The Tuesday debate - are you nice to cars?

[Bendy]

You want cars to be considerate to you, but are you considerate to cars?

Please quantify your arguments, explain exactly what you do that's considerate, and what isn't.


I'm interested to see where this goes, and will be checking back later.

[LustyLew]

Depends on when and where I am. If I'm riding to work (Central London) I tend to notice that people couldn't give a toss about bikes, there are loads of us about but people just don't think, changing lanes via my front tyre seems to be common place, harassing all the commuters on their little 'peds. Generally being menacing. Oh and don't get me started on Black Cabs!

However, get me out of London I am (mostly) a different ride, I will tend to take my time more, not rushing about so much trying to get out of traffic, I don't feel a need to filter every que I find, I will also use indicators more. If I used them every time I maneuvered in London I would have gone through 3 or 4 switches by now!
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Like a Yorkie - I'm not for the girls

[Sparks!]

I tend always to stick my arm out to say thank you when overtaking. But around town I don't usually let cars out of junctions etc.

If a car moves over for me they get a thank you too. I guess this is considerate.

I try not to ride right up the back of cars and annoy them either unless they're doing stupidly slow speeds like 17mph in a 30 etc.

I do filter, but I try to give cars as much space as possible but to be honest, half the people I come across are inconsiderate twats who pull out towards the middle of the road to prevent you going past. I tend to stick it in 1st and floor it past them as close as possible, just to remind them that they're being a prat and wake them up from their early morning still asleep driving.

Went to Brighton saturday and some bloke pulled into my mate and myself just to stop us getting through the middle, despite traffic being at 5mph and us being no danger he was just pissed off so pulled into us, my mate swerved and somehow managed to miss him, the car swerved back to the other side of the road so fortunately I missed him to.

We were being considerate, not speeding, not ducking through traffic and not racing it around. Just safely filtering.

So yes, I can be considerate but if the car drivers are a prick then I'll happily cut them up.
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[carvell]

Yeah I would say I am, if someone has been waiting ages at a junction and I am coming up to it I always let them out.

When filtering if someone moves over for me I always wave a "thanks" to them too.

One annoying thing that cars do around here is try to squeeze in before I get there on priority crossing things, I have to go through loads on the way t 6th form every day. Y'know, the ones where the road is narrowed and one side has a "Priority over oncoming vehicles", the other a "give way to oncoming vehicles". When I am coming up to these cars always try to get round them before I get there, I will just keep going the speed and hold the horn down, making it clear that I have priority, they get out the way pretty sharpish. I always leave enough room to brake should they not get out the way, but they have 100% of the time so far!
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Yamaha TDM 850

[ProXimaCore]

Does anyone get the feeling that car driver's are suprised when a biker allows them to pull out of a junction ahead of them?
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[priller]

[dainesefreak]

It really depends on how the car responds to me in the first place most of the time. If they move over slightly to let me filter/pass, which quite a few do, I give them a passing wave or thumbs up. If they let me pull out it's generally a nod as my hands are busy.

I sometimes give a car a flash/nod to let them out of a side road but I must say I don't do it very often these days. You tend to get a lot of people just sitting there not knowing what to do or confused, sometimes pulling out late.

If someone does something stupid in front of me I generally try to give them a big head shake where they can see it, either behind, along side or in front to show my disapproval. If it pisses me off they generally get a long stare as I pass, sometimes accompanied by a finger/s. Oh and not forgetting the light flash if someone's really taking the piss in the outside lane of a dual carriageway/motorway. The driver that sits in the outside lane for 3 miles because they are eventually turning right!

I generally try and stay relaxed most of the time and keep out of trouble. I try to look at it from the "if I'm getting cut up lots or abused by traffic I'm not riding well". Although sometimes you just can't help being abused!

This applies to all traffic by the way, not just car drivers.

[Ninja]

s'been a while but:-

considerate - always maintain a decent gap - never tailgate - I know how that feels and also from a self-preservation point of view.

inconsiderate - when cars 'prevent' you from overtaking by closing the space available in front of them - I will make a point (when it's safe to take the time to pass) of forcing that gap back open again once I pass them
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James
4 wheels transport the Body ... 2 wheels transport the SOUL

[mr jamez]

I am considerate to bikes, well try to be, as they are scary; and I also like my wing mirrors

[Stew]

I am usually well mannered and courteous to all road users, whether I be on my bike or in my car.
On my bike I try to make myself visible in whatever ways I can whether it be by using my lights when filtering or hanging back to make myself more visible in their mirrors (most of this is to protect myself as much as anything else). I alo have no problem letting cars out of junctions when in traffic etc, this isnt going to impede my progress as I can just get by them again shortly afterwards.
If a car makes the effort to make a path for me when filtering I would signal to say thanks, either by a wave or thumbs up (unless I need to keep both hands on the bars at that particular moment).
Same goes for pedestrians, if in slow moving traffic and someone is trying to cross the road, I would stop and wave them across.
Of course, this is most of the time. Sometimes I might be in a major rush or just pi$$ed off for whatever reason in which case courtesy takes a back seat.
I am not one to suffer from road rage or anything like that and even if someone makes an error I would rather be glad I avoided an accident and wouldn't make to much of a fuss by chasing them down just to shout abuse. (unless of course it wasn't a mistake and was a deliberate manouver).
Oh and of course I use a loud <edit> can</edit> (louder than standard anyway) which allows road users to notice me earlier.
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"Unlike public school you don't need to have your arse up and your head down to go a long way...."

