Hassled for riding at the speed limit...

[Gizzit]

Who gets hassled by trucks/cars when you are riding along actually doing the speed limit ??

Today I was riding in town, and a guy in a Beaurepairs truck came up so close behind me, I felt sure he was going to make contact.

As I always do when anyone tries to bully me .... I stick to my guns (actually wish I had been carrying one !! A bloody big one !!)

He kept close behind, and I stayed at the speed limit of 50Kmh. Where I was riding, is often a place for speed camera's and patrol cars, so I wasn't tempted to increase my speed to appease the impatient truck driver.

A little further up the road, he decided to sit back from me, then had a run and overtook me, not giving me a lot of room as he went past. Shortly after this, the road divided into two lanes, he took the right lane, and I started to head for the left lane, and he swerved over slightly, as if he was going to come into my lane. He just did it to be a prat, thinking he would intimidate me. At the lights, when we were stopped pretty much beside each other ... he looked over at me, and I demonstrated with my right hand .... that he was wanking himself. I thought he might get out of the truck and come over, so I had my bike ready to turn off and put on its side stand, and was ready to "discuss" the situation. However ... it didn't happen ...

I rode on home without any further incident.

This really pissed me off! I had just had a really enjoyable cruise in the sunshine, out towards the beach and then back into town. I was in a relaxed mood .... until this arsehole ruined my ride!

How many of you get this kind of hassle from car or truck drivers .... when you want to drive at the speed limit, and get the intimidation tactics of sitting just off your back wheel, trying to bully you into speeding up for them ??

I don't get intimidated .... I just get angry! It may not be the right response .... but I don't take kindly to anyone trying to bully or intimidate me .... it's in my genetics I think !!! ^%$#*&!@#$ !!! ARGGGHHHHHH !!! :devil2:

Rant over ...... :done:

[Badjelly]

From your account it sounds like you attempted to pass him after you had held him up. Maybe not a good idea?

I sympathise, mate, but it's best let him go on his way and give him a wide berth.

[Ragingrob]

Yep cars will sit on my ass sometimes when I'm going even 58 or so in a 50, right up my backside! Then it'll increase to 80 or 100 and they'll no longer be in my mirrors. Wankers, take that!

[Gizzit]

From your account it sounds like you attempted to pass him after you had held him up. Maybe not a good idea?

I sympathise, mate, but it's best let him go on his way and give him a wide berth.

No I didn't try to pass him. I stayed at 50K, and went into the left lane, as it was going straight on ... where I wanted to go. He was ahead of me. He was in the right lane, to turn right at the lights ahead. I had no intention of hassling him with my riding .... I just let him know what I thought of him when we were at the lights. I was angry ....

[3DKiwi]

Could be that your speedo is reading too high like many bike speedos are. My VStrom 650 for example the speedo is 8% out. An indicated 50kph is in fact 46kph (checked with GPS).

Just an idea.

[Gizzit]

Could be that your speedo is reading too high like many bike speedos are. My VStrom 650 for example the speedo is 8% out. An indicated 50kph is in fact 46kph (checked with GPS).

Just an idea.

Yeah you could be right. I haven't mounted my GPS on this bike yet. Still ... I hate being tailgated by anyone. I wasn't purposely trying to piss this guy off .... I was just riding at the speed limit .... which I am more inclined to do of late !! :)

I think it's more about the driver of a big vehicle .. trying to intimidate the driver/rider of a small vehicle. Your bog standard "bully syndrome". :mad:

[Taz]

Why not just pull to the left and let them go by?? Alot less agro and stress involved in that. Makes you a bigger person.

[mattian]

Umm... how often do you go out on your bike? I don't know what its like in Whangarei but, this kind of thing is a daily occurance in Auckland. Just pull over and let them go,.... don't give them a wank sign or the fingers. You just exacerbate the situation. Just ride your own ride and don't let anyone else ruin it for you. Having said all that! ever since I started riding,driving, using the roads, I learnt very quickly that if the posted speed limit says 50 then, unofficialy its 60 and, in 100 k zones..... unofficially its 110. As a rule of thumb.

[Ragingrob]

Depending on the road, "pulling over" will just make them really squeeze past you in perhaps dangerous situations. I hold the right hand wheel track, if they wanna pass me they can feel free to, but they ain't pushing me into the gutter to do it.

