Weekend Drivers
Discussion
Been out on the VFR today for the first time purely for fun, rather than just to get to/from work(see my other thread 
)...but one thing that was very apparent was just how invisible I was to car drivers.
My normal riding is early rush hour into Canary Wharf (M40/A40/A13) and then the reverse late afternoon / early evening. In London and on the motorway the majority of car drivers see you coming, and in slow moving or stop / start traffic they will move over etc...
Had to do a few junctions of the M1 this afternoon and it was stop-start traffic for a few miles. I was following another bike and we were reduced to filtering at near walking pace...we repeatedly had drivers changing lanes or unknowingly blocking us.
Is this a weekend thing, or just because I was away from the South East / London? Time for a bike with louder pipes methinks
)...but one thing that was very apparent was just how invisible I was to car drivers.My normal riding is early rush hour into Canary Wharf (M40/A40/A13) and then the reverse late afternoon / early evening. In London and on the motorway the majority of car drivers see you coming, and in slow moving or stop / start traffic they will move over etc...
Had to do a few junctions of the M1 this afternoon and it was stop-start traffic for a few miles. I was following another bike and we were reduced to filtering at near walking pace...we repeatedly had drivers changing lanes or unknowingly blocking us.
Is this a weekend thing, or just because I was away from the South East / London? Time for a bike with louder pipes methinks
ts out there.I try to go out at the weekend very early before the silly billy's are out!!
Had one car driver today who thought it was funny to not let me filter infront of him off of a big roundabout today! had to go past the next car. WHY!!! is it cos some of them take this as a challege to their ego or something! Its not like I was going to hold him up when the road opened out!
Had one car driver today who thought it was funny to not let me filter infront of him off of a big roundabout today! had to go past the next car. WHY!!! is it cos some of them take this as a challege to their ego or something! Its not like I was going to hold him up when the road opened out!
Hooli said:
yup sunny weekends bring out the 'tards. to be fair though, watch half the sportsbikes out there (the shiney ones with 2" chicken strips) it brings out the 'tards on two wheels as well.
Just moved up from a Hornet to a nice, new, shiney 'Blade. Predominently a car driver who started riding bikes again after many moons away last summer. So, given Sunday was a free day for me and the weather was good I was out - complete with chicken strips - enjoying myself. Sorry if this offends you and that you regard me as a 'tard'. I suppose you were always a riding God and never inexperienced?
It's bad enough feeling I'm public enemy no.1 with some car drivers without hearing comments like that from another biker. 
Having done the same commute myself, I've always found London commuters (drivers) are well versed with having to deal with bikes. I'll do things on the commute that I wouldn't dream of doing in another town/city. In my experience, people outside of London just don't expect bikes to be flying about all over the place.
Chilli said:
Having done the same commute myself, I've always found London commuters (drivers) are well versed with having to deal with bikes. I'll do things on the commute that I wouldn't dream of doing in another town/city. In my experience, people outside of London just don't expect bikes to be flying about all over the place.
Spot on. It's the same driving a car. In London you can carry out last minute manouvers etc and as long as you don't actually carve someone up or make them brake etc every just goes on their way - even if the margin was tiny. Pull out to overtake anywhere else in the country and the car coming the other way - the one you need binoculars to see - immediately starts flashing you. Once you get your head round the speed and variety of manouvers I reckon London feels much safer than some sleepy little corner of the country.Pugsey said:
Hooli said:
yup sunny weekends bring out the 'tards. to be fair though, watch half the sportsbikes out there (the shiney ones with 2" chicken strips) it brings out the 'tards on two wheels as well.
Just moved up from a Hornet to a nice, new, shiney 'Blade. Predominently a car driver who started riding bikes again after many moons away last summer. So, given Sunday was a free day for me and the weather was good I was out - complete with chicken strips - enjoying myself. Sorry if this offends you and that you regard me as a 'tard'. I suppose you were always a riding God and never inexperienced? It's bad enough feeling I'm public enemy no.1 with some car drivers without hearing comments like that from another biker. However I actually think some of the experienced riders need to look at their road behaviour also. Just because they're a track day pro / club racer wannabe and can handle racing etiquette doesn't make it acceptable a) to do it on the road and b) to dive up, round and under the wheels of novices - thereby scaring the life out of them and potentially causing a crash.
Usual story really. Just a bit of awareness and respect needed all round and an acceptance that there are a few knobs to avoid in all walks of life!
B15TT0 said:
Usual story really. Just a bit of awareness and respect needed all round and an acceptance that there are a few knobs to avoid in all walks of life!
Very wise words.The other thing to remember is that, whoever you are and whatever you ride/drive, there will be times when "you are the knob"!
steven182 said:
Rach81 said:
Hooli said:
yup sunny weekends bring out the 'tards. to be fair though, watch half the sportsbikes out there (the shiney ones with 2" chicken strips) it brings out the 'tards on two wheels as well.
Whats wrong with 2" chicken strips black-k1 said:
steven182 said:
Rach81 said:
Hooli said:
yup sunny weekends bring out the 'tards. to be fair though, watch half the sportsbikes out there (the shiney ones with 2" chicken strips) it brings out the 'tards on two wheels as well.
Whats wrong with 2" chicken strips 
My apologies for being a newb 'tard :P
In my area there are many "weekend warrior" bikers on modern sports bikes who are very slow on the road. So much so that it's relatively easy to drive around the outside of them on larger roundabouts in very mediocre cars. However, we have a very high proportion of miopic drivers as well. Fact is, there's quick safe bikers and drivers and there's slow, retarded bikers and drivers out there. Isn't it a shame that they cannot all be perfect like us??!!
I think that it is useful to be a critic of others, as long as you constantly re-examine your own skills and weaknesses and learn from what you find.
I think that it is useful to be a critic of others, as long as you constantly re-examine your own skills and weaknesses and learn from what you find.
blackburnbmw said:
In my area there are many "weekend warrior" bikers on modern sports bikes who are very slow on the road. So much so that it's relatively easy to drive around the outside of them on larger roundabouts in very mediocre cars. However, we have a very high proportion of miopic drivers as well. Fact is, there's quick safe bikers and drivers and there's slow, retarded bikers and drivers out there. Isn't it a shame that they cannot all be perfect like us??!!
I think that it is useful to be a critic of others, as long as you constantly re-examine your own skills and weaknesses and learn from what you find.
Yep, well chosen words. Having read some of these more recent and considered comments I'll dare to set forth on Sundays again and share road space with the aces amongst you.I think that it is useful to be a critic of others, as long as you constantly re-examine your own skills and weaknesses and learn from what you find.
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