Cars moving over for bike - helpful or confusing?
Discussion
Usually when driving, I'll try (when safe) to make more room for a biker wanting to pass, by moving left a little.
I've no problem with bikers 'making progress', and I feel it also lets the biker know I'm aware of his (or her!) presence.
Does this practice actually help, or could it cause unnecessary confusion?
I've no problem with bikers 'making progress', and I feel it also lets the biker know I'm aware of his (or her!) presence.
Does this practice actually help, or could it cause unnecessary confusion?
In heavy traffic, it helps. Otherwise, the intention is good but (and I speak for myself here), I'd prefer if you kept your line. Not so much confusing but unpredictable (maybe I don't want to pass right then, and you'll move back when I do), and you can also throw up a lot of the crap at the side of the road. Not often an issue as I'd be hanging behind and to the right of you, but it can cause problems.
In short, heavy traffic, yes please, otherwise you do your thing and I'll do mine.
In short, heavy traffic, yes please, otherwise you do your thing and I'll do mine.
280E said:
Usually when driving, I'll try (when safe) to make more room for a biker wanting to pass, by moving left a little.
I've no problem with bikers 'making progress', and I feel it also lets the biker know I'm aware of his (or her!) presence.
Does this practice actually help, or could it cause unnecessary confusion?
I do the same when I'm in my car and I am usually grateful when drivers make room when I'm on my bike.I've no problem with bikers 'making progress', and I feel it also lets the biker know I'm aware of his (or her!) presence.
Does this practice actually help, or could it cause unnecessary confusion?
I don't necessarily carry out the overtake though unless I'm sure it's safe for me to do so...but in any event I always acknowledge the thought.
One thing I have started doing recently is if I'm on the right-hand lane on a motorway or dual-carriageway and I see a bike coming up behind and splitting lanes between fast-moving cars, I will pull slightly further to the right and indicate right so the biker knows I have seen him and he's clear to undertake. I'm not saying that I approve of this type of undertaking at speed, but if a biker's going to do it anyway I might as well make it safer for him by acknowledging his presence and making room.
280E said:
Cheers, Chaps.
Particularly when I'm following someone else, I'd like to reassure a biker behind that I'm not going to pull out to overtake just when he gives it a handful. Maybe a quick LH indicator flash is better (or maybe not!)?
As long as the move to the left is clear and deliberate so that it can be interpreted as such. If I see a driver do that, I'm past in a flash with a thank you and on my way. Doesn't mean you have to put the car in the ditch, but a small, clear shift left tells me you see me and you're happy for e to pass. Rude not to oblige.Particularly when I'm following someone else, I'd like to reassure a biker behind that I'm not going to pull out to overtake just when he gives it a handful. Maybe a quick LH indicator flash is better (or maybe not!)?
The world could use a little more courtesy and consideration...
Alex@POD said:
In heavy traffic, it helps. Otherwise, the intention is good but (and I speak for myself here), I'd prefer if you kept your line. Not so much confusing but unpredictable (maybe I don't want to pass right then, and you'll move back when I do), and you can also throw up a lot of the crap at the side of the road. Not often an issue as I'd be hanging behind and to the right of you, but it can cause problems.
In short, heavy traffic, yes please, otherwise you do your thing and I'll do mine.
This is the right answer. In short, heavy traffic, yes please, otherwise you do your thing and I'll do mine.
If you move left you flick up all crap at the side of the road and risk getting a puncture as well as showering the bike and rider in all the dust / stones / s
te etc. Please don't slow down as well, it's quite frustrating when you knock some speed off, just as we were gauging the approach for a smooth effortless and consistent speed overtake.
LoonR1 said:
Alex@POD said:
In heavy traffic, it helps. Otherwise, the intention is good but (and I speak for myself here), I'd prefer if you kept your line. Not so much confusing but unpredictable (maybe I don't want to pass right then, and you'll move back when I do), and you can also throw up a lot of the crap at the side of the road. Not often an issue as I'd be hanging behind and to the right of you, but it can cause problems.
In short, heavy traffic, yes please, otherwise you do your thing and I'll do mine.
This is the right answer. In short, heavy traffic, yes please, otherwise you do your thing and I'll do mine.
If you move left you flick up all crap at the side of the road and risk getting a puncture as well as showering the bike and rider in all the dust / stones / s
te etc. Please don't slow down as well, it's quite frustrating when you knock some speed off, just as we were gauging the approach for a smooth effortless and consistent speed overtake.
Best place to position yourself (IMHO) is near the road centre line in the drivers side mirror. Allows you to make a swift pass when possible and you can see well up the road so you're not following the car in fronts brake lights. Plus you're visible to the driver in 2 of his 3 mirrors
So if the car shifts left you're well away from the potential crap being thrown up anyway.
Steve Bass said:
I don't get this??
Best place to position yourself (IMHO) is near the road centre line in the drivers side mirror. Allows you to make a swift pass when possible and you can see well up the road so you're not following the car in fronts brake lights. Plus you're visible to the driver in 2 of his 3 mirrors
So if the car shifts left you're well away from the potential crap being thrown up anyway.
