Don't often indicate when overtaking

[Grahameeboy]

and like they say-assumption is the mother of all ^%#* ups.if you second guess the brain of a car driver who may not even register you are there let alone what you are doing or are intending on doing,you are asking for trouble and you will often be the loser.

by all means indicate your intentions,but be ready for the inevitable stupid manoeuvre on their part,like being "helpful"and moving over for you-and spraying you with gravel-yeah,real helpful
defensive riding courses save lives.

Well it has worked for me...even if you indicate you have to rely on the guy seeing that....

[Ragingrob]

The point being that by indicating, it raises your chance of being seen even if only by a little.

A flashing light catches my eye a lot more easily than a still light. If I'm in the cage (or the bike) stuck on the motorway, it's the lane-splitters who are indicating that catch my eye in the mirror first, then the lane-splitters with headlights only, then last of all the lane-splitters with nothing shining. They kinda camouflage into the sea of metal and panels and do not jump out and grab my eye's attention.

[Usarka]

You know those things mirrors......

I ride with the understanding that i am fallible. I sometimes cock up - just like the thousands of car drivers who use their mirrors daily but still change lanes into a motorcyclists path..... And i like to mitigate my cockupability.

I almost got squashed by a campervan driver who used his mirrors then moved into the incoming lane to cut a corner. If he had indicated there would have been less fecal matter in my undies.

Add to that the in-out riding style of some bike riders, they could be behind the car behind you travelling at 190kph ready to pull out the moment after you check your mirrors.

I just reckon that anyone who thinks indicating doesn't apply to them has no right to complain when they encounter a driver who doesn't indicate in the same situation.......

[Grahameeboy]

I ride with the understanding that i am fallible. I sometimes cock up - just like the thousands of car drivers who use their mirrors daily but still change lanes into a motorcyclists path..... And i like to mitigate my cockupability.

I almost got squashed by a campervan driver who used his mirrors then moved into the incoming lane to cut a corner. If he had indicated there would have been less fecal matter in my undies.

Add to that the in-out riding style of some bike riders, they could be behind the car behind you travelling at 190kph ready to pull out the moment after you check your mirrors.

I just reckon that anyone who thinks indicating doesn't apply to them has no right to complain when they encounter a driver who doesn't indicate in the same situation.......

Read my post...I did not say that indicating does not apply to me...I just said when I think it is appropriate to use them which is most times...

[bigfoot]

I find nothing grabs better attention than the headlight being flashed to highbeam and back off a couple of times. Prolly more noticeable than a little orange one. Oh and yeah, and not at nighttime, then your just a dick

[Badjelly]

On your second point... You're saying that when you overtake, as well as 100m clear visibility ahead of you, you have to somehow see down side roads 50m ahead?

This side road thing is a bit off topic, but, I guess the answer to your question depends on whether you want to stay alive. Whenever you overtake you should always be considering the possibility that someone might move onto the road from any side roads, driveways, picnic areas, whatever. People doing this should be looking out for vehicles that have crossed the centre line to overtake, but often they don't.

[swbarnett]

On your second point... You're saying that when you overtake, as well as 100m clear visibility ahead of you, you have to somehow see down side roads 50m ahead?

Yep. If you can't see down the side road you shouldn't be overtaking.

The road code talks about making sure that "there are no vehicles coming out of any side roads".

[Ragingrob]

Yep. If you can't see down the side road you shouldn't be overtaking.

The road code talks about making sure that "there are no vehicles coming out of any side roads".

So... You've never overtaken anyone ever before? Because I'm pretty sure you would've passed driveways and even sideroads, without being able to see if a car's about to come down the road and then pull out.

It's not very often that you CAN see down side roads 50m or more ahead is it?

[xgnr]

I always indicate when passing/turning.

Long standing habit, don't even notice that I do it TBH

It's a courtesy and safety issue as far as I am concerned.... but then again I'm a boring old fart that tends to give a shit.

Old fashioned attitude I guess.

[swbarnett]

So... You've never overtaken anyone ever before? Because I'm pretty sure you would've passed driveways and even sideroads, without being able to see if a car's about to come down the road and then pull out.

It's not very often that you CAN see down side roads 50m or more ahead is it?

On the open road I don't pass if there's a side road I can't see down. There are plenty of stretches of road in NZ where this is not a problem. Either there are no side roads or you can see across a treeless paddock into them.

Round town where there are a lot of driveways I don't overtake when driving a cage (unless I have a lane to myself). If I'm on a bike it's not such a problem as the road's generally wide enough for a bike and two cars if the unthinkable happens (if it's not I just bide my time or lane-split when the traffic's slow enough).

[Moki]

Why do you need to indicate to overtake...??? I don't unless changing lanes...what is the point.

It's about being seen by others and letting others know what your intentions are.

[Grahameeboy]

It's about being seen by others and letting others know what your intentions are.

Mmmm...red bike, twin headlights...coming up behind fast on a country road...often cars just move over without need to indicate.

If you need indicators to work that one out?

[Puddlejumper]

One really good reason to indicate is to keep yourself safe from other bikers. I nearly got taken out on the motorway by a harley. Me, at about 117 km coming behind a car in right lane, He travelling slower than the traffic in the left lane, I saw there was a gap and thought I'd duck left and pass. Checked mirrors quickly, flicked indicator and began to move into left lane. As I did so I twisted head left ( never rely on mirrors fully) caught a flash of red and jerked back into my lane as a Harley or similar roared past aiming for the same gap but travelling at least 30 km faster than me. Missed me by a hair. Not sure how I missed him in the mirrors but I think he had been lane splitting at a v quick rate and had been immediately behind me where my mirrors have a blind spot.
Now, sure he was an idiot who was travelling at far too quick a rate but this was my fault, I had not given much indication of my intentions and had also made the fatal assumption that as I was travelling a little quicker than the line of cagers there wasn't anything to worry about behind me. This taught me to watch for other bikers and also to make my intentions more obvious with longer indication.
It also taught me when coming behind other bikers to give them even more room than a car as I don't think bikers in general are expecting other two wheelers.

[BMWST?]

I tend to indicate whether or not I think there's anyone around who's going to see. It drives Mrs Jelly mad. "What are you indicating for?" she says, "there's no-one to see you." "Yes dear," I say. But I indicate anyway. I think it's a good habit to get into.

In the case of overtaking, there obviously is someone who might see you do it: the driver of the vehicle you're overtaking. Perhaps you like to take people by surprise? I don't.

yes indicating a habit and a good one to get into....i alwyas always alwways indicate every manouvre in the car.....and the bmw bike switchgear is very very good in the overtaking mode...as you roll on the throttle the thumb automatically engages the right hand indicator....

[BMWST?]

I do after just about being taken out 3 times while overtaking.

Who's at fault? I presume the one turning left.

As for indicating before overtaking I do if I have time

you are at fault....you are on the wrong side of the road...