Road Advice

[Rogerborg]

Mmm. There are a few proper mong out there who will tailgate through idiotic aggression (white van, Audi, Royal Mail) or blithe ignorance (tarts).

But if you're being constantly pressured, to the extent that you start a thread to bemoan it, perhaps you're the odd road user out.

Ditch the L's, ride near the lane divider, give fewer figs. You're very unlikely to be rammed from behind, so why worry about it?
____________________
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

[Konic]

[Rogerborg]

Got your tests booked yet?
____________________
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

[G]

Going against the L plate thing...

I thought cars drove poorly around me because I had L plates.
Then because I was on a bike.
Then they did the same when I was in a tank of a £200 passat estate.
And in a old post office van.
And in a 20 year old 7.5t lorry.

Still had people pulling out infront of me etc in the lorry - just make them jump more when using the loud airhorn and they realise they're definitely going to come off worse, despite being an expensive 4x4 .

[chickenstrip]

[B5234FT]

IMHO the problem is you.

We have all been tailgated from time to time, but if it's happening constantly then you're either dawdling excessively and pissing everyone off, or imagining they are closer than they are.

The liklihood is you're sitting doing "40mph" which is actually on average an indicated 38 because you're safe/cautious/.... and is in fact about 34 because bike speedos are generally awful, especially on budget bikes, which every 125 is.

The solution is gaining some confidence and stopping worrying so much, which means more training.

[Konic]

[chickenstrip]

[Konic]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

He covered that in his full response.

Bike Speedos are shit.


My Speedo saying 70 is actually 65 mph. So if I tootle around 67/68 (to be safe) my real world speed is more like 63/64.

If I'm doing 64moh on a 70mph road I would fully expect people up my arse.

Borrow a sat nav if you want to see how shit your particular bike Speedo is. Compare your Speedo to the speed shown on it. Laughs will be had.

In short, stop worrying about going a few mph over the limit - and you'll find the idiots behind you are further behind you and no longer an issue.
____________________
1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[Rogerborg]

My Enfield's speedo might as well be marked "Stop" and "Progress". The numbers on it bear little relation to reality.
____________________
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

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[bikenut]

Get at test booked, and do a local bike safe course or similar which in a perfect world is a perfect course to do, but, it didn't teach me how to deal with morons right up my arse, on a bike or even in a car !

Yesterday some bimboh in a silver ford fiesta, on her phone and right up my cars arse!! Also some twat male overtaking in a totally dangerous fashion, cutting me up cause he final saw the approaching car??

You are correct in assuming that all vehicles are trying to kill you, so always have an escape route planned, like the other half of your side of the carriage way, to the left. ie ride closer to the centre line, do not ride in the gutter where all the bits of car/lorry and gravel are.

Ride more defensively, which is what the bike safe course will ecourage you to do, but you have to go with the flow, rather than being a slow coach causing stress to other drivers around you.

Maybe a small sign on the back saying candid camera or similar. Video footage is great. local police will act on it.
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nuts about bikes

[bigdom86]

just make sure you don't run into ronnie pickering.

where are you riding? I rode for 2 years on Ls in London and never had any issues like this, and ride the same way on my 600 now, only difference is im louder so cars make an effort to move. I guess I don't see many if any A-roads so there isnt an opportunity to be tailgated. as other have said I would say it is the L-plates plus probably riding too slow, generally 35 in a 30 is what most in a car do and 45ish in a 40

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[B5234FT]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Konic]

Teflon-Mike, I appreciate you taking the time to write a detailed response like that.

I want to add that I think a lot of assumptions have been made in some of the responses about me, and I also think a lot of assumptions have been made about my post.

I did not write the post to moan, whine, play the victim and rage at others, or anything else for that matter. I simply wanted to know if anyone else had or is facing the same issues I am, that's it. It does feel a little like everything I've said has been picked apart and over analysed, again, based on assumptions.

This image of a slow, low confidence, scared of every driver and speed perception of me has been painted by some of the other users who have replied on my post, and to be fair it is you, Teflon-Mike, who has provided the best reply yet with the most assumptions about me.

I don't want sympathy or "others to fix things" for me. Can a man not express something and want to talk to others? Maybe i didn't articulate my thoughts and the issue at hand very well?

I have taken on board the replies and advice which make sense, and are not based on guess work about me. I hope that clears things up, seems silly to even write this...

[chickenstrip]

[Rogerborg]

[suburban myth]

I haven't read through the thread and looked at other responses because meh.

Are you a v-logger?

Seriously, my advice is to go and get some lessons/tuition? Go back to your instructors, stating your lack of confidence and ask for their advice on any further training they can offer, or for them to recommend someone who will provide this.

Failing that, sell your car, sell your bike and get a bus pass.

[Ste]

Go faster and stop getting in everyone's way.

[Mr Hammers]

[Riejufixing]

[Ste]