Well mannered bikers

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Shanny_mare

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Given all the posts about how bad drivers/bikers etc can be, I just thought I'd post to say how lovely some motor bikers can be.

Coming back from a ride this morning (all road work but quiet lanes apart from about quarter of a mile from and back to the house), I was just about 200 yds from home and 2 motorbikes came round the corner - they both throttled right back and stayed that way until well past :) How lovely. OH remarked, when I came in, that he'd known I was back because he'd heard the bikes slow down.

And this is not the first time - I have to say that all the bikers that have gone past me on the horse over the last three years have been extremely considerate - unfortunately unlike one or two car drivers :(
 
Yes i find the majority of motor bikes are usually good at slowing down, I think possibly they feel more vulnerable if the horse spools/shies ?? The only ones I find annoying is when they slow down really nicely but then the second they get past they roar off :(
 
Lovely post. I must say 18/20 are great. Trouble is we always remember the 2/20 that aren't, simply because they have could have killed us.
 
Nice that you had a good experience.
It's the few that give the many a bad name IME.
Some of them ride horses too... :)
 
I find motorbikers to be very considerate. Tbh the only ones I've met who weren't were some teens on a bridleway who were also trashing the farmers crop it bordered so really not bikers just idiots. I even find the dirt bikers who sometimes use an empty field or the disused lane near me considerate. I think its because motorcyclists know themselves how it feels to be a vulnerable road user & have to tolerate the bad manners of some drivers.
In defence of them roaring off after slowing down, its sometimes unavoidable because of the bikes engine & how the throttle works. Someone with more bike knowledge can explain it better I'm sure but I understand the loud roar is usually down to the mechanical side rather than the rider deliberately doing it.
 
littlelegs said:
In defence of them roaring off after slowing down, its sometimes unavoidable because of the bikes engine & how the throttle works. Someone with more bike knowledge can explain it better I'm sure but I understand the loud roar is usually down to the mechanical side rather than the rider deliberately doing it.
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When I approach a horse on my bike, I pull in the clutch. This quietens down the engine to just tickover. The problem with this is that you have to gauge how long it will take you to catch up and safely coast pass the horse by enough distance to safely crack the throttle open without scaring it.
It's not an exact science, and it doesn't always go to plan, hence sometimes appearing to shoot off when you've only just got just past!
 
That's a much better explanation alliers, what I was trying to get at without the knowledge to explain properly!
 
Nearly all the motor bikers around here are really good.
My ex is a member of a biker group and I had a long chat with one of the leaders about motorbikes and horses and they now include what to do if they meet a horse in their briefings before ride outs. Considering most of their ride outs have 100+ bikes on them meeting them on a Sunday morning would be scary enough without adding loud exhausts, speed and wheelies :p
 
A bike throttle is sharp, it's not like a car throttle where you can accelerate quietly from idle. So if you throttle right off then come back on, that's when you get the roar. To be fair, experienced bikers would be in the right gear and accelerate away quietly as it's far easier to do that if you already have some throttle. Inexperienced bikers are those that freewheel past with their clutch in then hit the throttle.
 
9tails said:
A bike throttle is sharp, it's not like a car throttle where you can accelerate quietly from idle. So if you throttle right off then come back on, that's when you get the roar. To be fair, experienced bikers would be in the right gear and accelerate away quietly as it's far easier to do that if you already have some throttle. Inexperienced bikers are those that freewheel past with their clutch in then hit the throttle.
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Ouch!
Just the 17 years inexperience. ;)
A bike throttle IS sharp, but if you are coasting by in 2nd, say, on a big V twin, it is perfectly simple to gently open the throttle and accelerate away without making too much noise.
I just prefer to be away as far as possible before I do so, as my bike is a bit loud.
 
Bikers do tend to be very courteous ime; they know what it's like to feel vulnerable. In return, please move your horses quarters into the side of the road when he/she poos - especially if you are riding double file. Nothing worse than being on a bike and hitting a big lump of squidgy, slippery horse poo at speed (especially at night!) :eek:
 
alliersv1 said:
Ouch!
Just the 17 years inexperience. ;)
A bike throttle IS sharp, but if you are coasting by in 2nd, say, on a big V twin, it is perfectly simple to gently open the throttle and accelerate away without making too much noise.
I just prefer to be away as far as possible before I do so, as my bike is a bit loud.
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LOL! Having an "agricultural" V-twin myself, I don't find it quiet at all but it's smoother and less spook-tastic to pootle past with clutch engaged then accelerate. Less off-on noise that way.

