Isle of Man TT

[greenmark]

Isle of Man TT racers are heroic or nuts, probably both!!

[Archangel]

Nuts I would say. Even a lot of the Moto GP guys wont do that race , too dangerous

[greenmark]

One of my heroes, Barry Sheene, refused to race there (it was a GP circuit at the time). He didn't lack courage.

[Dallas]

Nuts on steriods

[Tuco]

...it takes a certain type of dedication to do the Isle of Man TT - you literally have to be prepared to die for it as unfortunatley happened today.

All absolute heroes and incredible watching. but so, so dangerous - but so is mountain climbing!

Humans take risks.

[greenmark]

Knew someone that was a sidecar passenger at the TT. Drugs were not on the agenda. Kind of irrelevent, except to come down, according to him.

[greenmark]

Quite obviously a hero Daley Mathison.
Apologies for my previous comments.

[ShaunWhite]

There's more regular guys that get killed biking on our summer roads than in the whole world of organised bike sport. When you're all out in your cars, PLEASE look out for bikes especially when pulling out of junctions.

It's not just the biker that might get killed, imagine a 12st man with a helmet on coming through your side window at 50mph. That's gonna sting.

[firlandsfarm]

There's more regular guys that get killed biking on our summer roads than in the whole world of organised bike sport. When you're all out in your cars, PLEASE look out for bikes especially when pulling out of junctions.

It's not just the biker that might get killed, imagine a 12st man with a helmet on coming through your side window at 50mph. That's gonna sting.

As a biker (more ex than current) I agree with your comments about car drivers and would like to add when turning right … always check your blindspot, especially if you didn't indicate! And don't say you never turn without giving good indication, we've all done it when we think we are about to miss our turning! As for the TT racers, it's their choice. We all take risks in life, being alive is the most dangerous activity in the world!

[Dallas]

I honestly believe that after passing my bike test (which I done several years after my car test) I became a much safer car driver, even down to doing the 'lifesaver' look over your right should.

People who have done a bike test will know your not only taught how to ride a bike but also how to anticipate the actions of others (cars drivers)

[Tuco]

I honestly believe that after passing my bike test (which I done several years after my car test) I became a much safer car driver, even down to doing the 'lifesaver' look over your right should.

People who have done a bike test will know your not only taught how to ride a bike but also how to anticipate the actions of others (cars drivers)

...same here - did my bike test a few years after my car test - I used to ride an enduro off-road bike as a child and my father was a racing driver when I was a child so I used to race go-carts and rode my enduro bike on a dis-used railway (without track) and up the side slopes.

Love watching all bike racing - close, skilful, and very dangerous!

[greenmark]

...all sage words. I had lots of near misses with cars. You have to assume car drivers haven't seen you. Assume the guy you're overtaking is going to turn right without indicating. Assume this guy waiting to pull out of a side road hasn't seen you. Assume someone in the line of cars you're zooming past is going pull out to overtake. I escaped them all with sheer luck, not skill. And each episode teaches you something, if you survive it.
Good to know we have bikers on here.

[firlandsfarm]

Assume someone in the line of cars you're zooming past is going pull out to overtake.

I had a variant of that … I was overtaking a line and knew I couldn't do it in one go so I identified my pullover gap and went for it but there was an over aware car driver, the one in front of my pullover gap. He decided I wasn't going to be able to overtake him without his help so he put his brakes on and immediately I lost my pullover gap!! All I could do was force my way in and thankfully the guy behind pulled back to reopen the gap.

[ShaunWhite]

I'm another that took a bike test later on (30ish). If I'd taken it at 20 I think I'd have ended up in a box. I did a residential and expected it to be all kids, but everyone was 30ish and we were all going thru a divorce it was a great week.

As others have said it's about assuming you're invisible and expecting the worst. Touch wood after communing 40-70 miles a day thru wind rain and snow for 20yrs and having a year as a courier in London (did it for fun, and it wasn't) the only time I've dropped a bike was at 1mph in a car park after forgetting to remove my disk lock it's amazing how much strength you can summon up to lift a heavy bike when you're embarrassed.

[RalfusDawes]

I got into bikes long before I discovered the comforts of a car. A mate always called it my 'temporary citizen machine' and he was damn near right a few too many times.

I have to respect anyone who can pilot a bike around the Isle of Mann at those speeds, that takes a special kind of person

"he's got titanium balls in a carbon fibre nutsack..." - youtube comment