Biking Etiquette?

[Stu]

Originally Posted by timwilky

A nod simply says I see you.

In an Avatar kind of way

[ophic]

I had a weird one a while ago - filtering in slow motorway traffic, I catch up with a bike ahead of me. I follow at a reasonable distance as there's nowhere to pass. He notices me and rockets off at seriously dangerous speed.

About a mile further ahead I catch up with him again - doing my own steady speed - he must have slowed down. Again he rockets off like a nutcase. Then the traffic clears a bit and as I pass him he gives me the finger.

Any possible explanations?

Originally Posted by ophic

I had a weird one a while ago - filtering in slow motorway traffic, I catch up with a bike ahead of me. I follow at a reasonable distance as there's nowhere to pass. He notices me and rockets off at seriously dangerous speed.

About a mile further ahead I catch up with him again - doing my own steady speed - he must have slowed down. Again he rockets off like a nutcase. Then the traffic clears a bit and as I pass him he gives me the finger.

Any possible explanations?

he was intimidated by your presence in his mirrors? He could hear you and felt intimidated?





he was a n00b?

I had one guy behind me once on an R1, he was desperat to get past me..so much so, he did a rather stupid manouver to get around me when there was a gap between two cars

I lol'd when he nearly shoved it in the back of a pug 205 and i still carried on in front of him

[Littlepeahead]

Was nice that 2 car drivers both gave me a speed trap warning when we were out on a training day on Sunday. Though my trainer is CID so would have been interesting to get pulled over. And I give a nod to the Vespa and Lambretta riders, as I've had both in the garage at the same time, it doesn't make you a bad person (wait for others to now say that it does).

[ophic]

Originally Posted by Alpinestarhero

he was intimidated by your presence in his mirrors? He could hear you and felt intimidated?

he was a n00b?

You're close, I think he was a kn0b.

I keep a sensible distance filtering, so I doubt he'd have been intimidated. I think I still had the standard can on back then, so I doubt the noise was a problem either. It's just the way he put himself at risk, to get away. Twice.

[CheGuevara]

Back home we wave (more like a quick sideways "peace" usually), but of course we pass oncoming bikes on the clutch side, so it works. When I started riding on the road here I couldn't figure out what was going on with the spastic head-movement, which looks less like a nod than someone trying to work a kink out of their neck, or perhaps the start of that strange sideways head-wobble-nod they do in India.

I don't get it. I did try the UK-nod, but it felt weird and I couldn't wrap my head around why I was doing it. It seems like someone started it as a joke to see if it would catch on (it worked!)? I do nod now, but always a straight forward nod, same as I would passing someone in the hall.

1, Flat palm moved up and down as though bouncing a basket ball = slow down
2, Any random arm movements that dont involve a thumbs up = slow down (better safe than sorry)
3, Filtering:
a, If you catch someone dont ride on thier ass, the last thing they need to be doing is looking behind while they filter.
b, If someone catches you, move in where safe and let them past
c, When filtering to the front of a traffic que, make room for anyother bike following
d, If you arrive and another bike is there blip the throttle (they may not know your thier) If they move forward for you then great if not then dont try a fast start from the lights, they may drift into your line again unaware you're there.
4, A nod/sideways flick of the helmet is just an aknolagement that the other rider also risks thier life to get to work. But they too arrive happier than the rest of thier office.
5, Speaking to other riders at a petrol station etc then I'd keep the lid off until after the bike is started (using starting the bike as a sign that your going ot be leaving shortly).
6, Pull up to the road side for anyone who is either stood next to a stationary bike or is wearing gear/has a lid in hand even if no bike is in sight. (Got slated by a mechanic I knew cos I saw him at the road side, waved and carried on. Turns out the bike he was riding prior to that was down the embankment behind him and he could have really done with a lift/use of a phone).
7, If you see another SV make silly movements until they aknowlage you, if they ride away quickly then follow them matching thier speed its because they want to buy you a drink at the nearest pub. If they pass a pub then slow down, they're not a forum member and are prob quite scared.

HTH
= Happy to help/Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by ophic

I had a weird one a while ago - filtering in slow motorway traffic, I catch up with a bike ahead of me. I follow at a reasonable distance as there's nowhere to pass. He notices me and rockets off at seriously dangerous speed.

About a mile further ahead I catch up with him again - doing my own steady speed - he must have slowed down. Again he rockets off like a nutcase. Then the traffic clears a bit and as I pass him he gives me the finger.

Any possible explanations?

Maybe he suffers from digit pleiomorphic cramp syndrome? This causes random cramping of certain fingers at regular intervals. What happens is that nearly all of the fingers cramp up in a tight ball due to a calcium ion channel imbalance in the interior finger muscles. If this occurs when riding a motorbike, an involuntary twisting of the throttle is a common occurance. When you finally made your way past he was trying to show you that his condition had kicked in again, affecting all but one of his fingers you see. You've got to feel sorry for the poor chap .

[Stu]

Originally Posted by CheGuevara

I couldn't figure out what was going on with the spastic head-movement, which looks less like a nod than someone trying to work a kink out of their neck, or perhaps the start of that strange sideways head-wobble-nod they do in India.

I don't get it. I did try the UK-nod, but it felt weird and I couldn't wrap my head around why I was doing it. It seems like someone started it as a joke to see if it would catch on (it worked!)? I do nod now, but always a straight forward nod, same as I would passing someone in the hall.

But the sideways movement is more noticeable at speed than than movement in the same plane as your forward movement on the bike

You'd think the doc would have revoked his motorcycle licence with a condition like that. It must be torture, all those potentional speeding fines