What to do?

[apteryx_haasti]

About impatient wankers in cages?

OK, so I went for a nice ride this morning, my third since I got my bike (first bike, yay) last week. No problems at all except for - on at least 3 occasions over my 1.5 hr ride - being followed too close and not being given time to just take my time and do my own thing.

Hello - L-plate on bike, might mean that I slow down a bit more than you're expecting for a corner and perhaps might not be so flash at accelerating away, either, and if you don't like it, perhaps you could just eff off and get out of my tail pipe! And don't honk at me after I've turned, either, you tosser. Phew, deeeeep breath. But seriously, how wanky is that?

(although, definite improvements, did a real nice slow no brakes approach and turn at roundabout - last time I would have had to stop completely and go from there...)

I was told by a friend who also rides that getting my bike license would also make me a much better car driver - I can see how that will be the case - I certainly won't be up someones arse if they are on a bike and I'm in a car!

Right then, I've finished my rant. Feel better already!

[Whynot]

all i can say is ..... get used to it.
It truly amazes me how many times every day i have to deal with cagers doing stupid and/or dumb things.

just dont let it get to you and keep your eyes open

[T.I.E]

definately try to find those quiet roads. and most cagers have no respect for bikes or any "L"plate people.
sounds like your keeping it together well. just try to holdback the urge to stop and blow the crap out of the drivers. even though it does feel good.

[scumdog]

Always give 'em a nice cheery wave when they honk at you;

(a) It could be somebody that knows you
or
(b) If it's somebody that is pissed off with you it will confuse them.

[apteryx_haasti]

Always give 'em a nice cheery wave when they honk at you

How many fingers do you have to use for it to qualify as a cheery wave...? I'm not sure I used enough...

Other than the jerks in cars, I had a great ride - got the nod from a fellow going the other way on his bike, had a nice chat with a guy outside the bike shop about how I was liking the bike...

Oh yeah, did some hill work and even ventured onto the motorway (and almost immediately broke my license conditions... )

[chickenfunkstar]

Hey there, welcome to riding.

If I were you i'd just pull over and let the tailgater past, the last thing you really need as a learner is to spend too much time looking whats behind you and not enough time looking ahead to see whats coming up. Once you get more experiance there's a few other things which you can do, like weaving around and randomly accelerating, or just overtaking a couple of cars so they're not behind you anymore. I wouldn't really reccomend these if you're new though.

Take care,

CFS

[BarBender]

If I were you i'd just pull over and let the tailgater past, the last thing you really need as a learner is to spend too much time looking whats behind you and not enough time looking ahead to see whats coming up.

Well said.

[Madness]

weaving around and randomly accelerating, overtaking a couple of cars so they're not behind you anymore. I wouldn't really reccomend these if you're new though.

I agree. With time you too will become a hooligan. It happens to most of us as a result of conditioning by sharing the roads with wankers like those you met today. Assertion of dominance over cagers is required whenever possible, to keep them in line (and behind us).

Keep up the good work.

[madboy]

Did someone say hooligan?

Today I went for a quick blat over the local, which unfortunately involves some dreary open road riding to get there. Cruising down boring piece of road that shall remain nameless and most of the cars I'm coming up on are moving over, giving me more than enough space to pass them and still stay inside the yellow line. Perfectly legal. Except I'm doing 120 and they're not, but ya know...

So about four or five cars have moved over, just completely random that I struck it lucky there. I wasn't tailgating, wasn't flashing light, horn, nothing, just cars seemed to be moving. Anyway, car number five or six is some fella in an old Falcon. As I'm cruising up behind him, he suddenly moves from hugging the left hand white line to literally sitting on the centre yellow. Okay, fine, we're less than half a kay from a passing lane. So I sit there waiting patiently. Then he starts slowing and dropping back from the car in front of him, so of course that means I get closer to him. Then he flicks me the bird. Like, WTF?

Now a responsible rider realises that said car driver might be either having a bad day or a complete wanker. Either way, old Falcon = 1500kg plus fat cunt whereas modern sportsbike = <300kg incl fat cunt. Responsible rider drops back as far as possible until safe passing opportunity or stops and lets car disappear.

