A Plea From A Car Driver

[Pugsey]

Hi guys - please this is not meant to be a car v. bike thread. Love 'em both! Always aware of bikes, pull to the left if I'm stuck behind traffic and usually get a quick nod of thanks so everything's cool. Understand about filtering and can see the sense in that. BUT. If you filter to the front at the lights PLEASE don't think you've then got a God given right to be first away. I quite like to enjoy the occassional blast from the lights and don't see why I should patiently wait for sleepy a biker to wake up and trundle off. Lost count of the number of times bikers have got in a right strop when they find themselves beaten to the drop and heading for the centre bollards opposite. That's your bad awareness that got you there not the car driver's (for once)! By all means dust me away from the lights - my ego's not that fragile but if I get the drop on you don't come over all narked. Cheers!

[R1_NUR]

Cool.

If I filter to the front I will leave roome for you to get away if I am slow putting it in first!

[hornetrider]

So you dust it off every single set of lights you ever come to do you? Or just when a biker has the bare faced audacity to pull up next to you?

And by posting this, you are addressing PH bikers. Thanks for the heads up, really, but I wonder what the odds are that it will be a PH biker who pulls up next to you...

[Fire99]

Pugsey said:

Hi guys - please this is not meant to be a car v. bike thread. Love 'em both! Always aware of bikes, pull to the left if I'm stuck behind traffic and usually get a quick nod of thanks so everything's cool. Understand about filtering and can see the sense in that. BUT. If you filter to the front at the lights PLEASE don't think you've then got a God given right to be first away. I quite like to enjoy the occassional blast from the lights and don't see why I should patiently wait for sleepy a biker to wake up and trundle off. Lost count of the number of times bikers have got in a right strop when they find themselves beaten to the drop and heading for the centre bollards opposite. That's your bad awareness that got you there not the car driver's (for once)! By all means dust me away from the lights - my ego's not that fragile but if I get the drop on you don't come over all narked. Cheers!

Yep see your point.. Dare i say, as a bike owner, not all bikers are sharp or considerate. (Excluding us Pistonhead boys n girls of course ) If i make my way to the front i dont keep the cars waiting for me!

[m3psm]

^^^ It's for that very reason that after I filter to the front I'll pull accross the car at the front. Otherwise it's very easy for the car to force a bike to the kerb or central reservation. That said, I ride in Central London where there's no point in the car racing ahead because he'll come to the next queue in 200 yards. I've also never been caught napping at the lights and am always away before the car has thought about moving
If I don't have enough room to get in front of the front car, rather that squeeze in at the side and leave myself vulnerable, I'll find a gap further back and overtake/filter at the next queue where it safer.
I do however see you point because I see the situation you describe every day when some cocky biker squeezes to the front and is left high and dry in the traffic flow because a) he missed the drop and b) the suddenly moving car shock him into veering without looking.
So, if like me you're going to filter to the very front, don't get caught napping

[Pugsey]

hornetrider said:

So you dust it off every single set of lights you ever come to do you? Or just when a biker has the bare faced audacity to pull up next to you?

And by posting this, you are addressing PH bikers. Thanks for the heads up, really, but I wonder what the odds are that it will be a PH biker who pulls up next to you...

Didn't think that I could make it any clearer that I OCCASSIONALLY blast off from the lights and that I have no problem at all being dusted by a bike - in fact I'll prob. have the window down to listen. Don't try to change the tone of my post mate. I guess from your reply my post doesn't apply to you so that's cool.

[m3psm]

hornetrider said:

So you dust it off every single set of lights you ever come to do you?

I for one definately do, car or bike. It's practice for the grid to keep my reaction times enhanced

[Chilli]

I can appreciate the OP and will bear it mind. Most of my riding is also done in central London....."So I'll do what I want" Sorry, but that's the mentality you have to display around here!!

A good point OP.

Cheers.

