What is safer

[bluenova]

I feel safer on the bike than in the car.

Even though I have been involved in a serious accident which wrote off my last bike. I know that in the event of an accident I will be worse off on the bike but the reason is on the bike I have the power and agility to get out of the way if I see something going down, where as in the car I only have the power and room to brake and hope for the best. So the likelihood of being involved in a serious accident is higher in the car, especially as Belgians have no concept of braking distance so the chance of being rear-ended is very high.

 

[KensFz6]

I get what you mean about being able to see more while on the bike.

Since taking up riding, I've become keenly aware of those supports between windows and the windshield and even the rear-view mirror which block vision.

Granted, it's not that much of a blind spot, but now I get to thinking .... What if there's a motorcycle hidden behind there and I don't see it in time?

Hazards aside, I love the feeling of going around a corner on the bike. It's a great feeling that it's your body that controls the machine and not the cage that is throwing trying to throw your body out of the seat

I also love knowing exactly where my wheels are so I don't have to accidently run over debris and roadkill.

 

[hugger10]

As for the fun factor, I love driving my car. I have a 2004 Acura RSX Type S that is a $hit load of fun to take into the canyons and tear through a set of tires. My only gripe about it is that it is a high performing front wheel drive car that doesn't come with a limited slip differential. That to me is stupid, it needs one desparately.:spank:

I know exactly how you feel. I had a modified Pontiac Bonneville SSEi and any speed under 35 or so I could not use full throttle or one (sometimes both) tires would light up. I'm at a loss why a company would try to put 280 lb/ft of torque through the front wheels to begin with (let alone the 350+ I was running:rockon Oh and before yall laugh at me driving a grandmas car at least check her out first.


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j282/hugger10/100_0152.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j282/hugger10/100_0148.jpg

ANyways I could go on about that car for days but back to the question at hand. I feel safer in a car because I've been racing them all my life, on and off the track, I always make it a point to learn the limits of whatever car I'm driving so I can maximize the effectiveness of my panic maneuvers. And I'm a pretty big noob at riding a bike.

 

[sideslider]

The question was where do you feel comfortable... as for me it's on a bike...

but everyone is saying where they feel safest... depends who is behind the wheel but a car for sure.

 

[FZ6er_FSR]

Sadly to say, car is safer if someone was to hit me or if I wasn't healthy.

We only feel safer riding a bike because we don't have the A frames of a car to obstruct what we see.

 

[keira]

i am certainly not uncomfortable in either, but were i in a situation that could result in harm i would be more comfortable int hat situation if i were in my car, thus that is where i feel safer. comfort and safety are tough to compare though

 

[wildcardfz]

Have to say a car is safer. I call them cages for a reason.

 

[opds9091]

OK lets re-phrase the original question.

\"Another vehicle is going to run into you. Would you feel safer in a car or on a bike\"?

The car is my answer to both. A car gets me from A to B in the most practical way if it is raining, I have luggage or wearing a suit etc. My bike is for fun.

I feel comfortable with both of them.

Steve

if i see a car coming in a car is harder to react to, where as (and i might get some $$^#@ for this) but if i am on a bike I could react quicker and jump away to avoid the crash and......and not crushed but end up with some road rash or something other injury.

 

[paul1149]

CV - it took me a long time to get comfortable. I started a year and a half ago at 57 YOA. I'll be 59 in a few weeks. Learning to ride was climbing a cliff of terror for me. I have 20K miles now, and am quite comfortable (biggest problem is the darn wind, still). Still haven't quite broken triple digits but there's no hurry.

But getting comfortable can be dangerous too, if it leads to overconfidence. It's a question of getting skills up to where you actually are riding safely, regardless of how you feel. Because feelings can be deceiving, esp for newbies.

 

[jamesfz6]

My experiences tell me a fullsized truck is a lot safer than a bike when it comes to crashes. If i win the lottery i am going to buy an old armored truck to drive around in.:rockon:

 

[Hondo64d]

As part of risk assesment, you have to weigh the liklihood of the accident with the outcome of the accident.

I think the cages win on both counts. Less likely to be in an accident (more visible, and other cages respect them more), and less deadly outcome to the occupants due to more protection around them.

But a cage certainly isn't as much fun!

John

 

[08fz6]

In car, unless gf is driving, then it's a toss, heh.

After a week of commuting to work on bike, then getting into gf's Volvo S40, almost get a claustrophobic feeling, along with poor visibility.

:rof: don't know too many guys that prefer their "better half" to drive....

 

[jodysheli]

I can deal pretty good from the ****pit of the Fazer? oops,that would be where a pilot sits....ok....seat.lol

 

[chunkygoat]

I said either because on my bike I have the performance end that allows me to stop on a dime, accelerate quickly, or take hairpin turns that my explorer can't handle in nearly the same fashion.

In my explorer though i feel safe, i can barrel through intersections. I feel safe in my explorer because most cars on the road can't match the size and would get annhilated should they choose to plow into me, or cut me off. And i have 4 wheel drive for wet or snowy weather.

Both - my car is bigger and tougher but my bike is more agile and speedy. Both has their advantages, depends on the situation but neither are safe. The road is not a safe place.

 

[Aggietaco]

Again, the fellow asked which one you felt more comfortable on/in, not where you felt safer.

I'm definitely more comfortable on my bike, in most situations, rain being the only time I'd rather be in my truck. But anyone who says they feel safer on a bike must drive a Pinto (exploding gas tank and all).

 

[mlevins77]

I voted for both...I don't think you should be on the road unless you're paying attention to what's going on around you. :spank:

One memory sticks out in my mind most prominently. I was riding my bike up 85 North from Greenville, SC to Charlotte, NC, two lanes with intermediate traffic. Unfortunately there are places where trucks have no lane restrictions and a semi decided to change lanes with me next to him. Thankfully I was on my bike (Vulcan 1500D) and just dropped the throttle to get in front of him...if I'd been in my car I would probably be dead because there was no slowing down with the number of vehicles behind me and my little Xterra just doesn't have that kind of pick up.

So there you go...pay attention...because no one else is!!!:rant: