Is that how it's going to be now?
Is that how it's going to be now?
Author
Discussion

thebluebus

Original Poster:

3,558 posts

241 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
Morning commute down the dual carriageway this morning, seven o'clock so still dark.

I'm overtaking an artic, but also in a line of traffic in the outside lane. I spot in the rear view mirror a bike making decent progress up behind me. Lane in front of the truck I'm overtaking is clear, so as I get ahead of him my intention is to move in and let bike man safely past.

But in the back of my mind, I'm thinking "I bet he dives in up my inside as soon as there's a wafer-thin gap between me and this truck". So once I'm abreast of the artic I signal that I'll be moving in. But just as I guessed, before there's room for me to move over without being rudely close to the truck, the bike whips through and undertakes me - so I had to abort my move until he's past.

No biggie, you might think. He did just what I expected him to do, just when I expected him to do it. But if I hadn't been looking as closely as I was, or predicted what I did, I would've had the bugger off.
Have we really got to the point where you need to automatically assume someone is going to drive like a fool?

At least give me the chance to get out of your way before you pull a Streethawk.

You knobber.


sorry if this should be in GG or SP&L, wasn't sure where to put it

AlexKP

16,484 posts

268 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
thebluebus said:
...before you pull a Streethawk.
I think he's available. And will probably be grateful.

thebluebus

Original Poster:

3,558 posts

241 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Gah! Dirty.

blindswelledrat

25,257 posts

256 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
That's quite odd and stupid.
For 2 years I commuted into London on a bike and basically filtered for 30 miles. I was acutely aware of the exact scenario you describe and would never undertake someone who was indicating. I reckon that is about the most dangerous thing you can do while filtering, particularly as you spend half your time in drivers blind spots.


AlexKP

16,484 posts

268 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
If you change your name to "The BigBus" - in honour of the 1980's movie with a nuclear powered bus in it - you'll be on a dead cert.

308mate

13,758 posts

246 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
Temporary citizen.

A good biker would have gone through whilst your were alongside the truck, safe the knowledge you werent about to change lanes into the side of a truck, OR: seen that you had seen him and given you the opportunity to move across, before deciding to undertake if you werent going to shift.

He was lucky to have you thinking for him.

RDE

5,032 posts

238 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
If you were 98% of the driving population you would have just creamed a biker - be thankful that your brain isn't simply there to make your head heavy. I've only been driving 6 years and i've always treated everyone else as if they are blind and stupid, I don't think it's a new thing. When you get someone who seems to take pride in what they're doing it is a pleasant surprise.

fullbeem

2,044 posts

225 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
Im far to young to remember StreetHawk




big_treacle

1,727 posts

284 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I used to love that film! "Watch it, he's got a broken candle!", "Careful, he has a broken milk carton". Quality bit of 70's nonsense.


AlexKP

16,484 posts

268 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
fullbeem said:
Im far to young to remember StreetHawk

My! His mother looks sexy on the back of that....

hehe

PhilLL

1,123 posts

224 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
308mate said:
Temporary citizen.

A good biker would have gone through whilst your were alongside the truck, safe the knowledge you werent about to change lanes into the side of a truck, OR: seen that you had seen him and given you the opportunity to move across, before deciding to undertake if you werent going to shift.

He was lucky to have you thinking for him.
Surely a good biker wouldn't be undertaking anyway?

RDE

5,032 posts

238 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
Well that opens the can of worms that is "surely a good driver wouldn't cause someone to consider undertaking".

thebluebus

Original Poster:

3,558 posts

241 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
RDE said:
Well that opens the can of worms that is "surely a good driver wouldn't cause someone to consider undertaking".
You're right - and that's exactly what I was trying to do for the biker.
But he went through a gap that was so small that I would've considered myself "carving up" the truck if I'd pulled in then.

308mate

13,758 posts

246 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
PhilLL said:
308mate said:
Temporary citizen.

A good biker would have gone through whilst your were alongside the truck, safe the knowledge you werent about to change lanes into the side of a truck, OR: seen that you had seen him and given you the opportunity to move across, before deciding to undertake if you werent going to shift.

He was lucky to have you thinking for him.
Surely a good biker wouldn't be undertaking anyway?
No, that would be a letter-of-the-law-abiding biker. There is a difference.

Good ones stay alive longer, get there quicker and have more fun.

David87M3

1,464 posts

258 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
RDE said:
Well that opens the can of worms that is "surely a good driver wouldn't cause someone to consider undertaking".
he was being a good driver. he was overtaking and leaving a SAFE gap before he moved back infront of the truck he was overtaking..........
biker was a tt...

RDE

5,032 posts

238 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
thebluebus said:
RDE said:
Well that opens the can of worms that is "surely a good driver wouldn't cause someone to consider undertaking".
You're right - and that's exactly what I was trying to do for the biker.
But he went through a gap that was so small that I would've considered myself "carving up" the truck if I'd pulled in then.
Rest assured, I wasn't tarring you with that brush! I was referring to other hypothetical situations where people clearly aren't thinking enough about what they're doing. Your post diplayed quite the opposite mentality.

Edited by RDE on Wednesday 5th December 11:52

S7Paul

2,103 posts

258 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
PhilLL said:
308mate said:
Temporary citizen.

A good biker would have gone through whilst your were alongside the truck, safe the knowledge you werent about to change lanes into the side of a truck, OR: seen that you had seen him and given you the opportunity to move across, before deciding to undertake if you werent going to shift.

He was lucky to have you thinking for him.
Surely a good biker wouldn't be undertaking anyway?
I tend to agree. Having done over 130,000 miles on all sorts of bikes up to 1200cc, I have no problem filtering between rows of stationary or slow moving vehicles, but would never undertake or filter at the speeds I see many bikers doing. It just isn't worth the risk, and the consequences of being sandwiched between a car and a truck, or knocked-off in front of a truck (as could have happened in this case) just don't bear thinking about. A set of leathers does not make you indestructible.

308mate

13,758 posts

246 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
S7Paul said:
A set of leathers does not make you indestructible.
True. I feel naked without my back protector. Can do ANYTHING wearing a back protector....

Edited by 308mate on Wednesday 5th December 11:54

tfm

16,694 posts

224 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
From a bikers point of view it's difficult to comment not really knowing the circumstances, such as speed and volume of traffic.
If you were going passed the lorry at 60 mph and he came up the inside then the grim reaper will have him marked!
If the traffic was moving slowly <30mph then it's possible he got himself into a slightly tricky situation where the congestion suddenly just ends and everyone speeds up, while he's left trying to filter his way out of it. If I were in the situation you describe I would just open the taps and accelerate away.

As I said, difficult to comment without more input. But bear in mind filtering is perfectly legal in heavy slow moving traffic and it's your responsibility to look out for filtering bikes if changing lanes.
Well done for noticing him in the dark and predicting his move though.

The Black Flash

13,735 posts

222 months

Wednesday 5th December 2007
quotequote all
thebluebus said:
Have we really got to the point where you need to automatically assume someone is going to drive like a fool?
It's the safest way, IMHO. They're all idiots. All of them.