Invisibility switch

[Panda]

For years I've been riding/driving on the understanding that we keep to the left hand side of the road, but recently it apears that this is no longer the case. Other road users appear to be treating the left rule more as guidance rather than law. It was most noticible this morning when riding to work, setting myself up for left hand corners and twice finding some numpty in his big metal box stradling the white lines and coming straight at me.
No matter how much I searched couldn't find the switch that had turned me and the bike invisible, so I can only assume that they were idiots.
Anybody else finding this problem on the increase???

[Aladinsaneuk]

lights on i assume??

I have developed a bad habit of slowing down and if at all possible making a mental note of the registration number.... if i see plod, i tell him....

even if the driver just gets a serious talking too, they are unlikely to forget it

[Samray]

I bet you see more bikes offsiding than cars.

[Nooj]

Positioning is terrible for nearly all the cars AND bikes I see out on the road. Stuff like this shouldn't be advanced theory, it should be taught from day one on your very first lesson. Race lines ARE NOT road lines.

[Firestarter]

Thing is, for most people it's not a race line they're following, they're doing it cos it's "easier" to turn in a bit earlier, and clip over the centre line, than actually follow the line of the corner. It's laziness (or lazy inability) for most people, not a desire to take a "better" line

Used to get it a lot when I lived in Cumbria, narrow a-roads, high hedges and heavy white-van traffic (you know, the one-handed, mobile-phone wielding sort), they used to come round on the wrong side of the road doing that one-handed steering wheel-grind while holding their 11am pasty in the other hand and mobile glued to their shoulder.

Vanishing points and looking through the corner should, as Nooj says, be basic stuff not advanced theory. I was taught to go round a corner, not through it. When I asked my Dad why it was OK for him to cut the corner but not for me, his response was when I can go round the corner properly, then I can choose a better line if it's appropriate - the "better line" shouldn't be the default. Has stood me in good stead, both on bike and in car

[D-Rider]

The one I encounter most often is idiots completely ignoring the lanes on roundabouts, entering in one, drifting across in front of you without a care in the world to one nearer the centre of the roundabout and drifting back across again as they exit.
.... and when you beep your horn, get in front and wave your arms at them like a demented Dodo trying to take off, they have no idea what they've done or they even blame you!

There's also the assumption that just because a bike is narrow, you can also give up huge swathes of your side of the road to let them through (usually past parked cars) .... failing to appreciate that the line you are taking is because it's raining and you are avoiding the worst of the adverse camber away from the crown of the road on the bend and avoiding that slippery manhole cover...
In fact they are probably not even aware it's raining, have no concept of camber and no idea that manhole covers are slippery - let alone the dynamics of a bike ....

[HowardQ]

Come on you lot, stop picking on our friends in tin boxes.
A lot of us often drive them ourselves!

This is way too much for them to take in.
On the normal run to work the average tin box driver has to cope with -

Constant telephone calls, (not normally via hands free, unless you are talking about the steering wheel).

Installing "Make Up" (again not normally hands free).

Looking for that favourite CD that flew out of the glove box last night and went under the passenger seat with last weeks Indian take away they were eating on the M25. (ditto)

Finishing the last bit of todays burger and Skinny Latte'. (ditto)

Keying in a new route into the Sat Nav, whilst arguing with the lady telling them where to go, cos they know better. (that latter part is actually hands free).

Can you really expect them to do all this and think about safe corning lines, most of 'em probably don't think a safe is made to go round corners!

[snapdragon]

I'll bet they're avoiding the mud and pot holes at the edges - may get their tyres dirty?

[Panda]

Phew, glad it's not just me and that I haven't turned invisible.

Classic last week when some eegit decided to pull out to pass the stopped bus. After we stopped nose to nose I tried to explain that it was my side of the road and as I don't have a reverse gear he'll have to get back behind the bus. He did and thanked me with a cheery smile and a (one fingered) salute......

[Falken]

You all should know that other road users are idiots.
Get your observations right and the rest takes care of itself.
I was taught this when doing my advanced test training, and it's stood me in good stead so far. ( touches wood )
It's everyone for him/her self out there.
With the attitude that some people have to life these days, I think it is only going to get worse.

[Falken]

You all should know that other road users are idiots.
Get your observations right and the rest takes care of itself.
I was taught this when doing my advanced test training, and it's stood me in good stead so far. ( touches wood )
It's everyone for him/her self out there.
With the attitude that some people have to life these days, I think it is only going to get worse.

[paddyz1]

I'll bet they're avoiding the mud and pot holes at the edges - may get their tyres dirty?

Only the 4X4's do that

[HowardQ]

I doubly agree with you Ken!
I always assume that everybody on the road (cars in particular) are all out to kill me. Riding defensively like this helps us stay alive.
Anyway if you are not sure a wheteher a car in a side road is going to come out as he may not have seen you, back off, move out to the centre or whatever, rather than waiting for the SMIDSY comment.
You can normally read their body language pretty well.

Obviously this especially applies to bikers who are much more vulnerable.
Truckers in 30 odd ton trucks may not think quite the same if they see a kid on a 50cc scooter about to pull out on them, but they should!

Then again you could always try the more common shouting of abuse, and V signs, as you smack into the side of them!

[Kwackerz]

trust noone, 2, 4 or more wheels.

[yellowasp]

Having experience in riding bikes for 20 years, driving 44ton Artic trucks as well as my car, I find that most peoples drving standard is indeed very poor.
I see it everyday of my life and more often than not I see bikes completely in the wrong position on approach, cornering and exiting bends, along with incorrect position for hazzrds.

I am an IDAS Instructor / assesor for Artic Trucks, Rospa Observer for bikes and also instruct with Warwickshire Police on the Bikesafe Courses.

I can honestly say that when people say that they ride / drive defensively , they do not. What they in fact do is ride reactively which is something different. Taking your comment Howard about if you see a car at a juntion you move out towards the center line or back off is indeed reactive riding because you have reacted to what you have seen. Defensive riding would mean you are already in that position unless other hazzards dictate your movement away from the safe line.

By the way, I have seen your riding Howard and in now way am I critisising it as I think you ride very, very well indeed