Driving into work this morning in the rain I had a bit of a misunderstanding over filtering and whose right of way it was. Nothing big at all, no horns were sounded, I didn’t alter my speed (close the gap) and really don’t think I provoked anyone.
However the chap I disagreed with pulled round in front of me and gave me a massive break-test.
Understand this…
I am in a big heavy car
We are doing about 50 MPH
It’s raining quite hard
HE IS ON A BIKE.
It did the trick though, really shook me up, after all I don’t want a death on my conscience no matter whose fault it is.
Unbelievable balls though.
Any of you ever pulled a stunt like this?

The guy was nuts, I'd never brake test a car on my bike :eek:

The proper procedure would be: do wanker sign (for minor violations, use carbon knuckles on wing mirror for major violation) and fcuk off into the traffic before thy can do you damage.

p.s. I'm not saying you did anything wrong ;)

you must have done something to upset him?

wonder what his side of the story is?

Errr, I wouldn't do it now but I did it about 20 years ago when I was young & Stupid :-(. I was riding west into Oxford on the A40 dual carrigeway, Dry day good visibility. The outside lane was coned off and I was riding along @ 40mph (the speed limit). A New Metro with an Old geezer was behind me with his missus, and was tailgating me, trying to get me to speed up, I speeded up to 45 to make a gap and the git was back up behind me (less than a cars length). I slowed back down to 40 and he came up real close( less than the length of his bonnet). At this point I got really pissed off as I hate tailgaters. I speeded up to 45 to make a gap, got about 2 car lengths in front and nailed the brakes. He swerved to avoid me and ran over about 5 cones in the next lane.
He got real eggy and then turned off.
I know its not big and its not clever, but the Tit shouldn't have been so close. We were in roadworks fer-fecksake.

As a footnote, You should have let him through, A bike filtering through the traffic, won't make any difference to your journey time and sounds like sour grapes on your part to me, To play cat and mouse with them, could open up a whole new can of worms, They are not racing you, they are just trying to get past. If you don't like sitting in traffic jams 'GET A BIKE'. You won't beat them so why not join them.

[Edited by DRUNKNORGY - 9/26/2002 4:07:44 PM]

Regacy,

A) he's obviously a nutter for brake testing you
B) this doesn't mean he didn't think you did something to deserve it
C) no I haven't
D) you seem to get involved in a lot of bike vs car incidents whilst driving?

Matt :)

Yup :D

Ex-courier :rolleyes:

dont be stupid my gixxer 1100 has no brakes (or so it feels)

Brakes are only for those who want to stop

Enzo Ferrari

It does sound like I get in lots of trouble, I don't. You're just getting some social commentary from someone who is a frustrated biker at heart but has decided that the risks are too great. Also driving into town and back everyday is a bit like apocalypse now but with scooters instead of helicopters.
Full respect to all you 'high' risk takers.
;-)

Reg,

If you know how to ride properly, the risks are quite low. Even pro couriers (not the kamakazi ones) are low risk!

Go on, you know you want a bike ;);):):)

Matt :)

broom broom, screech, bang- - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________

Regacy - excellent comment ref Apocalypse Now !!!

Have to say though - Bikers really do seem to upset you - just relax a bit.

Risk is part of the fun, If you Took your test and got a decent sized bike, you would understand why we are all nuts about bikes, The risks are higher than a car but also so are the rewards.
Its hard to put into words really, but its a number of things really:-
Blinding Performance
Sharp handling
Feedback from the machine
Reading the Road
All these things you get from a car, but when you drive, you turn the wheel and press the pedal. Even getting it sideways, you still turn the wheel and press the pedal. On a Bike when you ride, your body weight and position, lean angles etc is involved Its a far more engaging experience.This is why arcade car games can be made to feel realistic and Bike arcade games are not. You only have to look at on board footage of rally drivers and road racers to see the comparison. The rally drivers look almost half asleep at the wheel, whilst the riders are climbing all over the bikes to get them to corner and max out.
You only get out what you put in.

Even Fighter Pilots get on two wheels to get their kicks. Look at Tom Cruise (LOL)

Orgy. In a nutshell mate. Well summed up.

