To get really annoyed when drivers treat me so different on the road!

[SharkiraSharkira]

I ride a motorbike and find that I generally get treated quite differently (worse) to other cars on the roads but lately with the increase in holiday traffic the incidents of this have increased 4 fold and it's really getting on my nerves!

In the past 2 days I have had:

Someone tailgate me in bad weather so their lights were shining in my mirrors and blinding me, and completely ignore my signals to back off

Someone ignore the 'give way to oncoming traffic' sign when I had right of way at a traffic restriction and swerve directly into my path

Multiple people crossing into my lane to avoid parked cars and just expecting me to move out of the way

Numerous people driving directly at me on single land roads, expecting me to move over and ride in the gutter full of potholes/leaves/water/mud/rocks.

Aibu to think that drivers on the road should give me the same space and consideration as other cars? I'm 99% sure that the majority of these people would not have treated another car the way they treat me!

YANBU except that people DO treat other cars like that. I have experienced all the above in a car!

Multiple people crossing into my lane to avoid parked cars and just expecting me to move out of the way

Oh yes this. Try being on a normal bike.

YANBU and I am sure that people do it because they don't register your presence. You're not important enough because you're not on 4 wheels. I do try to treat a motorbike as if it was a car, and I will try even harder now you've posted this.

I'm sure car drivers do treat other car drivers that way sometimes, of course they do. I just notice it FAR less with other cars, I'm often a passenger in dp's car and observe other drivers interacting with each other, 9/10 times they give each other adequate space/slow down/give way where they are supposed to.

Thank you Knotty, fwiw I always treat cyclists with caution too and give them plenty of space, as I know they are even more vulnerable than I am on the road. Same goes with horses, I only ever pass at a walking pace or just stop altogether until they have passed me. I don't fancy a terrified horse sitting on my lap

You're right, some drivers are terrible and dangerous. Despite all the "Think Bike" campaigns.

I try really hard to watch out for bikes, especially as here most of them don't wear helmets or leathers which terrifies me.

I ride a motorbike as well as cycle and drive a Range Rover and other (bigger) 4x4. One with roll cage on the outside and wheels that would drive over the average saloon.

People definitely treat you with more 'respect' as the size of the vehicle increases. That's why the need to ride or drive defensively increases when you're most vulnerable.

Funnily enough, I can't remember the last time someone cut me up in the pick up.

I also hate it when bikers don't wear protective gear, I feel naked without mine not to mention cold!

Trouble is a lot of the time the 'think bike' campaigns just bring out all those who just point out all biker's apparent faults and flaws rather than addressing their own behaviour on the road e.g: all bikers ride too fast/filter too much/should 'think car' etc etc.

It will be no solace to you if you are a woman, but at least your sex is hidden by your helmet. I drive a very small and unassuming (but internally souped up) tiny car. When I overtake on a motorway all hell breaks loose, let alone on a normal road. You will get that anyway on the road - how dare a bike get past me??!!' Also, most cars don't leave enough stopping space for another car, let alone a bike. It's like you don't exist. I so often hear, 'the bike came out of nowhere!' with its massive headlight. I would strongly recommend bikers take the advanced course, either bike or car. certainly focussed on defensive driving. You have to drive as though everyone else on the road is an idiot. Because they are (Advanced driving person quote - v true)

I'm often a passenger in dp's car and observe other drivers interacting with each other,

what sort of car? You get different reactions depending on what you are driving (eg my heart sinks when I find myself behind an ancient Micra with a tissue box on the back window, and if I can get past it safely I will). I experience more aggressive driving now I am in a small car than I used to in a "family sized" car.

My particular bugbear is meeting a 4WD vehicle in a really narrow lane and they expect me to drive up the bank, because they can't get their big shiny off-roader dirty.