Ahh Motorcyclists

[Newera]

Yeah, I would expect to seriously piss off a bike rider if I did to him what he did to me... but then I'd never do that to a bike rider. Ever.

 

[Power_n_Glory]

Bikers are squashy vulnerable things travelling at speed and we regularly forgive the unforgivable and balancing our love for machines, riding and motoring over the realities of dicing with the under trained, under skilled and unaware elements of the driving population. It's one of the reasons we nod and feel part of a community even with total strangers. Although I also see lot of very courteous and understanding car behaviour too, so thank you to all of you even if I cannot raise a hand or boot every time!

So when one's life and others' are directly threatened by a mad, bullying coward in a metal box ('oh no, I'll call the police!!!') I can thoroughly understand the wish to call that.... chap to account - he will clearly respond to nothing else. It is amazing how a threatening, aggressive thug changes their tune when you get off your bike and approach their open window (both vehicles being stationary, I stress) to discuss a difference of opinion on the road. Window raises and the view straight ahead is suddenly fascinating.

This might appear disloyal but it is not always cars. Summer is here and some Charley Boorman or Valentino wanabies have dusted off their trophy machines for their flash of arrogance or glory whilst misjudging position and speed and still getting stuck in traffic. So I can see that's annoying from a drivers point of too.

But this car driver was either having a Falling Down moment or he really needed stopping. Either way, actually....

 

[jotter22]

I've ridden for over 30 years, both in UK & Japan. When I see a bike in my mirrors I always give them as wide a berth as possible. Most people are courteous but occasionally there are idiots in cars.

I once saw a guy (In a Merc 190E 2.5 Turbo diesel of all things!) driving very agressively and almost having accidents at about 180km/h as he swerved through traffic on the highway without leaving any room for escape should someone suddenly pull out in front of him or do something else unexpected...with that much closing speed I saw a few near misses as cars would pull into the outside lane and he wouldn't slow. They'd then swerve back in, but what if someone spun as a result??

So I followed at the same speed where safe and accelerated to catch him if I slowed. I kept a safe distance. Ahead, the road became clear and I came up beside him inside a tunnel, pointing my finger at my brain as if to signal that his driving was crazy & to slow down.
He proceeded to swerve violently towards me, so I braked... then he got in front and did an emergency stop. My back wheel was in the air momentarily as I braked as much as I could, my heart in my mouth...

I continued to follow him (he tried to get away now, but I'd already resolved I was going to stay with him, so there was no chance he was going anywhere), keeping at least 2 cars between us. Eventually when he realised trying to get away from an SP2 was pointless, he stopped in a layby on an exit from the highway and got out of his 190 leaving the door open...

I still had my helmet on. He shouted loud abuse. I gently but firmly pushed his chest and explained he'd put my life in danger when he tried to make me come off the bike.
He immediately said defensively that I'd "assaulted him" and he was calling the police.

At that point, I closed my visor as I said, "I hit you??", no - "now I'm going to hit you!" and headbutted him with said helmet.
He fell to the ground in a daze & I quickly grabbed his keys from the ignition and threw them far into the forest next to the road. Told him not to get up, got back on the bike and left.

Probably wasn't the right thing to do, as he would hate bikers from then on.
Usually I'd just leave it and not let stuff bother me, but I figured with his driving he was likely to do someone some harm. Better that he couldn't drive any more so I don't regret what I did.

When you rode off in to the distance was you whistling to yourself the hero theme?

To553r springs to mind!

Tony.

 

[jonals]

After 18 years commuting across central London by motorbike I have come to the unoriginal conclusion that most car/van/lorry drivers, cyclists, and motorcyclists are pretty good.The minority of bad ones are not necessarily the fast ones or those disobeying traffic regulations - it's normally the bloody-minded 'I'm right' ones that cause trouble.

 

[gadget1960]

Aside from being a car driver I am also a biker, I see all pro's and cons from both sides, I have over 40 years experience of both worlds and have come to this conclusion ... we are all just trying to get somewhere and the space our vehicles are occupying is far too small and there are far too may vehicles trying to use the same space. accidents / incidents are indeed inevitable in the haste of trying to get somewhere as quickly as possible. lets be honest about motoring in the UK ....no-one is qualified to wear a halo.

 

[napp]

Nice to see that there is a good few bikers out there, I have had a good few bikes over the years, always give car room and never tail gate, I do filter through the traffic and find most cars pull to the side and give me room, best car drivers I have found are ones that have been biker's as the have a better sense of what is going on round them, and more observant.
I just have a problem with 100 year old drivers, as one smashed both of my knees.

