Blind idiots in cages

[Zed]

I saw the look out for motorcycles signs on the Papakura and Manukau off ramps last night - when did they go up,and how many are there?

...these signs have also been erected out East, West, & Northshore Auckland. I'll try and get a photo of one uploaded shortly.

It's a good thing me thinks, but I say "look out for cars, trucks, & buses!"


Zed

[Jackrat]

This sounds good coming from you ........both drivers pulled in front of me at the last second;you can only stop/turn so fast........what do you think I should have done,stopped in the middle of the road and let them do their turn??????then got run over by those following!!!!Do YOU stop and let all cars signalling a turn go in front of you into their driveways accross the main road????I don't think so.
BTW I NEVER get people turning in front of my 4WD.......

Thanks Guys,Thats my first laugh for the day
An yep,They don't pull out on my 4x4 either,Odd that huh!!

[Draco]

Thanks Guys,Thats my first laugh for the day
An yep,They don't pull out on my 4x4 either,Odd that huh!!

Yup, i drive deaths 4x4 and they don't try wipe me out like they do on my bike too. Wonder y???

I was riding in traffic the other day and a women in a cage tried to pull up on my left in MY lane. I tooted at her and she hesitated, looked straight at me and then continued to try and push me out of the way. It wasnt until i raised my fist at her right in her window that she finally backed off and let me have my lane back.

It has NOTHING to do with poor riding (in most cases) and everything to do with idiotiotic/incompetent/rude/dangerous people who shouldn't be allowed on the road.

[wkid_one]

This sounds good coming from you ........both drivers pulled in front of me at the last second;you can only stop/turn so fast........what do you think I should have done,stopped in the middle of the road and let them do their turn??????then got run over by those following!!!!Do YOU stop and let all cars signalling a turn go in front of you into their driveways accross the main road????I don't think so.
BTW I NEVER get people turning in front of my 4WD.......

to have the same accident twice shows you aren't learning from your mistakes.

You obviously spotted the cars - therefore should have calculated the risks and acted accordingly. Yes the car drivers are at fault - but I would think - once bitten twice shy......

The fact you knew they were turning was worse!!!!!

All I am saying is that whilst the driver didn't look - you are assuming ignorance by not piloting the bike assuming they are going to. First rule I was told on the road (car or otherwise) was assume everyone else is going to do something stupid.

Did you adjust your speed? Did you change your position in the lane? Did you flash your lights? Did you brake slightly???

The way you say it - it looked like you just assumed they would give way and they didn't......that fact you are riding a BIKE (and not your 4WD) should make you even more conscious of the fact

I still maintain this is poor riding behaviour.....as you HAD already identified a hazard (twice) and did NOTHING about it.

[wkid_one]

I was riding in traffic the other day and a women in a cage tried to pull up on my left in MY lane. I tooted at her and she hesitated, looked straight at me and then continued to try and push me out of the way. It wasnt until i raised my fist at her right in her window that she finally backed off and let me have my lane back.

This happens HEAPS at the Nauranga Flyover heading in to Wellington. Those in the two outside lanes quite often both try and go in to the middle lane at the same time once it goes in to three lanes- funny to watch.

I just generally think that very few people use their mirrors properly. I have seen Bike Riders do exactly the same thing - miscalculate the cars speed in the lane next to them when they pull in.

[Big Dog]

I have only had one cager pull out in front of me in about a year. Interestingly that time frame coincides with my insurance lapsing. Perhaps I am more careful?

Always give way, even when you have right of way (where it even looks like they might have a go). As many a man has died defending their right of way.

Wear bright colours. It is amazing the difference between reaction to my black leather and my blue kevlar.


Having a big bike helps you to be seen but provides a bigger target.

I am regularly asked (usually by 20 yo's) when I am going to replace my o/e indicators with smaller leds (o/e's are about 3sq inches). I reply when cages stop parting like the red sea whenever I flick an indicator on.

Ride confidently but be prepared! you look more like a threat if you don't look like your trying to hide. Treat every cage including those of your partner as a heatseeking surface to motorcycle cruise missile, you are not paranoid they are out to get you. If you take this approach you will be ready for it if it does happen and will be filled with feelings of warmth if it does not.

Spend as little time in their blindspot as possible. If you can't see their face in their rear view they can't see you!

Don't tailgate or you will have no spare room to play with. Don't hang back too far as you are just encouraging them to try for the gap.

Drill for emegency stops / evasive manouvers etc.

Be safe, enjoy your riding, and keep the black bits down.

[DEATH_INC.]

I still maintain this is poor riding behaviour.....as you HAD already identified a hazard (twice) and did NOTHING about it.

I think you don't know what you're talking about
How do YOU know I didn't brake/change road position,ect?????

[Draco]

I just generally think that very few people use their mirrors properly. I have seen Bike Riders do exactly the same thing - miscalculate the cars speed in the lane next to them when they pull in.

The women is was referring to was BEHIND me in the same lane, she tried to undertake me in my lane, and i was not prepared to let her continue and end up pushing me into another lane.

