Motorcyclists

Aidy

Seriously, what is it with motorcyclists?

Bloody muppets.[0]

Why do they insist upon overtaking you leaving about an inch of clearance, and then cutting across you about 30cm later and stopping, blocking every available filter line?

And then, when they finally manage to make it to the front of the queue of traffic, why do they insist on sitting squarely in the advanced stopping area, not only in violation of the highway code, but in such a way to block every cyclist from entering?

And then after their burst off the line, do they really feel the need to try and run into the side of you to show off their prowess? I'm very impressed. Honest.

And for the muppet this morning, I'm not endangering myself by being in front of you and being "slower" [1] than you, you're endangering me by not being able to ride your motorcycle safely. If you can't overtake me safely, don't overtake. Also, if you'd hold back behind the ASL as you're supposed to, you might stand a better chance of observing the direction I'm going in (hint: I'm not cycling directly into the back of a parked car), and be able to make your maneouver a bit more safely.

[0] This might not be the exact phrasing of the thought that's in my mind.
[1] If I'm slower than you, then how come I've been in front of you for the last succession of 5 traffic lights? Yes, I might not have your burst of speed, but I can actually move through traffic because I have some degree of being able to handle the machine that I'm on.

_Brun_

If I were a motorcyclist I'd probably be quite fucked off by even the slowest cyclists obstinately pushing their way to the front of every single queue despite them taking forever to get going and holding everyone up in the process.

gtvlusso

Hmmm - the standards of motorbike riding in the UK are dropping considerably.

I think this is due to the rising fuel costs and people who simply should not and would not chose to ride a motorbike for leisure, riding one for commuting to save money. I regularly see them undertake in cycling lanes and on the inside of the traffic.

Amazes me how some of these idiots passed a CBT, let alone a full motorbike test.....

I apologise on behalf of *decent* motorcyclists everwhere.

shm_uk

Do you think there's a 'MotorbikeRadar' site somewhere, littered with rants from bikers about 'bl**dy muppet cyclists' ?

il_principe

_Brun_ wrote:

If I were a motorcyclist I'd probably be quite farked off by even the slowest cyclists obstinately pushing their way to the front of every single queue despite them taking forever to get going and holding everyone up in the process.

True, but I'm getting increasingly f*cked off by the number of them using cycle lanes, esp in heavy traffic. They get inevitably stuck at a point where a cyclist could nip through and hold us all up. To be fair tho, it's mainly mopeds that cause the problems.

MonkeyMonster

Il Principe wrote:

To be fair tho, it's mainly mopeds that cause the problems.

+1

snooks

Nothing like tarring them all with the same brush is there?

Just like all cyclists jump red lights and ride on pavements.

Just cos you had a bad experience this morning it doesn't mean they are all like that.

On nearly every commute there will be a Mbiker who will let me pass because the traffic is too narrow for them, a thankyou wave and I'm off. Or there are others who will "minesweep" the road ahead making a wide gap in the traffic to follow them down, then move over and let me into the ASL, but just before I get to the car at the front, I'll hang back to make sure I have room to get to the ASL

If you can't get to the ASL, hold back in the traffic in the primary position. A smiley wave in their mirrors will usually get them moving if they can.

Yep there are some idiots riding motorbikes, usually people who have to be somewhere before you, but there are idiots everywhere on every mode of transport.

chunkytfg

shm_uk wrote:

Do you think there's a 'MotorbikeRadar' site somewhere, littered with rants from bikers about 'bl**dy muppet cyclists' ?

Yep it's called www.visordown.com or www.therevcounter.com

As for original rant! I completely disagree! At least as a motorcyclist I always stop at red lights and dont use the pavements like all the cyclists!!

:roll:

Edit. Damm you Snooks!!

Sewinman

They are occasionally a pain, but that is the same for everyone. I find black cabs in bus lanes more of a pain, and mopeds, and Addison Lee. Dem man a waste-man, I swear down.

Aidy

snooks wrote:

Just cos you had a bad experience this morning it doesn't mean they are all like that.

This is not one experience this morning, so much as a series of events over the past few years.

Aidy

chunkytfg wrote:

As for original rant! I completely disagree! At least as a motorcyclist I always stop at red lights and dont use the pavements like all the cyclists!!

If you encroach the ASL, you aren't stopping at red lights.

chunkytfg

okay so here is a question for you. Whats more vulnerable on the road? A scooter with a top speed of 30mph or a cyclist with the same? Why?

rolf_f

_Brun_ wrote:

If I were a motorcyclist I'd probably be quite farked off by even the slowest cyclists obstinately pushing their way to the front of every single queue despite them taking forever to get going and holding everyone up in the process.

Really? I usually find that it is the cars that take forever to get going. If I'm at the front at the lights, I'm usually across the junction before the first car has reached me. Much safer and clearer for all than being held up in the middle of the queue by dithery drivers busily trying to finish their phone conversations or work out which is the clutch pedal. Mind you, we don't get so many single speed cycles around here!

