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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this motorcyclist was in the wrong?

38 replies

Celestia26 · 18/04/2018 15:50

OK I'm second guessing myself after a near miss this morning on the road with a motorbike and want to know if I was in the right or not?

I was stopped at a roundabout in the left hand lane waiting to go straight ahead (2nd exit) when a group of about 5 motorbikes pull up behind me. One of them pulls up on my right so that he is sitting right inbetween the left and right hand lane.
Once there is a safe gap I pull forward to go across the roundabout, the motorbike does too, except that he cuts across me to take the first exit, he has to swerve to go around me as I nearly hit him.
Who is in the right? I was in the correct lane going straight across, and I had got there first so really he should be behind me, not to my side. Is that right? It looked like he expected me to take the first exit too, but I wasn't indicating so not sure why he would think this. Also he wouldn't have been able to see my indicators anyway as he was on my right hand side.
I'm second guessing what I did now, but not sure what I should have done differently. Was he totally in the wrong?

OP posts:
Janniohlosty123 · 18/04/2018 15:51

He is allowed to filter so shouldn't be behind you. He is allowed to be beside you and overtake.

QuietNinjaTardis · 18/04/2018 15:53

Surely filtering is for slow moving traffic? Not a roundabout. And if he wanted to pull along side then to the left of op would have made more sense if he was turning left. He should have been behind her though.

Bibibou · 18/04/2018 15:54

I think you were in the right. He should have stayed behind you or to your left IMO.

TwitterQueen1 · 18/04/2018 15:54

Unless there were lane markings indicating that the left-hand lane is for the 1st exit only, the motorcyclist was in the wrong.

Trinity66 · 18/04/2018 15:54

I would have said he was in the wrong

Original poster
Celestia26 · 18/04/2018 15:54

But he was trying to overtake me on a roundabout, surely that can't be right?

OP posts:
itsallgravybaby · 18/04/2018 15:55

Surely if he's taking the first exit he should have been on your left anyway?

That's what I'd have done if cycling. I'd def say he's in the wrong!

Notthemessiah · 18/04/2018 15:55

It isn't right - he was the one in the wrong and if you'd hit him, it would have been his fault.

isseywithcats · 18/04/2018 15:57

you arent in the wrong if he was going 1st exit and you were going straight on he should have stayed behind you, even if just to be cautious, he should only have gone to your side or overtaken if he was going second exit

thenightsky · 18/04/2018 15:58

He is definitely in the wrong. You did well to avoid hitting him!

MrsTylerJoseph · 18/04/2018 15:58

He was completely in the wrong and put himself in a vulnerable and silly position.

Even if he was going straight on it was a stupid position to put himself in.....if there had been a car in the right hand lane going right he would have been relying on both of you noticing him and giving him enough room as you curved round.

Original poster
Celestia26 · 18/04/2018 15:59

Thanks feeling a bit better now. Was worried I'd done something wrong!

OP posts:
Pantah630 · 18/04/2018 16:01

We do this, bikers, all the time and take our lives in our hands each time. We shouldn't rely on car/van/lorry drivers using indicators and assume they're going left when in left hand lane. We shouldn't forget our Highway Code, left hand lane for left or straight across unless 2 or more vehicles in left, then use the right (hope I've remembered that correctly) and we should hold our hands up when we're wrong. YANBU he/she was a dick and you can bet the accompanying bikers were shaking their collective heads when they tried it.
I'm more cautious off roundabouts now than I was but sometimes the impatience gets the better of me.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 18/04/2018 16:03

I am a motorcyclist (for last 26 years) If, as it sounds, he was alongside you and not in front of you - he was completely in the wrong and will not last long if he carries on like that.

PaddyF0dder · 18/04/2018 16:04

Motorcyclist was in wrong. He should have been behind you or on your left.

adaline · 18/04/2018 16:05

He was on the wrong side of you - don't worry, you did nothing wrong!

anniemagoo · 18/04/2018 16:05

Left hand lane unless specifically for turning left is also for going straight on. So you were in the correct lane.

The motorcyclist was in the wrong for cutting you up like that. If I'd been you I would've leaned on my horn at him as well.

Original poster
Celestia26 · 18/04/2018 16:06

Thanks, yes definitely to my side not in front. If he was in front he would have gone first. Instead we accelerated at the same time and he was trying to overtake me.

OP posts:
SomeKnobend · 18/04/2018 16:07

You were right, they were a complete arse.

Onesmallstepforaman · 18/04/2018 16:09

Motorcyclist here. That was a stupid and dangerous move on his part. From his position the only legal progress was straight across the roundabout, but overtaking there isn't a great idea. To do as he did is looking for a ride in an ambulance.

SinceWhenDid · 18/04/2018 16:11

Maybe he thought you'd be slow of the mark and he would nip out first. Doesn't make it right though!

Mitzimaybe · 18/04/2018 16:18

Agree he was in the wrong 100%. If he was turning left he should not have gone on your outside.

Spaghettijumper · 18/04/2018 16:19

Motorcyclist was definitely in the wrong. These days I just assume motorcyclists are going to behave like dicks with a deathwish and give them every chance to fuck up - it's safer. They may want to be mashed into the road but I certainly don't want to be the one doing the mashing.

Trinity66 · 18/04/2018 16:20

But he was trying to overtake me on a roundabout, surely that can't be right?

Was this in reply to my post? By "he" I meant the motorcyclist not you Grin

Janniohlosty123 · 18/04/2018 16:21

Didn't read properly, he took the first exit? If so he is wrong