This made me cringe

[R650R]

I ride that road every day, and also spent a fair bit of my working life driving trucks... The middle lane is the lane to be in here, no doubt. Traffic appears fast in the left hand lane here mostly because 50% of those who were in it have pulled off onto Hill Road. Then everyone remaining speeds up. I see it every single day, and often take advantage of it too.

I agree and used to drive that bit of road nearly every day to in b-train.
It's another one of transit/LTSA/Govt abortion of road designs.
Obviously like in other spots they built the mway and bridges wide enough to be full three lane affairs in 20-30 years time etc but it has never happened. From the start that lane should end at the offramp and not continue.
The amount of misery that location must have caused people in injury and delays over the years due to bad design and lack of action from authorities. But I suspect they probably sneak up that left lane when on a mission as often as everyone else so we're all guilty.

[PrincessBandit]

I had a quick check to make sure it wasnt me.....

Well it wasn't me 'cos Hill Road is my off-ramp and I wouldn't miss taking it by that much...

[SMOKEU]

You would be surprised how many would struggle to do a feet up full lock U turn.

Which is something that I kept losing points for on my license tests. I don't know how it's meant to be done since there's no place to put the hands between the fuel tank and bars on most sports bikes with the bars turned hard, maybe just try to control the throttle with one thumb or something.

[Ocean1]

You would be surprised how many would struggle to do a feet up full lock U turn.

Ohyeah, just t'other day I was severely injured by the lack of just that skill, and the failure to negotiate a full lock feet up turn's killed many a rider dead.

[trustme]

If you can't do the basics, that lack of basic skill shows up all through your riding.
Same instructor told me of a seminar the cops ran. When they set up a course for the riders to try, all the pillions , partners , wives went & sat on the sidelines. None of the riders felt competent or confident enough to attempt the course using the same bike & load that they were happy to go riding around the country with.

[Ocean1]

If you can't do the basics, that lack of basic skill shows up all through your riding.

Basic skills for what? I know a damned good trials rider that can't ride a big dirt bike for shit. A top MX oldtimer that isn't confident enough on the road to tour with the rest of his mates. My brother is very competent on big touring bikes but gave a borrowed hyper-motard back after a few miles, wasn't happy with it at all. My background is big dirt bikes and trials, but I'm a long way from figuring out best practice on any typical road bike. I can slap my KTM against it's steering stop and ride it round a circle with barely a second thought, a lot less confident on the Buell.

It's almost as if some of the skills that make up the competencies above are mutually exclusive, and mere mortals can't encompass the whole set. I do know a few guys with a comfortable majority of the various skill sets, and whereas I once found riding circles on full lock a handy trick most of them wouldn't consider it anything like any required basic skill.

[BoristheBiter]

I can slap my KTM against it's steering stop and ride it round a circle with barely a second thought, a lot less confident on the Buell.

, and whereas I once found riding circles on full lock a handy trick most of them wouldn't consider it anything like any required basic skill.

Yep, that is how i warm up before every dirt ride but no way i'm going to try that that on the gixxer.

[nzspokes]

Yep, that is how i warm up before every dirt ride but no way i'm going to try that that on the gixxer.

Full lock, crack it wide.

Dont forget to video it.