Sorry – I concede on that one, I mistyped as I meant driving for 26 years (in fact, nearer 30 years but don't tell his dad he used to take his car out at night). In my subsequent post I made it clear what I meant though.

I'd put my house on my guess being more accurate than your guess

I wouldn't 😉

Can't be ar5ed reading all this, but is it right that a simple headshake really boils the pi55 of car drivers?
Cool, I'll be doing that more often then, it's easier and safer than the hand gesture I normally use.

ignorance is bliss eh?

ignorance is bliss eh?

Not sure who that is directed at. Certainly don't see how it could be me but my natural curiosity makes me want to question it.

I've no idea how anyone managed to cast judgement on this as we don't have enough info. I'm assuming the 400yds mentioned is 400yds between the two lorries. The key bit of info required and missing is the closing speed. If you were only doing 1mph more than the 2nd lorry that 400yds could take (quick bit of maths) 15mins – if your closing speed was 30mph then it's 30secs.

Lorries probably doing their 56mph limit, OP probably doing 70…. So let's say 15mph difference is a reasonable figure. So is 30mph=30secs then 15mph = 1 minute. So 1/4 of a mile, 1 minute = Enough time to pull in, as I said before.

When I did my IAM test, the general rule of thumb was if you can pull in for 10 seconds or more, then do it……..

🙂

Why tho, pp?

Why tho, pp?

'Cos dems da roolz!
But it's not worth it if the gap is too small, and that's a reasonable way to judge the gap. You get used to it when you do it enough….. 🙂

Well as I approached about 200 yards, a motorcylist appeared in my lane

..which reminds me, I need to get my Cloaking Device checked over as well. Don't want to be mysteriously just appearing out of nowhere there do I?

Motorcyclist is clearly on his way to heaven for his lane-discipline, as are some on here

😆

Convert and PP make the valid point: It depends on closing speed.
I usually agree that it is not hogging if the gap is sufficiently small that there is no point pulling in. I personally think if I'm going to be the left lane for less than 20 seconds then it just isn't worth it (unless it is busy and someone behind me needs past obviously).

But if you were going at roughly 20mph faster than the lorries then that 400yard gap was 40.91 seconds. Even allowing for you being a good boy and leaving a nice 2-second gap before pulling in/out, and another 2 seconds thinking/mirror time, then you still had a 34 second gap – that's loadsa room!

Well it was marginal, given the closing speed. I considered pulling in, but didn't see the need. Being given a dirty look by other drivers is not that big of a deal, but it was the sad slow head shaking that made me really annoyed. He was accusing me of being stupid, not concentrating or not thinking ahead, when in fact I was. Fine if you don't agree, but I most definitely AM thinking and concentrating thanks very much 👿

Actually.. TJ – were you on the M4 this morning?

Can we discuss mopeds. Fckn things have sprung up like, i dunno, herpes or something. Some ride in the bike lane, then decide they are once again a vehicle, some just ignore all other road users. Last week i had one try and overtake me as i pulled away from a zebra crossing on a corner, she ended up in the flowerbed, not through a malicious move on my part but there wasn't anywhere for her to go once i started moving again. To be fair to myself i don;t normally expect to be overtaken from stationary on a corner. Hate the things, evil little noisy dangerous little buggers.

NZCol – Mopeds in Wellington – are they insane ?? Just wait for the next proper windy day and go for a wander down Oriental Bay.

I have just started motorbiking and have noted driver resentment, I don't know why as I stay around the speed limit and never over/undertake that just looks like asking for trouble.

Dude in a Mondeo went to undertake me in a bus lane the other day, the gap didn't look big enough to me so I tooted him (braking at the same time as he squeezed in front of me in a huge line of traffic approaching a roundabout – why ??) He pulls back into the bus lane, winds his window down to ask my what my problem was.

I don't have a hand gesture that conveys how much I don't want side-swiped by a **** in a Mondeo, so stuck with the traditional.

(A friend of mine has a theory that some people just don't think women should ride motorbikes. They can tell I am female the hair and small stature gives me away. This is backed up by the random abuse given to my pal once as she parked her 650 Aprillia in Leith once, about how the bike was far too big for her etc etc)

Shite driving middle lane hogger

Is the right answer.

