Julian Quinton
From Chatham

Julian Quinton says:
Its that time of year again, don`t drivers notice the warning lights on the dash telling them they have defective lights. The warning lights are there so you do not have to notice that you can`t see in the dark. YOUR HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING. Or tail lights, brake lights etc.

Sam Miller from Hawkinge, Says:
"It's not cool to be overtaken by a moped, especially when I'm on a CBR 600 and hubby on fireblade - however it was a 30MPH zone and thats what we were doing! Are these stupid moped hoodie wearing twits honestly expecting to stay alive long enough to make it onto a bigger bike? Their road sense and knowledge is minimal and the law just has to change!!!!!"

Anonymous from Gillingham, Says:
"I have a race can on my bike. A police officer was delighted to notice this. Now I have to take it off, get an MOT and turn up at the police station with my documents, all in check of course. Then I get to put my race can back on. What a clever use of time and money. Now go and find the idiot car driver that knocked me off my bike and drove away, probably because they weren't even supposed to be driving!"

Adam from Margate, Says:
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Why do car drivers think that as long as they can see through part of their windscreen, it’s ok for them to get in their car and drive off. Every morning I see drivers who have obviously just got in their car and pulled out of their drive before de-misting their windows and wiping the dew from their mirrors. How do they expect to see a lorry or bus in their mirrors – let alone a motorbike or cyclist!?

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Doug Brett from Hawkhurst, Says:
"In response to Sam Miller from Hawkinge. It's not the law that has to change with regard to idiots on scooters - we just need the existing laws properly enforced! I complained a while back about speeding on Moor Hill in Hawkhurst. The local man told me the 'new' 30mph limit could not be enforced because it was not properly signed. With help like that from the Highways Dept the police don't stand much chance. The crux of it is that there should be MORE active policing on the roads. As it is, people can do just what they like and we, the law-abiding road users, just have to learn to cope with the idiots.
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Sam from Margate, Says:
"How we could be perceived. What others may think about our riding could be more important than you realise.

This subject does not take any technological know how, or any specialist skills to understand. It is something I feel you should know and understand when you are out on the road, playing with the traffic. We are very seldom aware of certain implications that may affect the outcome of any incident. (Cause and effect.) What is it? I hear you ask. It is the ‘IMPRESSION’ that you give to another road user based on your riding style.

Let me give you a scenario. After work, you jump onto your motorcycle to go home. Your mind was racing with the good news you got of a promotion, and you wanted to tell you partner. You screech off across the car park and out onto the main road. You scream along the road overtaking all other road users, jump an amber traffic light, and light the tyres up through the built-up area of town eager to get home. You get the idea?

A few minutes into your journey, you suddenly come to your senses with the thought that you a bit too excited and over-exuberant, and that you have to calm down a little. You may have had a slight ‘moment’ that made you realise your riding style was a bit over the top, and caused alarm bells to ring. Your whole riding manner changed. You reduced speed and took on the air of a sensible model rider, returning to your normal self. Thirty seconds after this you are riding along in a more sensible style; a pedestrian walks out from behind a lorry onto the road right into your path.

You cannot avoid the collision and hit the pedestrian, causing substantial injury to both yourself and the pedestrian. There was nothing you could have done in the time that was given. The pedestrian timed the entry onto the road with military precision. As the paramedics and Police arrived at the scene, you are feeling pretty sick, and sore. You don’t know whether to cry, or scream. The police ask you for an explanation, but you couldn’t string 3 words together. The Police officer goes to speak to some people who seemed very animated in there actions, when spoken too by the officer.

Remember you were riding erratically 29 seconds prior to the accident. When you made dangerous overtakes, exceeded the speed limit, and jumped the amber traffic light. But then you pulled yourself back as you realised what you were doing, and rode sensibly after that. However, the witnesses to the accident did not take account of the last 29 seconds of your sensible riding. They only noticed you riding like an idiot, prior to that. The Police officer has statements stating that you had been riding like a complete idiot. There was no mention that prior to the accident, you had regained your composure and reined your riding style in. So what am I trying to get over to you?

Well you could be riding like a man or woman possessed as little as 10 seconds prior to an accident, during which time other road users will have noticed your riding. You may then realise that; “Hold on, I am being stupid” and regain your composure and ride correctly. Then round the corner, you have a coming together with an object. What will these witnesses only see or remember?

Their perceptions will be coloured by their emotions, and most of them could be anti-bike as well anyway. They will be only too eager to give their account to the police, of the idiot on the bike, as he passed them further back up the road. From a Police perspective the information ‘Witnesses’ provide, now begins to turn the story of the collision into a totally different colour, and now our generally careful rider, starts to be looked upon as a very undesirable and antisocial individual, who should be taken to the nearest place of execution! This is a side of motorcycling that few riders think about when using their machines on the road, and yet is perhaps one area that should be taken into consideration. You should make safe<"

Dick Pascoe from Folkestone, Says:
"Why is it that when I ride my 1000cc bike in full leathers at 30mph in a 30 zone do kids on 125cc bikes think it is safe to ride in 'T' shirt and jeans as they zip past me at 40mph. Don't they understand that gravel hurts when you are knocked off or just fall off?
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