What traffic are you wary of on the road?

[daytona600]

Reading the bad accidents thread got me thinking...

When you're riding and processing information about your fellow road users - what immediately rings warning bells? What makes you consciously think 'caution needed'?

Should be fairly amusing and may help newbies when they're venturing out...

I'm London based and can offer:

1) White Vans (obviously)

2) BMWs

3) Anything Max Powered

4) Any 4x4 with a personalised number plate (esp Range Rovers)

5) Nissan Bluebird, 6 up, often with a turbaned gentleman at the wheel looking for cows or summat

What did I miss?
____________________
If in doubt, flat out

[MarJay]

Everything.
____________________
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.

[Scotsman37]

Police cars / bikes !

[mrchips]

Artics
____________________
Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[Wave2k]

white van men

and random idiots who drive like fannys
____________________
Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[ginguar]

I tend to look at the people driving as much as anything. Therefore I would include old people, harrassed looking mum's at school time, business men types, and some female drivers. I would also include anyone who drives really crap, old cars. Oh and cyclists. I would also include people walking/driving through car parks which for some reason make people completely stupid.

Oops forgot moped drivers.

[stinkwheel]

Noone has mentioned V*lvos! Especially estates appearing out of junctions and halfway into your lane. Easily recognised at a distance by the 'on all the time' headlamps and the diagonal 'stripe of danger' on the radiator grill. They firmly believe that because they are driving the safest car in the world to crash, they don't actually have to pay any attention to what they are doing.

Another type of vehicle to give a very wide berth to is the mobile crane. You don't need an HGV licence to drive one as they are registered as agricultural vehicles so no tacho, no specialist licence (you can drive one solo on L-plates! ). They can have 30 odd gears, carry 20 tonnes of articulated ballast that swings out at the back when they corner, the driver can see feck all in his mirrors due to the outriggers and they have exhaust brakes which run out of gas after a certain amount of braking.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[tatters]

police
foreigners
Volvos
chavs
BMW,s
elderly drivers
mini motos
pikey kids on there horse and carts
____________________
Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

As much as I can, everything.

There is no point in stereotyping drivers/riders, there will be stupid/careless people driving/riding any type of vehicle.

Also consider that it only take a slip of concentration (on your or someone else's part) to cause an accident.

[Marc_Buck]

Artics
Feds
Chavs
Boy Racers
Peds just as they are often less experienced and often prone to mistake
pushbikes
dogs
____________________
94 fzr600r

[loply]

Middle aged women with a particular look on their face.

You must know the kind I mean...
____________________
Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[Shaun]

I generally look out for how people are driving rather than who is or what they're driving. I watch people closely if their lane discipline is a bit shoddy and they're driving on or just over the white line. Boy racers aren't so bad on the whole, a lot of them will just let you past because they either know tey have no chance against a bike or they don't want to annoy you and lose a tarty mirror.

Stereotyping doesn't work all that well with road users, a lot better to judge by how they're driving rather than thinking oh they're ok because they aren't driving a 4x4 or volvo then have them not check their mirrors and knock you off.

[mchaggis]

Other bikes.

They're really distracting.
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[dodsi]

Another one for everything except real bikes. peds you have to look out for.

[tokarev]

Living in london the WORST has to be the black cab drivers. They do one or more of the following most of the time i come across one;

U-turns in a busy road,
suddenly stop right in front of you to let people out,
pull out without signalling,
cut in front of you with only 2 meters to spare,
tail you with about 3 meters to spare.

I dont know if you have had this experience with cab drivers but in central london they are mad beasts. Very Happy

Oh yeah and those massive bendy busses that take the space of about 6 car lengths. They are deadly i always stay well back! Thumbs Up

[tokarev]

Sorry, double post

[Mantzy]

How about the people you know are about to pull out on you and not accelerate. Yes, they'd have time to pull out and you don't mind that but then they just dawdle away. Usually drive Peugoet 105/6's or 1.1 metros.

For those people - LEARN THAT YOUR CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND WAIT GODAMMIT!

/rant
R
____________________
Current Bikes: 2010 Triumph Sprint ST 1050
Previous Bikes: 2002 Sachs XTC, 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R, 2004 GSX-R 600 K4, 2006 Yamaha XT660X

[yambabe]

Whilst trying hard not to stereotype, I really do have a problem with BMWs. I'm not paranoid, they really are out to get me!

As are blonde school-run mums in 4X4s with sunglasses in their hair.....

BUT:

[Flip]

Everything. Especially the old and the young.

[natv4]

I'm with the general concensus here, all traffic, esp. that which does not seem to have decided where its going.

But I also have to side with Tokarev Taxi's are a nightmare, mainly because they can U-Turn in a very small space and tend to do it very quickly, from standstill at the side of the road, without a blindspot check.

Also those bendy busses are murder, just can't get passed them without extreme caution (not in central london anyway)
____________________
Travelling around the world...a bit at a time. Where am I now? / Visit my BLOG
Bike: Blue Honda VFR800fi (*NEW*) Mileage: 22k Countries visited: GB/F/D/CZ/PL/E/I/B/A/HR/H/Rus/E/MA
West Europe...2004, East Europe...2005, Russia/France...2006, Morocco...2007

[Zoffo]

The more Invulnerable people feel the less likely they are to be carefull. So the bigger the vehicle the less care is often taken.

Just imagine you have to paint a wall with acid. On day one you can wear all the safety gear you want but on day two you have to do it naked..............Which day are you going to be most carefull on?

[Jrod]

You've just got to be aware of anyone, as I was told
"Everyone else is a wan*er."

[Bendy]

Trust no one.

[Tarmacsurfer]

[El_Bandido]

i watch out for anything but leave extra space for 4x4s on the school run and anyone pulling up to a t junction infront of me