Rory's Dad Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Drive safe... Hear hear I also have "Think" logo stuck to my steering wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab (bombero) Reid Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Agree with Norm .. welcome to the world of a biker!! :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickmaster Andy Lowe Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Ralphy at least you had the option of giving then a hard day A chat Blow in this Follow me to the station for a blood test 7 days to produce If you had time I used to ride in a blue and yellow Land Rover with blues and twos on shouts with the life boat I was always glad to get to the safety of the boat and the water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peet Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 I always liked the 60's MG logo which fits Westys too... Safety Fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Remember the colour combo is black and bright yellow. Like a wasp or some poisonous frogs. We are all conditioned to beware of natures warning colours. It's built into us and has been there for millions of years. Of course it won't work 100% of the time but it will cut down those that don't see you. I, like others, expect cars and/or bikes to pull out in front of me from side roads. I, like others took a defensive driving course from an ex Hendon instructor. It all helps but nothing will be 100% Retired couple are pulling out of their driveway. Jack says to Rennie "Is their any cars coming dear". "No, darling". So he drove out in front of the big red bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M444TTB Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 As above - assume everyone hasn't seen you then you won't go far wrong Good call on the contrast thing - if I had a black car I would consider putting white or reflective silver stripes through the centre line of the car and also down the sides Or simply buy a yellow one like I did :-) Then change it to black like some idiot I know... ahem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrie Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 I went for Chrome Yellow, but if these a***holes can't see a fire engine and its flashing lights, what hope do we have. I remember about a year ago, I saw the fire engine in the mirror, so slowed down as there was room for it to overtake. F*** yes, two cars behind me overtook and then stopped at the traffic lights 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peet Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 And don't forget our mp3 wearing population of cyclists and pedestrians.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu999 Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 And don't forget our mp3 wearing population of cyclists and pedestrians.......and car drivers - that really amazes me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Indeed. One of the guys here is well into his music (did a digital sound engineering degree), so uses noise-cancelling headphones for driving so he can hear his music better - not safe at all IMO! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zumbruk Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Not just me, then. My Westie is dark blue with a yellow nosecone and virtually the first time I went out for a thrash in it, someone came very close to running me down on a roundabout. Needless to say, he was driving a BMW $x4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meakin Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Yes my bike instructor said to me "ride like they are out to get you. As one day you'll be right" and he was loads if people just don't see bikes or Westfield you just have to ride/drive defencefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu999 Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 *flame jacket well and truly on* Well, perhaps I have been extremely lucky so far *touches wood*, but even with a fair few miles under the belt now, I cant say I have noticed any real difference with other road users and their ability to 'see me', at least when I am driving at speeds comparable to my tintop. And I only switch my lights on at night! Yep, I have had my moments, but in my opinion they have been no more or less than the daily hack. Maybe some of the issue is the expectation of other road users? The Lambo in London video posted on here the other day was quite possibly a good example. When other road users look around at a junction, in their mirrors etc, they have registered a gap that *if* another road user appears in the next few moments when they have to look at where they are actually going, they have plenty of time to get out, across etc, without issue We have to do this - after all, we can't look everywhere at the same time. Except, that is, if the other road user is actually going faster than expectation. Not necessarily anything to do with being seen, it is just the gap then get filled a lot quicker, thus inconveniencing (or worse) the Westfield driver, fire engine, police motorcycle etc! I know that doesn't explain all scenario's. Trouble is with something like a Westfield, they are extremely capable at cornering, changing direction, braking etc, so that your pace can come as a great surprise to others - even if you are actually within the speed limit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Stu, the problem is to do with the brain not recognising the shape the eye sees as a car. To some brains a car is a normal tintop, anything else isn't seen at all when the brain is expecting an image of what it has been taught is a car. It's related to the phenomenon of reading a page of a book whilst thinking of something else. Every word is read but not by the brain, only by the eye. However, nature has a set of warning colours to warn us of danger. These are yellow and black. Some animals take on these colours when they are not poisonous or venomous. Others have these colours and will harm or kill you if you eat them. Humans are still conditioned to be aware of these colours and we do take notice of them. It matters not if you have headlights on or wearing bright colours or the car is painted in bright colours. It's the danger signal of yellow and black that makes us notice. It is thought we (some of us) still do not see a car but our attention is drawn to the danger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff oakley Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 When I drive the Westfield on the road I have seen all sorts of errors but in the main people have to be deaf and blind not to see you. I tend to drive assuming the others are on drugs and leave plenty of room for me to get out of trouble if others react as I have not expected. Probably the worst was a 4X4 driver who when I was at the side of him overtaking three cars he just started to pull out. I stopped further up the road in the next village for a drink and he stopped and apologised. He said that he looked but being so low he just missed the car as he was looking at normal height. Since then it is another thing to watch out for. The same is where you are on an undulating road where you are hidden for much longer as you are lower on the road. My tip is simple, if in any doubt don't do it and once you have started something get it over as quick as possible reducing your time exposed to danger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.