dem Swiss tunnels!

petrolhead · May 22, 2013

Is it just me or is there something a bit odd about Swiss tunnels, most of the ones I did last year, were fast moving 2 way traffic, unlit, and barely wide enough to fit me panniers through......on top of that, I found it dead hard to focus as there was no horizon or passing scenary on the sides to relate to.

Comments?

Tarka · May 22, 2013

petrolhead said:
Comments?

Here`s one for starters....

I`ve never understood the mentality of people who ride all the way to the Alps and then go through tunnels underneath them instead of riding the passes. :nenau

petrolhead · May 22, 2013

er...wot passes?

Tarka · May 22, 2013

petrolhead said:
er...wot passes?

Er...dem passes wot I rode wen I wos there last.

You know...dem roads wot are high up in the air like.

And if you`re going to blah blah blah about whatever route you took only having tunnels to use,then my other requested comment would be to select a route that didn`t have any said tunnels on it.

This is rather reminiscent of those I`ve met at the Stella Alpina who whinge and bitch about how horrible the Frejus tunnel is on a bike.
It ain`t the only way of getting t`other side of the big lump of rock in the way. :augie

Demonbaker · May 23, 2013

We passed through Switzerland this time last year on route to Monaco via Italy and I know what you mean about the tunnels. The Gotthard pass tunnel was awful, two way traffic, fumes and the heat. Before anyone says why use the tunnels,the passes were still closed.

Deleted account Cooperman · May 23, 2013

petrolhead said:
Is it just me or is there something a bit odd about Swiss tunnels, most of the ones I did last year, were fast moving 2 way traffic, unlit, and barely wide enough to fit me panniers through......on top of that, I found it dead hard to focus as there was no horizon or passing scenary on the sides to relate to.

Comments?

Spend a bit more time in England to learn the language.

BD · May 23, 2013

Tarka said:
Here`s one for starters....

I`ve never understood the mentality of people who ride all the way to the Alps and then go through tunnels underneath them instead of riding the passes.

Nevermind that,I wanna know why do people travel all the way to this most scenic of places only to buy a motorway pass to zoom thru it and them tunnels,Give me altitude any dayB-).

paul08 · May 23, 2013

I really do despair of this site sometimes. The OP made an innocent comment about the conditions in tunnels in Switzerland and is greeted by outright abuse (and aggression?). There may be many reasons why he was using the tunnels rather than taking to the passes to appease the responders sensibilities. Why cannot you accept that? Or make your comment that he should have used the passes with some humour?
- But this seems to be rife at the moment here on UKGSERS. God forbid that he would have mentioned that he was sat on a R1200GS LC, the torrent of abuse would have already been onto a couple of pages!

And I agree with the sentiment of the OP, when you compare their tunnels to the bridges, viaducts etc etc that the swiss contstruct, the tunnels can seem a bit of an oddity. But I suppose that reflects the relative costs of construction. Personally, I am surprised that they get the tunnel designs past their H&S authorities though.

The Grey One · May 23, 2013

paul08 said:
I really do despair of this site sometimes. The OP made an innocent comment about the conditions in tunnels in Switzerland and is greeted by outright abuse (and aggression?). There may be many reasons why he was using the tunnels rather than taking to the passes to appease the responders sensibilities. Why cannot you accept that? Or make your comment that he should have used the passes with some humour?
- But this seems to be rife at the moment here on UKGSERS. God forbid that he would have mentioned that he was sat on a R1200GS LC, the torrent of abuse would have already been onto a couple of pages!

And I agree with the sentiment of the OP, when you compare their tunnels to the bridges, viaducts etc etc that the swiss contstruct, the tunnels can seem a bit of an oddity. But I suppose that reflects the relative costs of construction. Personally, I am surprised that they get the tunnel designs past their H&S authorities though.

Totally agree, it it not just on here though, it is everywhere. Why do people feel threatened by difference? Why does that lead them to slag of those with different ideas? How does someone riding the motorways and using the tunnels detract from the experience of others? In simple practical terms it means one less vehicle on the twisties so in fact might add to the pleasure of those who want to use the passes rather than detract.

We get all sorts here and they are all bikers, it matters not if they have trailered the bike all the way, even sent it ahead and flown in, or have ridden on back roads non stop to get here. Each enjoys the experience in their own way, most feel no need to either justify their way or to persuade others to follow suit. A bit of live and let live goes a long way.

John

BD · May 23, 2013

Well it does state at the end of the post "comments",anyway what about the poor swiss tunnel engineer,how does he feel?,does he own a gs?,is there a lucrative market in tunnel scenery landscape painting? :aidan

,commen

t?