[Steve_T]

I understand the sentiment, but really you're just having a moan into the ether mate. It's about as constructive as me going on to all car driving forums, saying, "I like my cars" (which I do) and then adding, "but please don't be selfish and move over to let me filter, rather than moving out, so you can get a better view of the stationary traffic ahead." Some people are selfish, some aren't, but there's not much you can do. If you commute to London and there's some means to identify you, I'd happily move over so you can give it a squirt off the lights. The reality though, is that most of us will never cross paths with you and are even less likely to recognise you.

Steve.

[Pugsey]

Steve_T said:

I understand the sentiment, but really you're just having a moan into the ether mate. It's about as constructive as me going on to all car driving forums, saying, "I like my cars" (which I do) and then adding, "but please don't be selfish and move over to let me filter, rather than moving out, so you can get a better view of the stationary traffic ahead." Some people are selfish, some aren't, but there's not much you can do. If you commute to London and there's some means to identify you, I'd happily move over so you can give it a squirt off the lights. The reality though, is that most of us will never cross paths with you and are even less likely to recognise you.

Steve.

Yep you're prob. about right. Happened a few times in a row yesterday so wanted to get it off my chest. Bottom line is that most on here prob. ride/drive better than 'Mr Average' (if I knew where he lived I'd go round and shoot him) but I feel better for having had a moan! Returning to biking soon after many moons away so better make sure I don't nod off at the lights myself I guess!

[Pugsey]

Chilli said:

I can appreciate the OP and will bear it mind. Most of my riding is also done in central London....."So I'll do what I want" Sorry, but that's the mentality you have to display around here!!

A good point OP.

Cheers.

Ah, Central London. Love it! My weapon of choice for that battle ground is my trusty Defender90. Laughs in the face of cabbies and crushes cyclists (the pedal powered kind) with impunity! Pain in the whatsits picking the buggers out of the treads though.

Edited by Pugsey on Thursday 7th June 17:13

[sjtscott]

In London the majority of cars drivers never bother me.. you get the odd one or two that seem to have issues. Even on a sports 600 the power to weight ratio is hugely better than 99% cars you ever meet on the road, rest of the time the 4 wheeled things are queuing.
Since recently moving office to central london I'm having a bigger problems now with courtesy-less bike/scooter riders. You can be sitting at the front mid lane at a set of lights indicating left and these idots come up the inside left of you and then expect you to let them go first when the lights change.. for f***s sake common courtesy says you let the biker go who was waiting there before you.
There are lots of dithers on bikes away from lights, it frustrating that these ppl usually 1. can't pull properly to the front of the queue and then 2. pansy away from the lights letting granny in her slow car beat them away. or 3. give it death in a straight line but when it comes to filtering, cornering and slow control have zero ability or control and hold you up.

[m3psm]

sjtscott said:

1. can't pull properly to the front of the queue and then 2. pansy away from the lights letting granny in her slow car beat them away. or 3. give it death in a straight line but when it comes to filtering, cornering and slow control have zero ability or control and hold you up.

I'm with you on this. Cars aren't generally a problem. Even a real arse who's determined to stop you getting past won't be in front for too long. Bad bikers though are a bloody liabiity.
I've now changed my oute in o avoid the Highway and Upper Thames Street to avoid the biggest collection of 1, 2 and 3. 3 are the worst is my book.

[Pugsey]

m3psm said:

sjtscott said:

1. can't pull properly to the front of the queue and then 2. pansy away from the lights letting granny in her slow car beat them away. or 3. give it death in a straight line but when it comes to filtering, cornering and slow control have zero ability or control and hold you up.

I'm with you on this. Cars aren't generally a problem. Even a real arse who's determined to stop you getting past won't be in front for too long. Bad bikers though are a bloody liabiity.
I've now changed my oute in o avoid the Highway and Upper Thames Street to avoid the biggest collection of 1, 2 and 3. 3 are the worst is my book.

