L plate tailgater..?

[terbang]

Have been following a few threads about the worth of L plates for newbies and really havn't had much of an opinion on them really.
However today, my mate "Blairos", turned up on his brand spanking new VTR250 having ridden from Manurewa to Tetoro. After all the oooh and Aaah about his new bike and riding gear we decided to take advantage of a nice day and go for a ride up the Awhitu peninsula. I kicked the tyres on me Busa, described the road to him and tagged along. Blair rode the bike sensibly well within its limits and resplendant in his new gear he looked (and was) the part with his nice big L plate hanging off the back being the only indication that he was a new rider. After a brief stop in Awhitu we decided to head back with Blair leaving before me. On catching up with him I find him sitting around the 80 kay mark and being tailgated by some moron in a VW. He was obviously not phased by this unnessesary and intimidating distraction and rode his ride though I reckoned that on his second time out on th road he just didn't really need it..
A small gap in the traffic allowed me to zip past Hitlers revenge and shoe horn myself in between them and slowing a bit I opened up the gap giving old Blairos some space to breathe.
Expecting an impatient tailgater on my ass as a result I was surprised as to the sensible distance the VW driver continued to follow me.
A number of reasons for this change of heart could be.

(1) The guy woke up by my (moderatly agressive) manouvre and put his brain into gear and followed at a safe distance.

(2) The human tendancy to intimidate anything that you see as inferior resulted in a tactic change from Tailgating a Newbie to following someone on a large sprot bike that was being ridden more agressively (and Im uglier than Blairos) or in other words Its easier to pick on the small guy who is on his own.

(3) A pure coincidence..

Either way it was an interesting snippet into the life of a Learner rider and certainly got me thinking about the L plate issue and full marks to Blair for keeping his cool.

[Nicksta]

funny you should say that.... not the first one to comment on L plates getting tailgated... i have resorted to not wearing mine.... and it is fine, no probs... but one of my mates has this kind of issue every second day (displaying his plate).... i'm with your option #2

[Harry33]

To be honest I think having a L-Plate is like waving a red flag to a bull. I was happy as a pig in shit when I could take mine off. But some people will tailgate reguardless.

[MattRSK]

Had an L plate for about 5 minutes and felt like i was been targeted. Took it off and riding has been more enjoyable since. Only problem is that if a Police officer wanted to i could get ticketed for it. But for me to feel safe I choose not to use the L plate. Up to the rider i guess.

[Wasp]

Ive never really had a problem that i could say was because of the L-plate, sure 100 year old box style corrolas pulling out in front of me while all the other traffic stops (mabye the brakes failed?) but no "direct" l-plate issues.

I say just do a bit of slalom? weaving in your lane, with the lack of bike knowledge most people think your going to fall off, and i find its kinda fun feeling the g-forces as you go from side to side. (dont do this on oil or gravel ofcourse.....)

Either way, my L-plate actuallly (yes really!) fell off a few weeks ago and i can't say that i have noticed a difference.

[Toast]

Experienced it a million time when I had mine on. Small-minded mutts. Was fun flying past cars on the Coro Peninsula on my 2-fiddy with it hanging off the back...haha...used to live there, kinda helped.

[miSTa]

That's no coincidence, my observations are that the bigger the bike the more room people will give (i.e. the biggere bikes have a intimidation factor) - though there are still some tossers around.

[Ixion]

I virtually never get tailgated on the BMW. In fact, cars generally seem to stay several hundred yards back, and are very reluctant to overtake.. I wonder why ?

[kawaman]

Yep, when i was new to riding and couldnt keep up with traffic the L-plate was OK. Soon after when i was goin as fast as the cars it just became a pain in the butt. Even at the speed limit it was all about being tailgated and being passed by everything....only to end up following them as they were not going any faster. So off with the L-plate and then it was sweet.

[ZeroIndex]

I'm gonna be riding with an L-plate this Saturday from Tauranga to Hamilton sometime around 12 (fetching my FIRST bike :) )... I'm 6'4 and I'm hoping that will be enough to intimidate cars from tailgating me... or i can try put a hole through a passing vehicle with the gloves I'm picking up later today :p (I know that would be a terribly bad idea, but just imagine it... L-plate waves a car by, car passes close to bike, bikers fist enters through car window...)

Anyway, I shall post on how the ride goes, etc...

[avrflr]

L-plates are the devil. Morons like the VW driver will assume they should be going faster than you no matter what the speed. In my experience cops don't usually give a crap about the presence or absence of an L-plate anyway.
It's definitely true that the type of vehicle you are in has a subconscious effect on drivers around you. On my bike people don't pass me, even if I'm doing less than the speed limit. When I'm driving a truck people constantly overtake me then slow down and hold me up.
It illustrates that many people drive without thinking, instead relying on caveman instincts. Because they are fuckwits.

[ZeroIndex]

....ok, this has nothing to do with real life, but i just have a very active imagination...

Cage tailgating a GSXR1000 (lets say Pauly from Las Vegas Extremes, since he's so damn good at stunts), pulls a quick stoppie, gets the back wheel off the ground, and smashes down onto the cages bonnet, then rides off... or something... as i say, i'm not sure if it's completely possible (since car bonnets are quite high), but it would make for a good minute on a bike stunt video

[Ixion]

... On my bike people don't pass me, even if I'm doing less than the speed limit. When I'm driving a truck people constantly overtake me then slow down and hold me up.
It illustrates that many people drive without thinking, instead relying on caveman instincts. Because they are fuckwits.
No, this is because people don't like following trucks. Because you can't see round/over/through them as you can a car.

[Fishy]

L plates seem to attract trouble, best place for them is in your boot (if your bike has one) or in your jacket pocket. If you get pulled over just say it fell off and you will re fit it when you get home.