Im going moped racing this weekend

http://www.mopedmayhem.com

And before you laugh, our SS50 with 80 barrel, race cam, race cluth, light weight ignition system etc etc wheelies in third!

Do that instead of pissing about on the road - its ace :D



[Edited by RaZe-=Buzz=- - 9/27/2002 8:49:13 PM]

Matt

Dont know how you can say biking can be low risk?

I try not to take risks any more (37) , but am sometimes cheeky - its hard not to be and is half the point/fun of bikes. See a gap, decide YES or NO, dont dawdle - nail it or wait!

Even filtering through stationary traffic is a risk - unindicated right turns, or kamikaze car lane swaps have caught me out many times.

Minimise the risk through concentrationa and experience, but dont sit in the traffic 'just in case' looking a the BMW or Harley badge on the tank, to make it genuine low risk;)

D

(I will come a cropper one day - inevitable)

Edited to say on topic - YES madness to brake test a car - you are much too likely to come off!

[Edited by Diesel - 9/27/2002 9:07:21 PM]

DRUNKNORGY you nearly got me there, great description.
Certainly when I watch bikes racing on TV I am in awe of their bravery and skill.
Then back in the real world I think about my family and the things that are really important to me and the unavoidable risks I have to take in my everyday life.
And all I can say is...
I still think they're sexy and I have owned several in my time and I know the rush of adrenalin but.....
It would be supremely selfish for me to ride a bike.
r

Reckon you could pull off a rolling burnout (a la MI-2) to put people off tailgating/cutting you up ?

- Jon

Diesel,

I think you can make biking low risk with experience, lots of self control and patience. That doesn't mean not filtering, nor does it mean riding slowly. I can make good progress through town and great progress out of it.

I can't even remember the last time I came even close to a "moment" or where someone nearly got me. I put it down to experience and anticipation. I think after a while, you predict and expect others to do stupid things, almost without thinking about it so when they do do something stupid, it doesn't seem a big deal and you've already taken the required action to avoid them so it's not close or a problem.

So, IMHO, if you ride properly, biking IS low risk :) Having said that, every time I go out, I see bikers who make me cringe with their lack of awareness and I'm surprised to not have seen more nasty accidents :( I'm often riding along (particularly in Town), worrying about the biker in front of me gambling with his/her life. Worrying for others is not something I do in many other parts of my life ;)

It's a dangerous jungle out there but you can minimise the risks to (IMHO) an acceptable level. :)

Stay safe,

Matt :)

I was talking about risk being part of it which is what makes it fun. My Daughter gets thrown off her Horse regularly. I am not saying I like to see her getting hurt, and she is sensible enough to use the safety kit we got her, but she accepts the risks associated with the Hobby.
I feel that the ride to Track days are much more dangerous than the Track day itself. If I filter to the front of a queue, I always aim to get to the front of the line, not because I just want to get a lead on the traffic but because I am acutely aware that riding between a line of cars with 6 inches gap on either side of my bar ends is extremely dangerous and I don't want to risk a touch with them.
I find that when I do get to the front of the queue, and want to put a safe margin betwen me and the cars, they seem to want to race or just don't like the idea that I have pushed in, almost like I have taken their space on the road and will slow them down (as if), and on more than one occasion have had some near misses with them jumping the lights and swiping me or the bike with their mirrors.

It's your life, your choice and not for me to criticise.
Just making the point to justify my own decision.
r

My post was mainly in response to Diesel. You don't have to justify your choice to us ;):)

Matt :)

Matt

Where do you ride mate? I have to commute fron North London to South West London each day and still consider it high risk - there are just too many variables and things to watch out for! I focus on one possibility for getting knocked off and 'manage' it, but very often another one crops up in the middle of that, catching me out!

Diesel,

I live in North London too m8 and when I ride in town, I'm usually riding to work in the City. I do all my "proper" riding out of town though, mainly on B-road twisties ;);):D:D:D

How long have you been riding?

Matt :)

Well, i've been riding since 14 mate, when I welded a moped engine into a push bike frame! I had a break of 5 years till about 2 years ago - work moved and it was too far to cycle anymore, so the motor-bike had to be sought!

Tough run into work today (roadworks everywhere) but only 3 'potential broken bones' incidents! Ahh the balance between progress and patience, as you say...