Is it just me or are cagers getting worse?

[Spazman727]

In the last 2 days I've had 3 very near misses. One on the way to mission bay in town where a car changed lanes right in front of me without indicating or looking to see if it was clear, one up one of the side streets after St Heliers where a car went through a give way and almost collected me and then one this morning going into Newmarket. I was in the transit lane and this car decided to pull out inches in front of me without warning. That last one really was a brown undies moment because the road was wet and he was so close to hitting me.
Before these three incidents it had been quite a while since I've had anything like that happen to me. I'm used to the changing lanes without indicating on the motorway and all that, but these three really scared me.

Has anyone else noticed cagers getting worse, or am I getting complacent in my old age? I make a concious effort to pay attention to what cars nearby might or might not do.

[cheshirecat]

Plus many seem to overtake just because you are on a bike.

[Spazman727]

I've noticed that too. Scooters also do that. On the same ride out to Mission bay a scooter was behind me most of the way but then went into the cycle lane just to get in front of me and one other car. I wonder at some people.

[SMOKEU]

I find that avoiding cagers blind spots wherever possible has greatly reduced the risk of near misses since most of them don't check properly when changing lanes.

[Spazman727]

I find that avoiding cagers blind spots wherever possible has greatly reduced the risk of near misses since most of them don't check properly when changing lanes.

I do do that all the time. But I was going up past stationary traffic. In this situation I usually keep an eye on the car's indicators and/or wheel angle. Didn't work in this case apparently.

[AllanB]

It is getting near Christmas - everyone on the roads is getting worse!

[Toaster]

I find that avoiding cagers blind spots wherever possible has greatly reduced the risk of near misses since most of them don't check properly when changing lanes.

Yep, very true and it sure helps. Intersections are a biggy too. Muppets pulling out or turning in on bikes are major risks. I always slow down, cover the clutch and get ready for a fast stop.

[Spazman727]

It is getting near Christmas - everyone on the roads is getting worse!

True, I guess that's why there seem to be more crashes over holiday periods, everyone is stressed about all the presents they need to buy and all the other consumerist bullshit.

[baptist]

I've noticed that too. Scooters also do that. On the same ride out to Mission bay a scooter was behind me most of the way but then went into the cycle lane just to get in front of me and one other car. I wonder at some people.

I saw a scooter yesterday blat past a people mover to make up a few yards, well dodgy place he did it. I have to say the cage driver pulled over the white line on the inside of the road to give him room once he started to overtake so he was looking, wonder what he thought of the rider?

I had a bus pull out in front of me leaving a bus stop, thing was I was in the outside lane and he came across both lanes, felt I had a target on my front:shit: Guess some of you guys might have got used to it but I felt :sick: My dayglo top and head light obviously not enough.

[Spazman727]

: My dayglo top and head light obviously not enough.

Na mate, you need fireworks, and a huge sign for them to see you. I once had a near miss at a round about when I was wearing a big bright orange hi viz jacket. His excuse (when I followed him to his house to demand an explanation) oh, sorry, I didn't see you. How does that work?

[onearmedbandit]

You've just had a bad run. So many variables involved.

[Botany Honda]

I find that avoiding cagers blind spots wherever possible has greatly reduced the risk of near misses since most of them don't check properly when changing lanes.

100% true, I find that commuting with the knowledge that no one has seen me and that it is up to me to make myself be seen is the only way to go

[Spazman727]

100% true, I find that commuting with the knowledge that no one has seen me and that it is up to me to make myself be seen is the only way to go

I do my best to make myself seen but sometimes there is nothing you can do, they're gonna pull out in front of you anyway.
I guess that's just one of those things when it comes to biking and you have to live with it (and inform the bastards every time they do something wrong).

[Hurrie]

i dont know what it is but i always tend to get cut off at round abouts to the point that i thought my right indicator wasnt working but it works fine. one asshole in a taxi was stationary and i saw him look at me (i was looking at him cause he was inching his way forward past the white lines) and than just decided to floor it and cut me off anyway had to get the bike to a stop mid lean to avoid hitting him.

