Let's have your bike/roof rack stories.

[gbb]

On the roof the bike is secured safely on firm roof bars, the bikes are out of the way.
Slung on the back, they block the view, block the lights and number plate and are hanging on to the tail gate which was not designed to have bikes hung from it and often is made of plastic.
So if it cant go in the car (I can get one bike in if i have no rear passengers) then it goes on the roof. I would not have a -hang off the back- type.

Cant see a problem with that.

If anything is annoying hanging off a car it is those stupid tonka-toy Jeep things or fat Van things that have the spare wheel stuck on the back door. Why is the car so flippin big but still not big enough to fit a spare wheel in it somewhere. I dont care that they use up more fuel but really why drive around in a car that looks like it has been designed by a seven year old boy.

Jeez OTH, chill
Those rear door mounted wheels saved me considerable embarresment embarassment embe...sod it, you know what i mean...some years ago
Pulled up behind a Merc G Wagon (when they were just released) at a r/about. She pulled off, i looked right to see if i could follow, started to go...bugger..she'd stopped.
Bump... We pulled over to the side to inspect the damage.
The bonnet of my van was slightly dented where it's impacted the rim of her wheel....no damage to her vehicle.
Better swap details, just in case i said.
No no...i've literally just picked it up, brand new from the garage 5 minutes ago. It's the bosses....and i dont want to know it ever happened...she said.

Suit yerself...suits me.

God bless rear door mounted wheels i say

 

[Baggy]

I've never understood why people put bikes on roof racks...

At worst put it on a boot rack....

...I've also seen bikes fall off boot racks <snip>

So you've just demonstrated that boot racks aren't much safer then, are they?!
Over the Hill has said it all really.

Most rear mounts seem to be virtually impossible to get multiple drop barred bikes on to as well.

Bikes go on our roof rack as we don't have a towbar mount, and if I need to get into the boot I don't want to have to remove bikes to be able to do so.

 

[Kestevan]

My Bike/roof rack story still hurts occasionally.

I was pillion passenger on a mates motorbike when a Volvo pulled out of a side road in front of us. The bike hit the side of the car just behind the drivers door. I was catapulted over my mates head as he face planted the fuel tank.

Fortunately I managed to miss the side of the volvo.... but caught my knees on the roof rails as I sailed over..... Cue 6 months with both legs in plaster and an inability to kneel down for long 20 years later.


Kneedless to say, my bike goes on the back of the car