All three are a pain for car drivers too. Especially 3. He wobbles away slowly but you can't accelerate past him 'cos there's no telling which way he'll go next. Usually starts from just outside and ahead of offside wing then angles across in front of you. Options are to a)brake or b) hit him. He finally gets his act together and shoots off blissfully unaware that fortunately for him you chose option b! Same guy weaves in and out of traffic thinking he's judging everything to perfection when he's actually being repeatedly saved by mutiple use of ABS! Done right though seeing a biker carve through rush hour traffic is like watching an art form.

[RemaL]

I bet 95% of the bikers here are car drivers as well, so why post it. we are aware of the problems faced by both bike and car driver. Hoping this makes us better on the road for all

[sjtscott]

Yer I drive as well but not to work and def not anywhere else during the week in London. I use my car for trips outside of london and shopping basically 99% at the weekend. I can't stand driving in central london full stop so never do. The bits of london I do drive in I can't really say that bikes/scooter ever bother me and if its not where I live which is really not busy at the weekend then I'm usually waiting for the car in front to move.

[hiccy]

Pugsey said:

hornetrider said:

So you dust it off every single set of lights you ever come to do you? Or just when a biker has the bare faced audacity to pull up next to you?

And by posting this, you are addressing PH bikers. Thanks for the heads up, really, but I wonder what the odds are that it will be a PH biker who pulls up next to you...

Didn't think that I could make it any clearer that I OCCASSIONALLY blast off from the lights and that I have no problem at all being dusted by a bike - in fact I'll prob. have the window down to listen. Don't try to change the tone of my post mate. I guess from your reply my post doesn't apply to you so that's cool.

Hornet, meet Pugsey, our resident four wheel troll. He's quite nice really, so we've decided to keep him. As a pet.


Pugs, yeah I can see your point. I usually take m3psm's approach and pull across the front of the lead car as firstly, even if you get the drop on me, your not beating me over 200yds if I don't want you to, and secondly when I stall like a right spanner it's REALLY scary having two row's of cars launching either side of me as I try to get going again.

Someone would have to be driving like a right pillock for me to be getting steamed, beating me away from the lights is nowhere near enough. Tailgating in 30's usually does the trick tho'

[Carl-H]

sjtscott said:

In London the majority of cars drivers never bother me.. you get the odd one or two that seem to have issues. Even on a sports 600 the power to weight ratio is hugely better than 99% cars you ever meet on the road, rest of the time the 4 wheeled things are queuing.
Since recently moving office to central london I'm having a bigger problems now with courtesy-less bike/scooter riders. You can be sitting at the front mid lane at a set of lights indicating left and these idots come up the inside left of you and then expect you to let them go first when the lights change.. for f***s sake common courtesy says you let the biker go who was waiting there before you.
There are lots of dithers on bikes away from lights, it frustrating that these ppl usually 1. can't pull properly to the front of the queue and then 2. pansy away from the lights letting granny in her slow car beat them away. or 3. give it death in a straight line but when it comes to filtering, cornering and slow control have zero ability or control and hold you up.

I had this happen the other day. I was on my automatic 50cc bike. There was a bike 1 car behind me and I was going left at the lights ahead. I stopped in the traffic and he goes past the left of the car behind me, past me on the left and went half way past the car in front who was going straight on. He was on a CG125 and had no jacket, gloves or boots on. The lights went to green and the car in front pulls away ahead of the CG rider. He is faffing about with his gears and I was going to go round him but I'm quite courteous so I didn't. We went around the corner and I was behind him, he was going really slow and wobbling all over the place so i just whacked the throttle open and flew past him. Why did he come round me if he can't ride to save his life?

[catso]

I don't 'race' cars from the lights but I can't remember the last time one beat me.

If (when) I filter to the front I would not sit in a position where I could be forced off the road, rather ahead of the front vehicle, or if space does not permit then in a safe gap behind but if, for some reason, I have to compromise my position I would be very much 'ready for action'

I'll not hinder a cars progress........

[catso]

Carl-H said:

I was on my automatic 50cc bike.

So far OK.....

and

Carl-H said:

so i just whacked the throttle open and flew past him.