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The kindness of strangers...
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Having read numerous accounts of inconsiderate cage driver behaviour posted
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[snip]
ah. I thought this was going to be a book thread.
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Well if this is a reference to the Ballard follow up to Empire of the
Sun, it was a good one. Not his normal style but well worth reading.
When the floods/water shortage/bowsers in the Black Country happened a
couple of months back I got quite excited because it seemed like a
ballardesque fantasy, I was just waiting for the riots and the
underclass to be beaten up.
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here I want to redress the balance a little. I frequently drive to work
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Same experience here, even when I'm not even trying to get past the car in
front will often move over a bit.
Wonder why? They don't seem to move to let another car overtake.
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down the A12 to Gallows Corner and then by various routes from there into
Romford. Queues and slow-moving traffic are the norm morning and evening.
It as amazing how many cage drivers move over to make room when I am
filtering. Over and over again I encounter drivers who are clearly moving
over in their lanes to make room for me to get through. On other occasions
I have been waved through by drivers who have held back from blocking a gap
in the traffic to let me make progress. I can't think of a clear example of
anyone who has appeared to deliberately try to block my route or prevent me
passing. Of course there has been the occasional numpty who has changed
lanes without a signal or pulled out from a side road without seeing me but
I drive fairly defensively in heavy traffic so it hasn't been a major
problem. Overall it seems to me that the vast majority of cage drivers that
I have encountered have been considerate and helpful. Am I exceptionally
lucky or is this the reality for most of us most of the time?
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That's pretty much a 100% match to my experience.
Yes, there are those that change lane or (more often) drift over and
close the gap while checking a map/phoning/preening themselves in the
mirror, etc. but I've never knowingly had someone do anthing
deliberately.
As you say, ride defensively in case of the above situations and all's
usually well.
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My experiences are similar. I think road positioning, speed of approach and
a bright headlight also help!
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Main beam?
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Nooooooo, thats just not on.
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I strongly suspect the copper said no such thing.
Ie either he's lying or misinterpreted what the copper said; I've never
heard any TrafPol ever recommend mains before, in everyday riding.
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I mostly agree, and I always make a point of giving a "thanks" to
those considerate drivers - I wish more riders would do the same,
instead of appearing to barge their way through.
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I don't think you are exceptionally lucky. I this is the normal
experience for any halfway competent and observant biker.
I don't do a very long commute but a part of it takes me past a line of
standing traffic in a narrow two way road that goes into a narrow one
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As a rider and a driver I get to experience this from both sides.
Watching drivers I see better behaviour at commuting times (weekday mornings
and evenings) than during the day or at weekends; don't know why.
As a rider, when someone does make space for you, how do you acknowledge?
As I'm driving along the A127 I will often move right (in the o/s lane) with
a single right indicator flash to ease the path of bike lane splitting.
Some riders nod, some will raise a hand or just a pinkie, in thanks.
Lately, more and more riders will waggle their right foot - not just
side-to-side but taking the foot clear of the rest and waving.
Now I *know* this is saying "Thanks" but I can't help feeling that it could
come across as an aggressive "kicking" action, it bit like swing your boot
at a car that didn't get out of the way.
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This is probably _the_ most common question to be asked on fr.rec.moto.
The answer (in a French context at least) is that the majority of drivers
are by now so used to seeing riders do it, that hardly any of them would
interpret this as an attempt to sink the boot into their door (or even as a
threat to do so).
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So what's your preference; the nod, wave, shrug, waggle, kick, ignore or
just drop two gears and wheelie through the gap?
Oh, and a quick reminder, if you're the second bike lane-splitting, don't be
surprised if the gap suddenly closes on you especially when the traffic is
moving. As a rider I used to get upset by this and assumed it was a
deliberate action, as in "He may have got through but you won't".
However, having watched drivers as bikes got through it's more obvious
what's going on.
- the first bikes goes through, either with or without the drivers on
either side being aware it's coming.
- as this bike continues through the traffic the drivers eyes are draw to
the movement and watching it's progress.
- they steer into the gap (without thinking) in order to maintain sight of
the bike.
- they are also even less likely to be checking mirrors for a 2nd bike.
- 2nd bike gets blocked or squeezed.
If there's a 3rd or more bikes, the drivers switch modes and steer away from
the gap.
There are a couple of strategies that work against this process:
- overtake and become the 1st bike.
- fit a louder can.
- fit a white fairing and wear a white lid and hi-vis jacket (not
guaranteed as I've seen a Paramedic on a full-dress Pan get knocked off
while splitting as the 2nd bike)
- follow further back so the suction effect has passed.
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way street at the end. Over the past couple of months I have noticed
just a few more inches to spare on what is now The Bike Lane at that
time of the morning. They are learning and they are cooperating, for the
most part.
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