Motorcyclist ran off the road and left to die

[stuie]

Just linking the code and highlighting point 3 under 162. This is what i find motorcyclists repeatedly fail to comply with.

http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/using-the-road-overtaking.html

It is slightly contradictory in that 168 says drop back if overtaken.

Overtaking is not filtering or vise versa

Overtaking is refered to as passing moving traffic at speed
Filtering is passing slow or stopped traffic at normally less than 15-20 mph

Not 100% sure if thats what you were getting at or if your refereing to the loons overtaking traffic moving at the speed limit and hooning down the road at 40 then jumping in (often reffered to as *****)

 

[signs]

Why are you “nipping” in front of anyone? Bikes should have to ride in the middle of the lane and queue as per normal traffic. Would be a lot safer for you and avoid any of these incidents.

do you own a motorbike ?

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Yeah the later.

When traffic is flowing at speed limit and they still feel the need to overtake and jump into your gap, causing you to have to brake to maintain a half decent gap to the car in front.
There is rarely a suitable gap for overtaking in these circumstances but they will squeeze in anyway normally just avoiding traffic coming the opposite direction.

I actually nearly had an accident with one when I went to overtake, he was behind me and also went to overtake.
I indicated and did the correct car maneuver ie look behind/side to ensure no one was overtaking (although would be technically impossible as they would have been on same part of road as car coming opposite direction) and indicate just as car was passing me heading other way, he assumed he could beat me to the gap, ie tried to block me from overtaking. He didn't but due to acceleration difference he very very nearly ran into the back/rear side of me.

 

[Dr Who]

Why are you “nipping” in front of anyone? Bikes should have to ride in the middle of the lane and queue as per normal traffic. Would be a lot safer for you and avoid any of these incidents.

No it really isn't safer because some plonker won't see the bike in the queue and will try and use an empty lane to queue jump and dive into the gap where the bike is waiting.

Getting the bike out of the queue and not blocking any traffic is better for flow and safety, it just requires numpties to be checking their mirrors rather than their facebook updates.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Overtaking is not filtering or vise versa

Yes and no...
The differences you give are correct, but filtering is considered a form of overtaking, in that between two lanes of traffic you are still overtaking the slower vehicles on either side, the same as if you were in the middle lane of the M25 and going faster than lanes 1 & 3.
The same rules and road markings governing overtaking generally apply to filtering, although you don't as often encounter such markings between two lanes as you do along the off-side.
This is explained when you do the bike test and is why you're permitted to filter during it, if you're able to do so safely, as it's 'making due progress'.

 

[Rich1988]

Why are you “nipping” in front of anyone? Bikes should have to ride in the middle of the lane and queue as per normal traffic. Would be a lot safer for you and avoid any of these incidents.

As has been said, its called filtering, its one of the biggest advantages of owning a bike and is perfectly legal and safe if done correctly.

 

[pioneer2000]

I never claimed it wasn’t legal. I’m pointing out that it’s safer for you not to do so. If motorbikes couldn’t skip traffic / weave about speeding at all opportunities they’d disappear from the roads.

 

[pioneer2000]

Yes indeed... and bicycles... and horses.... and those little mobility buggies...
Still think it's a good idea, or are you just a trolling ****?


Filtering is classified as a normal overtaking manoeuvre, which is why it is perfectly legal.
Nothing to do with waiting. Or do you seriously "wait in line" yourself and never overtake slower traffic in your car?

Horses, bicycles etc are slow moving traffic so no (that’s fairly obvious surely). Motorbikes and cars travel at the same speed... so having bikes abide by the same rules as cars would simply increases the number of queuing cars by the number of
Bikes (which yes I’ll admit within London etc is more of an issue), but generally outside of there would have minimal impact. The trade off is vastly safer travel for bikers (which is what you’re all complaining about?)

 

[chaparral]

Noticed no one in this thread has written about that he was also warned not to drive by his optician

The court heard he had been warned not to drive by his optician because of a problem with his peripheral vision.
He had been given a referral letter to give to his GP. When asked why he had not seen his doctor, Sweeting had said he "couldn't be bothered".

 

[Jokester]

A lot of people behave differently when they get in their car. Deliberately going out of their way to antagonise other drivers/riders just going about their normal business. Whether it’s blocking people from overtaking, jumping queues and then forcing back in or whatever.

Because they know there’s nothing other drivers can do about it, if they did something similar outside of a car they would likely face at least a verbal confrontation. Some people have such sad little lives it’s the only way they get to feel they have any sort of power.

Either that or they’ve got a small ****.

 

[tom_nieto]

A lot of people behave differently when they get in their car. Deliberately going out of their way to antagonise other drivers/riders just going about their normal business. Whether it’s blocking people from overtaking, jumping queues and then forcing back in or whatever.

Because they know there’s nothing other drivers can do about it, if they did something similar outside of a car they would likely face at least a verbal confrontation. Some people have such sad little lives it’s the only way they get to feel they have any sort of power.

