other road user's attitude to learners...

[Jonathan A]

I was riding along a country road today in the pouring rain, doing a steady 48 mph (50 limit) I get to a blind corner with double white lines, and whilst going round it guess what....A massive lorry overtakes, whilst on this blind bend! (not to mention the fact that it was going over the seed limit for hgvs on a single carriageway).

And if this wasn't enough for one afternoon, on my way home a BMW overtook on a solid white line, and cut in so close there were mere inches between my wheel and the bmws bumper (this is amazing as I was going a little bit over the limit anyway).

so is it that car drivers (pretty much all the time in fancy German cars), and any other non-bikers see an L plate and just feel the need to cause some grief, or do they actually have somewhere to be?

who knows...

[anthony_r6]

BMW owners have a reputation for thinking they own the road. You have to command your position better. Stay just right of the centre of your lane, and always be ready for some jackass to try cut you up.
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Ted : "Maybe he's agoraphobic."
Dougal : "Jack scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted."

[Cheeseybeaner]

[Turkish]

[Ariel Badger]

Ride in the gutter and you will be treated as if belong there.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Matt-]

BMW owner's and Mercedes owner's are the one's you want to watch they come barreling up behind you at the speed of sound, sit up your ass, then decide to over take where most dangerous...

your safest thing as above is position yourself on the line of the blind corner well not right on the line, you know what i mean

Golf owners are pretty patient ....

SAXO owners , don't even get me started.
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RIP jack (wheelie king), you will never be forgotten.
Current Bike's - Road Legal TZR 125 Pitbike, Aprilia SR50R 2010

[ScaredyCat]

Anecdotal too but relavant

I've recently passed my tests so my L-Plates have just come off. There's a marked difference, even when using the same bike, in the attitude of drivers when you're riding with and without plates. Hold your ground too, don't be tempted to slip to the side of the road to let them pass.

Andy
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[pepperami]

Like what the others have said "stand your ground and dont be bullied into letting them (Audi & BMW drivers) force you into the kerb"

Find the balance : stand your ground but dont be aggressive or pig-headed
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[jasond]

it's not just little bikes - now I'm on a bigger bike I still find there's plenty of tw4ts drive too close - it's like I'm expected to ride everywhere fast because I'm on a fast bike. Road's full of r-soles
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1st bike Suzuki EN 125-2 (to break me in) Current bike Honda CBR 400 RR

[covent.gardens]

They see the L's and they are thinking "Must get in front", you will get seemingly 'normal' people overtaking even if you're doing 10mph over the speed limit because they've got the idea that you're a LEARNER so you MUST be in the way, and they can't let it go.

Things get better once the L's are off but they improve a lot once you're on a big bike... once they see you've passed your tests like they have and are on a powerful machine (albeit small) they seem the see you as worthy of being on the road and give you a bit of respect.

And I'm the same, whenever I see a Learner now I think "I'm gunna get in front of that noob" But the difference is I will NEVER do anything dangerous or discourteous whilst trying to do so, that would be very uncool.

[Frog]

[RichieZX6R]

i did notice the same thing. My old mans recently got onto 2 wheels and on L's and they seem to be right up behind him when hes behind me but the same german models will be far back when i'm riding at the back on the same road.
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Current: Kawazaki ZX6R 51
Past: Kawazaki ZX6R 96 - Honda CBR 600F4 05 - Dragstar 125 02 - Honda CB 400 SF 94 - Honda NSR 125 51 - Gilera Runner XV125 04

[Matt-]

Even if your on L plate's just give your brake a tap and just let them know their to close.

then on a straight when no one's coming if your in a nice mood you can let them pass,

^ Pointless for BCF though, :L
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RIP jack (wheelie king), you will never be forgotten.
Current Bike's - Road Legal TZR 125 Pitbike, Aprilia SR50R 2010

[Dave70]

I was told by my CBT instructor to ride left of center. However, I soon realised that every biker I have seen rides right of centre and tried it myself.

That is definately the right place to be imo.

As others have said, command you're space on the road!

[MCW]

As the worlds' slowest-on-the-uptake learner, I had the same issues at first. I saw a biker wearing a hi-vis with 'BACK OFF!' printed on the back. I thought that looked a bit unfriendly and likely to put drivers' backs up, so I came up with my own version, mostly to cause maximum embarrassment to my teenage daughter. I get very little hassle when I go out on my own, people give me a wide berth and often laugh and wave as they go by. I find drivers treat me worse when I'm on a lesson, as I have the schools 'trainee' bib on. The wording on my hi-vis? "Menopausal Learner - Keep Well Clear!!'...

[janner_10]

As said stand your ground and keep position 4 or so in your lane.

It does seem to be related to small bikes though - get on anything with bigger presence and they seem to leave you alone. Plus I assume they associate L's with youth and so therefore think they can be bullied.

Can't remember the last time I got any hassle on the CBR.

If you're being tailgated don't try and be smart or clever, usually just a little shoulder check to the right does the trick, sort of reminds them you know they are there and tells them to p!ss off.
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Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[bikertomm]

I'm on Loser plates and I've never had a problem.

Mainly because I never hold up traffic, and ride on roads with fewer cars probably.


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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[Rogerborg]

<-- This.

I'm considering a

BIke CURIOUS?

sticker for the top box.

Losing the L plates will help with the rage overtakes, but tailgaters can die in a fire.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Dazbo666]

[Jonathan A]

phew so its not just me in that case

I really cannot remember being tailgated by anything other than a big German car.

I once considered putting a light-up sign on my back that says something along the lines of "f*** off", and can be activated by a button on the handle bars...just think all of those furious BMW drivers

As for taking up my space on the road, I will try riding right of the centre, see what that does for me.

[Paullec]

Never had a problem myself, I get the odd dumbass try and squeeze me at islands. The worse are the ones who try and block you when filtering traffic and coming up t lights.

[yaigi]

Yep, you're certainly not the only one, I ride to work nearly every day, I keep up with the traffic, there will be absolutely nowhere to go and yet still some pillock in a BMW (usually) will decide to overtake me and end up no further than just in front of me. Then I go filtering at the lights and watch their blood boil

One day, one of the pillocks in the BMW will be someone from where I work, and then they'll be feckin sorry.
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What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?
Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[MarJay]

There are lots of morons in all sorts of cars, its just that BMW owners moronity occasionally shows itself as they generally have a bit more power than a 1.2 Corsa.

I wouldn't say that BMW and Merc drivers were any better or worse than any other car driver on the whole, which isn't saying much admittedly...
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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.

[map]

It does seem to make a difference.
Earlier this year I had to borrow daughter's Vespa with L plates for the commute to work (it's legal to ride with them if you don't need them btw).

Certainly noticed the difference in the attitude of car drivers.

Once when in the big bike through town came across a bike lesson, tutor and two pupils. Deliberately stayed back and near the centre line to stop cars cutting up the pupil at the rear. Turned off at traffic lights and got a thumbs up from the tutor who was observant enough to see (true story bro).

Although even on the bike bike if I'm in a 30mph limit had cars (usually German makes) too close behind (as in half second gap). They don't keep up though in the NSL!
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[yaigi]