I'm an idiot, right?

[LeeR]

Sorry I just need to get this off my chest; I had a bit of a to do with a motorist this morning.

I don't know whether anyone is aware but the A40 outside Gloucester has been contra-flowed for 6 months while they re-surface etc...

Anyway if people are courteous or leave a gap then I'll filter, but most of the time you can't because they're fairly narrow lanes and there are cones dividing the carriageway, the sort that are bonded into the cat's eyes. So this morning a van moves over for me and I go around thanking the driver, next there's a Z4 in front and there's enough room to pass so I do, unfortunately there's a 7.5 tonne truck next and no way past so I settle into position, bike and a halfs length behind and to the right of the lane so I can see what's happening up ahead. Now I notice the Z4 is keeping fairly close to my rear, not too close, or so I thought, but still a bit close even for slow moving and at times almost stationary traffic.

Well at one point we do stop and there is no way past the truck so left foot down and wait for the traffic to move off again, only the Z4 has decided to squeeze in along-side. It's a bit tight but as we move off I left shoulder check (coz that's where they are) and move across to the middle of the lane. This is where all hell breaks loose, the driver goes absolutely fucking mental, and I mean proper mental, shouting abuse, standing on the horn, flashing their lights. I've had enough at this point, so I engage neutral, put the side stand down and go to dismount, get this, the Z4 mounts the curb and drives along the pavement to go around me, wtf? As it goes past I can see it's a blond woman with a child in the front seat, at this point I'm seething at the stupidity but because there's a child on board I don't really want to go at her all guns blazing. So I try to calm down but I am absolutely livid, looking back I should have let it go, if they wanted the space that bad then let 'em have it, eh?

But because I'm an idiot, I decide I can overtake through the cones, which is ordinarily ok as they're far enough apart and as everyone's going into Gloucester the other side of the contra-flow is almost aways clear. Now it was clear when I pulled out but as I approached the space I was going to pull in a car joined the contra-flow at some speed and he then stands on his horn, I think this was deserved. So I've rejoined the correct side of the contra-flow and I'm on my way.

But through all this I think I could have behaved better, I forgot all the first principles, I endangered myself and others for my impatience and perceived slight, and I feel like a heel.

Tell me I'm a idiot, that we all do stupid things at times, and that I'll learn from it and never do it again.
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My claim to fame: Austin Vince nicked my pen...

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Blackwolf]

Aww poor lukey

LeeR what bike do you ride as ive spent a few hours riding alond the A40 from Oxford to cheltnem to see my gf...
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Current: Ducati Multistrada 1200s

[SoulRider]

Use paragraphs.

Regarding getting of the bike to confront theres nothing wrong with that bearing in mind it depends what you intended to do when you confronted them. Wish i had the option when Ive come across drivers like that.

Riding the wrong way up a contraflow system however is dangerous and stupid, hopefully something you will learn from this time and think that if they get away next time and its not safe to over take/catch up that you will leave it be.
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My Bike Pics

[colin1]

Yeah be good in future, you can put the second one down to u still fuming about the first incident, but thats an error in itself.

A bit of tolerance is handy. I dont believe in god or anything but,
there is a bit in the lords prayer which we did every day at school that comes to mind.

Basically forgive others when they fuck up, and hope they forgive you when you fuck up.

Also if you do fuck up, think of it as a bit of a warning that you are an idiot, and so be a bit more cautious for a bit until you dont do anything idiotic for a bit.

Of course some people just carry on regardless and end up in trouble.

Helkat had some wise words on this sort of thing. I cant remember them, but it was basically on the lines that karma works in real life and if people piss you off enough for you to want to do something to them, or say something to them, you might aswell leave it as they will get their come uppance one day.

I didnt beleive it at the time, thinking that arseholes get what they want with little or no consequences, but its come true twice now in my experience.

Lets hope karma takes care of the z4 woman, but the flip side is u dont want to be an enemy of karma yourself. Being an idiot in a car is a fair bit safer than being an idiot on a bike.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[D O G]

I would have been very pissed off too, and would have probably done something similar. Then felt like a cock.

Human nature, we can't be perfect.

Although I probably would have pulled more central to the lane when confronted by the truck, but hindsight is a wonderful thing, no?

[UnknownStuntm...]

contraflow cones are like double white lines - do not cross etc. But that blonde twat would have got a mouthful, child or no child.

