Car drivers hanging right.....

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by The Idle Biker

mmm I don't know about that. Recently I could swear that drivers are actually moving further to the left to let me pass, especially on country lanes. Maybe I'm ever the optimist but I'm sure I'm seeing it more often.

Absolutely correct.

I've been on the road 30 years, there's no doubt that cars are far, far better behaved towards bikes now than they ever were before. In the early 80s no-one, ever, moved over for you, happens all the time now.

Or maybe it's just that people are friendlier here in the South.

[dizzyblonde]

We see all sorts of shinnanigans when sat high up in our Landy, and trust me, theres some seriously dangerous, ignorant apes on the roads these days.

We've pulled over to let a bike past that we've seen miles behind in our mirrors, only to see the prat in front purposely pull right to block him......so either he doesn't look behind him, at what our BIG car has just let past, or hes in fact an ignorant ape.....I'd go with the latter.

We live in Yorkshire, where bikers are a plenty, where caravans are a plenty and people drive at 20 in a 60 zone to look at the pretty scenery. .and some seriously bad driving from more and more people, especially on the M62.....jeez its like car wars or car chess on there, every time of the day!

I haven't been riding long but have seen some nice over to the left folk & some nasty blockers. The one I find a bit crazy is when you pull up between two cars at some traffic lights how many times one will then start edging forward.

[Luckypants]

First of all let me agree with those who think UK drivers are becoming more bike aware, I have seen it improve too in the 15 years I have been riding. Sure there are the bad ones who are 'bike aware' enough to pull right to block and also a scary number who have no idea you are there, but...

To a degree I agree with the OP. It depends on the type of road I think such as smaller country roads or congested urban roads. On nice wide A-roads and motorways I don't think the 'hanging right' is a problem. My thoughts on it are that many drivers find it hard to judge the width of their vehicles and so leave a big gap on the nearside. On the small road to my village the number of near misses I have with folks who are miles from the verge is scary and on some days it is so bad I think it must be me driving in the middle of the road, until I check myself.... If my mirror is in the hedge, it's not me! People have no idea how far they are from the verge and so drive in the middle of the road. On urban roads, I think drivers hang out to the right to avoid the gutter and pot-holed grids etc, but because of them not being able to judge the width of their vehicle are out too much. Same deal, different environment.

When you consider that the majority of cars in this country are RHD it is more likely that the driver is "Hanging right" to see past the vehicle directly in front of him when in traffic.
It never ceases to amaze me how people are more than willing to criticise other peoples driving when if you sit behind the person being critical they have faults that perhaps make them less than perfect themselves.
Before people jump on me for that comment I am aware that I am not not perfect myself.
Being a considerate driver/rider may offend other people,e.g. A lorry trying to overtake a slower vehicle,I flash him to carry on with his maneuver knowing that I have the acceleration to easily pass him after he has completed it but the person behind me starts blowing his/her horn at me for allowing the lorry out when all they are gaining is a couple of seconds on their journey time

[yorkie_chris]

When I was riding into uni every day there would probably be one idiot a month who'd deliberately get in the way. Out of passing probably 1000 cars a day all stuck or slow moving in traffic I think that's a pretty good ratio.

If someone isn't letting you past is a problem then there's obviously something wrong with your overtaking skills. If some 'tard is going to hold you up, how are you going to manage when it comes to passing an artic who can't move over and you can't see over?

I've done over 100k on the roads since I started riding on the road in 2006, I've only had probably 4 or 5 real road rage incidents. Most of the people in the way in traffic are just half asleep. No particular harm in that, you'd be asleep doing 20 miles at 3mph on the M62 as well... the VASt majority will move over no problem when they know they're in the way. If not then man the f*** up and find a way past.

I don't do a lot of miles at the moment as my daily commute is only about 12 miles, and my "play" mileage is limited, but I do end up doing a fair mix of roads on/in bikes and van, occasionally a few 100 miles at a time. Had a few weeks at work of 1000 miles, with very few incidents or issues even driving a big numb box van all over the place, had a few 500 mile weekends in small van, or on XJ900, with no incidents to speak of.

I would not consider myself massively experienced or skilled, hell maybe I've been asleep all the time and missed the near misses... or maybe my idea of a slight inconvenience would be someone elses blood feud insult... but still I don't see the problem many seem to see is endemic.

[appollo1]

personally i have noticed more drivers pulling far over to the left when they are aware that i am behind them on the bike. the main problem with that is if they go too near the kerb and there is lots of debris there, their tyres tend ti kick it up onto you. i just pull back a bit so they move away from the debris then pass them when it is convenient.