Hate for Bikers
Discussion
Has anyone else noticed this seems to be getting worse? I notice every single post on social media regarding some poor soul that's lost his life is met with the usual nonsense of 'bikers should slow down, stop filtering, etc. etc.' I know social media is an outlet where morons can say what they wouldn't in real life so it never really bothered me. However, I'm noticing it more on the roads than ever.
I ride a standard looking Z1000SX which is a fairly unoffensive bike. I press on when it's safe but always ride carefully through built up areas and don't take stupid risks. I'm a fair weather pleasure rider so have only been out maybe 10 times this year. The other day someone blocked me from filtering for absolutely no reason, then this morning riding through a village at the speed limit some random guy in a BMW gave me the knobhead sign. It really wound me up as I'd done nothing wrong what so ever but I didn't have the time nor the inclination to go back and ask what his issue was.
It's slightly worrying though as if people start deciding they're at war with bikers it's going to make the roads even more dangerous than they already are. Maybe I've just been unlucky of late but there seems to be a feeling 'in the air' of hate!
I ride a standard looking Z1000SX which is a fairly unoffensive bike. I press on when it's safe but always ride carefully through built up areas and don't take stupid risks. I'm a fair weather pleasure rider so have only been out maybe 10 times this year. The other day someone blocked me from filtering for absolutely no reason, then this morning riding through a village at the speed limit some random guy in a BMW gave me the knobhead sign. It really wound me up as I'd done nothing wrong what so ever but I didn't have the time nor the inclination to go back and ask what his issue was.
It's slightly worrying though as if people start deciding they're at war with bikers it's going to make the roads even more dangerous than they already are. Maybe I've just been unlucky of late but there seems to be a feeling 'in the air' of hate!
It seems like some areas maybe worse than others. I'm in the north west of England and don't see anything like this, but I don't commute daily either (once a week, missing the rush hours)
A lot of people (especially in the commuting thread!) refer to what you're mentioning but I haven't had anything like it really. Maybe I'm just lucky.
I stay off social media completely though; is it possible there might be a bit of confirmation bias too?
A lot of people (especially in the commuting thread!) refer to what you're mentioning but I haven't had anything like it really. Maybe I'm just lucky.
I stay off social media completely though; is it possible there might be a bit of confirmation bias too?
It's the time of year when all the knobheads are out causing problems and riding badly, along with the ongoing electric motorcycle issues and they are giving us all a bad name.
It's misplaced, but little different to some bikers hatred of all 'cagers' being 'out to kill them' or the ongoing hatred of anyone cycling.
Few bad actors and media portraying problems let's people pigeonhole everything into us and them. Even happens in the car world, look at any crash or example of bad driving and it's 'typical audi, BMW, SUV, EV, taxi, Lorry' and so on.
It's misplaced, but little different to some bikers hatred of all 'cagers' being 'out to kill them' or the ongoing hatred of anyone cycling.
Few bad actors and media portraying problems let's people pigeonhole everything into us and them. Even happens in the car world, look at any crash or example of bad driving and it's 'typical audi, BMW, SUV, EV, taxi, Lorry' and so on.
Altitude said:
It's the time of year when all the knobheads are out causing problems and riding badly, along with the ongoing electric motorcycle issues and they are giving us all a bad name.
It's misplaced, but little different to some bikers hatred of all 'cagers' being 'out to kill them' or the ongoing hatred of anyone cycling.
Few bad actors and media portraying problems let's people pigeonhole everything into us and them. Even happens in the car world, look at any crash or example of bad driving and it's 'typical audi, BMW, SUV, EV, taxi, Lorry' and so on.
True. It's misplaced, but little different to some bikers hatred of all 'cagers' being 'out to kill them' or the ongoing hatred of anyone cycling.
Few bad actors and media portraying problems let's people pigeonhole everything into us and them. Even happens in the car world, look at any crash or example of bad driving and it's 'typical audi, BMW, SUV, EV, taxi, Lorry' and so on.
