Think Bike

I'm not a motorcyclist; I much prefer four wheels to two. As much was evident when, as a toddler, I moved from a trike to a kart rather than a bike. My one and only experience on a motorbike is limited to a brief pillion ride on the back of a Swiss-registered Honda Gold Wing at some point in the 1990s, but I'm not entirely sure that actually counts. Were it not for the fact that I was wearing a crash helmet and leathers, I could have sworn I was simply being transported around on a rather salubrious leather rocking chair. In truth, my knowledge of motorcycles could probably fit on the back of a Swiss postage stamp. In fact, I may even struggle to spot the difference between a Honda Gold Wing or a Honda Silver Wing.

I've considered joining the two wheeled fraternity, but such discussions with Mrs MajorGav are usually greeted with a look that suggests I'd be better off keeping quiet. So in the interests of an easy life, I stick to four wheels. There was every chance that I may have ended up being a keen biker as my late father was every bit the motorcyclist. He'd often regale me with stories of his two wheeled adventures and annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Man TT races. Many of his stories were from the halcyon days of the 50s and 60s and, in truth, it all sounded rather exciting. All speed, glamour and excitement. But for some reason I was never drawn to motorbikes and so it has stayed. I'll probably never be tempted away from a life on four wheels. But my Dad did instill a lasting legacy within me and that's a deep rooted respect for motorcyclists. On the road, I'll give them the space and courtesy they need and I'm also one of the drivers who will move over to the left if I see a motorbike approaching in my rear review mirror. I'm not looking for a medal, I simply don't believe that a driver should stand in the way of a biker's progress. Over the long weekend I spent a good few hours on the road and the good weather had brought out a large number of bikers. I saw Dutch, German and Belgian registered bikes as well as a huge number of British riders. I'm often told that bikers are the devil's work and exist purely to irritate other road users and kill fluffy kittens. Well I'm sorry, but if my experience over the weekend is anything to go by, bikers are actually the most courteous, respectful and diligent users of the road. They also seem to be having the most fun too. Take the camaraderie for example. I lost count of the number of times I saw a lay-by filled with riders taking a break. With crash helmets removed, you could see they were chatting, smiling and clearly enjoying the freedom of the road. Indeed, I walked past a group of Belgian riders, each with an immaculately presented bike. I had no idea what they were saying, but they were plainly enjoying their tour of England's green and pleasant land. The camaraderie extends to the road too, with riders travelling in opposite directions giving each other nods of acknowledgment as they pass. Respect on the road? I thought that died out in the late sixties? Then there's the way in which they use the road. Forget talk of lawlessness and reckless riding, I only saw professionalism and class. Take this small but significant example. Travelling along the A30 dual carriageway I was approaching a slower moving lorry on the inside lane. Glancing in my rear view mirror I noticed a motorcyclist travelling quicker than me, so rather that stick on my indicator I waited for him to pass. But he didn't wait, instead he flashed me out and in doing so negated the need for me to cancel my cruise control setting. He was effectively reading my road as well as his. Hell raising death rider? I think not. Of course, the holiday weekend resulted in a few stretches of slowing moving traffic. The big advantage for motorcyclists is the ability to weave in and out of traffic and in places, pass cars in the middle of the road. Any drivers with the courtesy to move to the left to let the bikers past were invariably greeted with a thumbs up or a raised hand. An acknowledgment for a small act that makes it just that little bit easier for the biker. Nice. So it saddened me to see too many examples of car drivers failing to return the respect. I often saw instances of drivers moving across to the middle white line to make it harder for a rider to pass safely. Seriously, what's the point? The ignorance extended on to dual carriageways too, with drivers pulling out in front of bikes, forcing the rider into an unexpected and rather sudden bit of braking. At best, this is careless driving. At worst, this is plain ignorance. It would seem to me that drivers are clearly envious of the freedom that bikers enjoy and will do all they can to slow them down. Get a grip. For sure, not all bikers are angels. There are a few bad apples out there. But the same is true of young drivers, company car drivers, van drivers and lorry drivers. In my experience, the vast majority of bikers are diligent and go about their business in a way that would shame many car drivers. Don't forget they have a lot more to lose, with only two wheels and a bit of leather separating them from a nasty meeting with the tarmac. They are also free of the distractions that hamper a driver's journey. There's no sat nav, no climate control setting, no radio and no cup holder. The rider is free to read the road ahead and attempt to second guess what the car in front is about to do. So cut the bikers some slack, eh? Bikes may not be for you, but their riders might be able to teach you a thing or two about manners. Image courtesy of Fcb981.