Stupid, or Dumb? M5 Southbound, 0745

[MotardMan]

There I am on my GSX-R1100 of 90's vintage, cruising at 85 in the outside lane passing the sleeping commuters being calmed into near coma by Radio 2, when a pikey looking Turquoise Shogun decides to drift from Lane 2 to Lane 3, he is almost on top of my heavily braking bike before the shock makes him swing back to lane 2. I resumed accelerating and glanced to my left as I drew level with his window. He was giving me the impression, via hand movements, that I had no girlfriend or wife and had to relieve myself of my own sexual frustrations......

Unbelievable. Did he think it OK to not look until he was on top of me, or was he banking on his car intimidating me into letting him out into a 50 ft gap at 60 mph?

Why did he feel the need to insult me? Embarrassment?

I dunno?

 

[television]

Another of those that think by indicating that gives them the right to pull out, irrespective of whats behind, things can only get worse

 

[MotardMan]

Except in this case, he did not even have the energy to flick the stalk and put a signal on....... Good job I am so cool and calm or I might have got a handful of change out of the top of my tank bag and slung at his windscreen... The thing is, that would only make me as bad, if not worse than him. Nowadays, the only palce I feel safe is behind the wheel of my defensively driven Mercedes....

 

[MotardMan]

BTW, I am a Radio 2 fan, and have nothing against 4x4 driovers having just sold a 1983 Range Rover V8 auto that got used for green laning.

I wanted to add that to ensure I did not come across as bigotted. )

 

[television]

BTW, I am a Radio 2 fan, and have nothing against 4x4 driovers having just sold a 1983 Range Rover V8 auto that got used for green laning.

I wanted to add that to ensure I did not come across as bigotted. )

No way do I ever think that, for I stop for people that are walking rather than squeeze by. If everyone was made to drive a van as part of the test where mirrors are a vital part of driving it may help. I do not understand how anyone can think of changing lanes without looking first

 

[Carrotchomper]

If everyone was made to drive a van as part of the test where mirrors are a vital part of driving it may help. I do not understand how anyone can think of changing lanes without looking first

I'd second that. In my late teens and early 20s I did an awful lot of jobs which involved driving large commercial vehicles, trailers and the like.

As a result I have always used wing mirrors in cars as a first resort rather than optional extra. It really upsets me when I see the amount of drivers plodding around with them folded in!

Poor spatial awareness is a far more dangerous vice IMO than speeding most of the time.

 

[MotardMan]

I'd third that, and add spending a year on a motorcycle as part of the learning process to driving a van or 7.5T. If you are not constantly assessing traffic in front near distance, middle and far distance, traffic to your left and right and traffic behind then reassessing it for movement and danger, you'll be lying in the road in a mangled heap in not very much time at all. It gets worse when you have 150 hp and a 70-120mph time of 3 secs..... At least most bikes have the brakes to match thier acceleration. I just get really angry at being the victim of poor drving and having to mediate my riding and driving to avoid accidents waiting to happen out of sheer laziness. Not just on the odd occasion, but every day and almost every mile!

Anyone else notice the number of drivers who can't be bothered to use indicators? I followed a Scenic the other day and he made 10 turns without indicating!!!

 

[Flatflr]

I'd second that. In my late teens and early 20s I did an awful lot of jobs which involved driving large commercial vehicles, trailers and the like.

As a result I have always used wing mirrors in cars as a first resort rather than optional extra. It really upsets me when I see the amount of drivers plodding around with them folded in!

Poor spatial awareness is a far more dangerous vice IMO than speeding most of the time.

I found that driving a van for a year deffinately improved my awareness on the roads and also my reverse parking.

My father thinks that everybody should ride a motorbike on the roads for a year to learn how to be more aware of your surroundings.

Nick

 

[ceejaySL]

Is spatial awareness linked to paying attention?

Sounds as if Motardman had a deliberate attempt on him. Most restrained with his handful of change!!

Some drivers can't cope with bikes making progress. It is getting better in lines of traffic now, and quite often instead of trying to block the path between the lines of stationary cars many will make it wider.

But there are some who try and play moving skittles with bikers.... frightening to me, and I'm sure its a training thing. (or too much playstation when no one gets hurt and everyone can do stunt driving.)

 

[gina2201]

I'm not sure I understand it when people keep changing lanes just to "get ahead" there is always going to be someone in front of you and always someone behind you. Please explain?

I also am frustrated at the amount of people that switch lanes either at random (!) without warning. If they have their indicator on, I will almost always let them in, aslong as they tell me!

 

[ceejaySL]

My father thinks that everybody should ride a motorbike on the roads for a year to learn how to be more aware of your surroundings

Yep - and also new drivers should stop by the side of a motorway and feel the power of the traffic coming past, and attend a fatal RTA before they pass a test.