[Demonic69]

A loud what Stoo?

I'm always courteous to drivers, usually so they don't decide to knock me off
I do hate when you let someone out of a junction and the knob behind you starts beeping though
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[McJamweasel]

If they do something good - they get a nod/wave/foot shake. If they're arseholes they generally get a torrent of abuse (which they won't hear), a long stare and a loud, fast overtake.

I will let people into traffic if they've been waiting and theres no space behind me.
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BCF: Be yourself, just don't be an arse.

[Milo]

If cars pull a stupid manuver then I flash them but rarely use my horn.
If they help my progression then a hand in the air or a thumbs up normally presents itself if it's not busy at the time.
I always let buses out as not many cars do - so with me holding up the cars it must make their lives much easier!

I let cars out depending on the distance, etc... but don't go too far out of my way for them.

I stop for people wanting to cross the road in the right places but shake my head at them if I feel they're being stupid. I've often have often had cars running dangerously close up my inside when I've stopped at zebra crossings and they haven't noticed until quote late.

I generally try not to let cars annoy me but if they do i just blast away and leave them so they don't annoy me again!

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Shaft drives rule.

[Visitor Q]

they get a thumbs up if they are nice, nods flash etc etc. I let people into traffic, i slow down to let people in etc, as long as im in a good mood. However when people piss me off well i think i teach them a few hand gestures... alltho i warn you road rage situations get scary quickly.... i mean i knew through traffic a transit van type thing couldnt keep up with the derbi, but i didnt do a great deal to them. You think, you kick someones wing mirror off, go caning off and break down a bit down the road.... or clip a car and fall off.... or stop at a junction later on, i can imagine their 'accidental' not stopping before the bone crunching rear ender. Oh yeh always good. But if your on a well maintained anonomous blue R1 or something go for it.
I think someone should go through how to go about kicking wing mirrors off in a thread, i mean im confident if some twat on a scooter or summit was pissing me off i could kick him off his bike but thats different cos you just stand on your peg and sidekick em. Surely for wingmirrors you need to slow down lots and do it stationary or something, cos its a small target that is quite high. And frankly i aint risking the tank slapper from clipping with my bars even tho i know thats how some people do it.
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[Milo]

I've always wanted to hold on tight and lift my boot up to wing-mirror level for some payback.
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Shaft drives rule.

[Zero-G]

I always stick my hand out or give a thumbs up if someone moves over to let me past. If they just sit there then i'll generally do nothing.

Tend to let lorries and buses out most of the time as i can usually get past them pretty quickly afterwards!

If its busy in town then i'll let cars out. If its not busy then i don't usually bother.

I can't stand horses! I don't know why they have to be on the roads when they could be in the bloody fields!! Taking bends at 50-60 only to find 2 of the buggers round the other side, having to slam on so you don't 'scare' them. Fuck that for a game of soldiers!!! Horses should be shot!! Or at least not allowed on the roads!! (No offence intended to anyone that likes horses)

[Kickstart]

Hi

Normally say thanks to people who let me past.

I tend not to let people out on the bike, as in such a situation someone is already stuck behind me and letting someone out and then overtaking them (so my action has no adverse effect on me) is hardly fair on the person behind me.

All the best

Keith
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[G]

Yes,
mostly.

[Panther]

[headlamp]

Riding between two lanes of solid traffic on the North Circular this morning a BMW (yes BMW), pulled further over in the outside lane & indicated right! I could not believe it, he got a friendly toot, nod of the head and big wave. Clearly a bike rider knobbing around in a flash car.

Usually if someone pulls over to make room when I'm filtering (which is about all I do on the bike) it's either a nod the head or a thumbs up.

If I hoot and they move over they get a cursory nod.

People who see me but choose not to create a gap often get a slow side to side head shake!

However if I'm waiting at lights and someone by my side is on their mobile I usually use this as an opportunity to test my throttle.
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[karen_moomin]

When I'm in my car I always move over to let bikes pass me and it's nice to be acknowledged for it.

So now when I'm out on my bike I will thank people if it's safe for me to do so (might be a while before I've mastered this, trying to remember where the brakes are is more of a priority for me at the moment!)

[M1ke]

Is it just me that finds it dangerous when cars shoot to the side to let you past? I had a lady in a nissan micra shoot to the side when she saw me behind her and then hit the curbe and she bounced out onto the wrong side of the road. If I had over taken her then she would have probably hit me.

Also I have seen lorries mount curbes when trying to pull out of the way for me! If someone pulls to the side for me now, I don't go UNLESS its safe to cross completely onto the other side of the road. I still say thanks to them but I do find it dangerous.

[Major_Grooves]

I'm nice to the cars. I often let them out of junctions etc.

However I don't get the chance to thank courteous drivers as much as I like as I always seem to using the clutch when a wave would do. I try the "foot shake" or sideways nod, but I doubt they notice.
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[bikedudextrm]

One thing i hate about town is bus drivers, they just tend to pull straight out with out looking half the time, it really annoys me .
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[mr jamez]