[Taz]

Depending on the road, "pulling over" will just make them really squeeze past you in perhaps dangerous situations. I hold the right hand wheel track, if they wanna pass me they can feel free to, but they ain't pushing me into the gutter to do it.

Crikey the main roads (you know the ones with more traffic trying to get past) aren't that narrow.

[mrchips]

nup, must be just up north.

Car / truck & scooter drivers down this way are extremely courteous to other road users, would never revert to this sort of shinanagins.

[zzzbang]

Umm... how often do you go out on your bike? I don't know what its like in Whangarei but, this kind of thing is a daily occurance in Auckland. Just pull over and let them go,.... don't give them a wank sign or the fingers. You just exacerbate the situation. Just ride your own ride and don't let anyone else ruin it for you. Having said all that! ever since I started riding,driving, using the roads, I learnt very quickly that if the posted speed limit says 50 then, unofficialy its 60 and, in 100 k zones..... unofficially its 110. As a rule of thumb.

Thats because the posted speed is ridiculously slow lol.

[McJim]

Dude, what is a speed limit and in what way does it apply to a bike? :rofl:

[McJim]

Thats because the posted speed is rediculously slow lol.
Haha - your spelling is ridiculously funny...you don't spell warrant as warrent too do you? :rofl: :Pokey:

[AllanB]

Ironic really - you've gone from the Hornet to the cruiser to, well - 'cruise' at a more legal rate of knots and then get bullied for keeping within the limit!

Life is weird!

I must admit to giving the odd old person sitting on 35-40 the hurry along:laugh:

[zzzbang]

Haha - your spelling is ridiculously funny...you don't spell warrant as warrent too do you? :rofl: :Pokey:

sigh.. guess il edit that out now <_<

[Tink]

Oh wow, I wish I was next to you when you gave the "pissed off sign".... people that drive business vehicles are always in a hurry, and totally tail gate in auckland (most I have experienced anyway).

You have every right to do 50 (45km) lol .... I have been booked TWICE for doing 56 and 58km per hour... so keep up the good work... and cruise when its needed... I wish I had.. :( "yes in a car"... lol

But in that same sense.... best to keep the anger down... the most chilled out person wins in the end... my dear sweet old aunt was put thru the shits once when a big fella got out his car (traffic stopped) and told her to get out... she is 5ft nothing and 70.... just cause she tooted at him... what is happening to this place... :(

[Ragingrob]

Crikey the main roads (you know the ones with more traffic trying to get past) aren't that narrow.

The ones with more traffic are usually too busy and everyone's up everyone's ass. No way would I pull to the left to let someone pass, I'll be hit by an opening car door or a car pulling out from the left or someone turning right in front of me cause they think I'm turning left.

Main roads are where you'd wanna be as visible as possible, not visibly pulling over so that everybody will then try push past you.

[GOONR]

I rode a little 50cc moped for a bit, if I went down hill with the wind behind me and farted I could get 80k "indicated" out of it.. Cars still right up with me, it just seemed to me that because I was on a moped every car driver thought they had to tailgate...

What really got them though was the up hill just after that, I could only get 35k and if they had been a plonker I would stay bang in the middle of the road.

[Metalor]

JUst pull the cunt out of the truck and slam his face into the footstep. End.

[cheshirecat]

I let them overtake me - pull to one side even. They then find out it's even more uncomfortable having a bike's twin headlights in their mirrors, (about three car lengths behind I might add so they can't accuse me of tailgating)
By and large though I just let it go but on occaisons they can be baited ever so subtlely. The bottom line for me is that its always two tons of steel against flesh and bone so my first option is to let it go.

[Skinnyninny]

Ok hows this for a story...

Today i was riding off to work minding my own business at like 8 in the morning comeing passed the torbay shops when some prat in a silver SUV (Have his REGO :) )decided that my speed of 55km/h was not fast enough. He sat on my rear wheel about 1 meter back. I do the whole turn around and look at him and symbolizing how close he is by looking at his bumper then back at him. After i did this i thought ok... he knows hes too close so i continue singing away and having a jolly old time when i look again and this time he is roughly 30 cm away from me :dodge: . Now i'm angry!! so i contiunue on when all of a sudden WOOOOOOSH he overtakes me into on comeing traffic he goes traveling at about 70 km/h, now he passed soo close i was forced to the hard shoulder where i almost crashed, i felt the wind off his bumber across my leg when he came passed and his wing mirror just missed my head. So anyways thats my story, so i know how you feel mate! Anyways the prat should get a nice letter from the police soon ;)

