What to do when someone pulls out in front of you?
Discussion
Picked my bike up from Westgate Road yesterday, after being bikeless for 6 days :yikes: while a fairing was replaced because of damage (not my fault!). As I came home, I er.....got a bit lost, trying to be clever and take a shortcut to avoid traffic.
I'm going down a straight residential road, 30mph, and a large Merc estate pulls out in front of my from a side road about 10m in front of me. What would you have done?
I braked with my left hand and gave the woman driver 2 fingers with my right hand :hehe::D. She looked a bit shocked and when I looked in my mirrors behind me she had just stopped in the middle of the road :rofl:
I'm going down a straight residential road, 30mph, and a large Merc estate pulls out in front of my from a side road about 10m in front of me. What would you have done?
I braked with my left hand and gave the woman driver 2 fingers with my right hand :hehe::D. She looked a bit shocked and when I looked in my mirrors behind me she had just stopped in the middle of the road :rofl:
braked with your left hand? surely you would be pulling th clutch in?
sorry just seen your on a scooter, this pulling out in front of people is a very serious issue, i wrote off an R1 due to someone doing a similar thing, i would have stopped and beeped and shouted YOU F
G STUPID CT look where your going or something to that effect. >> Edited by YamR1,V64motion on Saturday 15th October 18:42
>> Edited by YamR1,V64motion on Saturday 15th October 20:55
Story is a bit odd, IMO. She pulled out in front of you, but you decided not to do an e-stop, but instead slow down with the back brake while continuing past and giving her the finger(s)? Is that an accurate representation?
She partially pulled out, stopped and you rode past? Doesn't sound like the drama-filled encounter you are making it out to be.
She partially pulled out, stopped and you rode past? Doesn't sound like the drama-filled encounter you are making it out to be.
MrsMiggins said:
Story is a bit odd, IMO. She pulled out in front of you, but you decided not to do an e-stop, but instead slow down with the back brake while continuing past and giving her the finger(s)? Is that an accurate representation?
She partially pulled out, stopped and you rode past? Doesn't sound like the drama-filled encounter you are making it out to be.
On my bike/scooter, whatever you want to call it, normal mountain bike brakes, its an auto twist and go.
Ok, I'd hardly call it drama filled. I've done one emergency stop before when someone did this to me a couple of weeks ago, but today it wasnt that bad. I didn't need to stop, but it just pisses me off when car drivers do this. Its not as if I'm going hell for leather, its restricted to 30mph!
Well first off, 30mph could be classed as "hell-for-leather" depending on the road type, conditions etc. (I'm not saying your speed was excessive, I'm just making an observation)
Secondly, what do I do when someone does what she did? I deal with it as it happens, get over it and continue on my way. No point getting upset with the driver - they made a mistake and hopefully will learn from it and be more attentive in future. In her case she appears to have corrected it in time to prevent an accident and all you did with your gesture was give her a lower opinion of bikers than she had before.
If you ride a bike you must know that this type of thing will happen and should ride accordingly. Do you think there was anything you could have done to allow her to see you earlier and not pull out at all?
Secondly, what do I do when someone does what she did? I deal with it as it happens, get over it and continue on my way. No point getting upset with the driver - they made a mistake and hopefully will learn from it and be more attentive in future. In her case she appears to have corrected it in time to prevent an accident and all you did with your gesture was give her a lower opinion of bikers than she had before.
If you ride a bike you must know that this type of thing will happen and should ride accordingly. Do you think there was anything you could have done to allow her to see you earlier and not pull out at all?
m1spw said:
Story is a bit odd, IMO. She pulled out in front of you, but you decided not to do an e-stop, but instead slow down with the back brake while continuing past and giving her the finger(s)? Is that an accurate representation?
She partially pulled out, stopped and you rode past? Doesn't sound like the drama-filled encounter you are making it out to be.
On my bike/scooter, whatever you want to call it, normal mountain bike brakes, its an auto twist and go.
Ok, I'd hardly call it drama filled. I've done one emergency stop before when someone did this to me a couple of weeks ago, but today it wasnt that bad. I didn't need to stop, but it just pisses me off when car drivers do this. Its not as if I'm going hell for leather, its restricted to 30mph!
I think what Mrs Miggins is saying is that you reacted quite aggressively (and posted quite indignantly) about an incident that didn't even warrant use of the front brake.
