Just happened to me this morning

[biketimus_prime]

You need to chill. There seemed to be space between you and the car in front (video can distort this) and the Merc was slowing down. Sit in your lane, but move to a position where you can see the driver in his mirrors (ie, don't ride in his blind spot). You accelerated as he was moving across, when you had ample space to back off and get out of the way. Right or wrong, you're going to come off worst if you collide. When you moved into the left lane, did you check nothing was there? So focussed on the car you could easily have moved into the path of a bus?


Bad move. You're no longer focussing on the task of riding, and could easily miss another dangerous situation and up in a collision. You need to drop incidents from your mind and re-focus. These sorts of situations in traffic on busy roads are common and your safety is your responsibility.

The merc guy moved in straight after the car in front sped up, you can see he indicates for a split second AS he is changing, not even before. I checked the video straight after I got to uni to see if I was in the wrong and maybe I didn't see him indicating.

I think a mistake I made was seeing him there and not staying to the left of my lane to pre-empt his move. However I'd still be in a blind spot, but I could react less harshly. What it felt like to me was that he was moving in as I was accelerating, I couldn't back off because he was moving in so fast and I wouldn't be able to clear his car without braking really hard and risking skidding or something.
I checked over my shoulder just before I crossed the white line, however if there was a car behind me in that lane I'd be f*cked anyway because I was so committed to the move across that it would be too late to even correct that and do something else.

So many lessons learnt here and I am watching it over and over to see what I did wrong on my part, so if I ever do get knocked off, there can't be anything extra I could have done to avoid it.
and yes I was taking deep breaths, slowed down quite a bit and just tried to relax again.

I just can't get over the nerve of that guy, to behave like it was my fault and just the gestures he made as though I was some trash on the road.
His number plate is EWQ908...

[Mike.Gayner]

What it felt like to me was that he was moving in as I was accelerating, I couldn't back off because he was moving in so fast and I wouldn't be able to clear his car without braking really hard and risking skidding or something.
I checked over my shoulder just before I crossed the white line, however if there was a car behind me in that lane I'd be f*cked anyway because I was so committed to the move across that it would be too late to even correct that and do something else.

You need a lot more hours on the bike I reckon. To get so panicky over a situation that literally happens thousands of times a day on Auckland motorways. And there was tons of time to brake - the relative speed between you and the Merc was maybe 10kph at most. A gentle tap on the brakes would have equalised your speed giving you both lots of room.

The guy was an asshole, no doubt about it. But this is a very common scenario for both bikes and cars, and you're getting way too worked up over one bad driver.

[AllanB]

This website is turning gay.

A couple years back most of the replies would have been recommending you get a really loud muffler. That or finding out where is sister lives ........


Better in Christchurch mate - bumpy fucked up roads keep drivers sharp

[Gremlin]

The merc guy moved in straight after the car in front sped up, you can see he indicates for a split second AS he is changing, not even before.

He indicated... amazing in itself.

I think a mistake I made was seeing him there and not staying to the left of my lane to pre-empt his move. However I'd still be in a blind spot, but I could react less harshly. What it felt like to me was that he was moving in as I was accelerating, I couldn't back off because he was moving in so fast and I wouldn't be able to clear his car without braking really hard and risking skidding or something.

You move into view of his mirrors, ie, the right of the lane. The car slowing is your indication something is up, as he was moving along before. You take the opportunity at that point to check what's around you, what options do you have. You don't accelerate there, as you suspect something is up. Moving into his mirrors earlier, you can now see what he's up to. If he's looking at you or moving his head, start making space (plus check what's behind you if you do need to brake). Oh, and he wasn't moving in fast, that's medium. Fast you probably wouldn't have blinked before you'd been side-swiped.

I checked over my shoulder just before I crossed the white line, however if there was a car behind me in that lane I'd be f*cked anyway because I was so committed to the move across that it would be too late to even correct that and do something else.

Right, so you don't want to commit beyond the point of no return... by not being up his rear quarter panel you had options, mostly braking but you control the situation. Beside him... yup, you haven't got much.

there can't be anything extra I could have done to avoid it.
and yes I was taking deep breaths, slowed down quite a bit and just tried to relax again.

Uh, lot you could have done. Number one is to learn to automatically avoid blind spots. If you do have to pass through one, you're not taking your time. Cars often forget quickly there was something there, but being constantly in their mirrors or alongside the drivers door, the odds of that lessen, and I rarely actually get into the situation you found yourself in.

[Woodman]

Pretty minor really.........

[Akzle]

How big is a paintball gun??

.68 bore.

Yes. You can get ball bearings that size (.678 iirc).


Op. Youre in auckland. Get used to it.

[unstuck]

OMG! WTF! LMFAO! YOLO! BHFM! ROFFLE! u neerley deaded!

Bout sums it up really.

[DMNTD:Me]

FFs if you're going to get wound up by that I suggest that you buy a bus pass as that sadly is just standard practice during a commute.

[Maha]

FFs if you're going to get wound up by that I suggest that you buy a bus pass as that sadly is just standard practice during a commute.

....the best thing about a bus pass is that, it can get wet when it rains, and you can hit old people with it!!! really really hard.

[Wingnut]

FFs if you're going to get wound up by that I suggest that you buy a bus pass as that sadly is just standard practice during a commute.

Yep.

[george formby]

Yup, as repeated. Pretty average cage driving. I'm wid Gremlin. Quite a few spidy sense tinglers in the vid & you used up all the space between you and the car in front. Any hoo.

I have a philosophy which Gremlin has detailed.

Control the space around you. All of it. At one point in the vid before the car cut you up I said to myself "slow down & check your mirrors, give him space just in case".

Anywhere you have exits on the m-way (most of it) your gonna get fuckwits trying to lose a few seconds on their journey, let them go. Anticipate, create the space, ride happy.

On the rare occasions I ride through cities I try to anticipate getting boxed in and accelerate into space or slow down to create space. It gives me time to check out traffic, left, right & rear & plan ahead.

Hope this makes sense.

Any hoo. That was a win. No contact.

Oh. Yup, time on the bike. Like you said, lessons. Every one you ride away from is good one.

[george formby]

Just watched your vid again. Coming off the bridge is a snooker game. Did I mention space? Shits me every time I go through the conurb coming off the bridge. Pricks are darting about like 1 tonne mozzies.

I tend to go tits out & get to the front. Fuck em.

[Erelyes]

I used to avoid riding next to cars up until a few days ago. Then this happens. I think I was in his blind spot at first. But as he was moving over, he looked at me and still continued while shouting at me and gesturing with the "piss off" kinda hand movement for me to move over. I was furious, could barely calm myself down for the rest of the ride. He purposely wanted to run me off the road. I wanted to follow him and beat the shit out of him or something.

Slow down. Let them in.

And filter past at the lights, with a friendly wave, and a chuckle to yourself.

[Oakie]

I thought you were in the blind spot. In that sort of situation ... infact in ANY situation you're safest to assume you are in the blind spot ... even if you're right in front of them. Add it to your bank of experience and move on.
Happened to me twice last week by the way...

[Banditbandit]

The grey car (merc? ) was clearly going to move left - the body language of the car from the start made that obvious ...

What they all said .. put it down to experience and don't let it throw you ...