Cars spray crap up all over the road behind them. It is not a linear distribution. I sit 2/3rds of the way across the lane and never sit there staring at their brake lights. In fact I didn't ever suggest I was, I suggested they slow down, which may well be lifting off the throttle or braking. However, I like to pace my approach based on oncoming traffic as much as possible so that I can approach at a steady speed and maintain / increase that as I approach to complete a smooth overtake. I don't want to have the car suddenly slowing, as that forces me to slow unnecessarily. Over here, there seems to be a trend of drivers seeing a bike in their mirrors and panicking, either leaping out of the way, or slamming their brakes on. I started a thread on this a few years back. Best place to position yourself (IMHO) is near the road centre line in the drivers side mirror. Allows you to make a swift pass when possible and you can see well up the road so you're not following the car in fronts brake lights. Plus you're visible to the driver in 2 of his 3 mirrors
So if the car shifts left you're well away from the potential crap being thrown up anyway.
The crap at the side of the road over here is ridiculous. Many, many roads have now been top dressed and the gutters are full of gravel, which loves to be flung up across the road behind the car that's flicking it up and bounce randomly along. I spent a lot of yesterday out with a couple of riders (one off here) and quite often had to drop back as they were flicking stones up and was getting sick of hearing them pinging off my helmet / front fairing.
Steve Bass said:
LoonR1 said:
Alex@POD said:
In heavy traffic, it helps. Otherwise, the intention is good but (and I speak for myself here), I'd prefer if you kept your line. Not so much confusing but unpredictable (maybe I don't want to pass right then, and you'll move back when I do), and you can also throw up a lot of the crap at the side of the road. Not often an issue as I'd be hanging behind and to the right of you, but it can cause problems.
In short, heavy traffic, yes please, otherwise you do your thing and I'll do mine.
This is the right answer. In short, heavy traffic, yes please, otherwise you do your thing and I'll do mine.
If you move left you flick up all crap at the side of the road and risk getting a puncture as well as showering the bike and rider in all the dust / stones / s
te etc. Please don't slow down as well, it's quite frustrating when you knock some speed off, just as we were gauging the approach for a smooth effortless and consistent speed overtake.
Best place to position yourself (IMHO) is near the road centre line in the drivers side mirror. Allows you to make a swift pass when possible and you can see well up the road so you're not following the car in fronts brake lights. Plus you're visible to the driver in 2 of his 3 mirrors
So if the car shifts left you're well away from the potential crap being thrown up anyway.
R8VXF said:
I always try to move to the outside and indicate to the same side to let the biker know I have seen them and am anticipating their overtake. 65% of bikers show appreciation. The rest I don't knock off their bikes for being arrogant aholes because I am nice.
You are nice holes because I am nice.
It's always nice to get noticed in a way that doesn't appear to be a
with a car/van/etc trying to aim for you, so thanks OP & others.Here's a thought, don't move over, I am appreciative for your efforts but has been explained I don't want my fairings to look like I've taken a machine gun to them. Stay exactly where you are in the lane, if you are behind a car, ease off slightly increasing the gap so I can nip in and out, that's all I need.
I see cars nearly mount the verge, but leave a space that I cant get my bike in, if a bike wants past, it will be in seconds, many don't even notice till you've passed. The only time we get stuck is when there is a snake of cars, bumper to bumper, you need on bd long straight to overtake half a dozen cars.
Lets not forget the favourite, your sat behind someone for a little while, after about 5 miles they look in their rear view mirror and see a bike, fk, swerve abruptly on the road and panic, yes that's what to do. I've yet to understand this reaction.
I see cars nearly mount the verge, but leave a space that I cant get my bike in, if a bike wants past, it will be in seconds, many don't even notice till you've passed. The only time we get stuck is when there is a snake of cars, bumper to bumper, you need on b
d long straight to overtake half a dozen cars. Lets not forget the favourite, your sat behind someone for a little while, after about 5 miles they look in their rear view mirror and see a bike, f
k, swerve abruptly on the road and panic, yes that's what to do. I've yet to understand this reaction. I'd just rather make my own call on when I'm going to pass. Just because a car has pulled over it doesn't mean I have deemed it safe to overtake. Sometimes the car in front hasn't thought about or seen what's ahead or approaching on the opposite carriageway and sometimes I don't want to put myself between them and the approaching lorry or go head on with another bike coming over the blind brow at 80mph etc .
280E said:
Usually when driving, I'll try (when safe) to make more room for a biker wanting to pass, by moving left a little.
I've no problem with bikers 'making progress', and I feel it also lets the biker know I'm aware of his (or her!) presence.
Does this practice actually help, or could it cause unnecessary confusion?
Your heart is in the right place, and it shows you're on the lookout for bikers, which is great.I've no problem with bikers 'making progress', and I feel it also lets the biker know I'm aware of his (or her!) presence.
Does this practice actually help, or could it cause unnecessary confusion?
In practice though, what difference is that extra foot of room going to make? Unless we're in slow moving traffic or a queue, I still wont overtake until it's safe to do so, i.e. there's nothing on the other side of the road, and I can clearly see the road ahead for the distance the overtake is going to need.
I won't be needing or using that extra foot of space you've created for me.
All you're really doing is making your own job a little harder by giving yourself no margin for error on your left side.
And then no doubt getting a little frustrated when I don't overtake, because I have better visibility than you and can see that it's not safe.
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