[LeeR]

Thanks for the replies chaps, and yeah I used a crap text editor at work to write the post, I'll edit it now.

And in answer to your question Blackwolf, I ride a Suzuki DL-1000, a blue one
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My claim to fame: Austin Vince nicked my pen...

[LeeR]

[steppen22]

I had a car hootiing at me at an amber light becuase I waiting for green. So I did a kinda mock stretch (I'm going nowhere, love), stayed stationary a few seconds, and then stuck my fingers up over my shoulder as Irode off.

Cue car up my arse hooting away in hysterics. Even as the (middle aged biddy) turned into a junction behind me, she was hooting away aimlesly. It was like I triggered some sot of insanity.

I think my reaction was immature and I'm annoyed at myself, a little.

But it annoys me when people are rude on the road. I mean, face to face, people apologise when you bump into them, yet there's a tendency in all of us to become cocksuckers when we on the road.

Perhaps I should've have moved off. Flashing amber light. But other vehicles weren't. It's near a school and children al along the pavement. Even if I was in the wrong though, I don't understand why she had to hoot - I mean five seconds of your fucking day, lady, you're only going to get home and slump in front of the fucking tv.

I find hooting a form of agression, like calling someone a nasty name.

My two fingers though was stupid. On a bike, you can't take those sort of risks because most motorists are strung out and fucking mad.
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no regrets, no retreat, no apology.
I've made mistakes in the past, and I apologise for FUCK ALL.

[nick606]

When ever i get abuse from over drivers for filters its always a woman whos under 30 I even got some woman shout abuse out the window for overtaking . Annoying bastard either get the Vs or ignored.

[Ariel Badger]

We all go idiot at times. You respected the fact that there was a child in the car, you have control of your inner idiot.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Ariel Badger]

[Paddy Blake]

I would have jumped off the bike and lashed a load of paragraphs at the bitch.
Then get out of there before she gets my reg to report me.

Just messing with ya.

Paddy.

[D O G]

Fucked up myself this morning.

Was being cocky with filtering, going down very small gaps (FZR's are very narrow!), and ended up having to stop between a huge Mack articulated truck on my left, and a car on my right (but not at the head of the queue), I stopped so I was obscured by the passenger A pillar of the car.

Naturally when the lights turned green, the car moved off quicker than the huge lorry, I felt her tyre brush my foot before she realised I was there, and she stopped. I felt like such a prick, I nailed it off, did some stupid filtering to get away from the lady I had just inconvenienced.

Everybody makes mistakes. Recognising that they are mistakes is the most important and usefule part of them.

[SoulRider]

[Kal]

[LeeR]

[Kal]

I want a new rally t-shirt that reads - "and I thought I rode like a cnut"

And yes, I have gotten off the bike and thought that...


<tonight>
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Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[Steve H]

I know that stretch of road well and it's been all over the local press for months that there are gonna be major hold ups in the area particularly in the single lane contraflow between Over and the A40/A48 roundabout - the hold-ups are such that Road Rage occurences are inevitable due to the impatience of all road users.

Personally I think that I can filter with the best of them however I've ridden the bike down the contraflow in question and in my experience unless the car driver in front of you is sympathetic to bike riders, recognises that you have the ability to make progress through traffic and moves to the left to let you overtake it's damn near impossible to get past - it really is that tight.

I don't think you did anything wrong up to the point where you got off the bike, as I said in the first paragraph Road Rage occurences are inevitable, you've just gotta be the bigger person and not let Nobbers like that get to you (after all, you were in front of the Z4 so you were one up on her anyway )

Try taking the country lanes by-passing the traffic build up and enjoy the ride
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Mellow Yellow
The BCF Top TEN - 2010, 2009, 2008, The Original.

[LeeR]

The road works have indeed been a nightmare for all road users as you say, and I'm very aware that as motorcyclists we have an advantage that your average motorist can only envy. This is why I'm always curteous and go out of my way to avoid conflict and offense, but I think some people are just pre-disposed to arrogance.

I knew when these road works started that it was going to be a hard 6 months for my commute. The good news is the contractors have said they'll be finished by the end of October.

I have considered alternative routes, but they become just as congested. As I'm commuting to Gordano at junction 19/M5 I'm not heading it the right direction if I go any other way. That is unless I use the A48 to Chepstow and use the M48 bridge over the Severn, but that's so exposed it's scary.
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My claim to fame: Austin Vince nicked my pen...