 

[gadget1960]

Nice to see that there is a good few bikers out there, I have had a good few bikes over the years, always give car room and never tail gate, I do filter through the traffic and find most cars pull to the side and give me room, best car drivers I have found are ones that have been biker's as the have a better sense of what is going on round them, and more observant.
I just have a problem with 100 year old drivers, as one smashed both of my knees.

I am very aware of bikers around me and try whenever I can to give them as much room as is safe to do so, and I do very much appreciate when the same is done for me when out on my bike.
Sorry to hear of your accident, hope you healed well and still biking,

 

[markmifsud]

I did ride a bike as a youth, but decided that although great fun, it left me quite exposed. When I see a bike coming up behind me, I always move over to make it clear I have seen him and that I have increased the room for him to pass (either side). Quite often I am rewarded with a show of a few fingers lifted which leave me with a nice warm feeling.

Of course there's the few idiots, but we get that on 4 wheels too.

 

[chazzn]

The bottom line is that you cannot easily see cyclist, you also don't expect them to appear from nowhere on the inside. I almost hit one the other day as the numb nut decided to squeeze in between me and a park car on a busy high street as I was moving.

I actually hit a young kid a few years ago when he crossed the road in front of me, in the dark with no lights and was wearing a hood! unbelievable!

 

[MancMike]

you cannot easily see cyclist

Use your mirrors.

you also don't expect them to appear from nowhere on the inside.

See above.

I almost hit one the other day as the numb nut decided to squeeze in between me and a park car on a busy high street as I was moving.

He decided to squeeze, or you didn't give him enough room? If it was a squeeze for him, you shouldn't have been next to him.

I actually hit a young kid a few years ago when he crossed the road in front of me, in the dark with no lights and was wearing a hood! unbelievable!

Turn your lights on then.

unbelievable!

Aren't you just.

 

[pmw103]

The majority of my non-winter regular commutes are done by bike/scooter.

A sense of awareness and consideration by car drivers stuck in slow moving or stationary traffic would go a long way in making life stress free for everyone.

Top tips for those in the above category:

1. Keep your eyes on the road behind and to one side.

2. If you are going down a dual carriageway and either going slowly or about to grind to a halt, keep left in the left hand lane or right in the right hand lane.

Easy to follow, and everyone is happy and accident free.

Safe driving one and all

Hi
Thanks this is good advice indeed,
I do try and do this,

I was just wondering does anyone have experience of the driver assistance pack with Distronic Plus and steer assist in this scenario?

I have a car due in August with it on and I was thinking to myself if it will be any good in traffic like this.

It specifically says it keeps you in the centre of the lane, but then at slower speeds it tracks the car in front.

I just wondered if anyone had an real world experience ?

I just assumed I would have to, pay even and closer attention and

A
Over ride it temporarily, by steering myself which is fine and the correct thing to do.

My fear is it will just revert to tracking the car in front which may not be adhering to the good advice above.

B
Turn it off the steer assist part in traffic like that.

Which I fear may be the only option.

The only trouble with B is, it doesn't look like you can toggle it on and off quickly its a bit fiddily you have to go into a menu.

In the scenario I think its fine to leave distrionic plus on, its just the steering input that might be suspect in this specific scenario.

Thanks
p

 

[E55BOF]

"Originally Posted by chazzn
you cannot easily see cyclist

Use your mirrors.

Originally Posted by chazzn
you also don't expect them to appear from nowhere on the inside.

See above.

Originally Posted by chazzn
I almost hit one the other day as the numb nut decided to squeeze in between me and a park car on a busy high street as I was moving.

He decided to squeeze, or you didn't give him enough room? If it was a squeeze for him, you shouldn't have been next to him.

Originally Posted by chazzn
I actually hit a young kid a few years ago when he crossed the road in front of me, in the dark with no lights and was wearing a hood! unbelievable!

Turn your lights on then.

Originally Posted by chazzn
unbelievable!

Aren't you just."

Making a few assumptions there, aren't you, and all in the cyclists' favour? YOU may never do stupid things on a bike - trying to pass on the inside, and cutting up cars, in slow-moving traffic, riding without lights in dark clothing at night - but plenty of cyclists do. I'm afraid I find everything chazzn refers to perfectly credible without his necessarily being at fault in any way.

 

[MancMike]

Fair enough. I didn't. I'm not a cyclist as it goes, but am somewhat biased towards good etiquette towards cyclists, contractually, actually.

Do you agree with his points?, or just disagree with my responses? Do you agree it's difficult to see cyclists?

