Good drivers

[bogan]

I was pleasantly surprised on my way out to uni this morning when a driver actually did all the right things and noticed me. I was free left turning at some lights onto the left lane of street out to massey, other driver was right turning from lights onto right hand lane (its a two lane each way road) driver was a wee bit in front of me on right hand side so i was about to start moving back to be sure i was out of blind spot in case she was gonna come into my lane, sure enought indicator comes on but heres the amazing thing, she checked her blind spot before moving into the other lane, looked right at me, then waited for me to go past. Im also impressed that she didnt just take the left lane when coming off the lights, as everyone else seems to do that despite it being illegal.

Probly means NZ cagers are pretty piss poor when such a thing impresses me. Also got me thinking, we have the headshakes, pointing and finger tutt-tutting for bad drivers, whats the gesture for good driving? thumbs up i spose i should have given her, but was a bit stunned and had freezing hands at the time.

Perhaps instead of (or as well as) removing wing mirrors (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ht=wing+mirror) we should let good drivers know its appreciated.

[YellowDog]

There are lots of very good and courteous car drivers on the roads.

Some even look over their shoulders when changing lane (not many).

It is just that we generally notice the tunnell visioned inconsiderate idiots a lot more as they are the ones that tend run us off the road.

[Katman]

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks. We need to instill and nurture a more amicable and considerate relationship with all other road users.

[slofox]

I always acknowledge considerate driving - I do see a lot of it actually, believe it or not. I just raise a hand and direct a nod at the driver. I do it in the cage as well...

[sil3nt]

I always move left when a bike approaches from behind on the open road. Even got a wave once!
oh shit did i just make this a waving thread?

[NDORFN]

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks. We need to instill and nurture a more amicable and considerate relationship with all other road users.

I'm down with that.

[MIXONE]

I too always give a wave or thumbs up to courteous drivers on the ride when on my bike or in the car.
I think many of the cars that give you room are riders themselves.

[CookMySock]

[...] we should let good drivers know its appreciated.

Absolutely. I find 75% of cars go out of their way to get me past them. The other 25% are away with the fairies.. just like I am sometimes. shrug.

Every time a car driver on the open road notices you approaching them from behind and moves to the left to give you more room to pass should be acknowledged with a wave of thanks.

Yeah definitely, as I do. I'm genuinely grateful to these folks.

We need to instill and nurture a more amicable and considerate relationship with all other road users.

No WE don't. YOU do so that YOU feel safe. Thats your baggage - not anyone elses. The only way for you to ever feel safe from this, is to confront your own fears, not try to change everyone elses' habits.

Steve

[samgab]

I'm also impressed that she didnt just take the left lane when coming off the lights, as everyone else seems to do that despite it being illegal.

It's nice to hear of a good experience, as opposed to the numerous bad experiences we have so often.
But you hit on a particular bugbear of mine:
Turning right into a 2 lane road straight into the left lane.
OR, turning right from a left-only lane.
Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?
Well, not to bus drivers. They shoot up the left lane and then turn right from the left-turn only lane, right into the path of traffic that is turning right from the correct lane, then trying to get into the left lane to turn left into Newton Rd immediately.
There is no bus lane at that part of the road, and I've seen nothing in the road code that stipulates that buses are exempt from the road rules.
I also see buses running the reds at that intersection a lot as well, often nearly hitting pedestrians who are crossing on the green walk signal.


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[bogan]

It's nice to hear of a good experience, as opposed to the numerous bad experiences we have so often.
But you hit on a particular bugbear of mine:
Turning right into a 2 lane road straight into the left lane.
OR, turning right from a left-only lane.
Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?

havent had the right turn from left lane happen to me, but taking the left lane from a right turn pisses me right off. Here in palmy (no doubt prolly everwhere else too) we even get pricks thatll be on the horn if you claim the left lane while they are trying to illegally turn into it, obviously dont know the road rules and i should probably stop and educate them, but am yet to find a suitable oppourtunity.