I have a bike.
I also hate the w
ker with the Elmo fluffy helmet cover who drives up the road at about 10.30pm every night with the loudest exhaust ever, revving it away from a roundabout to the max - it's a 30mph limit, and wakes my kids up maybe 50% of the time. Equally I saw a Surron riding cock riding at about 30mph up the footway yesterday, before swinging in to the lane, then in to the no man's land hatching, and overtaking queues of traffic at full speed, no helmet, just a hoody. Yes it's not a motorbike, but you can imagine that the majority of people would think "bloody bikers", having seen that.
One w
ker can, and does, spoil it for the rest of us. I can't say I've noticed anything getting any worse. There have always been drivers who feel it's their job to enforce their own view of "the rules of the road" and put other road users in their place. For bikers, that is often in the form of making filtering difficult or even dangerous.
However, there are still the minority of bikers who feel riding without consideration through inappropriate speed, doing wheelies and other stunts, riding beyond their ability and riding with noisy exhausts that allow other road users to group all bikers together and identify what a problem we are.
However, there are still the minority of bikers who feel riding without consideration through inappropriate speed, doing wheelies and other stunts, riding beyond their ability and riding with noisy exhausts that allow other road users to group all bikers together and identify what a problem we are.
Its spring, all of the gleaming sports bikes have been wheeled out and are now at full chat through the backroads and villages. roads are closed off due to somebody over egging it into a dry wall and bikers are generally arsing around and winding those up who cant progress as fast.
Its the same every year. you get prats in cars, you get prats on bikes. There's nothing you can do about it, just enjoy your ride and expect that you will encounter at least 1 or 2 disgruntled drivers on your travels
Its the same every year. you get prats in cars, you get prats on bikes. There's nothing you can do about it, just enjoy your ride and expect that you will encounter at least 1 or 2 disgruntled drivers on your travels
I find most car drivers are very helpful for me to filter, which I do SLOWLY.
I love my bike and do over 10k mile per year.
I also hate a lot of bikers. Ride like tw*ts, as if they own the road. Annoy 1000s people at once with overly loud exhausts.
I never call myself a biker - I just like riding a motorcycle.
I love my bike and do over 10k mile per year.
I also hate a lot of bikers. Ride like tw*ts, as if they own the road. Annoy 1000s people at once with overly loud exhausts.
I never call myself a biker - I just like riding a motorcycle.
It's the old story of a few individuals on either side of this spoiling perceptions for the decent majority.
Personally no issue with folks filtering if done at a reasonable differential speed. Even move to make extra room for them if space is limited.
Where I do have a problem is the very few idiots who aren't filtering but blatting past a line of traffic, totally on the wrong side of the road forcing oncomers right up against the kerb to make room and avoid a head on. Not acceptable. Throbbers.
Personally no issue with folks filtering if done at a reasonable differential speed. Even move to make extra room for them if space is limited.
Where I do have a problem is the very few idiots who aren't filtering but blatting past a line of traffic, totally on the wrong side of the road forcing oncomers right up against the kerb to make room and avoid a head on. Not acceptable. Throbbers.
I can't see that it's any different from other years.
Like others have said, you get a lot of idiots on bikes and you also get a lot of idiots in other vehicles.
I do about 10k per year and maybe another 1k commuting and it's not THAT often people really cause issues.
It goes back to that other thread. Fair weather riders (I'm calling them that because that is a literal description) are just coming out again and quite clearly there are a lot who are going absolutely nuts and twinned with skill fade that doesn't tend to end well and nor does it help with image problems.
I'll even say that in general drivers seem to be getting BETTER at allowing us to filter - with a few exceptions.....
I've not put an aftermarket exhaust on one of my bikes largely due to feeling incredibly embarassed at how much noise it makes in small highstreets etc even with a standard E5 and not wanting to be hated.
Like others have said, you get a lot of idiots on bikes and you also get a lot of idiots in other vehicles.
I do about 10k per year and maybe another 1k commuting and it's not THAT often people really cause issues.
