Using all the road?

[Keepitstupid]

What is the general consensus of “using all the road” when cornering, obviously when it is safe to do so, nothing on the opposite side, no double white lines and you can clearly see the road ahead..? It’s not something I do, but see a lot of people that do so when they’re pushing on

[airsafari87]

This bait smells stinky.

[Keepitstupid]

airsafari87 said:

This bait smells stinky.

Huh? It’s open to genuine discussion?

I don’t do it purely based on the fact it’s not a habit I particularly want to get in to… was just curious to know people’s views on it.

[BlackG7R]

As long as you've got the vision why on earth not ?

You can straighten out the bend and reduce the lean angle required, therefore safer.

[Pupp]

Sure… if there’s no solid whites being crossed, no junctions, and visibility is good (this opens up with positioning of course).

If it goes wrong, expect to be hung out to dry but just refer the beak to ‘Roadcraft’

[dave123456]

I often drive to work at 5am (in a car) and my take is if you can clearly see all of the road why wouldn’t you? You can hold better speed on a single carriage way where staying on your own side the whole time would both slow you down and increase tyre wear.

[Bob_Defly]

I don't see the point. People ride for miles to seek out the best curvy roads, and then straighten all the bends.

Why not stay in your lane and corner better / lean more, surely that's the whole point of riding no?

[BlackG7R]

I did Bikesafe with the Met Police a couple years back, and that was actually one of his observations, on one particular open stretch, that I could have used more of the road.

[Moulder]

Of course, usually with some IOM TT style commentary about apex's thrown in.

On the more underpowered stuff it is about momentum, so doing this helps.

[Donbot]

Don't see why not. Though if someone else sees you doing it they will think you are using the road as a racetrack.

[soad]

Done it in a car, many a times. Typically B-roads.

Don’t mind faster (turbocharged) cars overtaking me either, when pushing on.

[littleredrooster]

Offsiding. My advanced tutor taught me this 40+ years ago and I've used it extensively since - when appropriate - on both two wheels and four. Always to improve visibility on the way into corners, though - never on the way out.

[Pica-Pica]

I do it in a car. As said, be aware of what is around you, especially who may be a behind you.
A cautionary tale to motorcyclists: I approached a roundabout at 6 o clock in the right hand lane to exit at 3 o clock, a motorcyclist took the left hand lane and proceeded to take the same exit. He forgot that most cars can out-brake and out-corner most motorcycles, so he ended up a few metres from my bonnet as he cut across and cornered.

[Austin Prefect]

There's a potential snag if someone coming the other way thinks you are out of control and goes on their other side of the road to avoid you. But grabbing a bit of the offside to preserve a view is fine.

[Mr Tidy]

Austin Prefect said:

But grabbing a bit of the offside to preserve a view is fine.

I've always done that too. Better visibility is always safer.

[P675]

Prefer to work with the assumption there's something on the other side of the road. Following people cutting the corners, it just seems lazy.

[Super Sonic]

So you are talking specifically about crossing the centreline I assume.
Are you talking about on a rh bend to straighten the turn, or on a lh bend to maximise visibility? Because these are two completely different things.

[Drawweight]

I’ve nothing against using the whole road if it’s clear.

And I mean 100% clear, low walls and hedges can be hiding low slung vehicles.

[gareth h]

If there are no hazards go for it, improved sight lines, straighter roads etc etc.

[mrtomsv]

I did my IAM course a few years back. Offsiding was discussed on day one and we were told that our IAM group preferred not to offside, thought using every inch of the onside side lane to maximise visibility and make progress was expected.
Come my test, the examiner, who has nothing to do with the group, but is a police class 1 examiner, had expected me to offside, but that wasn’t what I was expecting to do. Therefore whilst being very complimentary of my test performance, he said he can’t award me a ‘First’ because he hadn’t witnessed the full package of riding which would’ve included offsiding.
Annoying as before I did my IAM course, I used to offside.

In summary, when done correctly and safely for the right reason of maximising visibility, if it’s what a Class 1 police rider would expect, then that’s what I’ll do!