[samgab]

we even get pricks thatll be on the horn if you claim the left lane while they are trying to illegally turn into it, obviously dont know the road rules

Yeah, I've had that too. Also at roundabouts where there are 2 lanes all the way around, so turning left you can execute the whole maneuver in the left lane of the roundabout, but another car coming from the right in the right lane freaks out because they're drifting over into that lane without indicating... I dunno.

[tigertim20]

I was pleasantly surprised on my way out to uni this morning when a driver actually did all the right things and noticed me. I was free left turning at some lights onto the left lane of street out to massey, other driver was right turning from lights onto right hand lane (its a two lane each way road) driver was a wee bit in front of me on right hand side so i was about to start moving back to be sure i was out of blind spot in case she was gonna come into my lane, sure enought indicator comes on but heres the amazing thing, she checked her blind spot before moving into the other lane, looked right at me, then waited for me to go past. Im also impressed that she didnt just take the left lane when coming off the lights, as everyone else seems to do that despite it being illegal.

Probly means NZ cagers are pretty piss poor when such a thing impresses me. Also got me thinking, we have the headshakes, pointing and finger tutt-tutting for bad drivers, whats the gesture for good driving? thumbs up i spose i should have given her, but was a bit stunned and had freezing hands at the time.

Perhaps instead of (or as well as) removing wing mirrors (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ht=wing+mirror) we should let good drivers know its appreciated.

How about a happy compromise then, every time a cager fucks you off, kick his mirror off, then come back and pick it up. Carry all detached mirrors as a token of your mirror-kicking-prowess. When a cage does something good, we catch them at the next lights, and allow them to pick one of our mirror trophies to keep. Like getting a little sticker on the sticker chart at school, except better! eh? eh? eh?

[Skuzzlebutt]

Actually mate, if you look a bit closer you'll see a sign that says buses only may turn right from the left lane.

Before I got my bike and moved to Whangaparaoa I used to ride the bus to work through this intersection every day. Used to see many drivers getting riled up at the bus drivers when in fact it was them not noticing the signs to begin with which was causing all the trouble.

It's nice to hear of a good experience, as opposed to the numerous bad experiences we have so often.
But you hit on a particular bugbear of mine:
Turning right into a 2 lane road straight into the left lane.
OR, turning right from a left-only lane.
Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?
Well, not to bus drivers. They shoot up the left lane and then turn right from the left-turn only lane, right into the path of traffic that is turning right from the correct lane, then trying to get into the left lane to turn left into Newton Rd immediately.
There is no bus lane at that part of the road, and I've seen nothing in the road code that stipulates that buses are exempt from the road rules.
I also see buses running the reds at that intersection a lot as well, often nearly hitting pedestrians who are crossing on the green walk signal.


View Larger Map

[YellowDog]

It's nice to hear of a good experience, as opposed to the numerous bad experiences we have so often.
But you hit on a particular bugbear of mine:
Turning right into a 2 lane road straight into the left lane.
OR, turning right from a left-only lane.
Anyone know the intersection when Mt Eden Rd meets New North Rds?
2 lanes, left is left-turn only, right is right-turn only.
Pretty simple right?
Well, not to bus drivers. They shoot up the left lane and then turn right from the left-turn only lane, right into the path of traffic that is turning right from the correct lane, then trying to get into the left lane to turn left into Newton Rd immediately.
There is no bus lane at that part of the road, and I've seen nothing in the road code that stipulates that buses are exempt from the road rules.
I also see buses running the reds at that intersection a lot as well, often nearly hitting pedestrians who are crossing on the green walk signal.


View Larger Map

I know where you are. Yes it is quite annoying however bus drivers have a tough enough job and making up the road rules as they go along is just one of the weapons in their armoury.

The other weapon is made of metal, weighs about 6 tonnes, and will crush you and your bike to a pulp if you don't get out of the 'kin way.

[samgab]

Actually mate, if you look a bit closer you'll see a sign that says buses only may turn right from the left lane.

I looked for such a sign, there didn't seem to be one there. Not that I could see. Just big left turn arrows on the road. I'll take another careful look next time through. Maybe it was obscured by the bus/es in the left lane?
Where is the sign mounted?

The other problem is the buses stop there in the left lane at the red light, blocking the left turn to all the cars trying to turn left on the green turning arrow.