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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Mark Newton, Mexican camping

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Mark Newton,
Camping in the Mexican desert



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  #1  
Old 12 Sep 2007
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Whats more dangerous - City commuting or Overlanding ?

When you tell people that you plan to ride a motorbike on unfinished roads in far off lands, they think your mad. Death and disaster is almost a sure thing in their minds.

Now, I commute through Liverpool city centre in morning rush hour traffic and I feel far more at risk doing that.

Crazy half asleep drivers cutting you up, chavs on mobiles racing each other, "white man man" eating his breakfast while tuning his radio.

I've lost count of the times when iv nearly come a cropper on UK roads through other drivers and riders neglect.

Now in comparison, when im overlanding on the bike, I feel much safer. Roads are usually quieter and congestion free. Other drivers don't seem in a rush and are much more courteous.

What do you reckon ????????
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Old 12 Sep 2007
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Commuting is way more dangerous in my opinion. And as for overlanding, it's the cities that are the dangerous part, not the national politics as people who have never done it would have you believe.
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Old 13 Sep 2007
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Just try riding into La Paz, Bolivia on a saturday night during the middle of a local festival- now THAT'S congestion!!! There's white vans as far as the eye can see
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Old 13 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by petefromberkeley View Post
Commuting is way more dangerous in my opinion.
Agreed.

Could part of it also be due to the way we ride when commuting? Are some of us perhaps also guilty of riding more, shall we say, 'purposefully'?

Anyway,
Stay safe.
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Old 13 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephano View Post
Are some of us perhaps also guilty of riding more, shall we say, 'purposefully'?
Oh yes! Just been for a quick ride now I'm back in Edinburgh following my 10 month Americas trip and lets just say, I noticed my riding style now is somewhat more 'agressive' than it used to be, well certainly compared to anyone else on the road today.

I think it will take me a bit of time to re-adjust but then I've never really liked waiting in roadwork queues!
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