ETS that the kids riding aroud in t-shirts and shorts are usually not courteous, I just await the day when they fall off as they obviously haven't done yet judging by their attire!
 
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9tails said:
LOL! Having an "agricultural" V-twin myself, I don't find it quiet at all but it's smoother and less spook-tastic to pootle past with clutch engaged then accelerate. Less off-on noise that way.

ETS that the kids riding aroud in t-shirts and shorts are usually not courteous, I just await the day when they fall off as they obviously haven't done yet judging by their attire!
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Well it's always worked for me like that, it's still a gradual buildup of noise, rather than full on beans, but to be honest, I think that people are just glad if you pass wide, slow and as quietly as you can....however you achieve that. I've never seen any prancing in my wing mirrors, but then I don't see much apart from my shoulders in them!

My friend has just bought a youngster that was scared a few days ago by 2 bikers not slowing down and giving them room on a hack. I've offered to take mine down to help her desensitise the wee fella. I will see what difference each method makes!! :D

I agree with the kids comment. They scare me.
 
9tails said:
ETS that the kids riding aroud in t-shirts and shorts are usually not courteous, I just await the day when they fall off as they obviously haven't done yet judging by their attire!
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Have to agree with this. Just hope they grow up a bit before anything happens (to them or a horse) Fortunately, we rarely see this type of rider, just the "professionals" :)
 
Have to agree, I've never had a problem with a motorbiker, they always seem very courteous.

Infact I passed 2 today while taking my 3yr old for an inhand hack, which I think are the first motorbikes he's seen and they both slowed right down for us so passed without a problem. :)
 
Some can be lovely. I was once hacking my 4 year old when a group of about 30 bikers came along. She started to spin and rear and they all stopped and switched their engines off and one guy even asked me if I needed help being led past their group. Makes such a difference when people are nice :)
 
Yes, always considerate bikers round here.

I do think you have a point about bikers being more aware of their own vulnerabilities as well. Certainly OH is very considerate of horses/riders while on his bike - even though H doesn't seem to mind him roaring around one bit!! :D
 
99% of bikers are good around here too!
We did get one moron who decided to come back and forth past us about 10 times, really fast and really loud!! I think he was annoyed that the horses weren't bothered :P haha!
 
The majority I meet are really great, however did meet some big loud trikes - one went by at about 50 no slowing down and jez lost the plot! Second one had no choice but to slow down seeing as we were up in the air in the middle of the road, it scared the wits out of him and that's saying something as we live on a farm and a stock box could go by at 60 and he wouldn't bat an eyelid lol :)
 
As a biker....

Thank you for not tarring us all with the same brush! Most of us are decent people and being bikers we are generally more aware of dangers on the road, including horses.

If anybody has any problems with local bikers I'd advice you to contact any local bike clubs and ask them to educate their members on the Do's and Dont's of passing horses. Most will be happy to help.

Also if your local bike shop/bikers cafe will allow you to, post a polite poster on their noticeboard asking bikers to slow down and be considerate with whatever measures you feel necessary ie. slowing down, either stopping loud bikes altogether or slowing them enough so as not to spook the horse.
Speaking to local bike instructors is a good start too as they may incorporate this in their training so new bikers are aware of the dangers.

Some of us have loud exhausts, I'm of the opinion this allows other road users to hear us better and thus save lives but they can also be a nuisance.
For bikers it is always nice to see a rider in hi viz with 'Slow, Horse in Training' as this alerts us to the possibility of the horse being green and more likely to be frightened by a bike. I always feel silly if I have stopped or slowed to a crawl if a horse just plods past but I'd rather that than cause an accident.

I do get angry when somebody has an accident on a horse on the road with a bike or car and they weren't wearing a back protector. If you ride on the road please take precautions even if your horse is bombproof. Tarmac hurts and although I would feel awful if I inadvertantly caused a rider to fall or horse to be injured, I would have little sympathy if the rider is not wearing one. It is your choice to ride on roads and you know the risks, so take precautions. My bike is perfectly well behaved (most of the time) but I still wear a helmet (by law) and leathers. Obviously I go faster than a horse but you get the point.

If you see a red Honda Hornet or a green Kawasaki ZX10 in somerset with a girl riding, give me a wave (or the finger if you don't agree with my sentiments!) :D
 
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