[Punchy]

Same here, yesterday had a guy cut across from the right lane into the left, right across the front of me. Had to really get on the brakes to not get hit, then he carried on doing it for the next 500 metres or so, jumping in and out of traffic without looking. Pulled up next to him at the next set of lights and gave him a firm fucking word or two.

I'm no angel, but fuck, at least *LOOK*

[Hurrie]

lol yeah you also get the people who think that its alright to share a lane with you going 50km/h and when you're turning right at traffic lights.

[Banditbandit]

In the last 2 days I've had 3 very near misses. One on the way to mission bay in town where a car changed lanes right in front of me without indicating or looking to see if it was clear, one up one of the side streets after St Heliers where a car went through a give way and almost collected me and then one this morning going into Newmarket. I was in the transit lane and this car decided to pull out inches in front of me without warning. That last one really was a brown undies moment because the road was wet and he was so close to hitting me.
Before these three incidents it had been quite a while since I've had anything like that happen to me. I'm used to the changing lanes without indicating on the motorway and all that, but these three really scared me.

Has anyone else noticed cagers getting worse, or am I getting complacent in my old age? I make a concious effort to pay attention to what cars nearby might or might not do.

I don't think cagers are getting worse - or better - they've always been bad ...

I think that the ACC arguments have heightened our awareness of cagers' behaviour on the roads ...

And possibly you've had a run of bad luck .. I can go for weeks without any dickhead cagers annoying me .. then suddenly run into a string of near misses and idiocy from them ...

[Spazman727]

Same here, yesterday had a guy cut across from the right lane into the left, right across the front of me. Had to really get on the brakes to not get hit, then he carried on doing it for the next 500 metres or so, jumping in and out of traffic without looking. Pulled up next to him at the next set of lights and gave him a firm fucking word or two.

I'm no angel, but fuck, at least *LOOK*

I find that knocking on the window puts the shits up them. I usually try to tell them what they did wrong in no uncertain terms. At least maybe the one I talk to won't do it again and, best case scenario, they will tell their mates that they almost killed a biker and maybe they will also pay a bit more attention for a while.
I live in hope.

[Bounce001]

I think the stadard of driving has steadily got worse. School buses are shocking for just pulling out in front of whatever and recently I have had a few cars pull out in front of me at the same interesection - at least one per day. They seem to forget that it is a 100km zone. And that is when I have been in the car. I find getting right up their ass at speed and a long honk on the horn tends to make them wake up a bit and hopefully they wont be in such a hurry again. Otherwise:

Get a stebel! :woohoo:

[Gremlin]

standard of driving varies... I tend to do over 1000km a month just around the city (live 12km from office) and yes. You get people merging onto the motorway at 40kph (if they can figure out how the onramp lights work) through to those equally frustrated as me by the idiots doing 80kph in the fast lane.

Someone has already said, Christmas, its going to get worse. Always does. Try to relax, give yourself time to get anywhere, and don't get too worked up by the close misses etc, just accept its going to happen and stay focussed.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Hell yeah, there's nothing like having a close call, getting steamed up about it and thinking about that, then having ANOTHER one cos you're not paying attention.....

You just have to ride (or drive) with the mindset that every other road user is a homicidal maniac who WANTS to kill you. not just negligent, or doesnt care, WANTS you dead then to back over your corpse to make sure you stay dead.... because you're not actually paranoid if they really are trying to get you.....

[chasio]

School buses are shocking for just pulling out in front of whatever

You're probably right, but since you are only overtaking a stopped school bus at 20kmh or less, you can easily stop in time, right...?

:whistle:

[duckonin]

Mirrors in cars and some bikes make you look like you are in the distance but you are or they are right on the doorstep, Half the problem is there, the rest is the idjet driving the thing...always take care assume the worst...:yes:

[gazmascelle]

running red lights seems to be all the rage here in palmy.

Also ive noticed a lot of people here get upset about filtering traffic at lights, i always make sure i dont get in anyones way or hold anyone up but theres always someone (usually in a big 4wd) that decides he has to thrash the fuck out of his/her truck, blowing smoke and shit everywhere, probably doing some crazy speed to catch up to me, and follow 2 inches from my arse as if im holding them up lol.. yeah right.