You seem to make many assumptions about people's riding skills/abilities that i think you are not qualified to make since you have not seen them ride yourself to judge and your obviously not up to riding on the road yourself.

[Coldkiwi]

Well I can relate to most of the above but I encountered an even more disturbing trend while lane splitting (ooo naughty me blah blah) on Tuesday down the southern motorway at Otara.
Cruising along, indicator, full beam all on: plenty of room. A lot of cars see me coming and part slightly (always gets a thankful wave) but one twit in a red ute decides he's had a bad day. About 40 metres out, he sees me in his mirror and DELIBERATELY moves towards the rear left corner of the truck in the right lane (previous 3m gap rapidly closes!) what a SWINE!
As it happens, I spotted it early enough and had it in 2nd gear still so I gassed up and shot through (stopping is just too annoying). The guy yelled at me as I went past his window and he also got a friendly wave (no point in waving a retalitory finger when a courteous wave annoys them more )

But really.. malicious use of a vehicle to stop someone lane splitting? what a prat. Hopefully he's still stuck in traffic somewhere.

[Slim]

Spend as little time in their blindspot as possible. If you can't see their face in their rear view they can't see you!

I just know there's something inherently wrong with this sentence, but I'm having trouble putting my finger on it .......

CK - I had something similar happen to me when I was on my little GB250 trying to get out of Auckland for Christmas some 10 years ago, when they were just starting to extend the motorway up the Bombays, but the Bombay intersection was still in existence at the top of the hill. When the 2 lanes merged back into 1 halfway up the hill, c@rs were refusing to merge & so were still in 2 lanes, & I was lane splitting at 5-10kph when a dog-in-the-manger-type of driver decided he didn't like the idea of me getting where I was going quicker than him & swerved sharply to close up the gap I was about to use, just about at the last minute. Luckily he missed me, and 5 minutes later I was able to duck round the c@r on the left & merrily head off on my way, but it gave me a bit of a shock that someone could threaten my life just because they were pissed off being stuck in holiday traffic.


Big Dog - I think I've got it now. Just cos you can see their face in their rearview mirror, doesn't mean they're actually gonna use it!

[Big Dog]

I just know there's something inherently wrong with this sentence, but I'm having trouble putting my finger on it .......

Big Dog - I think I've got it now. Just cos you can see their face in their rearview mirror, doesn't mean they're actually gonna use it!

Yes but as stated If you cant see their face they CAN'T see you. As to will they look? There are no guarantees in life but you can minimise the risk.

[mangell6]

I have a simple theory and apply it. "I am invisible and no-one can see me!" I watch the actual driver and take note as to what they do and how they drive, you soon recognise the signs of drivers who can and those that can't . . . . drive that is.

I have had prats move to the middle to prevent me from moving up the middle even though both lanes of traffic are 'stopped'.

I avoid the middle lane on a three lane stretch of MW and keep to the middle when travelling on a two lane MW.

I take note of vehicles and their side mirrors, most people have their side mirrors for looking at the rear seat passengers.

One can never avoid idiots that are determined to take you out and are arrogant enough to believe that might is right, oops thats true ask George and John .

JMO

Mike

[Lou Girardin]

Some cage drivers will get pissed off, I think it's a function of time spent in traffic and ambient temperature. We got caught up in a fatal on SH1 at Waipu on a stinking hot day and the cops were sending everone through Waipu township, there were queues for 5km. As we went past in the (empty) oncoming lane we got serious abuse. Still, if they don't like it. Buy a bike.
Lou

[wkid_one]

I think you don't know what you're talking about
How do YOU know I didn't brake/change road position,ect?????

ummmm - I didn't assume, I asked you a question or two?

The fact you made the same mistake twice after identifying both hazards is enuf reason for my comment.

Keep going with the 10 Foot Tall and Bullet Proof All Cage Drivers are Ignorant angle - and you may have a third and forth accident exactly the same.

Or you can listen and actually change the way you ride.

Either way - I couldn't give a shit.

[pete376403]

Situation 2:
Pulled off SH2 at Whakatiki St, going through esses next to Mitre 10, and see a Mitsubishi Galant stopped at the side of the road facing me, indicating to pull into the battery shop on my side of the road. Look the driver straight in the eye as I come through the esses and when I am approx 50m from him he turns straight into my path.

Same thing happened to a mate at Franz Joseph en-route to Brass last year.
Mate said they made eye contact and he is quite sure the car driver knew he was there and approaching. Mate got broken arm (windscreen pillar) and two fractured legs (handlebars or road landing, not sure, and written off F650. Driver got $1500 fine, but didn't loose his license as the judge felt it would "impose too much hardship".

Carry a few nuts and bolts, old spark plugs or similar. Next time in a cage annoys, drop one or two bits of shrapnel - at 50 ks or better the shrap can make quite a mess of what ever it hits. And of course there's no proving exactly where that bit of "road debris" came from...