rider. Try driving a B-double petrol tanker in city traffic and you’ll learn about reading the road and looking ahead.

Over the years, I’ve seen many motorcycle “enthusiasts” you know, the type who park their new sports bikes up the top of the Kew Boulevard and quiet frankly, can’t ride for s***.

Just because someone’s an enthusiast, doesn’t automatically mean that they’re any good.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

The thing I notice about motorcycle riders is that it’s very easy to pick an inexperienced one. Yes, they have to read the road more than a car simply because of the road surface itself but as far as looking ahead, bah.

A motorcycle can out manoeuvre ANY car, so a split second lane change isn’t a big deal for a seasoned rider. Try driving a B-double petrol tanker in city traffic and you’ll learn about reading the road and looking ahead.

Over the years, I’ve seen many motorcycle “enthusiasts” you know, the type who park their new sports bikes up the top of the Kew Boulevard and quiet frankly, can’t ride for s***.

Just because someone’s an enthusiast, doesn’t automatically mean that they’re any good.

well said, i know im still learning about riding road bikes, i can ride the wheels of a dirt bike, but its taking some getting used to a road bike.

[LeadFoot81]

Hell no, most of the motorbike riders I see are insane!!

They speed, weave through and cut off traffic at crazy speeds...the majority are impatient and irresponsible.

I can understand how you'd become desensitised to speed riding a bike everyday, but that doesn't make it ok (or safe) to speed.

And as some have said, being an enthusiast doesn't count for much as being one doesn't automatically make you good at the thing you're in to.

[351@GT]

Certainly become more aware of your surroundings/placement on the road when your on a bike.

It can make you a better driver, but the same with everything else, theres always the good and the bad.


- leadfoot, the ones you see are the one that give everyone else a bad name
i've seen some utterly stupid stuff.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by LeadFoot81

They speed, weave through and cut off traffic at crazy speeds...the majority are impatient and irresponsible.

you learn to ride very defensively and aggressively ( i know, its a contradiction) at the same time when you ride in traffic a lot, especially cbd type traffic.

split second decision making can and will make or break a bike rider. not all speed/weaving or cutting off traffic is down to impatience or being irresposible.

[mik]

no.......

[GazzF6]

In general.. Yes, most certainly!

Strange as it is, you can tell the good from the bad with their road positioning, do a little study and watch how many motorcyclists coming to a stop at the lights sit in the middle of the lane..

Good riders know that's where all the; oil, coolant, and degreaser gets dropped!

Not having a crack at anyone, just a valid observation...

And yes, I am motorcyclist.

[gtxb67]

my opinion is that car/bike/truck drivers have the same ratio of good and bad. and each one just blames the other two for all of the problems on the road

a bike rider may not be a safer driver, simply because they may have a false sense of security when driving. if you are good, you are good - it doesn't matter what you normally drive

[prydey]

Originally Posted by mik

no.......

+ 1!..

[smoo]

Originally Posted by LeadFoot81

Hell no, most of the motorbike riders I see are insane!!

They speed, weave through and cut off traffic at crazy speeds...the majority are impatient and irresponsible.

I can understand how you'd become desensitised to speed riding a bike everyday, but that doesn't make it ok (or safe) to speed.

And as some have said, being an enthusiast doesn't count for much as being one doesn't automatically make you good at the thing you're in to.

But were talking about riders as drivers, I'm a crazy c. on my 165hp 1000cc sports bike, I haven't met anyone who rides one within the law, but of all my riding mates, they can't drive to save themselves. For me personally driving a truck has made me a better driver. In saying that since I started to ride ive realised what a waste of time driving a car at speed is, as a bike is 100 times the fun, most likely the reason why I drive an AU lol.

[pottery beige]

"being more situationally aware"... riding a bike made me a better driver....

[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by gtxb67

my opinion is that car/bike/truck drivers have the same ratio of good and bad. and each one just blames the other two for all of the problems on the road.

Are you serous?

Let’s work on the 90/10 ratio.
90% good, 10% f-wits.

You’re seriously trying to tell me that 90% of the car drivers you see are good? I’d love to know where you live, lol.

Where I live, it’s more like the 10/90 ratio when it comes to cars.

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

Are you serous?

Let’s work on the 90/10 ratio.
90% good, 10% f-wits.

You’re seriously trying to tell me that 90% of the car drivers you see are good? I’d love to know where you live, lol.

Where I live, it’s more like the 10/90 ratio when I comes to cars.

you just backed up my point

[TheZHLANE]

Bikies certainly aren't.

[jobeli]

I have no idea if MC riders make a safer driver, when on 4 wheels, but...

Anecdotally, in my day to day travel, the number of people I see doing the REALLY crazy driving would be,

1/ About 0.1% of all cars.

2/ About 30% of all motor cycles.

Suppose there is a reason for being over represented in road toll figures.

[z80]

Temporary Australians we always called them.

The sensible bikers eventually get hit by moron car drivers or trees.
The moron bikers eventually hit sensible car drivers or trees.

At the end of the day the driver walks away and the biker gets carried away.

Regardless of who is the better driver.

[Neale]

Originally Posted by z80

Temporary Australians we always called them.

The sensible bikers eventually get hit by moron car drivers or trees.
The moron bikers eventually hit sensible car drivers or trees.

At the end of the day the driver walks away and the biker gets carried away.

Regardless of who is the better driver.

^^^^^^^^^
I agree

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by gtxb67

my opinion is that car/bike/truck drivers have the same ratio of good and bad. and each one just blames the other two for all of the problems on the road

a bike rider may not be a safer driver, simply because they may have a false sense of security when driving. if you are good, you are good - it doesn't matter what you normally drive

Exactly. There are more cars on the road than bikes, so naturally you take more notice of crappy bike riders. Crappy car drivers seem to be the norm, due to the number of cars on the road.

[2011G6E]

Maybe not "better", but most likely I'd go for being generally more "aware"...

I've found that since I started riding a bike back in '88 that I began looking at the person behind the wheel of a car waiting to pull out into traffic/come through a give way sign/etc, and also where their front wheels are pointed, rather than just simply looking at thier indicators. "That guy isn't looking my direction at all...I think he might pull out in front of me after that car coming the other way goes past", kind of thing.

You have to be more aware and probably have a higher skill level on average than the average car driver...your life depends on it, full stop.

[fg_nitro]

Unless you ride or have ridden a bike. Then you are over generalsing. Thats like someone saying Are Ford and Holden enthusiasts Tribal Bogans?

[GT 160]

Definetly made me more aware as a driver.

On a bike your riding as though every cager is trying to kill you. Sounds silly but its true.

[Bridgette01]

Originally Posted by fitzwa

Definetly made me more aware as a driver.

On a bike your riding as though every cager is trying to kill you. Sounds silly but its true.

My thoughts exactly

[JC]

Originally Posted by ratter

I have no proof but have quite often thought this

Ditto. Been pillion plenty of times too, and it makes you realise how silly some car drivers are. I know it makes me more bike aware and hopefully that puts me slightly ahead of the average driver.