Getting your full licence - does it get any better?!

[Entertwainer]

today i felt like a moving target for c*nts.
im in a 30 - doing 30, riding past a school and some bastard in a works truck over takes me on my outside (single lane of traffic - approaching some traffic lights).
i lay on the horn and cop a look at the morons sitting in the passenger seats - i get the usual thuggish looks from them/they almost look amused. i dont bother trying to over take them at the lights, but filter past them at the next set. considered throwing some abuse, but thought better of it and just laughed it off a little to calm my rage.

then some other c*nt (a woman this time) undertakes me in a 40 (i was definitely doing 40) so i blow my top a little and provide her with a visual representation of my feelings.

i filter past her at the next set of lights (about 50metres ahead) and give her a look and a patronising shake of my head.

my point being, i know my L plates and my skinny tyres must make me a target for c*nts, but does this get any better once i'm on a bigger bike? or at least one that could make me look a little physcotic........(ones that come decorated with babies heads mounted on my bar ends and a crack whore straddling my pillion....)

[MattJ]

Yep, it gets a lot better.

[Doovy]

How is your road positioning?

You could be inviting these overtakes/undertakes depending on how much space you're leaving in your lane...


Either that or ride faster

Also check your speedo is reading as correctly as it can
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Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1

[recman]

[c_dug]

If there were two lanes and she undertook you, maybe you should have been in the inside lane? Undertaking isn't that bad if done safely.

If it was a single lane there shouldn't have been room to undertake you so consider your positioning.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Rogerborg]

Yes, IME the Loser plates do get you treated as a subhuman even more than being on a bike already does. Get shot of them.

I get that you were riding to the conditions, but you're not the Sheriff of the Road and you can't force anyone else to do it. The reality is that almost everyone exceeds the posted limit. Their choice, their consequences.

Personally I'd rather have them past than tailgating.
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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

[daemonoid]

Things do get better, but remember you're learning and these kind of incidents seem scary but probably aren't half as bad as you think.

An overtake is an overtake - don't get annoyed... they want to go faster than you then let them. If they want to exceed the speed limit then it's their choice, you're not a traffic cop.

An undertake in most cases means you were in the wrong lane - you won't get undertaken if you pull back into the lane you should be in.

Concentrate on what you're doing, let others do their thing and only worry about them if you're on a collision course. Remember it's not your road - you don't own the space between you and the next hazard, if someone wants past then let them - like you say, you make it all up by filtering anyway.
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current: ducati monster 750
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@thomasgarrard | www.straitjkt.com | www.racingseven.com

[Doovy]

Just thought, would a SMIDSY weave be inappropriate?




disclaimer: I am kidding.
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Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1

[MarJay]

Dominate your lane, don't ride in the gutter.
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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.

[covent.gardens]

It does get better. On a bike bike without L's they at least recognise the fact you've got a full licence and understand that you have a right to be there. On L's you're "just a learner", riding an obviously low-powered machine, which means you're just in the way (regardless of if you are or not) so they've got to get in front no matter what.

[Entertwainer]

i dominate my lanes - i have no lack of confidence in that area (developed a very hard skin since riding a bicycle around brighton for the past 10 years).

the first incident was a single lane by a school leading up to a 'robot' junction that split into 3 (2 straight on and 1 right)
not moaning about the fact they did it, just feeling a little targeted this morning as they started overtaking me waaaaaay before the lanes split.

my second incident i was doing between 45/50 when i got undertaken (further along my commute on a dual carriageway approaching lights and i was in the correct lane.

this isnt the first time either of these have happened, just this time they happened with half a mile of each other on a monday morning. a little too much for my heart to take since a rather relaxed and mellow weekend!

i'm no sheriff by any means, and i;m sure this isnt an isolated incident and definitley wont be my last.
just throwing it out into the vast sea of rants and rage that already exists so i can move on really.

whinge whinge whinge grumble grumble. next time i think i'll just take a sock full of batteries with me. will save me having to vent on here.

[darthbuttchin]

I totally get where you are coming from, I feel that the L plates are a red rag to a bull. I just ride for myself, keeping a rigid check on positioning and observation. It's up to them if they wanna do stupid stuff to get past me.

