Car driver dealing with bikers
Discussion
Wondered about thoughts on this topic.
When I was training I was told not to move with my lane to a single carriageway road to allow a motorbike to pass. Normally if I feel the biker is I painting and following me to close I have been known. Sometimes you at least get a friendly wave sometimes I do.
Argument was I should not be inviting them to overtake me and maybe if they had an accident you could get mixed up in it.
I have never understood why a biker would want to filter at speed through traffic coming at you at 60mpg in want is probably less that 6ft.
When I was training I was told not to move with my lane to a single carriageway road to allow a motorbike to pass. Normally if I feel the biker is I painting and following me to close I have been known. Sometimes you at least get a friendly wave sometimes I do.
Argument was I should not be inviting them to overtake me and maybe if they had an accident you could get mixed up in it.
I have never understood why a biker would want to filter at speed through traffic coming at you at 60mpg in want is probably less that 6ft.
Distant said:
jbsportstech said:
Marlin45 said:
Well if the biker is trying to apply a good gloss coat while getting good fuel consumption I would give him some space TBH 
What?
Hmm, I'm not sure.
When I'm in the car I can't help but move in my lane to give a biker more space to overtake, but when I'm on the bike I prefer the car not to move and let me make the space. I suppose I feel that if the car is actively moving because it is looking at me then I need to treat it as an additional hazard as their attention may not be on the job in hand.
I had an incident once on a country road where the car moved over to give me more space, but mounted the verge because of, I assume, looking in the mirror at what I was doing and I got showered with gravel and s
t and the car driver nearly wiped out an oncoming car over correcting. Nasty for everyone involved.
When I'm in the car I can't help but move in my lane to give a biker more space to overtake, but when I'm on the bike I prefer the car not to move and let me make the space. I suppose I feel that if the car is actively moving because it is looking at me then I need to treat it as an additional hazard as their attention may not be on the job in hand.
I had an incident once on a country road where the car moved over to give me more space, but mounted the verge because of, I assume, looking in the mirror at what I was doing and I got showered with gravel and s
t and the car driver nearly wiped out an oncoming car over correcting. Nasty for everyone involved.In slow moving traffic, I appreciate cars moving over for my bike, because I'll be filtering 
At higher speeds, I prefer cars not to move over. I won't be filtering at higher speeds, but will pick my own moment to overtake. That moment will avoid my bike being the "meat in the sandwich" between your car and an oncoming car.
HTH
At higher speeds, I prefer cars not to move over. I won't be filtering at higher speeds, but will pick my own moment to overtake. That moment will avoid my bike being the "meat in the sandwich" between your car and an oncoming car.
HTH
davepoth said:
The problem I have is that some bikers who are filtering tend to sit right in my blind-spot. That's particularly difficult to deal with. I much prefer having a bike in front of me.
Why do you need to 'deal with' it? (and if someone's sitting right in your blind spot, they're not filtering, they're overtaking far too slowly or dithering!)I find drivers generally haven't a clue what to do. My recommendation is do nothing. Just drive as you normally would and try to be predictable, bikers will get past you if they want to. The number of drivers who appear to be 'trying to help' who move over too far, showering me with gravel and dust or who flick their left indicator as we approach a section of solid white lines where the lane is too narrow to pass safely would suggest that they're not actually thinking about the whole picture.
I'll often see cars make space for me to overtake. It is good to know that they have seen me.
But I'll always overtake when I deem it safe, timing it so that I am not just splitting lanes between oncoming cars (unless the road is particularly wide). I'll generally give a wave to any driver that has tried to help, mind.
But I'll always overtake when I deem it safe, timing it so that I am not just splitting lanes between oncoming cars (unless the road is particularly wide). I'll generally give a wave to any driver that has tried to help, mind.
It gets said on every biker topic, but most car drivers, even those who own some quite quick metal, just can't appreciate the performance a modern sports bike rider has on tap and quite how small a gap is needed to make a perfectly clean and safe overtake, speed limits not withstanding.
Not quite sure what the OP specifically meant in his post, I assume it's done what my mobile does and change a few random words without me realising. But like the others have said, just drive as you would normally, be predictable and make no sudden movements and let the biker deal with the situation in his own time. If you want to move further left in your lane to facilitate his passing then that's fine, but it's important to be aware of your surroundings while doing so, and don't be concerned if the biker doesn't accept your offer to pass, he might have seen something you haven't or just prefer to wait for a safer place to pass. Several times I've thought a car has been moving left to let me through, however spidey senses have stopped me making a move and the car has swerved back over the white line suddenly. I normally find once I do pass the driver was on the phone or fiddling with the radio or similar and blissfully unaware I was even behind them until I'm already past.
Not quite sure what the OP specifically meant in his post, I assume it's done what my mobile does and change a few random words without me realising. But like the others have said, just drive as you would normally, be predictable and make no sudden movements and let the biker deal with the situation in his own time. If you want to move further left in your lane to facilitate his passing then that's fine, but it's important to be aware of your surroundings while doing so, and don't be concerned if the biker doesn't accept your offer to pass, he might have seen something you haven't or just prefer to wait for a safer place to pass. Several times I've thought a car has been moving left to let me through, however spidey senses have stopped me making a move and the car has swerved back over the white line suddenly. I normally find once I do pass the driver was on the phone or fiddling with the radio or similar and blissfully unaware I was even behind them until I'm already past.
I much prefer bikes not to lurk behind me. Either in my blind spot, or dazzling me with their high headlamps in my rvm.
If I am held in traffic in lane 3, say, with a faster bike approaching, I will occasionally put my right indicator on to show that I've seen the biker, and acknowledge his presence , and that I'm planning on keeping right so he's welcome to filter in 2/3 without me doing anything stupid. I'll also try not to run alongside anything else in lane 2 so he has a single threat.
I will also position in lane. Mainly because I like practising holding a position with peripheral vision on m/way // dcs as it's inordinately helpful when back in the twisties.
If I am held in traffic in lane 3, say, with a faster bike approaching, I will occasionally put my right indicator on to show that I've seen the biker, and acknowledge his presence , and that I'm planning on keeping right so he's welcome to filter in 2/3 without me doing anything stupid. I'll also try not to run alongside anything else in lane 2 so he has a single threat.
I will also position in lane. Mainly because I like practising holding a position with peripheral vision on m/way // dcs as it's inordinately helpful when back in the twisties.
I think there's an important differnce between inviting someone to overtake and making it easier for them. Examples of the former are waving them through, or if in another situation, flashing them (yes, I know what the Highway Code says about flashing, but let's not be pedantic, most people in the UK take it to mean "come on then", rather than "here I come/am"); examples of the latter are simply keeping to the left of your lane, or when they're alongside you slowing down a bit.
Personally I always make it easy for someone overtaking if I can do so safely. I never (or very rarely) invite someone to overtake me.
Personally I always make it easy for someone overtaking if I can do so safely. I never (or very rarely) invite someone to overtake me.
If and only if the road is wide enough and the biker is sat up my arse I will move over, I would rather have them in front than sat too close.
If the road is narrow, I might even move the other way, I would rather the bike made a proper overtake move than try and squeeze past, although I am not sure about this.
Around our way we get a lot of darwinian bikers, this year being a particularly bad year, and so on some roads you do have to keep your eyes open.
If the road is narrow, I might even move the other way, I would rather the bike made a proper overtake move than try and squeeze past, although I am not sure about this.
Around our way we get a lot of darwinian bikers, this year being a particularly bad year, and so on some roads you do have to keep your eyes open.
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