Tail gaiters SUCK!!! The last guy to tail gate me was so damn close I couldn't see his lights in my mirrors. Stopped the bike at the St Johns Rd roundabout with him right behind me, dissmounted and casually walked over to his window (which the young boyracer was winding up very quickly and locking his door), politely told him to FUCK OFF!! and kicked his mirror off. Got back on my bike and rode off.

The end.

[avrflr]

No, this is because people don't like following trucks. Because you can't see round/over/through them as you can a car.

You're right, much safer to have a 40 ton truck tailgating you for an hour. If I catch up with someone doing 80, I think they would be better off letting me past on a passing lane so I can fuck off into the distance and not bother them. Instead they speed up to make sure I don't get past and then slow down again. Brain off, not thinking about safety or consideration of others, just like the VW driver.

[Grahameeboy]

L plates seem to attract trouble, best place for them is in your boot (if your bike has one) or in your jacket pocket. If you get pulled over just say it fell off and you will re fit it when you get home.

Tail gaiters SUCK!!! The last guy to tail gate me was so damn close I couldn't see his lights in my mirrors. Stopped the bike at the St Johns Rd roundabout with him right behind me, dissmounted and casually walked over to his window (which the young boyracer was winding up very quickly and locking his door), politely told him to FUCK OFF!! and kicked his mirror off. Got back on my bike and rode off.

The end.

Guess you couldn't go faster then........in a car the best trick is to apply the handbrake cause the brake lights don't come on....does the trick....on a bike well.....I just accelerate away.....need some grunt Mr Fish Hook.....

Once when I was younger...okay much younger I stopped cause of this geezer guy tailgating me.....went around the back of my car, opened the boot and took everything out and asked him what he wanted....the look on his face...LOL

[imdying]

You're lucky his foot didn't 'slip off the clutch'... another squashed fireblade :/

/edit: And the put the car in first and drop the clutch works a treat... 'look ma, no tail lights!'

[vifferman]

I reckon that because the L plate is big and yeller, the morons get target-fixated on it. It sort of draws the eye, and sends them into a sort of catatonic state.
I believe L-plates are really bad, myself. When teaching my older two boys to drive, I had some very nasty experiences with people tailgating, passing too close, and generally behaving ina an obnoxious and dangerous manner. And one time (No, not at Band Camp - this was another time), I left the L-plates on while I drove. Despit being well over the speedlimit, I had people desperately trying to overtake me, and behaving very strangely indeed. I was driving exactly the same as normal; the only difference was the L in the back window.

[Hawkeye]

No, this is because people don't like following trucks. Because you can't see round/over/through them as you can a car.

I must agree with that sentiment. Having driven a cage for over 30 years, I like to see what is going on in front of me. With a truck in front, you can see nothing. Ok, so I drop back a bit so I can see a little further. Then it's open season for the gap.
What annoys me more is when you get a truck using the 0.01 second rule, even when you are in a cage. You look in your mirrors and all you can see is grill. Thankfully I haven't experienced that on the bike yet. Years of driving have taught me to pre-empt situations before they happen. I analyse where I want to be long before I reach the point, and assess if I need to open up a gap long before I get there.
Lets face it. Everyone else on the road is a total nutter and I'm the only sane one out there. Using that philosophy, I've managed to survive.

[ZeroIndex]

L plates seem to attract trouble, best place for them is in your boot (if your bike has one) or in your jacket pocket. If you get pulled over just say it fell off and you will re fit it when you get home.

Tail gaiters SUCK!!! The last guy to tail gate me was so damn close I couldn't see his lights in my mirrors. Stopped the bike at the St Johns Rd roundabout with him right behind me, dissmounted and casually walked over to his window (which the young boyracer was winding up very quickly and locking his door), politely told him to FUCK OFF!! and kicked his mirror off. Got back on my bike and rode off.

The end.

How did you get away with kicking his mirror and not getting your bike run over?

[Fishy]

Because he was a little bitch and was nearly in tears.

[Fishy]

Guess you couldn't go faster then........in a car the best trick is to apply the handbrake cause the brake lights don't come on....does the trick....on a bike well.....I just accelerate away.....need some grunt Mr Fish Hook.....


The guy was trying to egg me on to have a race I think?, he was so close I swear his front bumper must have been only cm away from my rear tyre. Couldn't be bothered racin him so I taught him a valuable lesson. DONT TAIL GATE!

[oldrider]

How close is too close for you guys? Just driving behind or dangerously hard up your date?
Reading the comments on here, I guess some of you would be calling me for driving behind you.
I just love bikes and really like watching them on the road, especially when I am in a "boring" car!
I don't "tailgait" as I understand the meaning of it because it is usually quite hard to stay close to a bike or bikes on the road.
If a rider showed any discomfort at being followed I would just drop further back and give them plenty of room but close enough to keep watching the bike, with their safety in mind.
As an aside how many of you put undue pressure onto cages that don't move over and let you through by riding in their blind spot?
I have heard cage drivers moaning about that quite often but I find other traffic are good at letting us through in the main.
You are probably talking about City traffic or where there is heavy traffic congestion, that must be a bit disconcerting, especially for a learner. Cheers John.

[Grahameeboy]

The guy was trying to egg me on to have a race I think?, he was so close I swear his front bumper must have been only cm away from my rear tyre. Couldn't be bothered racin him so I taught him a valuable lesson. DONT TAIL GATE!

I didn't mean race him silly.........on a Honda!!

[Pixie]

If I catch up with someone doing 80, I think they would be better off letting me past on a passing lane so I can fuck off into the distance and not bother them. .
Of course not.
Then you would 'win'