gtr puncture

[Lonewolf]

The only time I actually hit a car happened on a slip road when I was looking behind to get onto the M25 and the idiot 2 cars in front suddenly decided to stop.

Its plain to see that you are not going to be convinced. Re your comment above, perhaps they were displaying good observational skills and saw something that you didn't. Cars dont generally stop for no apparant reason on a slip road while merging onto a motorway unless its not safe for them to proceed and join the flow of traffic. 

[Kwikasfuki]

Checking the mirrors is a habit. How long does it take to check? A split second. There's many a time on the motorway when I know the car behind is too close of comfort.

No way are my eyes fixed on what is in front. I read far ahead as possible (this is why I hate being behind vehicles that block forward view), scan side to side and rear.

Looking behind helps plan.

[mecki]

perhaps they were displaying good observational skills and saw something that you didn't. Cars dont generally stop for no apparant reason on a slip road while merging onto a motorway unless its not safe for them to proceed and join the flow of traffic. 

No, that guy was just stupid.
Even the driver of the car I hit (no damage and I didn't fall off) couldn't understand why this idiot suddenly stopped/slowed down and forced him to slam on the brakes.
He even apologized to me.
There was nearly 1/4 mile of slip road left and nobody in front.
OK it was my fault - I shouldn't have relied on "cars generally don't stop for no apparent reason', because that one did.
And when you try to squeeze in on a busy motorway you need to look over your shoulder for more than just a split second.

Just to make it clear, I do look in the mirrors - just not every 10 seconds!
On the MW more often than on a windy country road, though.
If I ride on a straight road and I look in the mirror and there is nobody behind me I can be sure there isn't anybody behind me 10 seconds later, so why look again? :P
And on a windy one I am far to busy to look anywhere else than where I want to go.
So it can be from every couple of seconds to every couple of minutes or even more depending on road, traffic and speed.

I started to ride bikes in Germany and believe me I know how to "observe and plan" in a haphazard mixture of slow, fast and very fast traffic aka Autobahn.
And what can I do about it if 'that car behind me is too close for comfort'? ::)
Panic? Brake  for no apparent reason and let it hit me?
On a bike I can sneak up on you and be right behind in your slip stream even if you look in your mirrors every 10 seconds if I really wanted to.
Now you see me - now you don't.
Unfortunately I haven't got that brick holder I always dreamt of.  ;D ;D ;D
And if somebody wants to overtake me let him do it.
Might give me a fright if I didn't hear him but as long as I keep to my line it's no problem because before I change my line I always look in the mirror.

[Boomer]

I am a lifelong member of the Paranoid club.  ;D

They are not going to kill you because they are lazy.
They are not going to kill you because they are incompetent.
They are going to kill you because they are TRYING TO KILL YOU!

So, trust nobody, ALWAYS have an escape route planned, expect the unexpected, and if you do that all the time you will be fine.
Can I do it all the time? No, I'm not a God.  :(

Last time I assumed someone knew what they were doing, I bounced off a Xsara Picasso.
The time before I drove my car into the back of a Ford Ka.
But these incidents are getting less often as I learn the true depths of lazyness, incompetence, and sheer arrogance of most motorists out there.

[mecki]

Well said Boomer.

[jenros]

bloody ell guys!, im still working away from home,came home tonight thought ahhh!,av a look on the ole puter!,, thinking-   praps i shouldnt have put this up now???
just to add a few things here,! wheather they may be good or bad ?-personally,i know and am confident in my riding ability,style ,speed,road positioning and my main factor,,,,safety!!!,
i had absolutly no intention what so ever in overtaking the line of vehicles that were in front of me!,i was travelling (with the flow of traffic) at a sensible,possibly more stopping distance to my mate in front of me at about 65ish!,therefore i knew my aprox speed,i was not about to overtake,an i certainly didnt need to select a lower gear!!!.
so i hope i aint gonna offend anyone on here but,,,,,,,,,,,if anyone on here think that i have bought one of these magnificently engineered piece of machinery(which to me is heaven on earth) to check my bloody mirrors every 10 seconds- you are very much in the WRONG,WRONG!.
i ride my bike for the pure joy,experiance an above all the sheer enjoyment of it :)
so as i said if i have offended anyone on here,,,,, tough!
bank holiday in 8 mins,an im sorry to say im off in the morning on my bike till monday evening,so if any of you will have the miss fortune to be following me,dont bother waving from behind cuz as you have proberly realised by now,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i wont be looking!!!!! lol! have a good weekend guys!!!!xxxxxx

[Lonewolf]

Jenros, it's good to have a healthy debate from time to time, I'm sure nobody has taken offence at anything on here.

[jenros]

hi guys,
just a quick n,- having had my puncture 2 weeks ago,went out for a few hours the other day and the rear tyre pressure sencer is not working!.
how an what does the tyre pressure sencer work,i understand that it sends some type of signal to the electronics on the bike,but what is it?
i had a new pirelli angel fitted,so have they taken some valve or some gizmo off by mistake?
thanks guys any help will give me some fire power to use against them :)

[Lonewolf]

Take it back pronto and ask them what they did with the sensor. If they have thrown it away they'd better order you a new one.  :o

[jenros]

thanks lonewolf for the reply,where is the sensor? how big is it?an how exactly does it work???,sorry for lots of questions,but you guys seem to have lots of answers!! ha ha,        thanks -jenros ;)

[Lonewolf]

I understand it is on the inside of the tyre valve, have a look at this link.

http://www.gtr1400.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,28.0.html

How it works I havent got a clue.

[jenros]

uuuuuummmm! intresting reading that lonewolf,same ole story i suppose-dealers win every ti
me!!!!,cant believe they have possibly binned the sensor!!! >:(
the guywho did the tyre change has been working there for donkey years,so find it hard to believe that they didnt know about this,surly its not the first gtr they have done??????
thank you for your help and advise-your a top man fair play!!!-cheers
                                                  jenros.

[Kwikasfuki]

There's a good chance they broke it whilst replacing the tyre. It's been known to happen

[Lonewolf]

If they have broken it they will still be liable, duty of care etc. Speak to them sooner rather than later would be my advice and don't let them flannel you with twaddle.

[routemaster]

There's a good chance they broke it whilst replacing the tyre. It's been known to happen

The TPS is at the base of the tyre valve and stands about 5mm or more clear of the inside of the wheel rim.

A useful link that explains a bit more - http://www.bartecautoid.com/tyre_pressure_sensors.html

Kind regards

Steve