It goes back to that other thread. Fair weather riders (I'm calling them that because that is a literal description) are just coming out again and quite clearly there are a lot who are going absolutely nuts and twinned with skill fade that doesn't tend to end well and nor does it help with image problems.
I'll even say that in general drivers seem to be getting BETTER at allowing us to filter - with a few exceptions.....
I've not put an aftermarket exhaust on one of my bikes largely due to feeling incredibly embarassed at how much noise it makes in small highstreets etc even with a standard E5 and not wanting to be hated.
Edited by Biker9090 on Thursday 10th April 14:15
I've yet to get out on mine this year due to holidays and a few other things, but I usually wait a few weeks to let this noise calm down a bit, there's a portion of bikers that will be causing these problems, always have, always will. And there's a portion of drivers that get their knickers in a twist when bikes suddenly appear after winter.
But like the OP I press on when it is safe to do so, away from towns/villages and abide by the limits within these areas, I've learnt it's best to be as compliant as possible as plod will pull you for anything, so the small plates have gone now, but I'll still have a can (not full system) to let out some more noise, but not offensively so. I don't wear silly gear that says idiot so I'd like to think I generally get ignored by them.
Living in the North certainly helps and sitting equidistant from Wales and the Peak district is beneficial to having some fun away from the masses.
But like the OP I press on when it is safe to do so, away from towns/villages and abide by the limits within these areas, I've learnt it's best to be as compliant as possible as plod will pull you for anything, so the small plates have gone now, but I'll still have a can (not full system) to let out some more noise, but not offensively so. I don't wear silly gear that says idiot so I'd like to think I generally get ignored by them.
Living in the North certainly helps and sitting equidistant from Wales and the Peak district is beneficial to having some fun away from the masses.
I'm a daily rider and I actually find it better when I'm trying to filter at the moment.
Drivers are always on their phones/shouting at kids/eating etc.. that does seem to be on the rise, as well as them running red lights - nothing is going to change any of that.
The only real negative with drivers I'm seeing is the usual knob jockey that used to have his middle management st German Whip with more blanks than buttons is now driving EV cars, which are slightly quicker on the uptake.
I had a few of those speed up when I'm overtaking, and a few tearing away from the lights when I've filtered beside them.
That never used to be a problem, but now I'm more aware of it.
The bigger issue I have are all the local moronic bike "clubs" that have now started back up... groups of idiot riders, all wearing the same "merch" and just generally being obnoxious, shouting Bro! and Family! all the time... revving their wee gixxxxer and 'bussssa "beasts" so we can all bow down to how awesome they are... Then the lights go green and they wobble off to the next high school/coffee shop/McDonalds to do it all over again for the 100 miles a year they manage.
aaaaaaand breath....
Drivers are always on their phones/shouting at kids/eating etc.. that does seem to be on the rise, as well as them running red lights - nothing is going to change any of that.
The only real negative with drivers I'm seeing is the usual knob jockey that used to have his middle management s
t German Whip with more blanks than buttons is now driving EV cars, which are slightly quicker on the uptake.I had a few of those speed up when I'm overtaking, and a few tearing away from the lights when I've filtered beside them.
That never used to be a problem, but now I'm more aware of it.
The bigger issue I have are all the local moronic bike "clubs" that have now started back up... groups of idiot riders, all wearing the same "merch" and just generally being obnoxious, shouting Bro! and Family! all the time... revving their wee gixxxxer and 'bussssa "beasts" so we can all bow down to how awesome they are... Then the lights go green and they wobble off to the next high school/coffee shop/McDonalds to do it all over again for the 100 miles a year they manage.
aaaaaaand breath....
I, like most drivers have plenty of time for bikers, but as you get older you do notice certain types, the racers with loud exhausts screaming through residential areas, sorry but you get no time or space, the kids with huge loud pipes, you get no time.
But everyone else, fine, you judge us as we judge you.
But everyone else, fine, you judge us as we judge you.
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