Aidy

chunkytfg wrote:

okay so here is a question for you. Whats more vulnerable on the road? A scooter with a top speed of 30mph or a cyclist with the same? Why?

Why does that have any kind of relevance?

asprilla

I find them a pain in the bum in a lot of ASLs, particularly as they tend to block access leaving you next to a vehicle when you shouuld be able to filter past.

SimonAH

_Brun_ wrote:

If I were a motorcyclist I'd probably be quite farked off by even the slowest cyclists obstinately pushing their way to the front of every single queue despite them taking forever to get going and holding everyone up in the process.

I'm both a cyclist and a motorcyclist. I've never not had a motorcyle in the garage since I was 15, I'm now 40 and I've both raced and been a dispatch rider in London so (on the basis that I'm still alive) I'm going to take the high ground and say that I'm a competent rider and know a bit about the subject.

.....so.

There are two types of traffic motorcyclists, those who can filter and those who can't. If you can filter do so on the right of the traffic queue. If you can't filter then don't. And absolutely do not filter up the inside. This makes you an idiot.

Having filtered to the front of a red light queue (which is the point of a motorcycle in town) where would you like them to be? They cannot remain sandwiched between the cars and so need to move ahead, and truthfully on bikes you are slower so ergo the logical order would be motorcycles to the front, then bicycles, then cars. Don't know how this could work in the real world but....

Aidy

SimonAH wrote:

Having filtered to the front of a red light queue (which is the point of a motorcycle in town) where would you like them to be? They cannot remain sandwiched between the cars and so need to move ahead, and truthfully on bikes you are slower so ergo the logical order would be motorcycles to the front, then bicycles, then cars. Don't know how this could work in the real world but....

If there is no space for them to move to the front, then perhaps they shouldn't?

And I'm faster off the lights than motorcycles.

chunkytfg

Aidy wrote:

chunkytfg wrote:

okay so here is a question for you. Whats more vulnerable on the road? A scooter with a top speed of 30mph or a cyclist with the same? Why?

Why does that have any kind of relevance?

I'd personally say it has a huge relevance. You make this big point about bikes not being allowed in the ASL's which I will gladly accept by law they should not be however what is the sole purpose of the ASL? From my understanding it is to give a refuge for cyclists to move ahead of the traffic to stop any potential issues of remaining tucked inbetween cars when they move off.

My point is why should they not apply to bikes aswell? They are as at risk of an accident as cyclists when remaining in the queue's of traffic so should be allowed in them IMO.

Having an engine does not suddenly make you any less at risk than those that choose to power themselves it just means they get to work slightly less sweaty!!

W1

chunkytfg wrote:

Aidy wrote:

chunkytfg wrote:

okay so here is a question for you. Whats more vulnerable on the road? A scooter with a top speed of 30mph or a cyclist with the same? Why?

Why does that have any kind of relevance?

I'd personally say it has a huge relevance. You make this big point about bikes not being allowed in the ASL's which I will gladly accept by law they should not be however what is the sole purpose of the ASL? From my understanding it is to give a refuge for cyclists to move ahead of the traffic to stop any potential issues of remaining tucked inbetween cars when they move off.

My point is why should they not apply to bikes aswell? They are as at risk of an accident as cyclists when remaining in the queue's of traffic so should be allowed in them IMO.

Having an engine does not suddenly make you any less at risk than those that choose to power themselves it just means they get to work slightly less sweaty!!

In my expereicnce cars defer to, are much more aware of, and give much more space to mopeds than cyclists. Mopeds make a noise, have bright lights and are bigger than a cyclist.

gtvlusso

SimonAH wrote:

_Brun_ wrote:

If I were a motorcyclist I'd probably be quite farked off by even the slowest cyclists obstinately pushing their way to the front of every single queue despite them taking forever to get going and holding everyone up in the process.

I'm both a cyclist and a motorcyclist. I've never not had a motorcyle in the garage since I was 15, I'm now 40 and I've both raced and been a dispatch rider in London so (on the basis that I'm still alive) I'm going to take the high ground and say that I'm a competent rider and know a bit about the subject.

.....so.

There are two types of traffic motorcyclists, those who can filter and those who can't. If you can filter do so on the right of the traffic queue. If you can't filter then don't. And absolutely do not filter up the inside. This makes you an idiot.

Having filtered to the front of a red light queue (which is the point of a motorcycle in town) where would you like them to be? They cannot remain sandwiched between the cars and so need to move ahead, and truthfully on bikes you are slower so ergo the logical order would be motorcycles to the front, then bicycles, then cars. Don't know how this could work in the real world but....

+1 - I raced too! Raced an SP1 in Sound of Thunder!

Aidy

chunkytfg wrote:

I'd personally say it has a huge relevance. You make this big point about bikes not being allowed in the ASL's which I will gladly accept by law they should not be ...

My point is why should they not apply to bikes aswell? They are as at risk of an accident as cyclists when remaining in the queue's of traffic so should be allowed in them IMO.