Why is power not limited in cars to new drivers as it is in bikes?

 

[fredfloggle]

There I am on my GSX-R1100 of 90's vintage, cruising at 85 in the outside lane passing the sleeping commuters being calmed into near coma by Radio 2, when a pikey looking Turquoise Shogun decides to drift from Lane 2 to Lane 3, he is almost on top of my heavily braking bike before the shock makes him swing back to lane 2. I resumed accelerating and glanced to my left as I drew level with his window. He was giving me the impression, via hand movements, that I had no girlfriend or wife and had to relieve myself of my own sexual frustrations......

Unbelievable. Did he think it OK to not look until he was on top of me, or was he banking on his car intimidating me into letting him out into a 50 ft gap at 60 mph?

Why did he feel the need to insult me? Embarrassment?

I dunno?

And there was me thinking the limit was 70 .

Unfortunately some people aren't properly aware of 2 wheeled traffic , and some bikers think that they have to use every one of their 150 Horses .

I just love being stuck in slow moving traffic - when some loony shoehorns 250 Kg of bike between two rows of traffic at 50MPH .

 

[fredfloggle]

I found that driving a van for a year deffinately improved my awareness on the roads and also my reverse parking.

My father thinks that everybody should ride a motorbike on the roads for a year to learn how to be more aware of your surroundings.

Nick

I found that driving a STGO Cat 2 artic helped , notwithstanding learning to fly .

 

[glojo]

No excuse for this type of daydreaming and I think we should read Motardman's post as, "I was making progress in the outside lane of the M5, when a dozy, daydreaming idiot simply drifted from the middle lane, across into the offside lane causing me to brake violently!"

As my old Sergeant always used to say to all motor cyclists, "If you want to stay alive, treat ALL other road users like idiots!"

Thank goodness you are still alive to have this conversation.

Regards
John

 

[Flatflr]

I used to treat all other road users as if they were out to kill me.

Riding a bike taught me so much more about driving than anything else, things like:
Where possible looking under a row of parked cars to check for kids, women with prams etc.
Taking notice of the conditions, if your riding (or driving) down a country lane and you smell horse or cow sh1t watch out as some of it may be on the road.
Always always look in your blind spot.
Where you can see them watch for the line of the hedge row or line of tree to give you a chance on anticipating the course of the road, is also possible to check whether a corner is going to get tighter or smoother by doing this.

Nick

 

[splang]

As my old Sergeant always used to say to all motor cyclists, "If you want to stay alive, treat ALL other road users like idiots!"

Regards
John

Was this Sergeant York, John?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034167/

True story of a hillbilly sharpshooter drafted in WW1 despite his claim to be a pacifist, who ends up becoming a war hero.

 

[glojo]

Was this Sergeant York, John?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034167/

True story of a hillbilly sharpshooter drafted in WW1 despite his claim to be a pacifist, who ends up becoming a war hero.

Big ruffy tuffy Royal Marine that had a steel rod. If you drove with your hand on the gear lever then boy you very soon learnt not to, plus not pressing the button on the handbrake. The click of the ratchet would very quickly be drowned out by a painful scream. Sorry about reminiscing (happy days) Canvas backed Landrover, no interior mirror, no heater and NO padding in the back of the vehicle

I wonder how many drivers can manoeuvre using reverse gears and just looking in their wing mirrors?

John

 

[television]

Big ruffy tuffy Royal Marine that had a steel rod. If you drove with your hand on the gear lever then boy you very soon learnt not to, plus not pressing the button on the handbrake. The click of the ratchet would very quickly be drowned out by a painful scream. Sorry about reminiscing (happy days) Canvas backed Landrover, no interior mirror, no heater and NO padding in the back of the vehicle

I wonder how many drivers can manoeuvre using reverse gears and just looking in their wing mirrors?

John

Thats the only way I do it John,then I can see my expensive wheels all the way.

 

[Mr E]

I wonder how many drivers can manoeuvre using reverse gears and just looking in their wing mirrors?

John

Me too - was taught how to do that when I was about 12. Passed it on to Mrs E who may be one of the few females who know how to do it as well

We lived near an abandoned airfield, so went down quite often in the car or on bikes - used to hoon about a fair bit but the Dads used to teach us some useful things too. Shame they've all been built on and there's no such "facility" in my neck of the woods - it stood me in good stead and I've love to do the sam e with the junior Es.

 

[pammy]

This afternoon driving home on a dual carriageway saw within half a mile two idiots drift over towards the outside lane just as I was passing them. They weren't pulling over - they were just not concentrating/aware of what they were doing or that they were putting anyne elses safety at risk. They were simply not in control of their vehicles

I rarely use the horn - but had to twice within such a short space of time. It was a rubbish journey home as it seemed all the nutters were out