Dan

[sunhuntin]

try having a bus bearing down on you. ive been gated now by the same bus twice. next time im going to let him go past, follow him to the school, get the rego and make a complaint. the real bitch is that he transports kids from the school around the corner. id be horrified if i had a kid on that bus, knowing how bad a driver he is. last time, he was coming up behind me at the lights. i got away before he had the chance to stop [they changed to green] and was off away over the bridge, expecting to leave him in the dust. not even. he must have been travelling at least 60 or more. and the closer he got to his turn off, the closer he got to me. why do people do that??
ive also been gated by buses for two nearby country schools. one was on a really busy street early in the am. not any decent spots to pull over as theres a shopping center. i managed to turn down a side street... indicated early, and the stupid bitch still nearly collected me when i braked.

[Gizzit]

As some of you have suggested, chilling out is the better thing to do, than getting angry. I'm am generally a very chilled person, preferring to have a laugh about life at every opportunity, and rarely get real angry.
I'm definitely not an aggressive person, but will always defend myself or others from people who try to bully or intimidate in any way. It just tends to get my heckles up!

By riding on two wheels, we are inherently vulnerable on the road, and car/truck/bus drivers need to back off. Any mistake, and we are the ones to get hurt.

It's not a new experience for me .... it just pissed me off !!!

I do ride a lot, too and from work, and in weekends. In my job, I drive a car every day, and have had many many years of driving experience .... in all sorts of vehicles, and in quite a few different countries.

I know if I was driving a heavy vehicle, or slow vehicle, and it was safe too, I would always pull over to the shoulder of the road, and let others pass. But if you are doing the general speed limit, what ever vehicle you are in, it's up to other drivers to safely overtake you. I believe you do need to give consideration to them to allow them do so safely, .... rather than ignore them or worse, try and prevent them from passing you ....

It's different on a bike/scooter in urban areas, where the speed limit is 50k, and as some have pointed out .... moving over to the left is not really an option with parked cars, lack of room to do so safely, .... means people do need to be patient .... or go for it, but do it safely .... not bullying us off the road!
I'm not pretending that I've been an angel in the speed department, by any means ......
But I think that given that there are various speed limits.... it should be 'OK' to do the speed limit .... without being hassled !! :msn-wink:

[35tickets]

After reading Dans post similar thing happened to me on way to work... Approaching the lights at Snapper Rock Rd/Albany highway this morning. Was doing the speed limit and the light was red. As I started to slow down a red SUV was stopped in the right hand lane, then I noticed the light go green so I just got up to speed limit again and just cruised by and carried on.....

So then woman driving suv rips past me doing over 70 in the 50 zone and cuts me off...then pulls to the right and tries to cut a car off by turning right and gets held up by traffic,,,,,Oh you were really clever weren't you stupid b*t*h....needless to say middle finger goes up:mad:

Honestly didn't see the point in what she did at all....add her to the list of crap drivers in Auckland....oh and whangarei is full of crap drivers too....I know I had the misfortune of living there once....

[Duc]

Here is what I do when I ride , drive or walk.

I make my own space. ie a zone of safety... front, rear and sideways.

If it means going with the flow or avoiding a tailgater ...thats what I do.

What I dont do is stand on principle because dead is dead. (Id rather get a ticket if it meant saving my arse)

[awayatc]

I agree with Duc.....I overtake regularly to get rid of a tailgaiter..regardless of speedlimit.
Quite prepared to defend it if i would get ticketed for that.....
Just preserving my life your honour....

[greminn]

I had an interesting issue like this yesterday in the cage... coming back from Auckland to Tauranga, I normally head towards Hamilton then turn off and go thru Tahuna to matamata.

It was dark when i left and traffic was OK... bit of switching lanes on the motorway, I came off the bombays and cruzing at 110 or so with abit of traffic behind me. The radar detector went mad so i just took the foot off the gas and a comode went past going the other way and the radar stopped... OK. under cover i thought.

Turned off to Tahuna and crusing for a while, a car comes up behind be quite quickly and sticks on my tail (quite close). I was in cruze mode, so 105-110 for 20mins or so, this guy is still at the back. Slowed down, he still wouldnt pass me... speed up... radar goes mad! I stuck to my guns under 110 and he finally floored it past me. The dude was a undercover!!

What a wanker.