I can't wait to get rid of the L's though, it's just getting the money together
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CG125-K1 (1978) - 35 years old and (mostly) going strong! (Restored and rebuilt by my own fair hands).
Call me Tomsk - I am the Flying Womble after all.

[Entertwainer]

it certainly provides me impetus to get that licence done.
but yeah, money and time is the age old battle!

[dodsi]

I live in the same area as you, I don't hail from this area - people generally drive in a cunty fashion. Again - I cycle most of the time and you just get used to it. If someone is going to do something stupid just be aware that they will do it regardless. Attempting to stop them is futile - just make sure you are in the safest position possible when they are doing it.

Yes, you get more respect when you are sat on top of a 180 width rear tyre but you will still get some idiots (granted less)

So the choices are, get wound up or don't get wound up. Haters gonna hate.

[Entertwainer]

[Old Git Racing]

I've been riding bikes for 40 years and cunts will be cunts if you have L's on or not. It doesn't get better, its getting worse year on year. Your only defense is planning and riding defensively, but taking charge of your bit of the road. Its no good sticking 2 fingers up at 'em with a broken arm, and the only person who gets affected when you mouth off or give them the finger is you. You remember it for hours and days, they barely remember it for 5 seconds.

OGR
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2022 Tiger Sport 660 2019 Street Twin 2003 K3 gixxer 1000 1998 Srad 600 track hack

[G]

[acidstrato]

I get it and feel exactly the same some people just want to get past you. It happens when I'm on my push bike and when I'm on the 125.

After driving fairly quick cars for the past 10 years the easiest solution it seems is to be the quicker vehicle but I have found this difficult on the bikes.

Cant wait to do my DAS now

[Entertwainer]

[Going]

If people want to overtake let them. If I'm in a car and someone in front is going to slow (No traffic), I overtake if safe. On the bike, I'll over take, unless it's unsafe for me, if cars etc are going slow.

As for being overtaken on the inside, unless jumped right in-front of you, it's not really a problem.

Riding on 'L' plates, I've seen no difference. Although I have had a vehicle used as a weapon against me twice when I was on 'L' plates, not sure if it was because of them though.

[smithyithy]

Same old story, I get this in my car when commuting.

It's an old 1.3 Polo, but more than capable of driving at the speed limits and on motorways with traffic etc.

I commute on the M54 which is a 2-lane motorway. Traffic will be in the outside lane doing around 65, I'll move into the inside lane when i can and pass them at 70-75 with the other faster moving traffic.

The second I pass a Beemer or Insignia or whatever POS rep-mobile, they'll swing across and get right up my arse, even though I can't safely get any closer to the car in front.

It's clearly just a case of them feeling emasculated by being passed by an older, shitter car. Their vein-popping, caffeine-fuelled sales-driven testosterone gets blasted into overdrive and they feel this urge to defend their tiny penis size by using their car as a substitute.

I just laugh it off now, they're all cunts but I don't let it bother me, the next day I'll be on my bike passing them all as they sit in baking hot traffic jams.

Don't know what else to suggest OP, if you're confident with your speed and positioning, then it must be the L-plates that are inviting the dick heads. Just stay attentive and calm, they'll all fuck up eventually.

[Sid_The_Sloth]

From my experience L-plates have made no difference to how I'm treated by other drivers, nor has it matter whether it was the ybr bandit or shadow.

I've been tail gated by all sorts of drivers, even when I'm speeding. But that has happened on all 3 bikes.

Think you're always gonna encounter arseholes on the road.
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2013 Honda Shadow VT750C2B Black Spirit, 1994 CBR600 f2

[Az]

I ride on L plates and i can't remember the last time i was over taken... Maybe you're riding a little slow?

[Notj7]

Still considering putting an rotated 'L' (ie, an arrow) on my rear plate because of idiots like these.

OP - for maintaining your control, you don't want to get angry and lose your concentration at the wrong moment.
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Left the forum.

[Entertwainer]

its nowt to do with my speed. i generally keep up with the flow of traffic, or am travelling faster than.
the rest of the time, the traffic isnt even moving.
its just the odd c*nt where time has more value for them than anyone else using the road.