Overtaking and speeding: Getting to the front of the line at ALL COSTS!

[Amore Eel]

There is a thread further down, that describes reckless driving as a "sickness" in Bermuda.

I just want to know one thing:
What the FU$& is the obsession with overtaking???

I ride along Harbour Road a couple of times a week, and to say "I can't believe what I see" is understating the problem to the maximum extent possible.

It's mostly teens on bikes, but cars and taxis are bad, too.  No matter how fast the line is going, no matter if it is an outside blind curve, no matter if the rider is on a 50cc bike...if there is the tiniest bit of open space ahead, they pull out and pass.

I mostly ride near the shoulder, because often there is two lanes of oncoming traffic, all doing 40+ mph!!!

Can someone tell me why this is?  Is it how the kids are raised, seeing their parents do this? 

I'll finish with an example:  Last week I was riding near Port Royal.  I was doing maybe 30 mph (50 kmh).  Guy pulls out while it is totally unsafe, passes me, cuts back in front of me due to the oncoming traffic, then 15 seconds later puts on his brakes and turns into a driveway.  WHY the hell did he pass me?? 

HELP ME UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!

[Paget]

I witnessed a couple of scooter wrecks and they were all due to the negligence or the bike, not the car. Kids drive like nutsos. Passing on a blind curve is the worst.

My wife would get so freaked out when a bike would pass and the guy would get so close to the car sometimes even touching it.

They tell you not to hug the curb though.

Admittedly I clipped a few side mirrors in my days

[Felonious Monk]

If some idiot on a bike comes in my direction in my lane at 60 kph, I won't feel too sorry for him at his funeral.  His momma and my hand-shined car, on the other hand...

[Mike]

At least you have some compassion left, Godot.  

I put the reckless behavior down to being hard to be cool in Bermuda.  There aren't so many thrill-seeking things the boys can get up to, so they put it on the road for everyone to see.  

[Wikigrl]

Meh...I don't think this is a Bermuda only problem...I see tons of losers driving like crazy people here too...just to get to the front of the line! I think it's just more evident in BDA because, well, the worst thing they can do is pass on a blind corner at 100mph...

It's a bit of a different story here on a highway where you are actually going 120+ kms/hr - tons of really reckless crap you can do!

[BangMaster]

I just classify all these drivers as losers, nothing else. 
What I do not understand is: "why the bloody hell you need to overtake me at the traffic light if the light is red??" "what is going to change for you?".
I lost two side mirrors on my car and saw two bad accidents while I am here.
If you want some adrenaline, grab a kite, go in the middle of the ocean and ride it! At least you won't injury anybody else and you will look cool for sure! 

[Mike]

 

I really like the "grab a kite, go in the middle of the ocean" advice, BangMaster. 

[BangMaster]

I really like the "grab a kite, go in the middle of the ocean" advice, BangMaster. 

I am moving into the Aussie life style! 

[Long gone]

It would appear that nothing much has changed.
Back in the 60's the kids used to ride 'souped-up' mopeds ( I think they were Cyrus make if my memory is correct) and could reach quite high speeds. The bikes had distinctive goose-necked handlebars and the riders were known as 'diddlybops'. (don't ask me how that was thought up).
There was a popular calypso type song, with a very catchy tune to it with the opening words...
"The diddlybops and their goose-necked handlebars,
 Zigzagging through the motor cars,
 Round the corner five in a row,
 Up on the sidewalk I had to go...
They knew how to handle the machines and were very hard to catch, slipping down side roads and giving us a real 'merry go round'.
Of course, not all were that lucky and the dreaded knock on the door at the parents to convey the sad news that they were required at the mortuary was not something you forget. 

[Captain Canuck]

Well it would seem that we have found the root of the cultural meme of riding like this.  The problem is, that there are way more cars on the road and the bikes are a lot more powerful nowadays.  Add to that the need to out do the previous generation in order to make a name for yourself and Voilà you have the present day recklessness that seems to have absolutely no boundaries.

I would even bet that the kids of today have no idea where it all started, just that it's something that everyone does so they do it too.  And unfortunately it's going no where soon...

CC

[Mike]

I found this groovy guy on the Community and Culture website, with the history the song by Stan Seymour.

Thanks for that insight, Long gone.   

[Long gone]

Well it's good to know that Bermuda is keeping a record of it's cultural past (even if in this case a touch of delinquency involved).
It's amazing what you can recover if you know where to look.
Well done Mike... applause for the research. 

[Long gone]

Sorry, I forgot to ask if you could play the 'Diddlybop' tune for us as well?   

[Wikigrl]

OMG! I loved the info found at the link! THANKS!
I swear I know way more about Bermuda everything than I know about my own freaking country!