General riding in traffic

[Louwai]

I often look at the little bikes with the big yellow L plate on the back racing up between the traffic & almost getting knocked.

I think to myself "you f**kwit".
I go up the middle as well, but only when the traffic is stopped, not when both lanes are doing the speed limit or above.

Today on the way to work I saw a guy who was on a reasonable size BMW, so I can only assume he has a full licence.
This idiot was slipping up the middle, darting in & out of the traffic (without using an indicator), & just riding dangerously in general.
All while the traffic was travelling 20klm ABOVE the posted speed limit for that street & through a roadworks area.

My gripe is;
We complain about the L Platers doing things with no experience, & yet WE - the supposedly fully licenced & fully competent - riders who the L Platers copy & learn from, are doing shit like that.

No wonder the following generations of riders are getting worse & more are dying in accidents.

I'm generally not backwards in comming forward, If I see someone on the road talking on the ph I'll usually knock on the window at the lights & tell them to get off. If someone has faulty brake lights I'll do the same thing.
If I had stopped near this guy today I would have told him what I thought of his riding.

It's up to US to make the road a safer place for US.
Trying to make sure the L Platers learn the right & wrong things to do & where & when is the right place to do them is also up to us.
We are the ones on the road who they see & copy.


OK. Chest deflated & soap box flattened.......

[Madmax]

I'm generally not backwards in comming forward, If I see someone on the road talking on the ph I'll usually knock on the window at the lights & tell them to get off. If someone has faulty brake lights I'll do the same thing.
If I had stopped near this guy today I would have told him what I thought of his riding.

It's up to US to make the road a safer place for US.
Trying to make sure the L Platers learn the right & wrong things to do & where & when is the right place to do them is also up to us.
We are the ones on the road who they see & copy.

While I agree with most of what you are saying, I will suggest that you are headed for trouble. If you continue to tell people what not to do in the traffic, it is only a matter of time before you get some knuckle dragger will want to argue the toss with you. If you are lucky it will be a verbal stoush, if unlucky, they will either knock you over with their 4 wheeled missile or get out of the missile and have at you physically.
My best recommendation is that if you feel so strongly about what they have done - record their number plate and report it to the Police - that's really what they are there for, and be prepared to attend Court to make your allegation in an open court where the Magistrate will determine guilt and penalty.
If you continue to tell people what not to do in the traffic, it can only end in tears.
Every day we see drivers behaving badly doing some really dangerous and even dumb shit. Stay the hell out of their way and count your blessings you saw rather than experienced the fruit of their misdemeanors.

Not shooting holes in you mate, this is free advise, use it as you like or dislike.


Max

[Louwai]

My best recommendation is that if you feel so strongly about what they have done - record their number plate and report it to the Police - that's really what they are there for, and be prepared to attend Court to make your allegation in an open court where the Magistrate will determine guilt and penalty.
If you continue to tell people what not to do in the traffic, it can only end in tears.
Every day we see drivers behaving badly doing some really dangerous and even dumb shit. Stay the hell out of their way and count your blessings you saw rather than experienced the fruit of their misdemeanors.

Not shooting holes in you mate, this is free advise, use it as you like or dislike.

I hear you Max,
But really, what do the coppers do in that situation. They listen, put the ph down & say to themselves, "another idiot with a personal grudge trying to get someone in trouble".
The only time I've seen the cops act on a ph call about a poorly controlled vehicle is when there are multiple complaint calls where it is obvious that the vehicle is doing something pretty bad.

Most of the things we see every day are dangerous, but it's considered "normal".
How many f***kers do you see blow red lights every day. It's considered "normal" for many people.
How many do you see on the ph every day. Again, most drivers under 25 think it's fine, dandy & normal to talk or text while the're driving.

If we sit back & worry about someone having a go at us for telling them THEY are doing something wrong, we will be forever controlled by fear.

I suppose what I'm trying to get across is;
If we as a club promote & practice good riding habits, it will very slowly spread, & hopefully the young L platers will see & copy more good riding than bad.

This thread was really about showing the learners good riding habits, not bad.


Footnote;
Almost everyone that I have told that their brake lights don't work, have thanked me cause they didn't know.
Only 1 guy did not & thet was cause he couldn't speak English & had not flamin idea what i was talking about.

