Perforation Riding

Just back from Edinburgh. Busy day, however, having the motorbike helps making travelling round Edinburgh easier. The other alternative is walking, it’s a nightmare in a car!

The weather in the morning was really good with the forecast rain coming in as predicted in the afternoon. I had been invited for some supper prior to a meeting, so battened down the hatches, plugged myself into the sat nav and ventured into the unknown.

Angus, the chairman of Forth Valley Advanced Motorists had invited me for supper, so off I go on my faithful bike.

Really, I should check my sat nav settings. I don’t need it much, but I did today. *note to self, make sure the ‘avoid motorways’ is turned off. The boss (sat nav) wanted to go by the country roads. I wanted to spend as little time in the rain as possible!

The word ‘re-calculating’ (with an authoritarian, whining, critical voice) is still rattling around my head.

Anyway, I made it, slightly damp, and after supper ventured to my first IAM meeting having been recruited into the IAM as Honorary President of FVGAM. EEK! How exciting. Imagine how I felt being asked to step up and introduce myself to a group of total strangers. I can’t make my mind up if it was easier or harder than doing an off-the-cuff-speech to people you do know! What made me feel better was Alan Penman was called upon too, without notice. Suppose it saves worrying about it!

It was an interesting talk by Angus, about ‘older people’ driving, you know, the majority of them are safer than most!

As usual, for me it was brilliant meeting different folk. I really enjoyed it.

Anyway, the drive home. I left at the back of 9, it had rained a bit (*rolls eyes) so I was cautious of side water, keeping my distance, and, well trying to see. See anything. I really should deep-clean my visor and put rain-x on it. The visibility was poor to say the least.

You know that bit of the motorway, between junction 9/10 of the M9 just before the motorway joins when you drive under the services fly-over. Dear goodness, where did the road markings go?!?! The visibility is shocking.

That was one of many parts of the road on the way home where there were a distinct lack of white lines, cats eyes or anything really! I was thankful that I knew the road really well. I might call the road boffins and suggest they drive the road in the dark and see how they get on!

Road positioning was crucial. That’s where the title of this blog comes in. For most of the journey up the A84, I did ‘Perforation Riding’ …. You know: tear along dotted line. (Well, not on it, but you know what I mean I am sure!) It was the safest route tonight, mainly water free and in a lot of spots the best and only visibility aid.

Home safe. One large alcoholic coffee poured. Bed. Sorted.

Note to self, phone road boffins.