Overtaking - a lost art?
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From: On the back wheel. . .
Originally Posted by gtman,Aug 14 2008, 10:36 PM
I am not defending drivers because most of them are just as bad but I have so many examples of bikers riding like morons and performing stupid manoeuvres that they wouldn't do if they were driving a car.
It seems that it's ok for you to drive how you want, but not for other people
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From: Hertford
Originally Posted by gtman,Aug 14 2008, 09:36 PM
I don't go around blocking every rider I see, I just try and give off a subtle hint to the rider that I feel he shouldn't try and squeeze down the middle between my car and the articulated lorry to the left of me. 
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From: Wakefield, West Yorks.
Originally Posted by gtman,Aug 14 2008, 10:36 PM
How can you concentrate on driving when there is someone on a bike three inches from the rear of your car? How would you like it if someone in a car sat three inches behind your tail pipe?
I don't go around blocking every rider I see, I just try and give off a subtle hint to the rider that I feel he shouldn't try and squeeze down the middle between my car and the articulated lorry to the left of me.
What bikers need to realise is if they ride their bikes without trying to intimidate drivers to pull over then perhaps drivers attitude of bikes may change. I used to drive the same roads as a fellow colleague that had a bike and I never once saw him ride his bike in an intimidating manner. At all times, he stayed a safe distance behind the car in front and only overtook when safe to do so. He told me that he rarely goes down the middle of two cars because he felt it was never safe to do so. If most riders were like this my attitude towards bikers would change.
I don't go around blocking every rider I see, I just try and give off a subtle hint to the rider that I feel he shouldn't try and squeeze down the middle between my car and the articulated lorry to the left of me.
What bikers need to realise is if they ride their bikes without trying to intimidate drivers to pull over then perhaps drivers attitude of bikes may change. I used to drive the same roads as a fellow colleague that had a bike and I never once saw him ride his bike in an intimidating manner. At all times, he stayed a safe distance behind the car in front and only overtook when safe to do so. He told me that he rarely goes down the middle of two cars because he felt it was never safe to do so. If most riders were like this my attitude towards bikers would change.
I've also never seen a biker trying to "intimidate drivers" ???
Where abouts do you live?
I'm guessing around London somewhere?
I HAVE seen bikes (and have done myself) sit on the rear offside corner of a car in a line of flowing traffic.
Mainly because it helps the biker have full visibility of the road ahead, and if the car infront or behind does anything stupid, the biker has an escape route, rather than get crushed.
I don't sit right on the bumper of course.
...
I think everyone should ride a bike when they are learning to drive.
It gives you a hell of an appreciation for other road users and road conditions.
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From: South of Heaven
Originally Posted by gtman,Aug 14 2008, 10:36 PM
I don't go around blocking every rider I see, I just try and give off a subtle hint to the rider that I feel he shouldn't try and squeeze down the middle between my car and the articulated lorry to the left of me.
What difference does it make to your journey if they undertake you? When I'm on the bike I see a lot of drivers on the M25 in the outside lane who will actually indicate right and move to make room for me to undertake them. Whether I do that or not is another matter.
I understand some bikers can be aggressive but I don't feel that is the norm. If they are riding close to the rear of you they obviously don't understand that cars brake a lot better than the bike they are on.
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From: Ulaanbaatar
Bikers hanging off the tailgate are the norm in my part of the world. In sleepy Northumberland we're fortunate to have some great roads - with low traffic density for the most part - and as soon as there's a sniff of decent weather, this brings out the biker road-racers.
Around the village where my mum lives it sounds like Donnington most weekends - and the speeds are maniacal.
Most riders have inadequate reactions and experience for the performance available and it is so accessible. They're a menace. The casualty figures speak for themselves. They piss-off the majority of other roads users. With luck they'll be legislated off the road in the not too distant future.
Bikers cutting up trafiic on the A1 up here is the norm also - staggering to observe sometimes. As is the increasing disregard of the golden rule of overtaking near junctions.
My wise decision to leave the biking fraternity was reinforced when a friend's brother died three weeks ago. 51 years old, wanted a performance bike for years. Killed on his bike three months after purchasing his dream.
Another acquaintance was killed two weeks ago on his bike. And he was an 'expert' who trained advanced riders. Took a set of traffic lights out on a deserted urban road at 3:00 am in a 30 mph limit.
An ex-colleague did some work with an author who wrote a book on Honda's 50th anniversary a few years back and there was an interesting fact arose. Apparently Honda saw the future of motorbikes as simulators.
Nuff said.
Around the village where my mum lives it sounds like Donnington most weekends - and the speeds are maniacal.
Most riders have inadequate reactions and experience for the performance available and it is so accessible. They're a menace. The casualty figures speak for themselves. They piss-off the majority of other roads users. With luck they'll be legislated off the road in the not too distant future.
Bikers cutting up trafiic on the A1 up here is the norm also - staggering to observe sometimes. As is the increasing disregard of the golden rule of overtaking near junctions.
My wise decision to leave the biking fraternity was reinforced when a friend's brother died three weeks ago. 51 years old, wanted a performance bike for years. Killed on his bike three months after purchasing his dream.
Another acquaintance was killed two weeks ago on his bike. And he was an 'expert' who trained advanced riders. Took a set of traffic lights out on a deserted urban road at 3:00 am in a 30 mph limit.
An ex-colleague did some work with an author who wrote a book on Honda's 50th anniversary a few years back and there was an interesting fact arose. Apparently Honda saw the future of motorbikes as simulators.
Nuff said.
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From: Frustration
Speaking of bikers, I had a go on a CBR 900 today!
Oh yes, I was the Cheshire Cat with the cream!
Awesome!
Only for my girlfriend to break down in tears (thinking I was going to kill myself - Only went up and down the road at 50!) and reitterate...NO
Denied
Oh yes, I was the Cheshire Cat with the cream!
Awesome!
Only for my girlfriend to break down in tears (thinking I was going to kill myself - Only went up and down the road at 50!) and reitterate...NO
Denied
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arse is around my way ( aylesbury / bucks ) all the a roads they are changing to 40's so people just get used to going ' slow ' on these safe roads.... i had to drive to MK the othey day and sat at 45 cos of all the traffic that refused to go at 60 - even though its the speed limit - and there was nowere safe to pass in 6 or 7 miles.. pain !
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From: La Massana, Principat D'Andorra
Originally Posted by tomkbucks,Aug 19 2008, 10:02 AM
arse is around my way ( aylesbury / bucks ) all the a roads they are changing to 40's so people just get used to going ' slow ' on these safe roads.... i had to drive to MK the othey day and sat at 45 cos of all the traffic that refused to go at 60 - even though its the speed limit - and there was nowere safe to pass in 6 or 7 miles.. pain !