He was accusing me of being stupid, not concentrating or not thinking ahead,

No he wasn't. That's all in YOUR head. 🙂 He was just annoyed/bored of it/exaperated.

I have just started motorbiking and have noted driver resentment, I don't know why as I stay around the speed limit and never over/undertake that just looks like asking for trouble.

Actually I think when you start riding a motorbike you realise how bad the driving is around you, its not personal its just that it now has a greater effect on your mortality, rather than just a dent in the bodywork of a car.

Riding a motorbike does improve your roadcraft, especialy your awareness of what other traffic is doing, and road conditions. In a car you are insulated from this.

I do not drive like a ****. I did nothing twatty

Well that would be for others people to juge.

But my friend has been riding for 26 years

Doesn't mean he a good rider.

Perhaps you refer to the time I posted about the rider who overtook me going up a hill with a blind summit and sharp left bend whilst doing a wheelie on hatchmarkings then having to drop it and swerve in right in front of me as a car headed around the bend (that one made my wife scream out loud it was so close).

Well he apparently had time to pass and you wife need to calm. You fail to understand the concept of weight to power me think.
I'll give you an example. Me + old penumatic drill = 245 kg max. 45 Bhp.
Now that is a very very low power for a bike. But still. Check how much power your average 1250 kg car needs to match that? About five time so 225 bhp. So around probably twice what you have. For what is by stw standard an underpowered bike. Now if I had the usual 85-90 bhp most bikes have you'll need almost 600 BHP to match that.

Motorbikes are f,,,ing crazy on mways most of the time – sitting in blind spots etc.

Not sure how well drivers are taugh in the UK but down here you have to "check your blind stop" each time you do a manoeuvre… Turning right it would be central mirror and turn the head to check the blind spot. Turn left would be central mirror, left hand mirror and then turn head. If you do that before indicating there is very little chance of getting surprised.

Well that would be for others people to juge.

What, people who weren't there? They're the ideal people to judge!

Well he apparently had time to pass and you wife need to calm

Juan you are raving mad. Someone posts an example of lunatic motorcycling that almost caused an accident, and you leap to the defence of the rider despite not having seen it or knowing any of the people involved. You absolute nutcase!

Not sure how well drivers are taugh in the UK but…

Mmm, but what people are taught and what people actually do are two very different things…

Well he apparently had time to pass and you wife need to calm. You fail to understand the concept of weight to power me think.

Read my post – he was wheelie-ing (illegal on a public road IIRC) on hatchmarkings (so he shouldn't have been there) going up a hill with a blind summit and had to drop it and swerve in to avoid the car he was quickly heading towards. Trying to justify such riding exactly why there is resentment from some drivers towards some riders.

No he wasn't. That's all in YOUR head

Yes it is, but what was he expecting me to think? He knew I could see him and did it only after he passed me, intentionally sending me a message.

Given the chance to talk about it I'm sure we'd have got along amicably after exchanging points of view, but the fact I never had the chance to make my case is what's annoying about it. That's where you lot come in – I can have the argument by substitution and hence feel better 🙂

mastiles_fanylion – Member

Read my post – he was wheelie-ing (illegal on a public road IIRC)

Wrong. Its not illegal

on hatchmarkings (so he shouldn't have been there) .

wrong – in some circumstances you can go on cross hatchings – it also depends whether the lines that surround the cross hatchings are solid or not

So a cop seeing someone wheelie-ing along the road wouldn't book them for dangerous driving? Come on TJ, wheelie-ing may not be specifically illegal, but its likely to be lumped in with dangerous driving. What possible justification could the rider have had for acting like that?
Only you would defend the indefensible!

Bigyinn – not defending the rider – just pointing out the ignorance and stupidity of the poster.

A cop would have to show and prove in court that the wheelie was dangerous or reckless driving. A wheelie is not illegal as the poster claimed.

The lines were solid – as it was going up a hill (almost always no crossing centre lines allowed on steep hills) and it was near the top where (as I have said before) there is a hidden summit and a shark left bend.

If you are interested in going to see the place for yourself, it is by the Hopper Lane Hotel near Fewston Reservoir on the Skipton Road out of Harrogate.