Quite what was the problem?
True, however a good rider will be well positioned so that he/she can see the car before the driver sees them.
Not pointing the finger at M1 SPW here but I find scooter riders, on the whole, awful riders. I put it down to no formal training other than a CBT.
I regularly commute to work in C London and find scooter riders more annoying and dangerous through ignorance than car drivers.
>> Edited by carrera2 on Saturday 15th October 19:28
Not pointing the finger at M1 SPW here but I find scooter riders, on the whole, awful riders. I put it down to no formal training other than a CBT.
I regularly commute to work in C London and find scooter riders more annoying and dangerous through ignorance than car drivers.
>> Edited by carrera2 on Saturday 15th October 19:28
I've noticed of late that car drivers are generally more sloppy when stopping at traffic lights than they used to be when I were a lass. Loads of cars stopping half a car's length short of the white line and the same number advancing across it. General road positioning for junctions ain't what it was either.
Now, it's either me noticing more or driving is getting worse. I fear it's the latter.
Now, it's either me noticing more or driving is getting worse. I fear it's the latter.
MrsMiggins said:
Well first off, 30mph could be classed as "hell-for-leather" depending on the road type, conditions etc. (I'm not saying your speed was excessive, I'm just making an observation)
Secondly, what do I do when someone does what she did? I deal with it as it happens, get over it and continue on my way. No point getting upset with the driver - they made a mistake and hopefully will learn from it and be more attentive in future. In her case she appears to have corrected it in time to prevent an accident and all you did with your gesture was give her a lower opinion of bikers than she had before.
If you ride a bike you must know that this type of thing will happen and should ride accordingly. Do you think there was anything you could have done to allow her to see you earlier and not pull out at all?
I don't think I could have done anything to let her see me earlier, I was riding just left of the centre line because of a line of parked cars which ended about 15m before the junction, I had my dipped beams on (come on whenever I start the bike), and I was wearing red and black bike kit and helmet.
Thing is, she didn't even stop at the junction, she just came straight out. Ok maybe I shouldn't have given her 2 fingers, but it pisses me off that car drivers don't seem to realise how vulnerable bikers are.
carrera2 said:
Not pointing the finger at M1 SPW here but I find scooter riders, on the whole, awful riders. I put it down to no formal training other than a CBT.
I know what you mean about scooter riders, I accept that I'm not a good rider compared to most. I put that down to lack of experience and extra training, which I will do nex year when I get a bigger bike. Therefore I ride cautiously, and I find that I notice things that car drivers don't sometimes like cars coming off side roads. And I don't act like a dick on the road (well, most of the time
)TBH, if this scenario happened to me I wouldn't have gone around her. I'm assuming that it was her intention to turn right out of the side street, hence you being able to go around the back. I'm also assuming that there were no other vehicles on the road you were on to be considered.
In this situation I'd have stopped a safe distance from her and not ridden around. Once stationary I'd have waited for her to decide to either continue the turn or reverse out of the way. The good thing about this is that
1. She sees that she has made a mistake because you are on the major road but have had to stop to prevent the accident. Your actions point out to her the error of her ways without her feeling threatened. (so, no fingers
) 
2. You don't endanger yourself further. What if she had panicked and thrown it into reverse?
Stopping would only cost you 30 seconds or so, so there was no real benefit to riding around her anyway. Your aggresive gesture was also counter productive, for reasons I have already mentioned.
If you are planning to get a bigger bike I'd recommend that you take some lessons before you get it or as soon as you get it. Don't wait. You're a young guy and you admit that you lack experience. Some lessons with a good instructor could help you get the most out of the new bike without endangering yourself.
What do you fancy as your next machine anyway?
In this situation I'd have stopped a safe distance from her and not ridden around. Once stationary I'd have waited for her to decide to either continue the turn or reverse out of the way. The good thing about this is that
1. She sees that she has made a mistake because you are on the major road but have had to stop to prevent the accident. Your actions point out to her the error of her ways without her feeling threatened. (so, no fingers
) 2. You don't endanger yourself further. What if she had panicked and thrown it into reverse?
Stopping would only cost you 30 seconds or so, so there was no real benefit to riding around her anyway. Your aggresive gesture was also counter productive, for reasons I have already mentioned.
