Dealing with slip road joiners

[tactical_pancake]

Ok, I've been riding a fair while, but I am a newbie when it comes to motorways / dual carriageways, always happy to learn something . So whenever something 'dangerous' happens when I'm riding I try and learn from it. Yesterday I encountered one of the (I presume) blind joiners to a dual carriageway. Kind of situation I'm sure happens all the time to regular riders on these roads.

I made some pics:

1st pic:
https://i62.tinypic.com/2elqtfd.png

I'm cruising along merrily at ~65mph wearing hi vis, nice sunny day. Car is slowly overtaking in the outside lane. Passing one of these undersized slip roads that you sometimes get on dual carriageways, not as good visibility / length as motorways.

In particular view is blocked by trees until a white car pops out on slip road parallel to mine, a bit behind, around the same speed, but moving sideways on a collision course with mine.

Fair enough, I figure he hasn't seen me, perhaps I'm in a blind spot. He has tinted windows and I can't see the driver to confirm whether he has seen me. So I'm thinking either slow down or accelerate a bit. As he is behind, I figure on accelerating a bit so he can drop in behind.

Pic 2:
https://i62.tinypic.com/2s0fztl.png

Of course the guy decides to accelerate too, and faster than me, and maintains his movement into my lane. Maybe he has seen me? And was accelerating to get past me? Cannot be sure he has seen me at all though. Don't have enough acceleration to get clear, so instead I switch to braking.

Pic 3:
https://i60.tinypic.com/28bv243.png

I brake and have to slot sandwiched between this guy and the overtaker in the outside lane.

At that point, once behind him I considered giving a blast on the horn .. but figured he might panic and step on the brakes and kill me.

Looking back I think I really should have got straight on the horn once I saw him moving into my lane, so he could panic brake and swerve then but I don't use it often and don't have the quick reflexes for it lol.

Anything else I should have done better? I was on top gear on my 33hp restricted versys and it didn't have much pickup otherwise I think the acceleration would have worked, maybe I should have changed down a gear but I didn't anticipate him accelerating into me!! And yes, they really are blind and trying to kill you...

[blurredman]

It happens.

Neglegence from the joiner, and ignorance from the overtaker. I always do a proper look behind me up the joining roads as soon as I can, so I can take action if I need to early.
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[doggone]

It's often a good idea to go into the outer lane if you can when there's a slip road ahead.
If it's too busy, and you can't power ahead of them a bit, be prepared to brake gently and let them go ahead.

If it's really busy it often works like an unofficial alternate vehicle merging. Slip roads are designed to let vehicles merge without stopping whenever possible; people do not expect to be obstructed from entering the main road.

[pinkyfloyd]

Poor obs on both parts. The car driver because thats the norm. Bike rider because you should have been aware of the slip road ages before hand and been in a position to move away should a car join.

If there was no cars behind you, ease off the throttle. Let the car pull out in front of you. In an argument with a car the biker is always going to be the loser.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[tactical_pancake]

[dydey90]

That dotted white line on a slip road is a give way. People on the dual carriageway/motorway have right of way.

...Should have removed that wing mirror that he couldn't be arsed using.
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[Teflon-Mike]

Yeah; you watch the look on lorry drivers faces when they pass slips. Folk come tanking up them, and expect to just carry straight on into the main flow, and every-one will make space for them; they completely disregard that dotted white line that ACTUALLY means THEY are obliged to 'give way'.

Truckers cant use the outside lane of a three-lane, and they are speed governed at 56mph, they cant speed up to make space behind, and slowing down? 75 tons on the back, they need to keep it rolling... and it IS thier right of way...

YET these idiots, still have this blind faith that every-one will make space for them, even when 30ft of artic takes up 1/3 the entire 'merge zone'... and probably cant move over a lane for them, and they have little fucking excuse not to see a two story tall articulated fucking LORRY bearing down on them...

Its NOT that they don't look, or don't see.. they just don't 'expect' to have to wait... for ANYONE.

And it is almost pathological that they HAVE to get into that gap IN FRONT, not fall in behind you.

Don't EVER expect car to 'drop in behind' off the slip, they will race till the hard shoulder to try and get ahead, cos YOU are in the 'Slow-Lane' (wrong, main driving lane, but they are idiots remember!), so they may as well use this bit of slip-road to pass you on the inside rather than slowing down, to go behind you, then over take properly... because they EXPECT to over-take you one way or another... you are in the SLOW lane, remember!

TRUCK-IT.... approaching slips... back off to 56, early enough that you can hold steady speed and possition past the slip; Shelter in that truck stream... move wide, give yourself room, give them room, be prepared to let them in in front of you, when the slip is besides you.

Then let them get on with it, fullfill thier expectations, to be 'given' a slot; it will REALLY make their day, and let them feel the power of being a fast pace fast lane high-life person, and justify the finance payments on the BMW, giving them cart-blanch right of way regardless of road rules and road markings.

And YOU get to smile, knowing that really they are just another pratt car driver... and can live to survive another day... and once junction is passed... adjust speed back to what you would like to cruise at... and pass them when they are sat in the traffic jam at the end.

WORST situation, is not actually that they dont see you, but that they do, and deturmined to dart in in front rather than slot in behind, you end up 'playing chicken' to the end of the slip... which on a motorway at least has the escape route of the hard shoulder, not so on a duel carriageway with shorter slip and kerbed verge!

So, remember, discretion is better part of valour; and better to concede a little ground to win the war, than be screaming "But it was MY right of way!" Up the pearly staircase.
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[Rogerborg]

Even on a restricted bike, I'm sure you could have out-dragged Sammy Shovein there if you'd dropped a couple of gears and pinned it.

Failing that, roll off early and be prepared to slow as much as necessary, including moving on to the slip road and coming to a stop in extremis.

I'm sure you know this, it's just a matter of actually doing it, rather than hoping for the best.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
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[tactical_pancake]

Wow, tef, think you have hit the nail on the head with the psychology of some of the drivers.

[Chuffin Nora]

[recman]

In this situation I'd be rolling off if I knew I didn't have the power to take myself out of danger very quickly.
If I thought a collision was imminent, I'd rather have my front end clipped and come off than my rear end shunted and I end up under said motor.

[WD Forte]

Happens all the time
It doesnt matter what you're driving, car/bike/van/truck
Seen some pull right out into the outside lane and some who match speed
with my slow old van when backing off a wee bit or a touch on the throttle
would give them space a plenty to join safely.
You cant fix stupid as they say

Yes they should give way, but many dont and some
seem to think they have the divine right of way and all the
motorway traffic should make course and speed changes to accomodate them.
Grrr! hangings too good for em

When we're on our bikes we'd be daft to play chicken
so have to develop the strategies to stay alive in these situations.
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bikers smell of wee

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Don't forget - you've got a horn. Just because they seem incapable of seeing you doesn't mean they won't hear you. I'm not saying lean on it for a prolonged bleat - that will only probably annoy them. But a quick roadrunnerish MEEP is enough to get their attention without them taking it as a CCCUUUNNNNTTTTTT!!!!

But yeah ipsga first - look ahead, way way ahead. Plan for this shit all the time, there's not sufficient foliage on a lot of these trees and bushes alongside roads yet - peer through as you pass. And anticipate twits with no minds, even if you can't see.
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