Either that or they’ve got a small ****.

This is what frustrates me the most. People behave completely irresponsibly especially as they’re driving 2 tonne vehicles travelling extremely quickly. It’s so dangerous and they have no regard for others on the road. I feel that sentencing for dangerous driving should be on a par with sentencing for attacks with offensive weapons. Running someone off the road is akin to deliberately pushing someone off the pavement into the path of a bus or off a train platform.

 

[ttaskmaster]

(which yes I’ll admit within London etc is more of an issue), but generally outside of there would have minimal impact. The trade off is vastly safer travel for bikers (which is what you’re all complaining about?)

Actually there are plenty of studies from various bodies, including the government, that show how allowing things like filtering and Bus Lane use does actually reduce motorcycle incidents, and by a notable amount... and not just in London, either. Reading, for example, is a big supporter of such things and in many cases it's the only way you'd be getting home before 7pm.

Last stats I read showed 70% of all motorcycle crashes resulting from another vehicle's actions, while only 15% occurred during filtering and overtaking. It would not be safer.

 

[Dogbreath]

I never claimed it wasn’t legal. I’m pointing out that it’s safer for you not to do so. If motorbikes couldn’t skip traffic / weave about speeding at all opportunities they’d disappear from the roads.

Let's be honest, you can't bear the thought of another road user making better progress than you. You think it's "queue jumping" and unfair.

 

[Chuk_Chuk]

I never claimed it wasn’t legal. I’m pointing out that it’s safer for you not to do so. If motorbikes couldn’t skip traffic / weave about speeding at all opportunities they’d disappear from the roads.

 

[mjt]

What are people's opinions on bikes who overtake on a solid line. I don't consider bikes overtaking stationary or moving cars to be filtering, especially if they're crossing a solid line on a single-carriage road.

Why should I be forced into the gutter by an oncoming bike? Honestly, the worst offenders are the guys on their trumped-up scooters during rush-hour commutes. If they're behind me, I'll move over for sure, but crossing the solid line into oncoming traffic? Not cool.

 

[Lopéz]

How did she manage that?! He was literally directly in front of her, she hit him hard enough to lift her front wheel off the ground. Incredible.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

7 Years isn't enough for this.

Sweeting, of Bettws, Newport, who had had 21 convictions across 35 offences dating back to 1979, was given seven years in prison for death by dangerous driving, 12 months for attempting to pervert the course of justice, and was disqualified for driving for six years.

Not only is 7 years not enough, but how can he also only be disqualified for 6 years! How can that person ever be allowed to drive on the road again. Crazy.

Whilst I don't like too generalise too much, I do come across on awful lot of crazy mini drivers these days who seem to think they are quicker than everyone else and seem to need to prove it.

Do exactly the same. Bikes can be phenomenally quick. Let them pass and get on your way.

The problem comes when they wizz along through traffic. So many times a bike has flown by between stationary cars - I would likely not see them in time if I changed lanes at some of the speeds they do.

 

[tom_e]

What are people's opinions on bikes who overtake on a solid line. I don't consider bikes overtaking stationary or moving cars to be filtering, especially if they're crossing a solid line on a single-carriage road.

Why should I be forced into the gutter by an oncoming bike? Honestly, the worst offenders are the guys on their trumped-up scooters during rush-hour commutes. If they're behind me, I'll move over for sure, but crossing the solid line into oncoming traffic? Not cool.

If the traffic is moving then it's daft, if it's stopped then I'll crack on with caution.

 

[adolf hamster]

Wow, theres a lot of motorbike hate in here.

I dont get it, for the most part motorcyclists are in my experience among the better class of vehicles on the road- your never "stuck" behind them and i've never seen them pulling any of the daft stunts you find cars doing.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Thing is they have their own stunts.
This morning at a junction again a bike rather than taking the same approach as everyone else decided to try something different.
I would have to explain the junction as its a little odd. Imagine a normal cross road, but due to traffic the road that runs from 9 to 12 is deemed the main road, and the junctions at 3 and 6 are the joining ones.
I pull up at 3 oclock to join and head to 9, so straight on in effect. I am behind 2 vans doing the same, and at 6 oclock wanting to head to 12 is a bike. As everyone is joining the road, the two vans both look right (to 12) and join. I pull towards the line, look right and as nothing is coming, join the road, I don't ever stop.
For some reason the bike has decided rather than wait for me hes going to go, in effect cutting my path to join the road (actual crossroad is slightly offset), so I go and hes almost managed to get his front wheel in front of me, so he brakes hard and waves at me I wasn't joining slow, I was in fact at about the same speed as the vans, around 5-10 mph.
I guess he just didn't want to wait any more. In years I have never seen anyone else attempt this (cars, vans, tractors, dust carts, etc etc), you give way to the right and thats what every single vehicle driver I have ever seen has done. First bike I come across at the junction and he tries something different.