I want a tank

[duckonin]

I think the stadard of driving has steadily got worse. School buses are shocking for just pulling out in front of whatever and recently I have had a few cars pull out in front of me at the same interesection - at least one per day. They seem to forget that it is a 100km zone. And that is when I have been in the car. I find getting right up their ass at speed and a long honk on the horn tends to make them wake up a bit and hopefully they wont be in such a hurry again. Otherwise:

Get a stebel! :woohoo:

Buses are buses and always have the right of way as far as the driver is concerned, now you are not going to tangle with a BUS are u ? That's the way the it has been since buses were invented...:innocent:

[Tunahunter]

Before these three incidents it had been quite a while since I've had anything like that happen to me. I'm used to the changing lanes without indicating on the motorway and all that, but these three really scared me.

Have you reviewed your visibility recently?

[Spazman727]

Have you reviewed your visibility recently?

I'm not doing anything differently from what I normally do as far as visibility is concerned (or anything else for that matter as far as I can see). I'm gonna try pay extra attention to everything from now on (more so than I already do)

[Gremlin]

Looking at it brutally... it doesn't really matter how much they are in the wrong anyway. You're still the one that comes off worst in any incident...

Don't ride like a maniac, but also don't ride in a timid fashion. It might allow the cars to think they can push you about as such. I make sure cars keep their distance, don't share my lane or get too close in front or behind etc. I call it "assertive" riding. :innocent:

[James Deuce]

Whenever I start having near misses I start looking at my riding and usually find that it's me at fault.

Whenever I start hitting things it's always my fault.

[bogan]

running red lights seems to be all the rage here in palmy.

Also ive noticed a lot of people here get upset about filtering traffic at lights, i always make sure i dont get in anyones way or hold anyone up but theres always someone (usually in a big 4wd) that decides he has to thrash the fuck out of his/her truck, blowing smoke and shit everywhere, probably doing some crazy speed to catch up to me, and follow 2 inches from my arse as if im holding them up lol.. yeah right.

I want a tank

fuck yeh, I'll sometimes feel a bit guilty bout running a late-ish orange, then look in the mirrors and find the two cars after me came through as well! Never had lane-splitting issues though, maybe I just look like a guy not to be fucked with :bleh:

but nah, haven't noticed overall driving getting any worse

[lanci]

I ride everyday and very rarely have problems with no signs of it getting any worse (touch wood). Some of you guys must have a magnetic effect for bad situations/drivers...

[baptist]

Na mate, you need fireworks, and a huge sign for them to see you. I once had a near miss at a round about when I was wearing a big bright orange hi viz jacket. His excuse (when I followed him to his house to demand an explanation) oh, sorry, I didn't see you. How does that work?

what to throw at them? many years ago, over 25 of them and before paranoia hit the world regarding terrorists (we only had the IRA back in the good old days) I had a mate who was a dispatch rider in London, I was a squaddie and got him a dummy hand grenage used for throwing practice, looked the part. True story he gets cut up by a taxi, rides up to the cab, knocks on the window, the cocky guy opens the window already yelling abuse and stops dead in mid sentence when he sees the grenade, the pin pulled out and it dropped into his footwell... by all accounts when you panic it takes you longer to get out of a car:nya:

[Edbear]

Yep, very true and it sure helps. Intersections are a biggy too. Muppets pulling out or turning in on bikes are major risks. I always slow down, cover the clutch and get ready for a fast stop.

I find riding a bigger bike with the driving lights on, so three bright white plus the two amber running lights shining forward does make a big difference!

I suspect many may think I'm a cop but I can't think of a more visible bike to ride.

[Edbear]

what to throw at them? many years ago, over 25 of them and before paranoia hit the world regarding terrorists (we only had the IRA back in the good old days) I had a mate who was a dispatch rider in London, I was a squaddie and got him a dummy hand grenage used for throwing practice, looked the part. True story he gets cut up by a taxi, rides up to the cab, knocks on the window, the cocky guy opens the window already yelling abuse and stops dead in mid sentence when he sees the grenade, the pin pulled out and it dropped into his footwell... by all accounts when you panic it takes you longer to get out of a car:nya:

Now that's just plain being mean! :yes:








:first:

[baptist]

Now that's just plain being mean! :yes:
:first:

Wonder if he cut up any other bikes after though :cool: might have made him think, or change his undies anyway.

