An alarming number of drivers I have seen driving their vehicle on our roads do so in a dangerous manner. The percentage of dangerous driving VS the number of drivers I've seen on the road, far outweighs the percentage of dangerous riding VS the number of riders I have seen on the road.
Dangerous driving is not merely driving at high speed, taking corners in an inappropriate manner, doing burnouts or hand brake turns. I think that most people who do these kind of things are doing them beyond their skill level and they are idiots. But I also think that many of them are capable of doing these things
safely, in appropriate areas, at appropriate times, in appropriate conditions. And more importantly, they have the ability to
judge their actions, they have the appropriate skill level and their car is capable of operating under the conditions they have put it under, and as a result they are able to do these sorts of things without endangering themselves or others. They might even look cool doing it.
The type of driving that is the
most dangerous and that I see most often is thus:
Drivers
being too distracted, by their smart phones, children in the car, the GPS unit, etc
;
Drivers
not paying attention;
Drivers
not looking, especially at intersections and roundabouts.Why do so many drivers drive in this manner?
Maybe they are just having a bad day, maybe they are tired (so they shouldn't be driving anyway), or maybe they just have a lapse in concentration (in which case I would hope they pull over and have a break).
Or maybe...
They just don't care.
They take no pride in the operation of their vehicle, they see it as only a means of getting from A to B, picking the kids up from school, carrying loads, using it when it takes to much effort to simply walk down to the shops.
They see motorcyclists as a nuisance, and would rather not have to share the road with them. Riding is bloody dangerous. If you ride a motorcycle on the road, you have a death wish.
It is this appalling attitude that causes all of the above issues. It needs to be stamped out. There should be a half hour assessment about the reason why people want to drive a car, included in the license testing phase. So that their attitude can be judged, and an assessment made about whether they should be a holder of a Driver's License. People with a poor attitude towards
any other road users should never be issued with a license until their attitude changes.
SA_Goannas, you are one of these simple-minded people with a poor attitude towards a very common road user, the motorcyclist. Please get off the roads until your attitude changes, and make the roads a safer place.
Consider this:
People riding motorcycles on the road during peak hour reduce congestion.
Motorcycles have a low carbon-emissions output when compared to automobiles. They are better for the environment.
Motorcyclists are among the most courteous road users out there. Despite rarely having the same courteous attitude shown to them, we (speaking from my own riding behaviours here, I admit) pull over to the next lane on freeways and even regular roads when drivers behind us want to get ahead of us. We stop traffic behind us when the lane next to us is closed/ending and people need to get over. We shorten cues at traffic lights by filtering to the front, and ensure that we do not block pedestrians. We nod at drivers when they have done the right thing.
I believe that motorcyclists represent the highest percentage of safe road use per vehicle type. The average % of motorcycle fatalities and acute hospital admissions is rapidly falling behind the amount of registered motorcycles in Victoria.
SA_Goannas, and all other road users who think most motorcyclists ride dangerously, please adjust your attitude. A positive attitude and smart road-using behaviours from everyone is the real key to lowering fatalities and transport accidents on Australia's roads. Together, we can make our roads a safer, happier and overall better place by educating ourselves, keeping on top of vehicle maintenance, doing the right thing and using
common sense.