[jaycbr250]

nah do what Max say's - I once had some fuckwit come down an on-ramp so quick he had to use the edge of the road to pass me, est about 180kph - I thought to my self, no way!! (Not only coz it was a car) but there were no lights going for it to be a copper - even if it was I was going to find out & give them hell about it, so I chased it down which wasn't hard as it was a Sydney freeway(Parking lot) and saw - no copper but just some wanker in a club sport, got his number plate & made him aware of it & then left him behind. Call the cops when I got to work & reported him as going at super high speed & that I tracked him on the bike & got his rego, went in for a statement & was told they knew of this car & were going to pay him a visit.

Not sure if it happened or not but you get that ;)


****Typed by raz.... using jays pc

[gixxer]

I'm under the impression that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I agree that there are some idiots out there, in both cars and on bikes, but who gives us the right to judge? I'm sure all of us have nudged the speed limit once or twice, and i'm not sure how legal lane splitting is even when at lights. I agree leave it to the experts.

I agree we need to show leaners the right way, and that can only be done by example - not confrontation...

[Louwai]

You guys are picking up on the wrong part of what I said.
I said that what I do is tell them. I DIDN'T say that anyone else should do that.

What I DID say is that we, as a club should promote & practice good (not dangerous) riding habits.

Lane splitting is currently legal when the traffic is stopped. It is NOT legal when the traffic is moving & it is down right dangerous when the trafic is moving at or near the speed limit.

It's this type of riding that we should frown upon internally & openly NOT do it when on the road, so that idiots might eventually take notice.
The Busa is renowned as a "tough" bike. If the young ones see Busa riders ding the right thing then there's a good chance that they'll associate the Busa "toughness" with good riding habits & start to do that.
Hopefully.

[Heidi1]

I understand and support what you are saying. I try to model good behaviour (when I can). I slipped down through the traffic a few weeks ago and in beside a boy on his Ls wearing a t-shirt and thongs. The traffic started up and I let him go, but SERIOUSLY, have you TRIED to sit behind a 250 that is thrashing its ring out? When it was safe, I gently went past him and gave him a little wave. At the next set of lights, he pulled in beside me and the next time the lights went green, I took off and he shot off like a startled bunny, going like the clappers IN THE BLOODY PUSHBIKE LANE to try and get ahead of me. Little fucknuckle. The next time we stopped I spoke to him about giving all bike riders a bad name, and WHERE WAS HIS DAMN SAFETLY GEAR ANYWAY!!!

[RaZ]

ah yes - from that point of view I have done that as well - in fact I make a point of it, sometimes I pull up at the lights next to a squid on a gixxer750 or what ever, always in full kit to have them nod, I always just point to what they are wearing & shake my head & mention skin grafting....

but have told others to take it easy as well... once.. maybe... I can't talk too much so meh

[copperjosh]

I agree with both sides here really. I'm certainly no angel on the road, but most of the time I keep a level head and avoid being an idiot. My thought pattern is somewhat "you never know when your luck might run out" and since I've never come off a bike, i'd prefer to stay that way. I think we all occasionally get sucked into being a little crazy, but it goes with the territory...obviously if you ride the world's fastest motorcycle, your not the average road user.

In respect to crazy mofo's pulling dangerous stuff on the road, I agree somewhat with telling them to stop....however, this has gotten me into some pretty rowdy situations before.

I believe that if someone seriously puts your life at risk on the road by doing something stupid, you should try and pursue them within reasonable means and tell them what they are doing is very crazy...and ofcourse avoid excessive confrontation...which is my weak spot.

I did have an instance in the car with my fiance where a crazy guy overtook us with no room then slammed on his brakes to try and make us run up the back of him. In that situation I was understandably furious as he easily could have killed both of us. I have taken the advice here to let most things slide but if they almost kill you I believe you should do something about it.

I took a particularly aggressive approach in this situation when I finally caught up with the guy & that's something I agree we should avoid. I really can see now that 5 seconds of satisfaction for knocking someone's teeth out is not worth assault charges, lost job prospects, a criminal record, etc etc and even possible jail time.

On the other hand, i've had to come to terms with the everyday idiots who are silly on the road as there is only so much one person can do to stop it.

Just quickly though, I think a major difference between idiots and enthusiasts on bikes, is the wise ones pick their spots to go fast. The idiots leave no margin for error and are going 10/10 everywhere on the street.

