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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Undertaking motorbike

42 replies

Bowbells7 · 23/01/2023 10:14

I've just taken the kids to school and ended up in a rage at a biker.
I was sat at the traffic lights, indicating to turn left, when a motorbike pulled up next to me on the left, then turned left when I did and then undertook me. I blasted the horn at him as I felt it was dangerous for him to be so close to me on the junction. The kids were yelling 'don't hit him' and I was doing my best not to.
I know motorbikes are allowed to filter but surely this is a dangerous thing to do on a junction? Or was I in the wrong for beeping at him?
🤔

OP posts:

Neededanewuserhandle · 23/01/2023 10:17

Hard to say without being there - seems a bit silly/risky on his part - but would it have been so hard to just let him get on with it?
Why did it upset you so much? The fact he was getting ahead?
Also your position on the road must've been a bit odd if you left so much space to the left.

meetmeatmidnights · 23/01/2023 10:21

If the biker pulled up next to you on the left, and also turned left - how did it end up undertaking you? Surely if you and the biker are at a level with them on your inside left, you let them turn first then follow? Or did you try and turn left before the biker to get ahead

I think you were in the wrong to be blasting your horn and ending up in a rage because it seems like a normal road situation to me.

Dotjones · 23/01/2023 10:23

If you were both stopped at the lights and he was level with you, he didn't undertake you. When the lights turned green he had priority as he was on the inside.

HedgeWench · 23/01/2023 10:25

If a cyclist or someone on a motorcycle is on your left waiting to pull away at a junction you are suppose to allow them to pull away first.

Frabbits · 23/01/2023 10:26

Sounds like your road positioning was shit if there was room for the biker to pull up beside you.

Besides which, he was on the inside turning left. He has priority.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 23/01/2023 10:27

He had priority, and don't ever beep at someone unless its to warn them of a danger.
Your actions could startle and they would very easily end up under your wheels.

caramac04 · 23/01/2023 10:28

You didn’t need to sound your horn to warn of your presence, pretty sure they knew you were there.
You should have given way without drama

Fran919 · 23/01/2023 10:30

As a rider, they were making themselves seen and therefore safe by being level in with you or in front of you. Should have let them go first, would have taken a couple of seconds so they could proceed and get up to speed and out of the way. They frequently get knocked off by motorists not looking in their mirrors / blind spot when turning left so being seen is key.

Mammaplanner · 23/01/2023 10:32

It’s never a good idea to get in a rage when driving. Just hold back and let them get on with it and out of your way.
your poor kids must have been scared

ReamsOfCheese · 23/01/2023 10:37

I think we need a diagram.

Original poster

Bowbells7 · 23/01/2023 10:39

I'd left a large gap as it's a tight left turn and my estate car needs a good gap to get round. When I did turn there was little room for the bike. In my mind he should have waited behind me for me to turn and give me enough room to swing round, but judging by the answers here he was in the right and I should have let him pull off first. !I swear driving gets more complicated 🙁 I live and learn 😁

OP posts:

Spiderboy · 23/01/2023 10:40

I hold back and allow them to pull away safely. Both of you turning left at the same time sounds dangerous

torquewench · 23/01/2023 10:41

I'm a motorcyclist. I also drive a car and cycle a lot.

Was it a proper bike or a scooter or on an L plate? Them and cyclists seem to be the worst culprits for it IME.

I was specifically taught never to undertake. I Never do. People just don't expect you to be there. Filtering (i.e. overtaking) is allowed but I'd only do so at low speed when traffic is crawling.

superdupernova · 23/01/2023 10:42

I always let a motorbike go first if next to each other. I'd rather they were in front of me than behind.

I'm similar if someone tries to overtake me. I always slow down a bit while they overtake. I've noticed a lot of people deliberately speed up but why would you want an impatient driver behind you?

Bumblefeet · 23/01/2023 10:43

I'm assuming that it was one lane of traffice?

Bikers are allowed to filter, but any decent biker (I'm a biker) would only do so on the right of the car, and we'd be in front of you to be visible.

If I was turning left just like you, I'd be sat behind you waiting, or I'd filter to the front. The last thing that I would do would be to sit on your left side. You'd never see me, and I'd end up on the floor.

Couldyounot · 23/01/2023 10:45

Biker riding like a tit but is unlikely to mend their ways by being hooted at

RobertsRadio · 23/01/2023 10:50

I used to be a biker and would never squeeze/filter on the inside of a vehicle, it's dangerous and irresponsible. I would always wait behind just like you would if driving a car and only overtake on the outside not undercut on the inside. That biker was a fool.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 23/01/2023 10:58

He was an idiot but I would have just let him go ahead - at least that way he's being an idiot as far away as possible!

BigPandaLittlePanda · 23/01/2023 10:58

Agree with @Bumblefeet and @RobertsRadio And as the car driver in this situation, I would fully expect that the biker was a twat who wanted to get ahead of everyone in the queue and thus I would 100% let him go first because I don't want to be driving anywhere near such a twat. I wouldn't have beeped but I would have muttered something sweary under my breath.

PaddyDingDong · 23/01/2023 11:02

Bumblefeet · 23/01/2023 10:43

I'm assuming that it was one lane of traffice?

Bikers are allowed to filter, but any decent biker (I'm a biker) would only do so on the right of the car, and we'd be in front of you to be visible.

This! 100% the biker was in the wrong. And this is why so many cyclists end up under the wheels of lorries. If you're indicating left or in a left filter lane no way in hell should a bike or motorbike be going up the left side of you. Stupidity.

StopFeckingFaffing · 23/01/2023 11:09

Once you have realised he was there and intending to turn left then it would have been safer to just let him go first rather than attempting to turn left while knowing he was on your inside, especially as you have admitted your car needs plenty of space when turning

No need for rage or horn tooting

RoseMadderAsHell · 23/01/2023 11:11

If it was such a tight turn why did you turn at the same time as the bike?
Much safer to let it go ahead.

courgettigreensadwater · 23/01/2023 11:13

It always cracks me up when people in Estate cars and small vans think they need loads of room to 'swing round'. No you don't need loads of room. Maybe an extra half a foot, not four. Does my head in.

PhillySub · 23/01/2023 11:26

The biker should have been on your right. You knew he was there so there was no need to use the horn to express your displeasure, that isn't what it is used for.
Fault on both sides.

Neededanewuserhandle · 23/01/2023 11:46

I'd left a large gap as it's a tight left turn and my estate car needs a good gap to get round.
This is also bad driving and something you'd receive comment on in a test or instruction. Unless it's an exceptionally tight junction you should adopt a normal position and simply continue further forward before starting to turn left, rather than swinging out which is usually not necessary - I assume buses and Lorries can make the turn so you should have no problem in an estate car - most of which aren't significantly longer than the saloon or hatchback versions.

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