I have to admire the 'Think Bike' campaign, purely for the amount of traction it has managed to gain within the biking community. How often does a biker roar past you in traffic, and the last image you have of him is that yellow sticker stuck to the back of his helmet?
I think it's rubbish. Bikers need to 'Think Car', not the other way around.
Now that I've got the bikers beating a path to my door, let me explain: I full agree that bikers are entitled to exactly the same rights and consideration that 'cagers' (us in the tin boxes of four wheels) are.
However, I disagree that they deserve anything more.
If you want to drive a motorbike to work because it is lighter on petrol, fine with me. If you want to drive a motorbike to work because it allows you to zip down the centreline and avoid standing in stop-start traffic, then we have a problem.
As a cautious motorist, I naturally check my blind spots before changing lanes, and even move to the side to prevent one of those roaring motorcyclists from taking out my wing mirror.
That's enough, isn't it?
The real problem with the 'Think Bike' campaign is that it hasn't been properly explained to the motoring public. What exactly am I meant to be thinking?
That there may be a motorcyclist rushing past me on his way to work, which is so much more important to mine, and I should pull aside to let him by?
The problem with 'Think Bike' is that it implies that motorists need to have yet another thing on their minds when driving, as if watching out for taxis, Peugeot drivers and the next episode of Survivor isn't enough.
If motorcyclists wants to have equal rights of cars, they need to drive like cars. Sit still in stop-start traffic, don't expect cars to pull aside for you when you dart into oncoming traffic and for god's sake put a silencer onto your exhaust.
Failing that, I'm going to invest in a 'Think Car' bumper sticker for my car's bumper. Any other takers?
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