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To be seen or not to be seen?


freebooter

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This isn't a review as much as it is advice for new riders, etc. As for riding always wear protective, padded riding gear. I bought my bike in May. It is the dark charcoal grey FJ-09, THE COLOR OF ASPHALT and I wore dark clothes most of the time The first month and a half I had it folks pulled right out in front of me 5 times. Two of those times I liked t lost it. So I bought me a Joe Rocket padded "hi viz" bright yellow summer mesh riding jacket, bright yellow topped gloves, and a bright yellow helmet. Friends laughed n joked with me about my brightness. But I want people to SEE ME! And remember this; NO ONE has pulled out in front of me since. They see me.
 
Read more: http://fj-09.org/thread/2299/advice-give-who-half-age?page=1#ixzz3tArsRGRm
"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie?
I who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky.
The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing.
Rush in and die, dogs — I was a man before I was a king!" -- from t poem "The Road of Kings" by Robt. E. Howard
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fast frank says he was shot down when he made a previous post. This does not surprise me. He seems to be a combination of sanctimonious and patronising.  
The topic he writes about is valid but the way he portrays his view and this sentence in particular, "Sorry, but to think like this is to deny the existance [sic] of the blind guy. Denying the existance [sic] of the blind guy could lead to a closed casket funeral. Not good." really demonstrates my point. 
 
I'm not one for using hi-viz or extra lights but those that do will feel more confident about their riding. Confidence is a big factor in being safe as you will be more relaxed and observant. fast frank completely misses this aspect of riding and just derides people. 
 
I think that if I met fast frank in real life there is a strong risk that I would have to call him a twat. I won't do that on this forum as there are some sensitive souls here who are not able to tolerate the British vernacular. 
 
 
 
 
 
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Since your post is mostly attacking the messenger and missing the point you can take comfort in knowing that's exactly the type of response he was referring to with the "shot down" remark.  
I couldn't disagree more with the statement regarding confidence. That relaxation you speak of is complacency and that is one of the enemies.
 
Good luck with your internet tough guy act.
You can disagree but you have not thought this through very well in my view.
 
If you are relaxed you are not automatically complacent.
 
The view you advocate suggests being hyper alert. That suggests anxiety to me. Anxiety leads to stress, stress leads to mistakes. A rider needs to be relaxed, comfortable with the bike and the riding environment. In control. I am not suggesting the riding environment is safe but the fact that it isn't is part of the attraction of riding a bike. I'm not going to get anxious about something that might happen if I make a mistake or something that might happen from a mistake made by another. 
 
If riding a bike makes you anxious from worrying about this mythical Blind Guy then get a bus. 
 
 
 
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OK guys, both valid points but lets make the the comments a little less personal please. I think we need a new sub-forum for "anything goes" discussions.
2015 Red FJ 09
2013 WR250R - little boy blue - sold
2012 DL650 V Strom - sold
2007 FZ6 - sold
1986 FJ600 - sold
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OK guys, both valid points but lets make the the comments a little less personal please. I think we need a new sub-forum for "anything goes" discussions.
I don't think I said anything personal about a poster in this thread - I offered some criticism of the quoted source written by a third party. The poster who referred to this third party source seems to have taken my comment as a personal attack on him/her. 
 
 
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fair enough, I was trying to not pick on one individual. Just trying to keep it from spiraling up into a flame war of gigantoproportions.
2015 Red FJ 09
2013 WR250R - little boy blue - sold
2012 DL650 V Strom - sold
2007 FZ6 - sold
1986 FJ600 - sold
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Thanks guys. Actually I just like bright colors anyway. Maybe I hVe gypsy blood in me. Lol!
"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie?
I who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky.
The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing.
Rush in and die, dogs — I was a man before I was a king!" -- from t poem "The Road of Kings" by Robt. E. Howard
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fair enough, I was trying to not pick on one individual. Just trying to keep it from spiraling up into a flame war of gigantoproportions.
I'm too much of an internet tough guy to get involved in a slanging match - I've been censored and I'm not allowed to use a British colloquialism for such a thing as non-native speakers got upset last time I used it :) 
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Thanks guys. Actually I just like bright colors anyway. Maybe I hVe gypsy blood in me. Lol!
and that's the correct attitude - you do what makes you feel right. Don't let some self professed expert dictate how you should behave due to their perception of risk.
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I've ridden for years, including more than a decade in (last century pre speed camera) Melbourne traffic.
I learned that I was invisible and other road users will try to kill me.
 
Currently live in retirement central, with lots of geriatrics driving into their 90s.
They are responsible for around 25% of road deaths here.
 
I currently wear a Hi-Viz vest (Olympia) in town, because it helps the poor gerries with degraded sensory awareness see me.
Sometimes it works.
Other times they will look right at you and pull out anyway.
 
[video src=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4]
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Suncoaster, a few weeks ago a biker was killed when an elderly man pulled right out in frint if him. He tried to tell the cops it was the biker's fault. Besides witnesses stating what happenened, the cop showed the old codger the tire marks where the biker, coming down a highway withe the right of way, had t lock it up when the old man pulled right out in front of him from a restaurant. So sad. The guy on the bike was in his late 50s.
"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie?
I who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky.
The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing.
Rush in and die, dogs — I was a man before I was a king!" -- from t poem "The Road of Kings" by Robt. E. Howard
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Other times they will look right at you and pull out anyway.

 
Nothing to do with not seeing you. Old age is a disinhibitor to homicidal mania.
 
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We are crazy to be riding anymore, since smartphones have become popular. It was bad before, but its crazy now that people are looking down instead of up.
 
Over on my FZ07 forum, a company who sells airbag vests has offered a discount, Helimoto. I'm sure that they wouldn't mind if you used that discount code.
 
Heli moto makes the only CE certified airbag vest system, and I am a believer in it. Link to discount code.
 
We should be wearing all of the protection that we can, because it is a matter of when, not if we get in a wreck.
 
I have lost 7 people close to me, who have died on motorcycles that have had impact with a car.
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I agree. It is easy to lax up n get complacent
"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie?
I who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky.
The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing.
Rush in and die, dogs — I was a man before I was a king!" -- from t poem "The Road of Kings" by Robt. E. Howard
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