[mattian]

Plus many seem to overtake just because you are on a bike.

I knew I wasnt paranoid!! if others notice this too. I find this particularly bad on the motorways. I like to keep at least a 2 second buffer zone from the car in front of me, and I have cagers hard on my ass... then darting into the left lane, overtaking and squeezing themselves into my gap. I would understand if I was holding up traffic, but I'm flowing at the same speed as the car in front. Now when I see this happening I just gun it and close the gap so that they can't squeeze in there. They soon drop back and give up. I know it sounds like I'm being a dick but, I'm not giving up my safety zone just coz some dickhead thinks they have a point to prove about overtaking a bike.

[PrincessBandit]

Not personally, but Balu and I were coming home on the Southern a few days ago, around 5.30ish and some blind jungle bunny pulled straight out almost into his side. When he honked and flipped them the bird, he looked over and they'd stopped to look down into their lap at the fast food they were stuffing into their face while driving.

Then to my amazement they proceeded to sit there, holding up the traffic while sorting their food before hooning back up behind us....

Jungle bunnies should be shot in a bunny hunt.

[Toaster]

I find riding a bigger bike with the driving lights on, so three bright white plus the two amber running lights shining forward does make a big difference!

I suspect many may think I'm a cop but I can't think of a more visible bike to ride.

I guess the tinted headlight cover dont help me much. Bwahahaha

[Edbear]

I guess the tinted headlight cover dont help me much. Bwahahaha

Maybe if you tinted it 50/50 red and blue...? :rolleyes:

[Hiflyer]

Mission Bay, St Heliers, Newmarket, all terrible places, Mission Bay etc is hell cos everyone is in a hurry to get their icecream and hit the beach, Newmarket sucks cos of the Remuera tractors and their occupants being in a hurry to buy... I dunno, something that i definitly can't afford!

I live in Greenlane by the Campbell Road intersection and even 5 sets of traffic lights can't control idiot drivers.

Rant over!

[Toaster]

Maybe if you tinted it 50/50 red and blue...? :rolleyes:

Yes well I have always been a fan of the police using mufti Hayabusas as chase bikes.

[Hiflyer]

Yes well I have always been a fan of the police using mufti Hayabusas as chase bikes.

Just incase anyone didn't know (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Hayabusa#Police_Hayabusas)

I wonder how fast they go before they call the chase off??

[Max Preload]

I've noticed that too. Scooters also do that.It's likely the very same people... those who ride a bike registered as a moped on their car licence...

[Owl]

maybe I just look like a guy not to be fucked with :bleh:

Bogan's are scary:eek5:

[Edbear]

Yes well I have always been a fan of the police using mufti Hayabusas as chase bikes.

I bet there'd be a few BMW mounted cops who'd agree with you there! :yes:


Just incase anyone didn't know (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Hayabusa#Police_Hayabusas)

I wonder how fast they go before they call the chase off??

Well, the bikes are speed limited to 299km/h... :innocent:

[The Everlasting]

Cagers are pretty bad in auckland,but I don't think they are getting worse.


but there are times when I may piss them off,especially when stuck in traffic I will get impatient and overtake them,sometimes even on the left...:gob:

[mike n]

I dont know about you folks over there in N.Z. but here in the States its illegal to shoot the bastages for trying to make a hood onament out of your bike..
Geez they dont hear emergency sirens or see flasing lights on cop cars or fire engines so guess bikers had better ride like we are invisible...

[Cayman911]

yesterday some asian woman in her green nissan micra was determined to take me out. freaked the candyfloss outa me. stupid woman.

[gazmascelle]

fuck yeh, I'll sometimes feel a bit guilty bout running a late-ish orange, then look in the mirrors and find the two cars after me came through as well! Never had lane-splitting issues though, maybe I just look like a guy not to be fucked with :bleh:

but nah, haven't noticed overall driving getting any worse


well you're a pretty scary looking guy..

seriously though, im sure my bike is a dickhead magnet. ive only had it a year and its already been kicked over onto its RHS, and reversed into, snapping the stand and putting it on its LHS, and almost wiped out by countless other means. :violin:

i still want a tank.