I don't think the percentage of stupid motorcyclists is any different from the percentage of stupid car drivers, plus a stupid motorcyclist probably won't be around for long. I can only think of one stand-out experience of a stupid motorcyclist which happened to me on the A12. I was just about to overtake a car in front of me and began pulling out when I suddenly saw a motorcyclist in the outside lane, gaining on me rapidly - I was going just under 70mph at the time and I think he must have been doing nearly 100. I pulled back in straight away and he wouldn't actually have had to slow down as it happened. Instead of just going past me however he pulled alongside me and gave me the finger, I just ignored that but then he pulled in front of me and slammed on his brakes. Absolutely insane, it would have been him that died if I just driven straight over him.
I've never been a motorcyclist and I don't think I'd want to but I always make a point of giving them space, especially when in queuing traffic. From a purely selfish point of view, you never know when that biker is going to be a nutter or a cop on an unmarked bike!
Never had problems with m/cyclists - being one myself, until one day this happened. Some years ago I was in a queue at traffic lights behind a m/cyclist when my car being in auto (no excuse) gently moved forward very very very slowly and thus gently nudged the m/cycle and I do mean gently, with no damage to either vehicle. As i undid my seat belt and went to open the door to apologise he simply kicked in both headlamps and drove off.
It's sad. Today it is very noticeable how poor drivers are (as well a cyclists I might add).
But it got to the stage where driver's would see me but make moves to put the fear or god in me, that i had to just say enough was enough. I would never take risks when cycling, and would stop at lights etc. But some driver's were just determined to make me like I could end up in hospital or worse because they simply did not like someone on two wheels.
In spite of lights, helmet, and abiding rules of the road, time and time again cars would just play god with my life. The final straw was the guy who pulled out in front of me whilst gesturing blinking with his hands because he took offence to the fact my front light was flashing! That took the biscuit!!
I find flashing front lights on bicycles very distracting and annoying even if I am just walking, never mind driving, so I sympathise with the driver's anger, to an extent, though not with the pulling out in front of you. They're not necessary, are they, and bound to be annoying to other road users?
I find flashing front lights on bicycles very distracting and annoying even if I am just walking, never mind driving, so I sympathise with the driver's anger, to an extent, though not with the pulling out in front of you. They're not necessary, are they, and bound to be annoying to other road users?
They are legal and safe though, and nowadays (to most people that I ask) are a v effective early signal that a bicycle is in your vicinity. Regardless of how much you or anyone may dislike them, it's not yours or anyone's job to hand out summary justice to anyone using these perfectly legal lights. Anger is a bit much. Tut loudly, mutter under your breath or mentally compose a letter to the editor of The Daily Telegraph, but anger? Really?
If there's a bike behind I'll always move over to the left where possible, whether i'm driving at 50-60mph or crawling in traffic. At the end of the day it makes it easier for everyone.
Me too. And 90% of the time, the biker gives a little wave of acknowledgement of my consideration in doing so.
Aghhhhhhhhh horse poo, fell off on the way to school once!
It was made even worse by the fact that it was right outside the pub when his mates were having a drink outside. They still laugh about it nearly 40 years later.
Simply because bikes are a lot harder to see than larger vehicles.
For the most part, bikers I come across on my travels are sensible and safe, but there's the occasional one that is asking to get in an accident and I don't understand how they can drive like that knowing how vulnerable they are. They're the ones that give bikers a bad name.
I find flashing front lights on bicycles very distracting and annoying even if I am just walking, never mind driving, so I sympathise with the driver's anger, to an extent, though not with the pulling out in front of you. They're not necessary, are they, and bound to be annoying to other road users?
There is a no win situation. I found that without a flashing front light cars would not see me, and with one I generally had less near incidents.
But to pull out on someone just because someone thinks they are a distraction is sheer madness.
I find blue tinted super bright halogen lights on cars a distraction a blinding whilst driving but I would never ever pretend to pull out in front of a car just to make a point.
You see some car drivers feel more powerful over a cyclist for fact that they will not be hurt in a collision. In essence they are safe. And they have no idea how vulnerable a cyclist can feel on the roads, so they like to bully and make-a-point with there big steel boxes.
I find flashing front lights on bicycles very distracting and annoying even if I am just walking, never mind driving,
I find them distracting when driving. With a normal light, I just notice it, think "bike" and act appropriately, but the flashing ones seem to make me keep looking for some reason.
The flashing ones on cyclists shoes are weird. On unlit roads, and at a distance, all you can see is an intermittent light moving about. A couple of times I've wondered if it's a runaway dog with one of those LED things on its collar.
They are legal and safe though, and nowadays (to most people that I ask) are a v effective early signal that a bicycle is in your vicinity. Regardless of how much you or anyone may dislike them, it's not yours or anyone's job to hand out summary justice to anyone using these perfectly legal lights. Anger is a bit much. Tut loudly, mutter under your breath or mentally compose a letter to the editor of The Daily Telegraph, but anger? Really?
There is a no win situation. I found that without a flashing front light cars would not see me, and with one I generally had less near incidents.
But to pull out on someone just because someone thinks they are a distraction is sheer madness. I find blue tinted super bright halogen lights on cars a distraction a blinding whilst driving but I would never ever pretend to pull out in front of a car just to make a point.
You see some car drivers feel more powerful over a cyclist for fact that they will not be hurt in a collision. In essence they are safe. And they have no idea how vulnerable a cyclist can feel on the roads, so they like to bully and make-a-point with there big steel boxes.
