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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect motorcyclists to obey the same rules of the road as me?

63 replies

SoupDragon · 25/07/2007 17:12

Yet another tw*t haring up close and overtaking right on my wing mirror. It's not like I was driving slowly either. I think I can count on the fingers of one foot how many motorcyclists I've seen that sit patiently behind me, driving at the speed limit (or slightly above, I'm realistic!) like a car would.

Still, at least I'm safe in my car.

OP posts:
Original poster
SoupDragon · 25/07/2007 22:48

"Overtaking when you feel the need?" Hahahahaha! Yes, when you feel the need regardless of the law. Fabulous road use.

OP posts:
IcingOnTheCake · 26/07/2007 09:27

Come on admit it, you just hate motorbikes because car drivers do exactly the same; speed, over take dangerously, weave in and out of lanes on fast dual carriage ways etc. Plus if i'm not mistaken there are 1000's more road accidents caused by cars everyday on the roads then motorbikes. You just sound bitter to me and sound like you just don't like bikes for the simple reason that they do overtake you other wise you would be hitting out at all drivers for setting their own rules of the roads.

'Bikers behaving tw*ttishly are in a way worse than car drivers because you can't see them'. Um, try using your mirrors then maybe you will see them

auntyspan · 26/07/2007 09:34

I don't buy that Icing. THe majority of bikers are hugely unpredictable - you don't know whether they're going to undertake you, overtake you - you're so busy trying to keep an eye on the one behind you you're not paying attention to the road in front of you.

A very good friend of mine was killed on a motorcycle and I absoutely hate the things and shit myself everytime I come across one on the road.

IcingOnTheCake · 26/07/2007 09:46

But you see a motorcyclist isn't going to delibratly put anyone in danger because if you hit a biker with your car, the biker is gonna go straight over the handlebars and hurt themselves where as the car driver is more protected and has a seatbelt on. Plus alot of drivers don't use their wing mirrors properly and often just check their rare view mirror then pull out not thinking there could be a biker beside them.

Crikey, a car did that to me the other day, he just changed lanes and didn't check his side mirror because if he had he would have seen me coming up beside him- and i was driving a car!

IcingOnTheCake · 26/07/2007 09:54

Just to add, my argument isn't to defend all those bikers who do drive badly. My argument is that you cannot blame all bikers for road caos and i am saying that the majory of bad and dangerous drivering comes from those who have four wheels on their vehical. What the op said was 'I've seen that sit patiently behind me, driving at the speed limit (or slightly above, I'm realistic!) like a car would.'

Well i disagree. While there are plenty of patient car drivers who stick to the speed limit the majority don't. They speed, tailgate and use agressive behaviour on the roads and the op seems to have over looked this and painted out like all car drivers are law abiding saints!

Piffle · 26/07/2007 09:58

My DP is a biker he commutes to work.
He has done advanced motoring classes and allsorts to be as safe as possible

But he did not buy a bike to sit behind people toddling along at 70mph
taking.

Ok there are some twattish riders, but mnost bikes do come up quickly as they are quick machines - that is the whole point of having one

SueW · 26/07/2007 10:33

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Tortington · 26/07/2007 10:37

the collective noun would be a "twat" a twat of motorcyclists.

they absulutley expect you to keep them safe and this is not a mutual agreement. we car drivers have to keep them safe becuase they don't look out for their own safety.

motorcylists on motorways piss me off

and in London, the closerto the city you get the more motorcylists SURROUND you at a junction. its like fucking speedway.

i am sure the motorcylists on mumsnet are the exception to the rule

eleusis · 26/07/2007 10:38

I like to honk just as they pass me, then watch them flip me off. Then I know I have annoyed them as much as they annoy me.

IcingOnTheCake · 26/07/2007 10:40

Most motorcyclists i have known have always said if you ride then be prepered to die. I know that sounds awful but most bikers except the fact that if they ride especially if they ride fast then they are prepered to die.

eleusis · 26/07/2007 10:42

F'ing Hell. Sounds a bit too much like the mindset of a terrorist. Creeps me out.

