HKP, I don't think the arguement is as clear-cut as you make out. The problem here is a general lack of consideration for other road user, by both cagers and bikers.

I haven't been riding for very long and other than one 250mile motorway journey at the weekend haven't done much filtering. However I have a lot of experience of sitting in slow moving heavy traffic and having some bike race past the line of cars before I've noticed them. Since I've been biking I tend to lookout for bikers more, but some of the things I've seen I would suggest is expecting too much from the majority of drivers (including myself) to pick up.

Yes, car drivers do get frustrated sitting in traffic and some believe that bikers should also endure similar frustrations. A minority may even take this a stage further and take action to prevent bikes filtering. However when bikers filter without consideration for other drivers they help reinforce the stereotypical biker belief that every car driver expects, and can lead to the stupid actions by car drivers.

Don't get me wrong one of my main reasons for getting into biking, after the initial thrill, was to make better progress through traffic. However it is important to take account of other drivers whilst doing this.

think about it this way - isnt it annoying when car drivers illegally roll into the cycle lane at the front of a junction ? why ? cos it stops you doing the same thing.

if you know what im saying
even though there are the minority of car drivers who spoil filtering for us - personally i can recall more nice incidents (where car drivers have moved to the left a bit when seen me coming to make room for me, or when your at the front of a que next to a car - and the car lets you pull away first before moving off) than bad incidents (where cars block your way on purpose - or give you abuse)

my tips for filtering are
turn your full beam on if unsure whether you are seen.
keep your revs high in a low gear so you can be heard
when your at the front - in a tricky situation - rev your engine a bit to alert people next to you of your presence. (ive found that if i use the horn - like im supposed to , people interpret this as a sign of aggression and just get ****ed off or start being abusive)
dont forget life savers - as these re - inforce indicators (which sometimes people dont notice)


but personally i think more should be added to car driving tests to make them more aware of motor cycles on the road.
there are sections in the highway code about lorries and how their signals can be interpretted - but not many with motorcycles - which is strange as motorcycles are the more vulnerable of the two


sorry for going on a bit.

Yesterday, I was driving along an urban, 30mph spot of dual carriageway... There's a side road on the left up ahead, and a guy in the right hand lane indicating right to go into a driveway, so I passed him within the limit, up the inside... And this woman in a red Polo pulls right out of the sideroad, maybe 10 metres in front of me, while staring right at me (race system making itself known, full beams on...) There follows a stylish stoppie and me thumping into the driver's side door at about jogging pace... Kept it upright (didn't even stall it!) and naturally went mental. And what does she say? "You should have stopped, that other driver waved me out!"

I regret to admit, I didn't boot the **** out of her car, just screeched off into the distance... But it made me re-evaluate my general opinion of car drivers further southward... If there'd been anyone behind me I'd have ended up the jam in a sandwich...

sounds like something that happened to me sunday.
going round a round about - quite slow for a sunday (about 15mph) a driver waiting to pull out - sees me , and pulls out,
**** i think, come off the throttle and gently apply the rear brake and widen my curve to slip in behind her while thumbing my horn with annoyance(nice and calm, ) as im doing that, another 3 **** heads pull out causing me to perform a test standard e-stop (not so calm), so im stationary on the round about - (even tho i have priority - BEING ON THE ROUNDABOUT) and the cars just keep coming - stop - see me attempting to go -and pull out.

in the end i just sit there and laugh - reminded me so much of sheep . one leads and the others follow.

I don't know about you, but I was delighted at how good my brakes are :)

Mad cagers
 

I do a 30 mile commute each way sometimes by bike and sometimes by car. On more than one occasion when filtering I've been overtaken by bikes filtering past me and going IMO too fast. When filtering I've seen the whole mixture from people moving left to let me past to people moving right to block me and there's no doubt cagers find it particulary difficult when you've got to the front at traffic lights.

Since I returned to biking last year (after a 20 year gap) Ihave been much more awre of bikes when in my car and I think the problem is a mixture of lack of awareness, jealousy and irritation.

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed it seems worse with drivers of certain makes of car with BMW drivers the worse? Slightly ironic cos the car I drive is a BMW although old and beaten up and generally the newer and smarter the BMW the worse it is.

Part of my commute is a 10 mile stretch down the A1 just north of Wetherby where they are busy re-aligning the road. The other week I filtered through a 6 mile stationary (and I mean stationary) line of traffic which (a) made me glad I'd gone on the bike and (b) smug as a collection of cats with al orry load of cream... I reckon I saved about 45 minutes. As I continued I couldn't work out what was better: not being delayed or the smugness...

The only solution it seems to me is to ride defensively - since returning to biking I've certainly noticed my car driving has improved. The fundamental problem I think is the presnce of the cage makes drivers forget what the real risks are and, of course, in a collision with a bike, it's pretty certaoin who's going to come off worse.

Re: Mad cagers
 

It's not just you that has noticed this, it seems to be all German makes of car.
It must be down to some personality type that choose to drive these cars. Company rep type perhaps?
Mercedes drivers used to be some of the best, but thats changed.
Scooby drivers and other performance cars are always up 'to take you on' as soon as they see you in their mirrors.

Quite agree with you there.

Here in Holland it seems to be:

German Car Drivers (That's German Cars, not German Drivers :) )
Alfa Drivers
Volvo XC (70 or 90) drivers
Newer V70 Drivers

I can't include all Volvo drivers as I think I look out quite well.

BTW Does anyone get upset when you make sure you have enough room for the bikers and get no acknowledgement? If I see someone making an effort to make my life easier I always try to say thanks as I go past.

Then again, if someone makes life difficult I always let them know what I think...

Stu

I always try and acknowledge someone when the move over if I can. Sometimes I can't cos I'm too busy with what I'm doing.

I have to say that by far the majority of drivers on the road never cause any problems, and a lot actively do all they can to let you past. Just a couple a week try and make it awkward. But it only takes one idiot and I'm left without a bike and with some potentialy nasty injuries. I try and keep that in mind when Im riding and give as much space as possible, treating every driver with extreme caution.

Out of interest, how many on this board use their bike for commuting?

And I thought this was a UK only thing with German car drivers :!:
It always used to be Volvo drivers some years ago, these cars are not so popular these days.
I wonder if German car drivers share this reputation in other countrys or is it different, with say the states having Dodge or Chevvy for as***le dirvers :?:

It's nice to get some acknowledgement if you make room for bikers when in the cage but I know it's not safe to do so in heavy traffic.

I use the bike for commuting, well any old excuse for a ride actually :D