Why do people have to ride fast on roads

[Doug]

Being a dirt bike convert I thought 2 yrs ago i would do my licence and try tarmac on a TA700 but have found that it seems ingrained into british road bike culture that you have to go fast.

If you have a sports bike then I can see the irresistable urge to pin it and lean it right over. (If your into that sort of thing) But its doesnt stop there. I have just done my IAM test and having passed that the first thing the others want me to do is to ride at 75 - 80 on single carriageways. Now great bunch of lads they maybe but what the flippin heck is all that about on an 'adventure' bike. Your head gets blown off, you can't look at the scenery, and you run the risk of points on your licence not to mention your self if you hit a tractor coming out a field.

Just what is it about british bikers that makes it un cool unless you habitually speed.

[Lutin]

Originally Posted by Doug

Just what is it about british bikers that makes it un cool unless you habitually speed.

Don't know mate, and I probably never will.

There's plenty of stories of bods "keeping up with their mates" who get into trouble.

Stuff the lot of 'em and ride at your own pace.

[Sharribee]

Originally Posted by Doug

Being a dirt bike convert I thought 2 yrs ago i would do my licence and try tarmac on a TA700 but have found that it seems ingrained into british road bike culture that you have to go fast.

If you have a sports bike then I can see the irresistable urge to pin it and lean it right over. (If your into that sort of thing) But its doesnt stop there. I have just done my IAM test and having passed that the first thing the others want me to do is to ride at 75 - 80 on single carriageways. Now great bunch of lads they maybe but what the flippin heck is all that about on an 'adventure' bike. Your head gets blown off, you can't look at the scenery, and you run the risk of points on your licence not to mention your self if you hit a tractor coming out a field.

Just what is it about british bikers that makes it un cool unless you habitually speed.

Your obviously riding with the wrong people Doug, I've been riding for almost 10 years now and will always ride at my own pace (which is nun like) if I'm riding with a group and I feel they are too fast and I'm not comfortable at that speed (which is most of the time because I ride like a girl ) then they have to wait for me at the next junction or meeting point.

I do know what you mean and I get really infuriated with those on pocket rockets who take unnecessary risks just to overtake or take a corner on the pegs, but then again I start to sound like my grandmother tutting away in my helmet when I encounter them

[cookingfat]

I'm with you Doug, the simple pleasure of a gentle ride enjoying the Country side is my idea of a good ride out.

I often ride with mates who give it welly and great if thats your thing, however, keeping within your own comfort zone is the key to enjoying a ride.

UP THE WORKERS!

[MandoBear]

Doug,
I know what you mean. I'm currently doing my IAM training - and learning lots of valuable stuff, but there's this tyranny of "making progress" which kind of does my head in. It's fine sometimes - like when you need to get somewhere, but if you just want to get out and enjoy the ride, soak up the views, the sounds, the smells.

Sometimes I just want to say to my observer "I don't give a stuff about making progress... I just want to enjoy my riding as much as possible and ride as safely as possible - and that doesn't mean taking every single opportunity to overtake just because it's safe, legal and necessary... Thank you very much..."

I think it derives from the fact that it's based upon the Police roadcraft system - that you need to get somewhere as swiftly and efficiently as possible, but if you're riding for pleasure it ain't exactly like that...

[alpslapper]

Originally Posted by MandoBear

but there's this tyranny of "making progress" which kind of does my head in.

When I was doing my AIM, during a debrief, I had a conversation something like this:

Observer: You missed an ovetake opportunity at blah blah.

Me: No I didn't.

Observer: Yes, you did.

Me: No. I didn't. I didn't want to overtake then.

Observer: Why?

Me: Because I didn't.

Observer: Yes but why?

Me: Because I was happy with the road, the ride, the bike, the scenary, I was enjoying the countryside, I was doing 57mph on a single road, so only 3 miles off the speed limit, and I couldn't be arsed to be thinking about planning a totally unnecessary and gratuitous overtake, when I could see there was going to be a dual carriageway half a mile away anyhows. OK.

Observer: No. Not really. I don't see the point of you doing this course if you want to ride like a pussy!!!!!!!!



Interestingly enough, every single advanced rider I rode with from that group, on group rides, broke every single speed limit, at every single opportunity, if they could get away with it. They only seem to observe the limits when out with students.

[fw750x]

Hi Doug Ride at a PACE YOU are Happy WITH do not try and keep up with the rest of the group.If you are going on a run ask where the next stopping point is and see them when YOU get there,If they do not WANT to wait you are out with the wrong riders.Far to many Novice/inexperenced riders go for a run with riders who are more confident faster WILLING to take chances on dodgy overtakes .This is a recipie for disaster as you will be sucked in to going faster than you are used to or capable of and you will end up getting hurt or worse.Do your own thing at your PACE you will enjoy your bike more.Francis

[Mabels Old Man]

Originally Posted by alpslapper

Interestingly enough, every single advanced rider I rode with from that group, on group rides, broke every single speed limit, at every single opportunity, if they could get away with it. They only seem to observe the limits when out with students.

Strange IAM group. When I did mine you were expected to keep to all posted limits and the only time you were allowed to exceed the national limits was to execute a safe overtake

[Frad]

Originally Posted by Mabels Old Man

Strange IAM group. When I did mine you were expected to keep to all posted limits and the only time you were allowed to exceed the national limits was to execute a safe overtake

I took my IAM test on Sunday and passed and my observer was the same as yours Mike, If you had to speed to overtake it was not advised but if you had to give it a quick burst then that was acceptable so long as you slowed as soon as possible after the overtake.

I think you do whats necessary to pass the test and then apply the bits you want to to your own riding style and situations.

It was made clear to me that if I did not like the observer that was appointed to me, then I could ask to change to another observer.

[alpslapper]

Originally Posted by Mabels Old Man

Strange IAM group. When I did mine you were expected to keep to all posted limits and the only time you were allowed to exceed the national limits was to execute a safe overtake

That point has always led to a heated debate. Two camps - one stating under no circumstances can the posted limit be broken, so, if you have to exceed the limit to overtake, then the overtake isn't on, the other one stating it's no problem so long as you can execute the overtake safely.
It didn't help much that the two examiners used by the group - one cop said it's fine, one would fail you for it. So you had to ask his opinion on the day of the test

As for the others, yup, they pretty much nailed it every group ride.