Rick 1600 · May 23, 2013

Yes, whats wrong with some folk on here? If I was in a pub and that muppet answered to me like that to something I said, he'd be travelling a long dark tunnel.

petrolhead · May 23, 2013

Hey paul08 and The Grey One thanks for jumping in....I was startin' to wonder if I'd come to the wrong forum. :ronno

The reason I went through the tunnels was ...because they were there.

I entered Switzerland at Basel with a devil may care attitude and just rode where the will took me, vaguely heading for Thun, I wasn't aiming to go on passes/go through tunnels/avoid snow/ride twisties/go off road etc etc and I headed off the motorway fairly quickly straight into very high, very narrow...I think they were goat tracks. :JB

I really wanted to experience it all. OK , some people don't want to do tunnels specifically, but I wanted to try it all, heck I live in Swindon, we don't get too many tunnels round here! [got plenty of goat tracks mind]

I had no plan, no ulterior motive, no fear, just a lack of experience with road riding and an inquisitive nature. I don't want to avoid the freakin' tunnels, I want to conquer them!
And a good way of learning is to hear people's experiences, I was rather hoping to hear what people had to say......... I wasn't really expecting to be told off!

Rasher · May 23, 2013

BD said:
anyway what about the poor swiss tunnel engineer?

How about the Op's English Teacher, I am sure he did his best

stolzy · May 23, 2013

paul08 said:
I really do despair of this site sometimes. The OP made an innocent comment about the conditions in tunnels in Switzerland and is greeted by outright abuse (and aggression?). There may be many reasons why he was using the tunnels rather than taking to the passes to appease the responders sensibilities. Why cannot you accept that? Or make your comment that he should have used the passes with some humour?
- But this seems to be rife at the moment here on UKGSERS. God forbid that he would have mentioned that he was sat on a R1200GS LC, the torrent of abuse would have already been onto a couple of pages!

And I agree with the sentiment of the OP, when you compare their tunnels to the bridges, viaducts etc etc that the swiss contstruct, the tunnels can seem a bit of an oddity. But I suppose that reflects the relative costs of construction. Personally, I am surprised that they get the tunnel designs past their H&S authorities though.

You should probably be aware that not every post is intended to be taken completely seriously.
You'll also need a thicker skin or you won't have a nice time here.

RobertG · May 23, 2013

petrolhead said:
I wasn't really expecting to be told off!

Did I miss something or has everybody got ultra sensitivities I am not empowered with? You put up a statement and then simply asked for "Comments?". You got comments :comfort

as requested. Some of said comments said they didn't understand why you/people used tunnels. That's hardly a telling off.

The only telling off I can find is to the responder

paul08 said:
I really do despair of this site sometimes. The OP made an innocent comment about the conditions in tunnels in Switzerland and is greeted by outright abuse (and aggression?). There may be many reasons why he was using the tunnels rather than taking to the passes to appease the responders sensibilities. Why cannot you accept that? Or make your comment that he should have used the passes with some humour?
- But this seems to be rife at the moment here on UKGSERS. God forbid that he would have mentioned that he was sat on a R1200GS LC, the torrent of abuse would have already been onto a couple of pages!

When you openly ask for comments about tunnels in the Alps section of the website it sort of follows that pass junkies will have a point of view. Just let the conversation happen and tune in to the bits you are interested in. Life is too short.

Anyway, I am heading out there for the weekend :bounce1

and am glad of the information that the tunnels are crap to ride so will try and avoid them.

petrolhead · May 23, 2013

wow! ....all this , and hardly a single word about people's tunnel experiences

I'm outta here...I'm not really into this forum thing, it's way too cliquey

Smug · May 23, 2013

For a real experience you should try the tunnels on a push bike. Apart from anything else it makes you realise how noisy tyres are.

RobertG · May 23, 2013

petrolhead said:
I'm outta here...I'm not really into this forum thing, it's way too cliquey

You're dead right. The're a proper load of tossers. Who needs them. Stay away from forums and deal with real people. Probably find more common interest here.
paul08 in case you missed it that was a humorous way of saying :pullface

. For something less controversial, what are your views on your location now being the words most beloved country?

Police tossers (AKA mods) do us all a fovour and move this crap to the pub

paul08 · May 23, 2013

RobertG said:
You're dead right. The're a proper load of tossers. Who needs them. Stay away from forums and deal with real people. Probably find more common interest here.
paul08 in case you missed it that was a humorous way of saying . For something less controversial, what are your views on your location now being the words most beloved country?

Police tossers (AKA mods) do us all a fovour and move this crap to the pub

re your 2nd para: it does not surprise me, although I thought the BBC poll was about "most positive influence" rather than "most beloved" as you and Die Welt write.

re your general sentiment, I could not give a proverbial 'toss'. I found the original responses vive to the OP and decided to air my opinion, much the same as you have decided to air yours.

dem Swiss tunnels!

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