Ladies and Gentlemen...

[Dave McCool]

I am a bike mad, but sadly car-driving student.

I do a fair amount of motorway miles between my home and my university (Colchester and Brighton), and I'm starting to see a disturbing pattern emerging among bikers.

I make a point of checking my mirrors 2 or 3 times before changing lanes, and fairly regularly while in slow traffic, so I'm usually fairly quick to spot filtering bikers. With a love of bikes, and a realistic view of traffic flow, I also always make a very delibrate point of getting out of the way, this behaviour encourages other car drivers to do the same, and also allows you lot to feel safe that I'm not going to side-swipe you.

However, in the last month (about 500 motorway miles, far too many in traffic) not one of you, and I mean seriously, not even one has waved or nodded a thankyou. Not even the slightest gesture.

Now I'll continue moving out of your way, but all of this probably not doing your public image too much good...

It's only a suggestion, but cheer the hell up! It's crappy for everyone, but you'll be through a long time before us!

[Silver]

I always wave when people move out of my way on the bike, but maybe only half of bikers wave when I'm in the car and shift over. No big deal though, eh?

[Dave McCool]

No, not really a big deal at all, just a bit annoying when you've made an effort to get out of someone's way...

[MarJay]

Perhaps, not being a rider you would not understand why this is the case.

Sometimes (not always) drivers do unpredictable things. Sometimes from behind the handlebars of a bike it looks like the driver is doing something unpredictable when in actual fact they think they are helping.

Sometimes you realise a driver is moving out of the way but cannot wave because you're concentrating on avoiding the myopic driver in front of you who hasn't moved.

Sometimes you realise the driver is moving out of the way, and you /have/ got time to wave, but it would be dangerous to take one hand off of the bars (if you hit cats eyes for example).

Sometimes you're in a bad mood.

Sometimes you nod but the driver doesn't notice.

Get over yourself. Obviously we aren't worthy of your time and effort because we dont' wave.

Frankly it comes across as a bit sad.

riding a bike isn't exactly like driving a car, and often takes a /lot/ more concentration, particularly when overtaking and avoiding cars.

If you are truly bike mad then perhaps you should know that.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Drew]

Agree with silver. i always wave (well leave hand on bar but point fingers out over in a kind of wave)

[Aikman666]

Being a younger rider (16) i was unsure when filtering, and usually never thanked anyone because i was far too busy concentrating (and usually people object to my filtering). However some kind bloke let me in thismorning so i gave him a nice thumbs up - its not that we're ignorant, we're just looking out for drivers who may not be as considerate or as willing to let us go ahead.
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[Rookie]

I give a wave when I can and when it's safe, but to be honest if I did it to every car that shifted over a bit I'd never have my hand on the bar.

Though the ones that quite obviously go out of their way will always get a wave, whenever possible.

You might find that as the season draws to a close, and the fair weather/weekend riders pack up for the winter, the wave ratio rises again.

[mrtEE]

[Drew]

[Ichy]

I always try to wave if its obvious that the driver has delibrately moved out of the way, other gestures if its obvious that they are blocking the way.

Its not always possible, for instance I might be travelling a bit too fast to want to take my hands off the bars, but I guess thats more likely with overtaking, not your true filtering.
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[Dave McCool]

I do realise that it takes a fair amount of concentration to filter through traffic on a bike, and to be honest I wasn't having a go, but this last month I've actually been surprised by this, because in my past experience this hasn't been the case; nearly all of the bikers I've let past have thanked me in some way.

And I don't really need to get over myself, like I said it's just friendly advice, if car drivers start getting annoyed with this then they won't bother letting the next bike through...

[Rookie]

To be honest, whilst I agree that politeness from bikers is something to be expected, a good deed should be it's own reward.

[byke95]

I'm surprised Marjay, you seem very defensive?

Anyways, I think Dave's comment is valid. It doesn't take much to be polite and (for the most part) in traffic it's pretty obvious when a car is moving over for you. I always try to show appreciation for this.

I actually find the vast majority of car drivers to be polite, as with bikes the minority (which do present a high risk to us, sadly the ultimate in some cases) give the rest a bad name. Even so, this will not stop me from saying thanks.

[st3v3]

when i go out on my bike, and there is traffic on the ring road, i filter past it, see countless cars move over, and it not possible to keep riding your bike in a safe fashion and wave a sign of 'thanks' in each one's direction, but i do my best to thank as many as poss. The BIG bikes nod, although whether it is a car or another biker, it is not easy, your arm can even get achy!
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[Silver]

I always chuckle when, on an already plenty wide enough road, a car goes to such an effort to move over that they practically swerve off the road and into a hedge!

[trevoriv]

[mchaggis]

Unless I have something more pressing to worry about, I always wave with my left hand if people move over on the left hand side, and give them a nod if they move over to the right out of the way (on dual carriageways). I'll usually also give them a wave if I've rejoined the flowing traffic in front of them and they've left a sensible gap between us.

It never hurts to be polite, just don't sacrifice your own safety in doing so.

Sometimes they move over so vigorously, it makes me feel compelled to go past them, even when it's not entirely safe (I'm a lot better at ignoring cars moving over to let me past when it's dangerous now though). If I can't be arsed I just drop back far enough to make it obvious I'm not going to and they carry on.

As far as vehicles indicating goes, I never filter past something if it's indicating anything. For all I know, they indicated left and actually intend to turn right.
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[bazza]

[alone]

No need to be so hostile towards him. It's just one cagers observation. It's possible you've not noticed a bikers thanks. Afterall, sometimes it isn't easy to make an obvious 'thanks'. I'll often slightly hang my left hand off the bars. But have no idea if the driver notices.

Personally. I hate when a car moves out of my way. 9 times out of 10, I've got plenty of room already, and a car moving a foot or more in their lane can be more worrying than anything.

[Ste]

[Dave McCool]

[hmmmnz]

i like to wave when someone does move for me but as others have said sometimes its not practical. especially in peak hour traffic,
just know we do appriciate your moving over to let us through, even when we don't show it.
big hugs to dave
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[DEN MONKEY]

Feelin the luv in here boys.

Why is it that when someone has some input that others may not agree with, some feel the need to resort to personal attacks.
If you don't agree, then simply state that and move along.
You can express your differing point of view without turning it into a slinging match.

After all this is what a forum is about. People coming together with a common interest and sharing varied ideas and opinions.

While you may not agree with it, nor understand it the bottom line here is you have to accept it.


Dave as has already been explained there are a number of reasons why a rider can't acknowledge you assisting them filter through traffic and this may be something you are unaware of until you get your bike and experience it first hand.

I do agree that a little thanks can go along way though.

I feel similar frustration when I go into a service station and hold open a door for someone who is comin in behind me.
Only to have them walked right on passed like I'm not even there.
I dont do it for the thanks though, I do it because it makes me feel good. They can't take that away from me even if they are ignorant asses.

Well done mate for showing respect for other road users bikers or otherwise. There should be more of it.

You've never pulled over to let me pass but thanks anyway for those who you did do it for

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[MarJay]

Lets put it this way:

If I went on a car forum and asked why no car drivers let me out/wave at me/whatever, I'd have been told a lot worse than to get over myself.

Read Bazza's post, its a little harsher than mine but I agree with the sentiment.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[MarJay]