You give a cyclist the same consideration when overtaking that you'd give a car. Either way, as said, I'm almost contractually bound to side with the most vulnerable of the two here.

 

[Lee C63]

After a good few years riding bikes i have finally decided its time to sell up.....purely down to bad car drivers who pull out of junctions without looking, are too busy chatting on hands free and the poor state of the roads (potholes). I will be sorry to see it go but see my life as more valuable than the fun and occasional thrill i get from riding.

Most people who hate bikers are jealous of the freedom, and thrill they have.

However i have seen plenty idiots on bikes. However just as many idiot car drivers.

I dare say if we are honest we are all guilty of some "dodgey" driving / Riding at times so maybe shouldn't sit in the Ivory tower looking down at others.

 

[E55BOF]

Fair enough. I didn't. I'm not a cyclist as it goes, but am somewhat biased towards good etiquette towards cyclists, contractually, actually.

Do you agree with his points?, or just disagree with my responses? Do you agree it's difficult to see cyclists?

You give a cyclist the same consideration when overtaking that you'd give a car. Either way, as said, I'm almost contractually bound to side with the most vulnerable of the two here.

Actually, I tend to give cyclists a wider berth than cars - they may need to be allowed to wobble, as a judge once said in other words.

The 'numb nuts' example I took to be a cyclist trying to squeeze through on the inside in slow-moving traffic, rather than the car trying to overtake the cyclist.

Saying "use your mirrors" is all very well, but some cyclists -the 'Lycra Lout' type particularly - sometimes seem to have a deathwish - if they gave cars (and commercial vehicles) the same consideration they expect from cars, they would put themselves at risk less.

Yes, cyclists can be difficult to see, or more accurately difficult to keep track of and assess as potential hazards, especially in congested and slow-moving urban traffic when they are (almost suicidally?) determined to make progress past other vehicles. I used to cycle a lot when I was younger, and I used to 'make progress' through traffic, but I took care; I was always conscious of my vulnerability.

I stand by my view that, on the basis of the details given, everything chazzn refers to is perfectly credible without his necessarily being at fault.

 

[E55BOF]

And here's a sane and balanced view, from (presumably) a letter in the Southern Daily Echo in 2014:

"ANOTHER cyclist riding irresponsibly, another driver found not guilty and persecuted by the police and the CPS.

When are motorists going to get a fair deal and be listened to? When are cyclists going to learn that riding a bike is not something any sane or professional person does? It is not Call the Midwife in 2014!


To those cyclists that complain ‘It’s our right!’: So what?

Someone has died because you all fail to follow the rules, as cyclists do every day. Even if you did, so what? No driver wants to hit you, so stop this happening: give up.

We, the motorists, have won, the roads are ours now. It doesn’t matter who campaigned for what, it doesn’t matter that it’s healthy; the motorist outnumbers you 35:1. We weigh 2000kg, you weigh 70kg.

For your own safety leave the bike at home, get in the car like any rational person would. You’ve lost the fight for your right on the road and a legal precedent has been established.

ALEX OLIVER RIGBY, Southampton."

 

[Tim203]

Maybe that's a cue for more cycle paths as they have in France, Belgium, Holland , Germany.............

 

[chazzn]

Use your mirrors.



See above.



He decided to squeeze, or you didn't give him enough room? If it was a squeeze for him, you shouldn't have been next to him.




Turn your lights on then.



Aren't you just.

REALLY!!! I also cycle buddy and can tell you that there are many stupid cyclist out there with a death wish. You weren't there so don't give me any of your rude and uncalled for comments. I did not over take the cyclist in question, he under took me in slow traffic.

My friend is in the Police (MET) and pulled over a cyclist the other day for jumping 2 major traffic lights in London and what made it worse was that the cyclist was a nurse? You hear about cyclist getting killed all the time in London, the last death was from a young lady getting crushed by a tipper lorry. the lorry was indicating left at the traffic lights, she came in on the inside and was crushed? If I saw a massive lorry indicating I wouldn't be anywhere near him!

 

[karaokekrazie]

Nor does it say it not.
I ride a bike, drive a car and drive a lorry (for work)
All allowed to use the road.
If you don't like bikers getting too close to your car, how about giving them more room?

How to tell if a biker is driving a car/ van etc, their are the drivers giving the bikers room, letting them on their way.

 

[John]

I give them room and I am not a biker - so not always the case.

What does annoy me is when slow bikers are happy to slip passed you in traffic but will sit in the middle in front of you holding you up rather than pull to the left.

Those bikers are cockwads.