to ask if some drivers really do have this opinion about motorcyclists?

[Shinyredbike]

I ride a bike. A shiny red one in fact

I'm a member of a biker group/page thing on FB and came across a rather nasty post, it was a screenshot of someone ranting about motorcyclists and how irresponsible they are, how they should grow up and get a car and stop messing around on their toys (bikes).

He also suggested that it wasn't his responsibility to look out for bikers when he is driving, as the adverts suggest you should, and that bascially if you ride a bike its your own fault if you get injured or killed as you shouldn't be on a bike in the first place.

Now, obviously this particular guy was a prick but is his view actually quite representative of a lot of drivers? Ok they might not say it so harshly but actually I do think, from the conversations I've had with car drivers that a lot of them do seem to feel this way.

I know a lot of bikers do ride like twats and obviously they shouldn't, and I can't blame car drivers who dislike bikers who act this way but aibu to wonder if some drivers really do just inherently dislike bikers even when they don't ride like twats?

Fwiw, I don't ride like a twat, I don't speed, overtake stupidly or filter when I shouldn't. Actually I don't really filter at all because in most cases I don't feel safe doing it but I've had some pretty harsh comments directed at me just because I prefer bikes over cars, as if I am some sort of idiot with a death wish!

[Wolfiefan]

I meet many more car drivers who drive like twats than idiot bikers!
You aren't an idiot with a death wish. I envy you just a bit!
I can't look at a biker though without being aware of how vulnerable they are.

[ghostyslovesheep]

he's a dick - I generally like bikers - I look out for them - move over to let them through in cues etc - they are road users like me - but more vulnerable.

I do get peed off with yooths on mopeds driving badly - usually in shorts (risking their legs!) but I do owe my best ever road moment to one so I bury my hatred deep!

[Toadinthehole]

Cue posts saying that some motorcyclists ride well and some ride like dicks. And cyclists. And pedestrians. And mobility scooterists. And skateboarders. And pogoists.

Which ignores the real problem which is the self-entitled attitude of car drivers for whom everything on the road is arranged.

[PandoesnotwearRaphaclothes]

Indeed.

[Shinyredbike]

Sounds like you've had some awful road experiences Arf! pictures a horse on rollerskates

I'm always baffled by those people ghosty, do they not realise how much skin/body they would loose if they fell off?! Or do they just think they are invincible and don't care? Ditto those who only wear a bike jacket with normal jeans. So their arms are worth saving but not their legs?

Very curious about your best ever road moment though!

[BlueCheeseandcrackers]

I also find motorbike drivers more vulnerable and slow down for them - I haven't come across one driving like a fool! The advert about "think bike, think biker" seems to have imprinted in my brain

[thetemptationofchocolate]

I could have done with a set of leathers for my pushbike. I got knocked down by a car, and lost most of the skin from my right side, sliding across the tarmac. Was wearing trousers and a jacket too.
It makes me cringe when I see T-shirts/shorts on a motorbike.

I think the person who wrote that post is a knob. And he or she would be a knob whatever vehicle they were in. Perhaps they are the ideal person to have a driverless car?

[PandoesnotwearRaphaclothes]

I ride a a lot and find most people are fine. It's only tossers on line that are aggressive arses.

[lamiashiro]

No, that driver is just a twat. The vast majority of drivers aren't like that.

[Sallyhasleftthebuilding]

Lots of bikes where I live - you get used to looking out for them.

A few years ago I looked right/left and pulled out narrowly missing a biker - when looking round he must have been passing a red van on his red bike and I hadn't seen him!

They are harder to spot.

I don't have a thing opinion we are all just trying to get somewhere else.

[PunkrockerGirl]

Which ignores the real problem which is self-entitled attitude of car drivers for whom everything on the road is arranged

Complete bollocks.

The real problem is self-entitled motorcyclists who think the road belongs to them, that the highway code is there for car drivers but not motorcyclists. That it's fine for them to weave through traffic, scraping cars, ignoringing red lights, puting their hands all over stationery cars to get their balance, knocking the wing mirrors in the process. And of course, never driving aggressively behind the car driver, revving your engine, steam coming out of your ears, just because you can't overtake due to oncoming traffic

[fuctifino]

I have a horse, without fail, motorbike riders pass in a considerate manner.
The full headlights thing is annoying though!

[LittleRedSparke]

No, the real problem is self-entitled motorISTS who think they own the road, whether they are on a bike or in a car

And add to that the self-entitled cyclists , and the self-entitled horse riders and there you have it

Its a small minority who are on a race to the bottom who think they are good drivers because they like to drive fast - and havent crashed yet

The majority of the people on the roads are considerate

[Shinyredbike]

What full headlight thing fuct?

Not saying that it doesn't happen punk but I've never personally seen that sort of behaviour from a biker.

[Toadinthehole]

Who is responsible for the most deaths?

The pogoists?

[Baconyum]

I have to say as someone who's been a driver and a cyclist and has several friends who are bikers and hgv drivers, I agree the road layouts in this country are biased towards cars. Several European countries have their road layouts better for ALL road users. Even just in my town the pedestrian crossings are placed for the convenience of car motorists not pedestrians.

[mamacasshadahairyass]

Ive never seen that sort of behaviour from a motorcyclist either. And I've never seen anyone do it or myself needed to put a hand on a car to keep my balance, given that my two feet do the job adequately .

[ghostyslovesheep]

sorry - best ever road moment

Busy traffic, busy city road - Moped boy right up my arse (you know when they hang onto your rear drivers side wheel) trying to overtake (impossible)

Turn onto another road - also busy but not as much - he 'zooms' past me at 40mph giving me the finger...straight through a speed camera which flashes him good and proper

[lamiashiro]

DH is a lapsed biker and he was properly annoyed with one the other day. A biker in central London tried to filter past his car, realised there wasn't quite enough room and basically leant his bike against DH's car, which did not go down well.

DH said a shouting match between him and the biker ensued, who claimed that it was fine for him to do it and DH shouldn't be so precious. I think DH made it clear what he thought of that. Luckily, there was no damage.

[FeralBeryl]

I find, as a rule, bikers are the more polite drivers.
However, the one thing that really pisses me off is when you are first in line at the lights and they drive to the front and sit there.
I pull away from the lights in a 'timely' manner, but often they'll take ages, and it's unclear which lane (on a dual carriageway) they are going to cut up so the two cars are sitting like lemons

Other than that, love them and completely agree with the Think Bike campaign.

Still worry about you getting sweat rashes in those leathers though.....

[MrsTerryPratchett]

There are a few types of bikers. The massively largest is sensible, very road aware, dressed properly.

The second is knobbers who wear stupid clothes and haven't seen road rash.

The third is fuckers who have those stupid load exhausts. . WARNING: homophobic language (although not intent). The whole of Canada is full of them.

The fourth is those frankly stupid bikers who weave in and out of traffic, not leaving a decent stopping distance and scaring the crap out of me.

I like the first group.

[Bluebell878275]

Don't mind bikers at all. What I can't stand is driving for 5 mins close to the curb so they have room to pass and you don't even get a little lift of the finger to say "thank-you" I've just risked stone chips you arse and you can't even acknowledge it!! Makes me mad and not want to be so thoughtful next time..bah

[DontCallMeBaby]

Not his responsibility to look out for bikers? Even if I was the kind of twat who didn't care about killing other road users I'd like to think id have the sense to realise that hitting a motorbike wouldn't do my bodywork much good.