Riding in cities/large towns

YBR125 is still quicker off the mark 0 to 20 mph than your average family hatchback MYC

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

YBR125 is still quicker off the mark 0 to 20 mph than your average family hatchback MYC

It is indeed but they soon catch up again

Originally Posted by hongman

I remember when I first learnt to drive, and had to go into central london for work, I used to come home with a !

Ditto on the bike, and that was just riding through the Blackwall to Docklands from Kent. I used to get more tired by riding that actually working as it was so much ahrd work to observe everything.

I think your mind adjusts to whats important and whats not as you become more used to it.

[andrewsmith]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Because of there being little margin for error, sometimes it's better in a city, if you think you path is clear ahead, but the danger is in your mirrors, take up your place and own your space on the road, and DON'T use your indicators. If the driver behind is left wondering what the hell you are going to do next, he'll leave more space. If he THINKS he knows what you are doing next, he will take up the position that gives him the best forward progress once you are cleared out of his path. If then you don't do what he expected, or he guessed wrong, accidents can happen. You need to be very sure of yourself when doing this though, and be very careful where/when/in what situation you apply it. So I'd say it's a technique for use further down the line for you.

I'm with ralph it does mean the person behind has to pay full attention, but its an advanced technique and I would start to consider it after your test MYC.

I was given that advice by a police rider for Durham that took me for my Advanced test a few weeks ago.

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

It is indeed but they soon catch up again

That's OK, if your on a fireblade and you accelerate up to 30mph and the car behind accelerates up to 40, then he'll catch you. And eventually you'll catch the traffic in front. You have already achieved what you wanted to achieve, which is put yourself into a clear bit of road, and take up the desired position on the road, rather than being stuck in-between vehicles as they move off, and a 125 is more than capable of doing that. Safer to filter to the front and get a head start IMO.

Oh, watch taxi's like a hawk MYC, they are always pulling manoeuvres that you wouldn't expect when picking up and dropping off passengers. After dropping of passengers they may be going to another job in the opposite direction, so they take one glance in the mirror and pull a U turn from the kerbside.

I filtered tentatively when I first started commuting in, and a couple of weeks into the courier work I found myself as one of the faster riders on the road - probably one of the 'madmen' that a few of you have described.

Quite a strange experience actually. When the weather was good and I felt at one with the bike, it really felt like I was in some sort of 'zone'. Zipping though small gaps very quickly, and it not feeling risky at all - and on the bigger roads like the Westway, M4 and North Circular still filtering and lane-splitting up to 60-70mph. Felt like I had total control and everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.

I am however, acutely aware that all that was probably an illusion and most of the time I was a split-second away from death. A great experience, but glad to be back behind a desk!

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Oh, watch taxi's like a hawk MYC

Don't worry, where we live I knew that before I got on a bike...watch 'em like a hawk when I'm just walking on the pavement lol...