And still not convinced wheelie-ing is legal, but happy to be proved wrong.

And I did say IIRC – I wasn't sure and remain unsure.

And you keep coming back to my ignorance when it is you that started off by defending inexcusable riding and have continued to do so throughout this thread.

Its neither legal or illegal. It could be dangerous or reckless driving but the cop would have to show that it was in court. Not the same thing as being illegal.

Even cross hatchings with solid lines can be entered under certain circumstances

Just because something isn't illegal doesn't mean it isn't **** stupid.

Drivers are shocking over here for checking blind spots, and don't start me on lack of indication. On a motorbike you assume everybody is actively trying to kill you, which is not quite right. Most of them are doing it passively through lack of observations and indications.

(not getting drawn into this – my testosterone levels are too low)

Even cross hatchings with solid lines can be entered under certain circumstances

And overtaking (whilst wheelie-ing) a car making good progress going up a hill with an unsighted brow and sharp left turn with solid white lines could ever be a circumstance where it could be justified – come off it Jeremy – either accept that you cannot be right every time and stop responding with your puerile 'ignorant and stupid' responses which are, quite frankly, getting rather tiresome.

MF – at no point have I defended bad riding ( find a post where I have)- merely pointed out that your ignorance of the capabilities of a motorcycle leads you to erroneous conclusions.

MF – your pronouncing on things you have no idea about is tiresome. As is your consistently accusing me of saying what I have not.

You really are tiresome and ignorant

On the cross hatchings I merely point out you are wrong – there are circumstance where it is allowed to enter that area. I didn't say the biker was right in that one – merely that you are ignorant of that law.

The capabilities of a motorbike are usually much higher than the capabilities of the rider – and it is that that I refer to.

It really is like being in a school playground trying to have an argument with you isn't it?

If I tell you that you smell, will you tell me you will get your dad onto me?

MF – its you that consistently assert about things you do not understand and invent things I have said.

I have not defended the bad riding at any point. I merely point out hat you are ignorant of both the law and of the capabilities of a bike so you come to erroneous conclusions.

I can't help it if you are too stupid to understand this simple point

there are circumstance where it is allowed to enter that area. I didn't say the biker was right in that one – merely that you are ignorant of that law

And how is that comment helping the debate?

TandemJeremy – Member

Its neither legal or illegal. It could be dangerous or reckless driving but the cop would have to show that it was in court. Not the same thing as being illegal.

Even cross hatchings with solid lines can be entered under certain circumstances
Stop being so anal! Its patently obvious to all who read MF's posting that the motorcyclist showed very poor judgement and was riding in a dangerous fashion, regardless of whether a wheelie is illegal or not. Perhaps if MF hadnt done anything and hit the rider rather than avoid them that would have been better?
Try being less defensive, he's not attacking you is he?! I really dont understand your desire to defend someone who clearly has no sense of self preservation.

Bigyinn – because he is determined to get one over me at whatever cost and continues to attack any post I make and attempt to prove me wrong.

So far I have concluded that because I have an opinion on what is dangerous riding based on incidents that have happened to me (or in the original example to a close and lifelong friend), I am ignorant and stupid because TJ has formed his own opinions on what 'actually' happened.

Ahh well.

Bigyinn – where am I defending the rider? Seriously have a look at my posts and see if I did. MF claims I did but at no point did I

MF slaggs off motorcyclists from a position of ignorance. Because he is ignorant about the capabilities of motorcycles he comes to erroneous conclusions. However he won't ever accept that if you understand the capabilities of a motorcycle there might be alternative conclusions to be made.

Lorries probably doing their 56mph limit, OP probably doing 70…. So let's say 15mph difference is a reasonable figure. So is 30mph=30secs then 15mph = 1 minute. So 1/4 of a mile, 1 minute = Enough time to pull in, as I said before.

correct, but if OP is doing 70mph the bike shouldn't be overtaking (let alone undertake when the outside lane is clear). I would have moved to the inside lane mind, given the minute duration to overtake and the fact I would unlikely get stuck behind the 2nd lorry as Mway was quiet.

BTW: TJ -> litterbug