[jzbusa]

Some car drivers just dont like us lane splitting at all. Anyone had a driver close the gap just as you get there ? - im talking walking pace not speed limit pace

Had an encounter a little while ago at some lights where a driver took offense to my very safe lane splitting. About 10 k later he appeared next to us (mrs on back) doing some pretty silly swerving & fist raising so i let him go. Pulled up at next set of lights & sat behind him as i thought id upset him enough. lights turned green, he takes off & slammes on the brakes. Could have killed us both, lucky the car behind us was on the ball. Wants me to pull over - more fist waving.

Although i was seeing red & quite happy to dance at that point we kept going. Just not worth it.

In the end i think i had more satisfaction knowing i did the right thing & was the better person




I do know where he lives but !!

[Madmax]

You guys are picking up on the wrong part of what I said.
I said that what I do is tell them. I DIDN'T say that anyone else should do that.

What I DID say is that we, as a club should promote & practice good (not dangerous) riding habits.

Lane splitting is currently legal when the traffic is stopped. It is NOT legal when the traffic is moving & it is down right dangerous when the trafic is moving at or near the speed limit.

It's this type of riding that we should frown upon internally & openly NOT do it when on the road, so that idiots might eventually take notice.
The Busa is renowned as a "tough" bike. If the young ones see Busa riders ding the right thing then there's a good chance that they'll associate the Busa "toughness" with good riding habits & start to do that.
Hopefully.

I'm hearing you bloke, sorry if I misunderstood your point. I am seeing lotsa clowns doing red lights as if they don't exist. I was nearly taken out by a clown in a Taxi - I was however, watching said clown as he approached the intersection, no other traffic around. Dickhead clown actually accelerates through the intersect while my light had already turned green before he entered the intersection. After my light went green I followed him and had a conversation with him advising that I was going to the Police station to make a complaint. He just screamed shit at me, I didn't shake fists or act too angrily and i went to the Police and made a complaint. They suggested that I also contact the cab company and advise them - they (The Cab Company) took two demerit points off him and fined him $500. Still waiting for the police to get back to me.
The reason - I was so frustrated that he took no action to slow down accepting that as I was stopped I could or would not move into the intersection before he had traversed. I just decided to draw a line in the sand that morning (it was 5.20am) and make a compliant. Not to make a complaint when seeing something just so obvious would have been wrong, and had I followed my most earnest wish - ridden up to his window and slapped him in the jaw for nearly killing me, would have landed me in a cell, not a good place to be.


Max -Bring back the Birch!

[Simo]

I'm with you here Louwai
I'm not one to 'inflame' road situations anymore, due to some unfavourable outcomes, but I will definately report dangerous driving. And as a club we do have the opportunity to on mass, display safe riding practices. I do always anyway. I have kids that are getting older, so I want them to see the right thing, and I want to do my best to get home each day to them.

I was unaware of lane splitting being legal in stationary traffic? Having only been riding in NSW now for a bit over 12 months. NT was not.

Cheers

[Louwai]

I was unaware of lane splitting being legal in stationary traffic? Having only been riding in NSW now for a bit over 12 months. NT was not.

Cheers

It is in Qld & Vic. Not sure about NSW. But there are other rules.
You can only lane split on the RIGHT side of the other vehicle, not on the left.
You can not cross the white line into the adjoining lane without indicating. (has to be enough room in the 1 lane to pass the other vehicle with out crossing)
You still can not go past the white stop line at the lights. There must be enough room to stop in front of or beside the lead car without going over the line.

I'm sure there are other rules but they are the main ones.

[rjw3105]

I'm not convinced that lane splitting at anytime is legal per se. Seen people get pulled up on bikes while riding sensibly, lane splitting in appropriate manner and conditions. Also seen the plod let some stupid bastards in cages go, just don't give a f*&k. I'm 1 and a bit months into a 3 month licence suspension and have been doing the 18 or so K's to and from work on my pushy. Most of the way is on a dedicated cycleway and it's still hazardous. An f'wit in a car is still an f'wit on a pushbike. An example is as I was riding home yesterday a bloke on his bike was coming towards me riding beside his friend, wife, whatever on the wrong side of the road. I had clear sight of him doing this for over 100metres and still had to take evasive action when I was about 5 metres away. The problem is the majority of people don't possess the faculties to safely operate at 10km/h, let alone 60 or 100 or....
Better education and the ability to say to some "NO, you're just not good enough!!"

[Louwai]

http://www.bikeraware.com/rr_lane_splitting.htm