[vgcspares]

Dude, what is a speed limit and in what way does it apply to a bike? :rofl:
totally agree

and anyone riding "on the speed limit" and not showing courtesy to people who want to pass deserves the hand sign - since when did the Road Code empower people to be quazi-cops ?

[sunhuntin]

in a 50k zone, there should be no reason to pass. hell, i haad some twat gate me the other night and then went screaming past, with a fucking trailer... that was on a straight 50k. had i not been there, travelling at the allowed speed, chances are the same twat would have run my dad over as he had just crossed the road ahead [unknown to me as i didnt realise it was him till i was past already]

[MarkH]

Turned off to Tahuna and crusing for a while, a car comes up behind be quite quickly and sticks on my tail (quite close). I was in cruze mode, so 105-110 for 20mins or so, this guy is still at the back. Slowed down, he still wouldnt pass me... speed up... radar goes mad! I stuck to my guns under 110 and he finally floored it past me. The dude was a undercover!!

You shoulda noted his number plate and made a complaint. Some arsehole tailgating you to goad you into driving faster so he can ticket you is pretty poor IMO.

[scumdog]

Turned off to Tahuna and crusing for a while, a car comes up behind be quite quickly and sticks on my tail (quite close). I was in cruze mode, so 105-110 for 20mins or so, this guy is still at the back. Slowed down, he still wouldnt pass me... speed up... radar goes mad! I stuck to my guns under 110 and he finally floored it past me. The dude was a undercover!!

What a wanker.

And your speedo is 100% accurate?

And there's a world of difference between 'undercover' and 'mufti'

[MarkH]

Today I was riding in town, and a guy in a Beaurepairs truck came up so close behind me, I felt sure he was going to make contact.

He kept close behind, and I stayed at the speed limit of 50Kmh. Where I was riding, is often a place for speed camera's and patrol cars, so I wasn't tempted to increase my speed to appease the impatient truck driver.

A little further up the road, he decided to sit back from me, then had a run and overtook me, not giving me a lot of room as he went past.

If I ride at 50 on the speedo I am travelling at about 45kph, so I can understand another motorist being a bit impatient when they would happily cruise at 55kph without fearing a ticket. Having said that I don't think it is an excuse for driving like a dick and putting a motorcyclists life at risk. There is no way that a heavy truck can stop as fast as a bike, in an emergency stop some tailgating truck would fuck you up real bad - not good!

[Burtha]

My current chinese piece of rubbish means I have to travel at around 60k to be at 50k, but at least down here its unusual for tailgating (they just like to come at you more from the side than behind).

Even in a car, I have found Auckland, more than most, really bad for tail gaters. One of my ex-friends up there was fenominally bad for it. I've never known anyone to be so relaxed and impatient at the same time! It was terrifying as a passenger.
:eek:

But NO ONE should be penalised for doing the speed limit.
And dangerous driving should always be reported, for the sake of all of us.
:2guns:

[DarkLord]

Yeah I get that too. I hate being tailgated. I flick my brake lights on and off and if they still insist, I turn around and glare at them. Someone elses impatience is not my problem.

[madbikeboy]

In the pretend world of niceness, we're all supposed to flow along between 50-55 kph, and we all just get along.

In this world, people don't tailgate, and we motorcyclists get treated with all the rights that we deserve.


However, in the real world, it's a bit different. Okay, so here's some stuff I do, and it's clearly against the traffic laws, and Scummy will be pissed. But, I've been riding a week or two now, and this is what keeps me in one piece.

First, never sit in the flow of traffic with someone tailgating you. It's wrong on so many levels. If the fucktard behind is being aggressive, jump forward a car. Or two.

I never sit at the speed limit. I'll use the car in front for cover at intersections, and if the sun/light is behind me (think about it). I assert myself in the space I'm in, and will not sit beside other cars.

I also tend to overtake a lot - in the mornings especially, I will cruise past traffic, 15 kph is a good differential. Sitting in traffic with fucktards drinking coffee, applying makeup, listening to the radio, or all three at once is a recipie for losing skin.

I am aggressive, and I assert my place, projecting as much "don't fuck with me" vibe as I can. I have a loud can, and I use it. I don't give a fuck about getting a speeding ticket, or offending some balding middle aged exec in his company car (who probably has erectile disfunction and a bossy wife). I care about me not eating car, or pavement, or whatever.

I am the poster child for how not to ride for the Ministry of Transport. But I'm still alive.

