Road Positioning

If I have moved to the offside to pass an obstruction or overtake then I will stay out to maintain a view if appropriate, but not move out to get the view. Police riders will frequently be traveling a lot quicker than we are supposed to do and then moving out to obtain the view makes sense and is an appropriate course of action.

I followed a chap the other week, Pan riding IAM observer, police class 1 rider he uses all of the road( twigs brushing right elbow) very progressive; but always safe and quite happy to surrender the position for safety.

The offside is available so use when appropriate and safe to do so.

[Red Herring]

The official IAM view on offsiding, or "Advanced Positioning" as they like to call it is that it should not be encouraged, however accept it if it is used safely and appropriately.

To those riders (and police officers) who say they never "offside" I always ask how they ever manage to overtake anything. They usually then start to come out with explanations about how they only overtake where they can see it is safe, there is nothing coming the other way and where they can still return to their side of the road and stop in the distance they can see to be clear. I then tell them that that is exactly the same set of circumstances that I would use to justify offsiding. In fact, one of the sweetest overtakes you can have is where you time it just right so that you slot the overtake in at just the point where you would have been following your view across the offside anyhow, always allowing of course for the possibility that the vehicle being overtaken may try to "straightline" as well.

local knowledge can be a good thing but also a dangerous thing.

you should read the road not do things because you know that round the next few bends there isa straight bit.

familiarity breeds contempt - as my mum is fond of saying.

Heheh, I'm in the same boat as Baph, I've spent a bit of time watching Pete riding and I like his style (and he is a bloody good rider) That's when I started using the other side of the road..

As for bikesafe, the first week was brilliant, I wish we had the same guy for the second week, but we have him again next week so I'll talk to him. I'm the youngest rider by far, and the most inexperienced in terms of length of time riding, so I'm not sure its really catering for lots of complete newbies, not here anyway.

It's worrying I'm the only person the bright side of 50 there, I think it'd do most riders my age a lot of good.

Thanks for all your input

On the road its all about being in a position of safety and with increased visibilty for both you and your view. The race lines are only of use if you can see the road ahead is clear!

[Stu]

All answered by now, but my 2p is - on Bikesafe you will never get taught to off side and 'just because the Police do it' sounds like you expect to be up to Police standard after a couple of evenings instruction
As Mogs said above, you're trusting your life on someone you've never met before So nevermind the fact that you can get back to your side of the road in half the distance you can see to be clear, what if they see you on their side of the road & decide to use your side to 'help' you

Oh & Baph, I may not be understanding it right, but would you not be on the left to see up the inside of the truck in front on a left hander

No, I don't expect to be up to police standard any time soon, I don't think I implied that either. I want to be the best I can, is all. I'm not actively trying to take the racing line either- I don't know anything about racing or track riding, nor do I aspire to really.

I'm worried people think I'm haring about like a lunatic, trying to get my knee down and go round the corner as fast as humanly possible anyone who's seen my riding can certainly vouch for that!

[Stu]

OK I think it's unfortunate that you got one that could explain very well or justify himself (police on radios wtf ) but he's right he should never advocate that it's OK on a bikesafe course to offside for view (course you offside to overtake) it's a much more advanced technique that maybe you are at that level, maybe not.

One thing you might like to think about is to always ride to maximise, in order:
Safety
Stability
View

It is true that a few people who I have ridden with have adopted the style of riding that I use. They can see, after being a bit cautious, that it does work. However I am at great pains to explain that it is not without pitfalls if you do not keep up your all round observation. It does allow for greater planning in overtakes plus with improved vision you can be reacting earlier on to any hazard.

I take my riding seriously and I know Sean does too, hence his involvement at such a tender age with IAM. Hopefully he will be giving me, and others, pointers to help improve my riding in a short while

I'll use as much road as I want. I don't care what anyone else says.