Motorists swerving at bikes

[TheDemonLord]

No, I mean the part where I said you've already proven you don't know how to lane split safely.

Ah, I see.

So, if someone makes a mistake doing something once, then it is proven that they don't know how to do that action for all eternity.

Great Logic there - 10/10 - Would debate again

[bogan]

All that said - where and how does that justify a car driver changing lanes without checking their mirrors?

As others have said, justification doesn't really come into it. That's why many don't split at speed, because if the car is not moving fast they will give more warning (and have less opportunities in a logjam) to skittle you by changing lanes suddenly.
Learning to read cars' position/attitude is something that takes a while, but it is very much worth learning and remaining open minded towards.

[Erelyes]

There is a lot of probably in your statement, compared to the absolute certainty without any objective proof of Katman's post.

Behold! The duck objects to being labelled as such - despite its quack, it may have actually been a goose.

All that said - where and how does that justify a car driver changing lanes without checking their mirrors?

What justifies a car driver changing lanes without their mirrors is that they're not robots. Humans make mistakes. Just like you made one.

[Erelyes]

Ah, I see.

So, if someone makes a mistake doing something once, then it is proven that they don't know how to do that action for all eternity.

Great Logic there - 10/10 - Would debate again

So is your thought process, 'I've made that mistake once - thus I won't make it again'? Cos that's great logic too.

[TheDemonLord]

So is your thought process, 'I've made that mistake once - thus I won't make it again'? Cos that's great logic too.

Y'ah know that the above statement could be considered one of the cornerstones of Human progress - thus yes, it is brilliant logic.

But don't just take my word for it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_and_error

[Erelyes]

Y'ah know that the above statement could be considered one of the cornerstones of Human progress - thus yes, it is brilliant logic.

But don't just take my word for it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_and_error

Oh, no doubt that learning from your mistakes will make you a better rider. But thinking for one minute that the same thing couldn't happen again is foolhardy.

[TheDemonLord]

Oh, no doubt that learning from your mistakes will make you a better rider. But thinking for one minute that the same thing couldn't happen again is foolhardy.

Then we are in actual fact agreeing, just from different sides of the fence.

[Big Dog]

When we are travelling in separate lanes, especially in opposite directions the only thing separating us is a 2-3 wide strip of paint and a gentlemans agreement not to cross it without adhering to other agreements. Agreements set out in the road code and tacitly agreed to by your application for a license to operate your chosen weapon.

Unfortunately for us this agreement does not offer us protection from others we pass when lane splitting, irrespective of lane or lane position. Lane splitting is not defined as a legal activity under the rules.
Ergo it is not part of the contract with car drivers that they should provide us due consideration.
This leaves us only the humanity of our actions set the level for the next biker the driver encounters because most car drivers cannot differentiate a yellow Ducati from a red gn250.

Add to that the fact you will always come off worse and I don't care if you have right of way. Always ride defensively and courteously and you "might" live or some other person you share the road with may not adhere to the agreement that paint may separate us.


I know every time I put my helmet on I am dependent on my skill as a rider to get where I am going.
To a degree I am also counting on others around me to forgive my transgressions much as I choose to forgive theirs.

Let it not be said that I died defending my right of way but that I lived to enjoy the ride an get home safe to my family.


Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.

[Berries]

So, what you are saying is that Ignorance on the part of the driver is a perfectly valid reason for not doing the most basic of basic checks (mirror, Signal, manoeuvre) AND when politely pointed out to them, they have every right to subsequently drive in a manner that is equal to using their vehicle as a weapon.....

I think this has moved on now but I'll answer anyway. Tapping a wing mirror is not politely pointing something out, it is some filthy biker trying to knock the mirror off. You know what your intent is and the reason for it, they don't have a clue and probably won't even pick up the message that you want them to. Maybe they did mirror, signal and manoeuvre, just as you were splitting through their blind spot. Who knows what they were thinking? Whatever it was, it is not worth stressing about.

Try to remember that they're (generally) not out to get you. They don't hate bikers, far from it, you simply don't feature on their radar. They don't know about bikes, think about bikes, or care about them. Yes that's a shit situation for you as a rider, but I implore you to ride with that in mind. When you put yourself into situations that are atypical for drivers, you're putting yourself in harms way. You ain't gonna change the world.

He's on to it. Although if you really do think that they are out to get you you are probably right. It might be me in the wife's Vulva.

[TheDemonLord]

I think this has moved on now but I'll answer anyway. Tapping a wing mirror is not politely pointing something out, it is some filthy biker trying to knock the mirror off. You know what your intent is and the reason for it, they don't have a clue and probably won't even pick up the message that you want them to. Maybe they did mirror, signal and manoeuvre, just as you were splitting through their blind spot. Who knows what they were thinking? Whatever it was, it is not worth stressing about.

Ah,

I think I see where the confusion has arisen- when I say tap the mirror - I did not mean tapping as in trying to knock the mirror off (as in slapping it with my hand) I meant tap as in a single finger pointing/tapping the top of the mirror.

If I had actually slapped the mirror as you thought I meant - then yes, that would be an extremely arsehole move

[Big Dog]

Ah,

I think I see where the confusion has arisen- when I say tap the mirror - I did not mean tapping as in trying to knock the mirror off (as in slapping it with my hand) I meant tap as in a single finger pointing/tapping the top of the mirror.

If I had actually slapped the mirror as you thought I meant - then yes, that would be an extremely arsehole move

The trouble is:
The typical road user cannot tell the difference between an l plate on a gn250 and a hells angel on a wide glide bagger.
Most car drivers I know would find that extremely intimidating. Especially if they did not know you were there. Many would swerve away. Hoping nothing was in the next lane.


Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.

[GingerMidget]

In my limited experience (2 odd years riding) I can safely say the amount of people swerving on purpose in about 1% of the people swerving because they got a fright. One minute there isn't a bike and then bam its right there.

Peak hour traffic is one of the most likely times you'll encounter this as people driving home are thinking about food, sleep, work etc. Not everyone is distracted but not everyone is 100% there either.

Close monitoring of whats happening around you, and the knowledge that it only takes a split second for things to go pear shaped is the best way I've found to making it around in one piece. I'm not claiming to be perfect, but I am careful and I like to make attempts at making myself more visible for those who might not have seen me. It appears to be working up until now.

Bottom line is, prepare for the unexpected. Nothing in life is certain, much less the behaviour of other people.

[buggerit]

In my limited experience (2 odd years riding) I can safely say the amount of people swerving on purpose in about 1% of the people swerving because they got a fright. One minute there isn't a bike and then bam its right there.

Peak hour traffic is one of the most likely times you'll encounter this as people driving home are thinking about food, sleep, work etc. Not everyone is distracted but not everyone is 100% there either.

Close monitoring of whats happening around you, and the knowledge that it only takes a split second for things to go pear shaped is the best way I've found to making it around in one piece. I'm not claiming to be perfect, but I am careful and I like to make attempts at making myself more visible for those who might not have seen me. It appears to be working up until now.

Bottom line is, prepare for the unexpected. Nothing in life is certain, much less the behaviour of other people.

Happy birthday

[GingerMidget]

Bahaha someone was bound to spot it eventually!
Cheers.

[AD345]

Well I don't know what the fuck you lot are all doing but the only swerving I come across is motorists swerving AWAY from me...