Ride the RIGHT wheel track (not the left)

[twistemotion]

Just to play the devils advocate the car turning left out of the side street into that steam of traffic won't see them until last minute if they are in the right wheel track.

Unless their following distance is correct. If they follow too closely, they might not be seen in that scenario.

[Rhino]

Just to play the devils advocate the car turning left out of the side street into that steam of traffic won't see them until last minute if they are in the right wheel track.

At this point, you need to consider two things;
1. Is any traffic approaching you in the opposite lane(s)?
2. Can you adjust your speed to match the vehicle that has pulled out in front of you without overcooking your braking?

If the answer to 1 is no, I would normally give a fist-full of throttle and pass the car/truck asap before the next driveway/road on the right.

If number 1 is Yes, consider your options for number 2. If yes, brake safely. If no, move towards your pre-planned escape route(s.)

You do visualise escape routes when riding?

[slowpoke]

At this point, you need to consider two things;
1. Is any traffic approaching you in the opposite lane(s)?
2. Can you adjust your speed to match the vehicle that has pulled out in front of you without overcooking your braking?

If the answer to 1 is no, I would normally give a fist-full of throttle and pass the car/truck asap before the next driveway/road on the right.

If number 1 is Yes, consider your options for number 2. If yes, brake safely. If no, move towards your pre-planned escape route(s.)

You do visualise escape routes when riding?

Fuggin' hell that explanation is worse than a tax return!

As for escape routes, there are simply too many rapidly evolving dangers to ride and compute plans A thru Z to counteract them. You'd end up crawling along at a snails pace or sitting under a hedge in the feotal position sucking your thumb, as you hummed and rocked yourself into a mental ward.

Talking to a professional instructor in Oz he simply stressed the importance of maintaining a "Safety Envelope". Just maintain a buffer zone around you such that you have time to react to any given situation. This included riding in the LEFT HAND wheel track because the most severe hazard is the oncoming traffic. You may survive a collision with a car that pulls in front of you but ain't no way you are staying on this Earth after a head on. Also from the left hand wheel track you can swing wide in your lane or take to the verge, whereas from the right hand track you only have one safe monouever without heading into oncoming traffic.

It's something to think about anyway.

[Supertwin Don]

I didn't want to copy the whole of the last reply, but "the most severe hazard is oncoming traffic" seems to take a simplistic view.
"The hazard that could result in the most severe injuries" I think is better.

On a "standard" single carriageway road (1 lane each way) the left hand side of the right hand wheel track leaves the largest number of escape options for the largest number of situations. i.e. especially in a tunnel!

[quickbuck]

Roadcode very clearly states scooter is classed as motor vehicle and should be on the road not the side of it or in cycle lanes etc. I cant see how anyone would stay on the left...you end up getting run into parked cars etc

It does.... However, the cage licence part states drive as close to the left of the lane as practicable...
As most Scooter riders have only passed a car licence to ride their two wheel vehicle, then this is all they know.
Further, why read the road code again, they have already passed their test.

I personally think the rules for scooters are BS.
I want to see them pay their portion of Licencing (Rego) as the biggest component is ACC, and they claim their fair share of that!
Also, as we know there are many differences to how to operate a motorcycle on the road compared to a car...
Something that is only discovered int he school of hard knocks, and then motorcycles get a bad rap from the do gooders....

[quickbuck]

As for what actual wheel track to ride in...
Well, for me it is actually the one that makes me obvious to the hazards I detect....
In fact the mare fact I weave over the road makes me more noticeable to the average person who only notices things that are different....

[rosie631]

Hard evidence of why it is better to ride in the right hand wheel track instead of the left...

Today I was in the CBD, in the cage, carting cases of booze all over the place. Came to a regular four way intersection, and was waiting to turn right. There is traffic coming at me from the opposite direction so I am waiting for a chance to turn across. Spot what appears to be a gap in the traffic approaching and think "Here's the go"...But as the car in front of the gap comes past and I prepare to dart across in front of the following car, I see that the "gap" is occupied by a scooter, which is pootling along in the left wheel track of the traffic (as they so often do). Which meant that I did not see him until I was just about to rip across the intersection. Had he been in the right hand wheel track I would have seen him way earlier. Luckily I looked again before moving...
Stay visible, hey..?

Most scooters seem to ride like this and they are a pain in the arse. Either occupy your space on the road or fuck off.

[discotex]

I like the right wheel track unless in the right-most lane of a multi-lane road (such as the motorway). In that case it's better to be in the left wheel track so you are in the mirror of cars in the lane next to you.

Open road I tend to move more to the left of the right wheel track given the likelihood of drunk/asleep drivers crossing the centreline.

[SMOKEU]

I always used to ride as far to the left of the road as possible, in the cycle lane if there was one when I rode my scooter, topped out at around 45kmh and I didn't want to hold up traffic. But on my CBR I ride where the right wheels of a car 'should' be in the lane.

[YellowDog]

I have noticed 'neat 'n' tidy' lady scooter drivers riding in the cycle lanes.

I think they consider it polite by keeping out of the way.

[Jerms]

While riding home the other night, about 7.30, I was in the right hand wheel track to see "around" the car in front. After passing through an intersection approximately 30 metres behind the car in front, two young kids ran out from the left hand side. I managed to avoid them......but they hadn't seen me because I was obstructed by the car ahead of me.

We need to be looking for every potential hazard...lots to look for.

[quickbuck]

I have noticed 'neat 'n' tidy' lady scooter drivers riding in the cycle lanes.

I think they consider it polite by keeping out of the way.

Yup.... Shame they get in the way of cyclists, and annoy them in that case...
Yes, my cycle can out accelerate a scooter to 30km/hr.

[Cheshire Cat]

Hard evidence of why it is better to ride in the right hand wheel track instead of the left...

Today I was in the CBD, in the cage, carting cases of booze all over the place. Came to a regular four way intersection, and was waiting to turn right. There is traffic coming at me from the opposite direction so I am waiting for a chance to turn across. Spot what appears to be a gap in the traffic approaching and think "Here's the go"...But as the car in front of the gap comes past and I prepare to dart across in front of the following car, I see that the "gap" is occupied by a scooter, which is pootling along in the left wheel track of the traffic (as they so often do). Which meant that I did not see him until I was just about to rip across the intersection. Had he been in the right hand wheel track I would have seen him way earlier. Luckily I looked again before moving...
Stay visible, hey..?

Hmmm....makes sence!

[discotex]

but they hadn't seen me because I was obstructed by the car ahead of me.

They probably didn't see you because you were following too close to the car. If you were further back you wouldn't have been obscured.

Nice save though.

[MSTRS:Me]

I like the right wheel track unless in the right-most lane of a multi-lane road (such as the motorway). In that case it's better to be in the left wheel track so you are in the mirror of cars in the lane next to you.

Correct! It's about being as visible as possible to those who might otherwise believe there was a gap. Plus, it conserves movement when overtaking (I'm not comfortable with dotted line splitting).