But the hooligan biker smiles, drops a few gears, pins it down the inside before the fat cunt knows what's happening and cruises up behind the next car in the queue, right in time for the passing lane. Holds the pace at 150ish and notes said fat cunt is gradually catching up. Falcoon starts tailgating bike. Bike starts slowing down to match speed of Transit van one car length ahead in slow lane. Passing lane ends, Transit van starts moving across. Bike blips past transit van at very last opportunity. The story ends with Falcoon tailgating Transit van.

Now obviously I choose the responsible option every time.

[Madness]

The scenario Madboy describes there is what I call "Planting". There is no better way to stick one up an inconsiderate cager than to "Plant" them behind the nearest Lada/Diesel Van/Truck/Centenarian.

The level of satisfaction I personally get from from doing this almost makes putting up with wankers worthwile.

Hey Madboy... Plate fall off again yesterday? Might want to try Nyloc Nuts!!
PT

[Virago]

.....most cagers have no respect for bikes or any "L"plate people......

.........A rather pathetic statement that can only confirm my own view that most Honda riders are narrow-minded bigots!

As a late-learner, Mrs V is still riding around rather slowly and jerkily with her L-plate on. We find that the vast majority of car drivers show patience and understanding - the few that don't are usually the boy-racer type.

I actually note that the most impatient road users on such a training run, are our fellow bikers, who will agressively tailgate for a short distance before overtaking (or perhaps undertaking).

From personal experience, I reckon there are a greater proportion of dickheads on bikes, than there are in cars.

You will always get the occasional arsehole in a car, but as Scumdog said, a friendly wave will either defuse or confuse!

[slimjim]

well wait til you get a bigger bike sonny, yup bigger boots,, easyier to oops knock off their mirrors for been a wanker in a tin roof,, yea years of this to come,, years,

[wendy]

yeah same happens to me.

after my accident i slowed down at corners a lot more and got cars up my arse and its like they expect you to go fast/speed cause your on a bike.

cars overtaking me is what i hate cause they seem to pass so close

dont go more than your comfortable with.

[Insanity_rules]

.........A rather pathetic statement that can only confirm my own view that most Honda riders are narrow-minded bigots!

As a late-learner, Mrs V is still riding around rather slowly and jerkily with her L-plate on. We find that the vast majority of car drivers show patience and understanding - the few that don't are usually the boy-racer type.

I actually note that the most impatient road users on such a training run, are our fellow bikers, who will agressively tailgate for a short distance before overtaking (or perhaps undertaking).

From personal experience, I reckon there are a greater proportion of dickheads on bikes, than there are in cars.

You will always get the occasional arsehole in a car, but as Scumdog said, a friendly wave will either defuse or confuse!

From experience I rode around Wellington a lot (3500K's) with the L plate on, not slowly or wobbly either and encountered so many dickheads tailgaiting me, buzzing me and cutting me off that I removed the offending L plate. Surprise! as soon as I removed it no more tailgaiting. I'm glad Mrs V had only good experiences on her L's but I sure as hell didn't.
Since then I've come up with some great tricks (and been taught a few too) for dealing with ass hats in the traffic.

[apteryx_haasti]

Interesting feedback - sounds like it's just something I'll have to learn to deal with. I also hate being tailgated when I'm driving a car, perhaps I have some kind of compulsive disorder?

Anyway, went for another ride on Sunday. The wind was much more of a factor than any car driver that day, but I still got passed in a 50 km/hr zone (and yes, I was doing the speed limit) by a car...at least they did it safely(ish) and with a wide road.

But I haven't been game to commute to work yet (Hutt to Wgtn) even though this was the reason for getting the bike. Kicked myself for not going in by bike today, looks like it would have been a splendid day for it!

Never mind - there's always Thursday (next fine day according to the forecast...probably good to have a fine day for the first one, huh?)

CHeers everyone. Glad I was told about this site!