Is wearing a flouro vest and displaying an L plate asking for it?

[Maki]

I wonder, do car drivers see flouro vests and L plates as some kind of challenge? Do they go out of their way to scare/harass riders with these items? If you think so, then why do you think that is?

Please share your views and experiences, especially if you feel that other road users treat you differently if you are wearing a flouro vest and displaying an L plate...

[centaurus]

I believe displaying an L plate does paint a bull's eye target on your back. I've had first hand experience on this quite a few times and wondered why.

Personally I believe it's the same reason people in AA driver training cars get bullied - the other drivers automatically assume that being a beginer you will be slow and hold them back, so they try to get past you at any cost. Obviously this kinda fixation creates all those close calls and stupid/dangerous/aggressive overtaking/passing/cutting in front techniques that most of us have seen while on L plates.

And if you happen to have long hair like I do, they automatically assume you're a girl and get even more aggressive in trying to get past you.

The only solution to this problem that I have found was not to wear the L plate and when I needed to wear the L plate, assume territorial/aggressive body language while riding to deter others from bullying me, like using all the lane, making sure I was blocking the way forward for the vehicles following me so they won't think about overtaking me in the same lane, etc... Stuff that is not reckless or dangerous in any way, most of the times is even recommended for safety reasons and it tells everybody in traffic that you are there to stay and won't let anybody bully you. It the same principle with not showing fear towards a barking dog.

[Markw336]

i have that problem on my scooter without L plates people think that bikes/scooters are slow but most of them are faster than the car itself and no doubt when i get a bike i will have the same prob

in some cases people think cause there bigger there cocky and invinicible but there not.

[Ender EnZed]

I spent 6 months (and about 8000km) with a fluro vest and an L plate. Not once did I experience any behaviour from car drivers that could reasonably be interpreted as malicious. I realise that statistically the relevance of one persons experience can be rounded to zero and I'm sure others will have different stories to tell.....

BUT, I'm also fairly sure that the majority of the emotional harrassment stories stem mostly from stupidity (or inattention) and ignorance rather than a cager going out of their way to respond to a percevied challenge.

IMHO.

[Ender EnZed]

assume territorial/aggressive body language while riding to deter others from bullying me, like using all the lane, making sure I was blocking the way forward for the vehicles following me so they won't think about overtaking me in the same lane, etc...

"Defensive" is what I'd call that. An L plate will make traffic (including other bikers) assume you're slower than them. Ride on the left and they'll assume you're letting them past.

L plates probably don't have as much affect on scooters since they're already seen as slow.

A fluoro vest is also going to make people think you'll travel slower than they'd think otherwise.

None of this really needs to matter if you're riding in the centre/centre right of your lane at the same speed as normal traffic.

[AllanB]

It's not all right to say they were asking for it - ever.

[Nibblet]

It's not all right to say they were asking for it - ever.

Family violence is no joke

[Ender EnZed]

Ride on the left and they'll assume you're letting them past.

Just offering my view on the possible workings of a road users mind. This applies to motorcyclists every bit as much as cagers. Many, many times on my 250 I let faster motorcyclists pass in my lane with no more indication on my part than moving to the left. It wouldn't look any different to a cager but their cage wouldn't comfortably fit.

[varminter]

On my six months with an L plate I only once was certain that I was getting a rev up from a tail gaiter and he was VERY close, let him past then shot him with the forward mounted bazooka.

[one fast tl1ooo]

Hell yeah - you'd either have to be old or retarded

[Ms Piggy]

When I was on my Learners licence I rode both with and without an L plate - I put it back on b/c someone pointed out that my insurance might have been void if I wasn't displaying it. The best piece of advice my friend gave me was: "Ride like you own the road" and I did and it makes a big difference.

Anyhoo - basically I found that as I became a more confident rider, L plate or no it makes no difference to the way cagers treated me. I'm not sure about the high-vis vest thing though - some ppl say it makes no difference but I find it handy when I'm trying to find my man in the traffic! He wears 1 of those X ones.

[chef]

i havent displayed my L plate yet go for ristricted in a few days. dont even want to put it on for the test, i dont know how riders put on the big bright yellow L sign wich really says im a looser all over it, sorry to the people who do but id rather risk the $400 or try my luck and b.s a pigga. the moral of the story dont wear a L plate and you have no troubles at all

[Maki]

WThe best piece of advice my friend gave me was: "Ride like you own the road" and I did and it makes a big difference.

These are wise words.

[Ms Piggy]

Actually I also doubt that most cagers, who are not involved with motorcycles, aren't aware that a learner licenced rider is legally only allowed to ride at a top speed of 70kms/hour.

Of course this discussion around speed for a learner riders has been done to death but I believe it can contribute to the way learner riders are treated by cagers.

[StoneY]

Cant say I had that experience but then again it was just a little L in a WOF holder in my day

Not to mention I had my Provisional for 4 hours, and my Restricted for 3 weeks.
Had full license at age 15+3 weeks - bless the old MOT days when they did an internal course at Trentham

I feel for the modern motorcyclist just starting out