If you were in traffic on a motorway, would you notice…?

Hora driving

My nickname at school was the owl

Biker and car driver here. I always say thanks if someone shows that they’ve seen me or moves over. Preferred method when filtering is an exaggerated sideways nod that lasts a second or so, not much more I can do. If overtaking at speed, I’ll stick a leg out and sometimes waggle it a bit if they’ve done something particularly sensible 🙂 . All other courtesies are rewarded with a waved hand or a thumbs up.

The sort of people that spot you and move over are reasonably in tune with bikes and bikers and evidently observant. They will spot your efforts to say thank you.

Bollocks cbmotorsport. I want both hands OFF the bars in big thumbs up

I’d probably miss a nod but I’d DEFINITELY not miss this…

with my hands buried in muffs…

I would say most motorcyclist I move over for nod or wave or something, and I notice a nod.

Filtering with high beam is pointless and annoying to other road users.

Ahh good. People think it’s annoying. So, by definition, if it’s annoying it’s working, so it’s not pointless. It seems to work in the dark on my way out of London and I’d rather annoy people than have them pull out on me 🙂

I remember being told about the technique of loosening the mounting hardware on the light, makeing it bounce up and down a little as you ride, so it appears to “flash”
No idea if it works, or what it would do to the life of the light.

Not a chance I’m trying that. It’s all solidly mounted anyway, not like the old bikes anymore. My NC700X has a very good headlight and I ride 50% in the dark right now, no chance I’m ruining my light.

I always, always gave a quick hand-on-bars thumbs up. Probably not that many people saw it but some must have.

Also I had a very jaunty exhaust note which no doubt improved everyone’s day.

Ahh good. People think it’s annoying. So, by definition, if it’s annoying it’s working, so it’s not pointless. It seems to work in the dark on my way out of London and I’d rather annoy people than have them pull out on me

Less likely to give you room or worse still block you from filtering but hey if you want to annoy people and be another dickhead on the road that’s your choice.

So, by definition, if it’s annoying it’s working, so it’s not pointless.

I refer you to my previous comment; if traffic is heavy and bikers are filtering, I’d quite like to retain the use of my retinas. Yes, I’ve noticed you, but now I can’t see bugger all else.

Please, speaking as a (lapsed) biker and a motorist, don’t do it.

Peter Poddy. – there is a popular suggestion that using auxiliary lights on a bike can make you more visible. It’s not extra brightness, it’s something to do with the way the shapes move instead of having a single light …or something. As you can tell I didn’t understand the explanation and don’t know whether it is true

Peter, IIRC you to have a NC700 which has hazard warning lights?
When I had my ‘steamer’ Tiger 900 which had them I used a quick on/off to thank drivers that moved over for me.
It’s much easier than the left/right/left or r/l/r with the indicators which could be missed or misinterpreted by drivers.
When the Tiger made way for the ‘900 Scrambler I missed the hazard light function, so I was glad to see that the NC700 has them fitted, the sales man at a dealer where I had a test ride didn’t recon they weren’t of much use, but are mandated by the EU now.

I nod my head sideways (and sort of up and down) towards them to say thanks, or stick out a leg. Its rude not to

I had a Think Bike Think Biker sticker on my car in the hope that it might make at least 1 other car think about bikes. Try and move over when I can

Its rude not to

Not really. I was thinking about this as a bike went through the queue this morning – it’s only out of utter boredom that you care either way about being thanked!

You’ve probably filtered past me when I used to drive that regularly. I’m in the grey Audi. 😉

I try to let bikes through and do appreciate a thanks, although it’s normally a few raised fingers or a waggle of the foot.

I can’t imagine motorists making space for cyclists when they’re filtering….

I don’t ride a lot of gridlocked dual carriageway but a fair few on one section of my route home make an effort to move when they spot a head mounted light pointing in their side mirrors. They always get a handlebar mounted mini wave for their trouble.

Did Hora ever star in the Exorcist? 😉