And yet you have the nerve to complain that cyclists jump red lights.

Good going.

chunkytfg

gtvlusso wrote:

SimonAH wrote:

_Brun_ wrote:

If I were a motorcyclist I'd probably be quite farked off by even the slowest cyclists obstinately pushing their way to the front of every single queue despite them taking forever to get going and holding everyone up in the process.

I'm both a cyclist and a motorcyclist. I've never not had a motorcyle in the garage since I was 15, I'm now 40 and I've both raced and been a dispatch rider in London so (on the basis that I'm still alive) I'm going to take the high ground and say that I'm a competent rider and know a bit about the subject.

.....so.

There are two types of traffic motorcyclists, those who can filter and those who can't. If you can filter do so on the right of the traffic queue. If you can't filter then don't. And absolutely do not filter up the inside. This makes you an idiot.

Having filtered to the front of a red light queue (which is the point of a motorcycle in town) where would you like them to be? They cannot remain sandwiched between the cars and so need to move ahead, and truthfully on bikes you are slower so ergo the logical order would be motorcycles to the front, then bicycles, then cars. Don't know how this could work in the real world but....

+1 - I raced too! Raced an SP1 in Sound of Thunder!

+2 Suzuki SV700 with Bemsee Thunderbikes

chunkytfg

Aidy wrote:

chunkytfg wrote:

I'd personally say it has a huge relevance. You make this big point about bikes not being allowed in the ASL's which I will gladly accept by law they should not be ...

My point is why should they not apply to bikes aswell? They are as at risk of an accident as cyclists when remaining in the queue's of traffic so should be allowed in them IMO.

And yet you have the nerve to complain that cyclists jump red lights.

Good going.

Go back to my post about that and have a look at the Smilies.

Just for future reference this one ... .... is a wink. In the case of my original post be used to signify I was taking the Pee :roll:

mroli

As a motorcyclist (run over and hospitalised once by a lorry), Scooterist and cyclist in that London, I reckon that the majority of motorcyclists/scooterists are polite to cyclists and have some consideration of cycle priorities. Most go into ASLs, but that is because they are told they can filter and this is the "obvious" place to go. If you asked a motorbike why they are in an ASL, I reckon they would say it is safer for them, that they "leave room" for cyclists, or that all cyclists jump red lights so there is no point in leaving room.

My myself, I was told on my CBT and subsequently that undertaking on the LHS was very dangerous on a Motorbike and that you shouldn't do it. I have been known to do it, but never if cyclists are about. However, motorbikes get pissed off with cyclists who filter on the outside, slowing their progress as well.

Generally I have found that gently reminding motorbikes of etiquette, the fact that they are in lanes they shouldn't be etc has a far better effect than yelling abuse at them and because they are in a similar boat to us, they tend to be more apologetic/considerate.

Most notably if they are blocking a filter you can get through, a polite "excuse me mate" normallly sees them move up to provide room.

Just as some cocks ride motor bikes, some cocks cycle too...

chunkytfg

W1 wrote:

In my expereicnce cars defer to, are much more aware of, and give much more space to mopeds than cyclists. Mopeds make a noise, have bright lights and are bigger than a cyclist.

From my experience as a motorcycle commuter into central london if you turn your headlight off you become invisible so perhaps that is something worth thinking about as a cyclist

snooks

Aidy wrote:

And I'm faster off the lights than motorcycles.

All motorcycles? :shock: Over what distance?

chunkytfg

snooks wrote:

Aidy wrote:

And I'm faster off the lights than motorcycles.

All motorcycles? :shock: Over what distance?

Ooh missed that comment

All I can add now is Bwahahahahahahahahah

Not a chance!

Aidy

snooks wrote:

Aidy wrote:

And I'm faster off the lights than motorcycles.

All motorcycles? :shock: Over what distance?

If you can't do it, doesn't mean that others can't.

chunkytfg

Aidy wrote:

snooks wrote:

Aidy wrote:

And I'm faster off the lights than motorcycles.

All motorcycles? :shock: Over what distance?

If you can't do it, doesn't mean that others can't.

And in the same vane it doesnt mean the motorcyclists are trying either!

Aidy

chunkytfg wrote:

Aidy wrote:

snooks wrote:

Aidy wrote:

And I'm faster off the lights than motorcycles.

All motorcycles? :shock: Over what distance?

If you can't do it, doesn't mean that others can't.

And in the same vane it doesnt mean the motorcyclists are trying either!

Well done for completely missing the point.

chunkytfg

Aidy wrote:

chunkytfg wrote:

Aidy wrote:

snooks wrote:

Aidy wrote:

And I'm faster off the lights than motorcycles.

All motorcycles? :shock: Over what distance?

If you can't do it, doesn't mean that others can't.

And in the same vane it doesnt mean the motorcyclists are trying either!

Well done for completely missing the point.

Well done for completely missing the earlier pee taking and the obvious baiting that ensued