[Gizzit]

Ironic really - you've gone from the Hornet to the cruiser to, well - 'cruise' at a more legal rate of knots and then get bullied for keeping within the limit!

Life is weird!

...... SNIP .....



Yeah ....Life eh, .... I mean who do I get in touch with !!!!!!????? lol :D

[Gizzit]

I rode a little 50cc moped for a bit, if I went down hill with the wind behind me and farted I could get 80k "indicated" out of it.. Cars still right up with me, it just seemed to me that because I was on a moped every car driver thought they had to tailgate...

What really got them though was the up hill just after that, I could only get 35k and if they had been a plonker I would stay bang in the middle of the road.

You get that on a little scoot more than anything else, probably. Cars don't consider you should even be sharing the same road with them !!! I have done in the past, and soon will be riding a scoot to work, again. I know how that is !!!! The good thing is when the lights are red .... you can trickle on down the middle, in between cars, and get way a head of them again when the lights change !! :)

However, it doesn't make up for the fact that some drivers couldn't care less if you were run off the road.

There is a push on from ACC to improve rider skills, to reduce the amount of accidents that riders are having, with the increase in motor cycles and scooter registrations.
I think they need to look at getting the message out to other road users about their attitude towards those of us that choose to travel on two wheels. It won't be the total answer, but could help prevent a few accidents, I would guess ...

[wetdog]

I totally understand the situation after my ride yesterday. I saw a dog running in the middle of the road and slowed down, it was a 100kph road.

A car I overtook earlier full of people came right up behind me and tooted away, he obviously didnt see the dog or didnt care. So as the dog moved over to the right I pointed at it.

200 meters later we hit some road works, new gravel, grrr. He was right behind me again, so I thought great, hope you get a few stone chips. But the best thing a lovely long straight was after the roadworks, and I blasted away feeling, I love bikes, and I might have saved that poor lost doggy! :whistle:

[Gizzit]

In the pretend world of niceness, we're all supposed to flow along between 50-55 kph, and we all just get along.

In this world, people don't tailgate, and we motorcyclists get treated with all the rights that we deserve.


However, in the real world, it's a bit different. Okay, so here's some stuff I do, and it's clearly against the traffic laws, and Scummy will be pissed. But, I've been riding a week or two now, and this is what keeps me in one piece.

First, never sit in the flow of traffic with someone tailgating you. It's wrong on so many levels. If the fucktard behind is being aggressive, jump forward a car. Or two.

I never sit at the speed limit. I'll use the car in front for cover at intersections, and if the sun/light is behind me (think about it). I assert myself in the space I'm in, and will not sit beside other cars.

I also tend to overtake a lot - in the mornings especially, I will cruise past traffic, 15 kph is a good differential. Sitting in traffic with fucktards drinking coffee, applying makeup, listening to the radio, or all three at once is a recipie for losing skin.

I am aggressive, and I assert my place, projecting as much "don't fuck with me" vibe as I can. I have a loud can, and I use it. I don't give a fuck about getting a speeding ticket, or offending some balding middle aged exec in his company car (who probably has erectile disfunction and a bossy wife). I care about me not eating car, or pavement, or whatever.

I am the poster child for how not to ride for the Ministry of Transport. But I'm still alive.

YEAH ..... I can see where you are coming from, and that's one approach. I'm sure it works for you on a couple of levels ....

but I'm now riding a cruiser ... as a change in philosophy and attitude to my riding .... (and that attitude or philosophy may not be shared by other cruiser riders ..... I don't know - or care, really ... ).

I'm choosing to be more laid back in my approach .... i.e. not being aggressive in my approach to riding. It's not about being passive or unaware ... or slack in any way ..... just enjoying the pleasure of riding in a more relaxed way. I have done the quick stuff too, but guess maybe it's an age thing .... and I don't need/want to travel really quick .... especially in town!!

It's not a prefect world .... no one in their right mind believes it is. However .... I would like to think ..... I can travel at/or very close to the speed limit, and not get hassled for doing so ... ???!!! :)

[hutchy52]

Could be that your speedo is reading too high like many bike speedos are. My VStrom 650 for example the speedo is 8% out. An indicated 50kph is in fact 46kph (checked with GPS).

Just an idea.

This is generally the case for cars as well, they have a 10% tolerance when manufactured I believe, and in most cases read higher than the actual speed.

[Gizzit]

I totally understand the situation after my ride yesterday. I saw a dog running in the middle of the road and slowed down, it was a 100kph road.