If you are planning to get a bigger bike I'd recommend that you take some lessons before you get it or as soon as you get it. Don't wait. You're a young guy and you admit that you lack experience. Some lessons with a good instructor could help you get the most out of the new bike without endangering yourself.
What do you fancy as your next machine anyway?
MrsMiggins said:
Stopping would only cost you 30 seconds or so, so there was no real benefit to riding around her anyway. Your aggresive gesture was also counter productive, for reasons I have already mentioned.
If you are planning to get a bigger bike I'd recommend that you take some lessons before you get it or as soon as you get it. Don't wait. You're a young guy and you admit that you lack experience. Some lessons with a good instructor could help you get the most out of the new bike without endangering yourself.
What do you fancy as your next machine anyway?
Ok, so maybe I shouldn't have given her 2 fingers but it annoys me that car drivers don't look properly.
I would actually like more lessons on how to ride properly, as I do feel under prepared having done just a CBT (which TBH is bugger all use). But I wouldn't like to turn up to an advanced riding center on my current bike.
No idea what I want next year. The problem is it had to be restriced to 33BHP, and the RS125 doesn't appeal to me. Insurance is also a big issue, especially if I want a car as well. I'll probably be looking at a 400cc bike, but I would love a ZX6R
So, you haven't actually passed your test yet?
I'm not sure that 'advanced' training is what you need right now. Perhaps a session or two with an instructor talking about positioning, anticipation etc, concentrating on the types of roads you are using every day. You could do that now and your daily riding will benefit. The more time you spend doing it right the easier it'll be to ride that big bike when you get it. Once you do move up get more lessons, pass your test and then think about advanced stuff.
The biggest difference I see between young guys and the older ones that take CBT is their ability to read the road. It's a skill that can be taught. Why not take the opportunity to expand those skills now?
I'm not sure that 'advanced' training is what you need right now. Perhaps a session or two with an instructor talking about positioning, anticipation etc, concentrating on the types of roads you are using every day. You could do that now and your daily riding will benefit. The more time you spend doing it right the easier it'll be to ride that big bike when you get it. Once you do move up get more lessons, pass your test and then think about advanced stuff.
The biggest difference I see between young guys and the older ones that take CBT is their ability to read the road. It's a skill that can be taught. Why not take the opportunity to expand those skills now?
if your going to get a 400 i would go with the RVF, i had 1 at 18,great fun and that V4 with a can on sounds lovely, thier probably the best handling and most reliable of the bunch too, if your going to go for a 600 i wouldnt bother with a shiny new one,you can get a 2000/2001 R6 for decent money now,it will be less headache if you put it down the road.
oh and for insurance give CIA a try they were the cheapest when i was 17 but that was 6 years ago,God im starting to feel old, before i blink im going to be 30 if time keeps on going this fast.
>> Edited by YamR1,V64motion on Saturday 15th October 21:01
MrsMiggins said:
So, you haven't actually passed your test yet?
I'm not sure that 'advanced' training is what you need right now. Perhaps a session or two with an instructor talking about positioning, anticipation etc, concentrating on the types of roads you are using every day. You could do that now and your daily riding will benefit. The more time you spend doing it right the easier it'll be to ride that big bike when you get it. Once you do move up get more lessons, pass your test and then think about advanced stuff.
The biggest difference I see between young guys and the older ones that take CBT is their ability to read the road. It's a skill that can be taught. Why not take the opportunity to expand those skills now?
I havn't passed my test yet because I can't take it yet - i'm only 16. Yeh, I'd like to take it, or even just improve me skills a bit but thats not really going to happen now because a) its going to cost money which would otherwise go towards my next bike and b) I have very little time now with school work, and I doubt I'll be riding much in the winter so it would be next spring time.
About the RVF, not sure if I like the front lights....
m1spw said:
Wait, I was looknig at one with a single square headlight (stupid google), I assume you mean this one?: 
If so, f**k yeah, I'd have one of them! How much?What insurance group?
yes thats the one, they hold thier money very well,but £2500-£3000 should get you a decent one, i used to have one and i have a friend that absolutly wont change his for anything hes owned it years, so if you need any advice on them let me know and ican ask him,insurance is i think 11 if i remember right, when i was 17 i payed £900 a year TPFT.
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