Cyclists are often very well lit up these days, with their neon jackets, belts etc and lights all over them from head to toe which I would have thought would make them visible to motorists without the lights also having to flash.
I hate those ice bright lights on cars. It is an additional annoyance on the roads, coupled with the habit of not dipping lights.
Incidentally there is a new thing called Life Paint which I gather is luminescent which can be applied to the bicycle to make it more visible. I haven't seen it on an actual bicycle on the road yet.
I don't think the percentage of stupid motorcyclists is any different from the percentage of stupid car drivers, plus a stupid motorcyclist probably won't be around for long. I can only think of one stand-out experience of a stupid motorcyclist which happened to me on the A12. I was just about to overtake a car in front of me and began pulling out when I suddenly saw a motorcyclist in the outside lane, gaining on me rapidly - I was going just under 70mph at the time and I think he must have been doing nearly 100. I pulled back in straight away and he wouldn't actually have had to slow down as it happened. Instead of just going past me however he pulled alongside me and gave me the finger, I just ignored that but then he pulled in front of me and slammed on his brakes. Absolutely insane, it would have been him that died if I just driven straight over him.
I've never been a motorcyclist and I don't think I'd want to but I always make a point of giving them space, especially when in queuing traffic. From a purely selfish point of view, you never know when that biker is going to be a nutter or a cop on an unmarked bike!
That one was an idiot, probably now been an organ donor.
I frequently give way to other users who are trying to enter/leave a junction and other traffic won't let them through. What I won't tolerate, however, is some self entitled ****** on a motorbike sat right up my arse with the dark helmet taking up the full view of my rear view and wing mirror.
If we're all having to sit in traffic then so will you I'm afraid instead of weaving in and out like and idiot. My wing mirror has been clipped a few times by idiot bikers and none of them stopped to apologise.
simple, move over a few inch and your wing mirror will be safe, when I'm in my car I always move to side to the biker a little more room and every time they give a thumbs up as they pass,
why be a Dick?
Im sick of seeing them in the context that most bikers do not keep to their own lane, they create new lanes which is illegal. I couldnt do it as a car, I cant just choose to drive between a car and the central reservation so that I create my own lane.
Without indicating, I never see them indicate, cutting across all 3 lanes and going much faster than the surrounding traffic is not legal. Its fine when traffic is actually stationary but when traffic is going at about 50ish or 40ish or so and is quite bunched up its extremely dangerous.
It's not actually as dangerous as you perceive - by the time you've thought "that's dangerous!" that bike has out manouvered you and is disappearing into the distance.
I smell an envious car driver. Envy is not attractive nor is it healthy! Let it gooooo
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I've never been a motorcyclist and I don't think I'd want to but I always make a point of giving them space, especially when in queuing traffic. From a purely selfish point of view, you never know when that biker is going to be a nutter or a cop on an unmarked bike!
I find flashing front lights on bicycles very distracting and annoying even if I am just walking, never mind driving, so I sympathise with the driver's anger, to an extent, though not with the pulling out in front of you. They're not necessary, are they, and bound to be annoying to other road users?
Those who've been paying attention, read no further. For Steve's benefit, filtering between lanes of stationary traffic is legal.
Me too. And 90% of the time, the biker gives a little wave of acknowledgement of my consideration in doing so.
It was made even worse by the fact that it was right outside the pub when his mates were having a drink outside. They still laugh about it nearly 40 years later.
For the most part, bikers I come across on my travels are sensible and safe, but there's the occasional one that is asking to get in an accident and I don't understand how they can drive like that knowing how vulnerable they are. They're the ones that give bikers a bad name.
There is a no win situation. I found that without a flashing front light cars would not see me, and with one I generally had less near incidents.
But to pull out on someone just because someone thinks they are a distraction is sheer madness.
I find blue tinted super bright halogen lights on cars a distraction a blinding whilst driving but I would never ever pretend to pull out in front of a car just to make a point.
You see some car drivers feel more powerful over a cyclist for fact that they will not be hurt in a collision. In essence they are safe. And they have no idea how vulnerable a cyclist can feel on the roads, so they like to bully and make-a-point with there big steel boxes.
I find them distracting when driving. With a normal light, I just notice it, think "bike" and act appropriately, but the flashing ones seem to make me keep looking for some reason.
The flashing ones on cyclists shoes are weird. On unlit roads, and at a distance, all you can see is an intermittent light moving about. A couple of times I've wondered if it's a runaway dog with one of those LED things on its collar.
Cyclists are often very well lit up these days, with their neon jackets, belts etc and lights all over them from head to toe which I would have thought would make them visible to motorists without the lights also having to flash.
I hate those ice bright lights on cars. It is an additional annoyance on the roads, coupled with the habit of not dipping lights.
Incidentally there is a new thing called Life Paint which I gather is luminescent which can be applied to the bicycle to make it more visible. I haven't seen it on an actual bicycle on the road yet.
That one was an idiot, probably now been an organ donor.
On a bike NEVER put yourself at risk like that
simple, move over a few inch and your wing mirror will be safe, when I'm in my car I always move to side to the biker a little more room and every time they give a thumbs up as they pass,
why be a Dick?
Because we can? And becuase it's fun?
It's not actually as dangerous as you perceive - by the time you've thought "that's dangerous!" that bike has out manouvered you and is disappearing into the distance.
I smell an envious car driver. Envy is not attractive nor is it healthy! Let it gooooo