A car I overtook earlier full of people came right up behind me and tooted away, he obviously didnt see the dog or didnt care. So as the dog moved over to the right I pointed at it.

200 meters later we hit some road works, new gravel, grrr. He was right behind me again, so I thought great, hope you get a few stone chips. But the best thing a lovely long straight was after the roadworks, and I blasted away feeling, I love bikes, and I might have saved that poor lost doggy! :whistle:

Good on ya mate! I would have done exactly the same. :niceone:

That new Versys is obviously being put to good use !! :)

[Gizzit]

This is generally the case for cars as well, they have a 10% tolerance when manufactured I believe, and in most cases read higher than the actual speed.

Ah HA !!! ..... so both the truck ... and I, ..... were doing the same speed, .... whatever that was !!!!??? lol :D :niceone:

[Taz]

YEAH ..... I can see where you are coming from, and that's one approach. I'm sure it works for you on a couple of levels ....

but I'm now riding a cruiser ... as a change in philosophy and attitude to my riding .... (and that attitude or philosophy may not be shared by other cruiser riders ..... I don't know - or care, really ... ).

I'm choosing to be more laid back in my approach .... i.e. not being aggressive in my approach to riding. It's not about being passive or unaware ... or slack in any way ..... just enjoying the pleasure of riding in a more relaxed way. I have done the quick stuff too, but guess maybe it's an age thing .... and I don't need/want to travel really quick .... especially in town!!

It's not a prefect world .... no one in their right mind believes it is. However .... I would like to think ..... I can travel at/or very close to the speed limit, and not get hassled for doing so ... ???!!! :)

Your laid back philosophy is getting you pretty wound up mate.

[SPman]

Everyone should drive at the speed limit - like we're meant to!

That would piss a lot of people off........

[Gizzit]

Your laid back philosophy is getting you pretty wound up mate.

No ... not at all. Just making a point, and was wondering what experiences others have had regarding tailgaiting when riding at the speed limit.

It seems like others are interested in the subject.

When I wrote the first post, yeah.... I was in a pissed off mood though ..... rightly or wrongly !! :)

[Duc]

I dont ride AT the speed limit. (and yes...my speedo has a known error)

I ride to the conditions. (weather, traffic, flow)

If I get tail-gated (ie. my space is infringed) I fix it.

Get out of the kitchen if it gets too hot.

Its an amazing thing that on a given day, the Auckland Southern Motorway can flow smoothly, easily and safely at 105- 115 kph. On another day it can be intermittent, dangerous and difficult at 100kph and less.

Recognising whats happening around you on the day you are riding it is the key. Deal with it by creating "your" space.

(ALERT ANTENNA on full at all times)

[retro asian]

While riding I'll turn around and stare at the tail gater for half a second...

(at the same time slowing down until they get the message)

-maybe not the safest thing to do, but seems to work on most occasions.

[varminter]

Looking at the original post the offending vehicle was a Beaurepairs truck (phone and complain, they represent the company) Driving for a living I often wonder why other (professional) drivers drive so fast. The boss won't pay speeding fines, he won't pat you on the head for getting there quicker, and in my case the quicker I get back,the sooner I finish, and the less I get paid.

There is a firm case for rear mounted cannon.

[Big Dave]

Re the OP - Depends on the circumstances - but being tailgated is a pain - Generally I don't mind pulling over to the left to let someone who wants to go faster than me past.

Heaps of motorists do it for me every ride.

Sometimes it's safer to just pin it and split and put someone/thing between you.

Depends on the circumstances/bike/road.

[madbikeboy]

YEAH ..... I can see where you are coming from, and that's one approach. I'm sure it works for you on a couple of levels ....

but I'm now riding a cruiser ... as a change in philosophy and attitude to my riding .... (and that attitude or philosophy may not be shared by other cruiser riders ..... I don't know - or care, really ... ).

I'm choosing to be more laid back in my approach .... i.e. not being aggressive in my approach to riding. It's not about being passive or unaware ... or slack in any way ..... just enjoying the pleasure of riding in a more relaxed way. I have done the quick stuff too, but guess maybe it's an age thing .... and I don't need/want to travel really quick .... especially in town!!