IcingOnTheCake · 26/07/2007 10:42

Custardo why do they annoy you on motorways?

Tortington · 26/07/2007 10:46

becuase there i am the outside lane and still they are up my arse. should any incident happen they would not be able to stop in time and would surely die.

IcingOnTheCake · 26/07/2007 10:48

You know the outside lane is for over taking in only? Not for just regular driving?

Tortington · 26/07/2007 10:59

as its for overtaking only - if the motorcylists are always going at 95 mph and they are always overtaking perhaps it should be the motorcylists lane?

nightshade · 26/07/2007 11:03

as any of you that have ridden a bike are aware (both myself, dp, family and friends all big bikers), the reason most bikes over take is to get out of the way of the chaos infront of them.

it is always safer for a bike to travel with a clear road ahead than to have to sit behind other vehicles.

i agree there are crap bikers, but most are very aware. although manoevures(?) may seem close whilst you are in a car, i can guarantee you that they don,t appear half as dodgy when you are on a bike. riding a smaller machine, you have more road space and agility, also better visibility.

IcingOnTheCake · 26/07/2007 11:03

Motorways have 3 or 4 lanes don't they? Anyway yes if some tosser is going like 100mph then that's out of order to intimidate until they get their way. But the outside lane is for over taking which would be either the 3rd or 4th lane so if i am doing 70mph then i would stay in the 1st or 2nd lane and only use the other lanes if i wanted to over take.

eleusis · 26/07/2007 11:36

"the reason most bikes over take is to get out of the way of the chaos infront of them. "

I think you mean to barge through the chaos in front of them because they percieve waiting their turn like the rest of us to be beneath them.

The space between two cars driving down the moroway next to each other is not a motorcycle lane.

nightshade · 26/07/2007 11:48

oohh somebody has a bee in their bonnet!!

wait their turn? is there some form of british queuing system going on where you live?

jofeb04 · 26/07/2007 11:51

Lol at this thread.

My dh is a biker (and I used to be).I really disagree with this statement "THe majority of bikers are hugely unpredictable"

No, that majority of bike riders are safe, have much more road sense than car drivers. If we never had road sense, all bikers would be dead!

I know there is a high rate of deaths with deaths, and I do know of people who have died through biking, bu until you have been on one, you don't know what it is like

jofeb04 · 26/07/2007 11:52

and lol out at having to wait on a bike, ummmmmmm, no!!

auntyspan · 26/07/2007 11:59

Right Jofe - tell me this. In slow moving traffic, I have a bike behind me. It clearly wants to get past me and is doing that "weaving" thing they do. They are close to my bumper. I'm signalling right and there's a gap in the traffic coming the other way.

Do I assume that the bike has seen my indicator and turn, risking hitting him / her if s/he tried to overtake me at the same time, or do I hesitate just to make sure, and miss the gap in the traffic, therefore pissing off the drivers behind me?

My point is that motorbikes are so versatile and you don't know what they're going to do. If the majority are, like you say, safe drivers and road aware, how do we differentiate between those and the bikers who think car drivers can read their minds?

As I said. Unpredictable.

jofeb04 · 26/07/2007 12:02

auntyspan
The thing is, you can also say that about car drivers. TB,I've seen more car drivers that have been hard to read, than bikers!

As long as you have seen the biker, you'll be fine. You'll find it hard to believe the amount of car driverswho do not look for bikers.

IcingOnTheCake · 26/07/2007 12:03

Exactly, that's why i think this is bollocks too. Most car drivers just hate bikers because they can and do over take cars, that's the real issue here, nothing to do with sticking to the speed limit or road safety because car drivers break those rules too.

If a bike over takes you, let them past and move on. A biker isn't going to hit you delibratly because if they do, they fall off their bike!

auntyspan · 26/07/2007 12:03

Yes that's true but if I bash a car then the most I'll get is a bollocking from DP and losing my no claims. If I bash a driver I might kill them.

Maybe my experience with my friend has made me too cautious.

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