It's not a prefect world .... no one in their right mind believes it is. However .... I would like to think ..... I can travel at/or very close to the speed limit, and not get hassled for doing so ... ???!!! :)

I've always wondered if patch wearing riders have some much aggression towards them on the road - I'm guessing not. If that's the case, we need to invent a "patch" and wear it on our sportsbikes and cruisers. Wonder if Joe Public would notice the difference, or if we'd get treated with more care?

[Gizzit]

Yeah it does depend on circumstances. In this case, for most of the time I was being 'gated' .... there weren't any options for me to move over and let him go.

There were cars parked all the way along on my left, and oncoming traffic preventing him from overtaking me.

It pissed me off that he continued to live a couple of meters off my back wheel, when it was obvious that I couldn't do anything about it, but gap it! But as mentioned, there are often speed cameras and/or patrol cars on this road, and I wasn't going to please this guy, by being bullied into anything.

Nothing new in this situation ..... just purely a comment on being tailgated on a bike, when trying to ride at the speed limit.

If I had been driving a heavy truck and trailer unit, .... would he still be tailgatting me ?? (not that I'd see the prat, being that close ... if I was in that vehicle !! lol) ... or was it more a point of "size matters" , i.e. he was in a truck .... I was on a bike ..... the stock standard intimidation situation, that you can sometimes see, with a large truck up the arse of some car, on the open road. Just bullying ..... plain and simple!

And yeah .... when someone wants to overtake me .... pretty much where ever it is .... I move over and give opportunity to let them go past me, if I'm driving a car, or on my bike/scooter. No big deal at all, especially when they are reasonable about it ......

Thanks for the comments / ideas. I was keen to hear what others thought and how they reacted, or managed the situation ..... and how they felt about the intimidation thing when riding a bike. :)

[Big Dave]

I've always wondered if patch wearing riders have some much aggression towards them on the road - I'm guessing not.

'Road presence' makes a huge difference to the amount of people who pull out in front or change lanes on you.

[Gizzit]

I've always wondered if patch wearing riders have some much aggression towards them on the road - I'm guessing not. If that's the case, we need to invent a "patch" and wear it on our sportsbikes and cruisers. Wonder if Joe Public would notice the difference, or if we'd get treated with more care?

Yeah ... well some people may give the patched bikers more room ... out of fear of them, and how they might react ... ???

Not the kind of response I'm looking for !!! lol :D

It would be nice to have all motorists respect your right to be on the road with them, and for some of them not to have an attitude about you .... because you ride a bike ??? Generally I don't notice any negative attitude towards me as a 'bike rider' ... from most people.

But for the people that do the intimidation/tailgatting thing .... it probably doesn't matter too much what they are driving or who they are following (except maybe gang members ...?) ... it's probably just more about their attitude, and how they are ....

[awayatc]

'Road presence' makes a huge difference to the amount of people who pull out in front or change lanes on you.

very true....
an unimagined difference between riding the Aprilia and riding the Harley....
(3 headlights always on, and a big windscreen etc make up for a bigger presence and thus more "space"given)

[SPman]

Wot the big man says..

plus adopt an "assertive" posture and attitude - that's as much, or more of a component of road presence, as your machine.

[davebullet]

Re the OP - Depends on the circumstances - but being tailgated is a pain - Generally I don't mind pulling over to the left to let someone who wants to go faster than me past.

Heaps of motorists do it for me every ride.

Sometimes it's safer to just pin it and split and put someone/thing between you.

Depends on the circumstances/bike/road.

+1. Goal is safety - creating a buffer and regaining your cruisy ride as soon as possible. So pull over if safe to do so and let him past, or pin it and create the space.

Don't let his aggravation drag you out of your enjoyable ride for any longer than necessary.

[AD345]

I've always wondered if patch wearing riders have some much aggression towards them on the road - I'm guessing not. If that's the case, we need to invent a "patch" and wear it on our sportsbikes and cruisers. Wonder if Joe Public would notice the difference, or if we'd get treated with more care?

Road presence, as BD said, does play a big part. On the Kingpin I seem to get noticed fairly well.

When I took the 8-ball out the other day....

Big black bike, big round headlight, big noisy exhaust, big (boned) rider wearing vest and black thermal top, big black helmet.......cars were moving over for me as soon as I could see them. It was quite uncanny.

[quickbuck]

I agree with Duc.....I overtake regularly to get rid of a tailgaiter..regardless of speedlimit.
Quite prepared to defend it if i would get ticketed for that.....
Just preserving my life your honour....

Yup,
The best defence, is a good offence.

Never get caught flat footed.... and all that.