POLITE or NOT?

[Gareth]

Those are all careless driving by what you explain. Passing on the left, or undertaking is still as illegal on a bike as it is in a car. If, however, if it is slow moving traffic (eg peak motorway traffic going country bound) and it is deemed safe to do so, then it is legal to pass on the inside. Confusing, I kow.

Recent changes in licensing laws have made it very, very hard for younger people to get their full license, and they can only ride certain capacity bikes as they get older. When I did my test I went from a 125 to a 33bhp restricted bike for a year, the following year, I could ride a supercar beating bike if I so wished. Crazy thought that.

Like you, I see d1ckhead bikers every single day. It's the responsibility of the rider to make themselves visible (or audible) to all road users, there's no 2nd chances on a bike, and I can assure you, the choice the rider has made, wether rightly or wrongly, has been thought out based on their ability and ability of the bike, if their decision is the wrong one, 99 times out of 100 it's the rider that's going to have to deal with that choice.

 

[azzymo]

I've never had a problem with motorcyclists getting to the front , it's how they go about it. I understand that they aren't doing anything wrong or illegal. I just don't know how it isn't illegal ! They are the most vulnerable road user yet there is less restrictions on their movement than everyone else.

As a cyclist I would have to disagree with that but I get what you're saying. Yes, they're vulnerable but at least they can keep pace with the traffic, often being the overtaker and not the overtaken. Having cars, vans, lorries & buses overtake you on a bicycle every few seconds can be a hairy enough experience on our roads!

Although, saying that, I've never ridden a motorcycle on our roads to have a first-hand comparison.

 

[CharlySkunkWeed]

Those are all careless driving by what you explain. Passing on the left, or undertaking is still as illegal on a bike as it is in a car. If, however, if it is slow moving traffic (eg peak motorway traffic going country bound) and it is deemed safe to do so, then it is legal to pass on the inside. Confusing, I kow.

Recent changes in licensing laws have made it very, very hard for younger people to get their full license, and they can only ride certain capacity bikes as they get older. When I did my test I went from a 125 to a 33bhp restricted bike for a year, the following year, I could ride a supercar beating bike if I so wished. Crazy thought that.

Like you, I see d1ckhead bikers every single day. It's the responsibility of the rider to make themselves visible (or audible) to all road users, there's no 2nd chances on a bike, and I can assure you, the choice the rider has made, wether rightly or wrongly, has been thought out based on their ability and ability of the bike, if their decision is the wrong one, 99 times out of 100 it's the rider that's going to have to deal with that choice.

That's nice to hear a reply that isn't "we're right , you're wrong".
You're 1st paragraph explains alot. I see bikers passing on the left all the time so just assumed they were "allowed" , especially when mentioned on a forum anyway. It's a bit risky leaving these things up to personal opinion on wether it's safe or not. Your slow moving traffic might be different to my idea of slow moving traffic for example. How would the police decide if you were undertaking or filtering ?
I would just prefer the same rules applied to all road users , then there's no confusion.

 

[CharlySkunkWeed]

As a cyclist I would have to disagree with that but I get what you're saying. Yes, they're vulnerable but at least they can keep pace with the traffic, often being the overtaker and not the overtaken. Having cars, vans, lorries & buses overtake you on a bicycle every few seconds can be a hairy enough experience on our roads!

Although, saying that, I've never ridden a motorcycle on our roads to have a first-hand comparison.

Cyclists are a completely different story , don't get me started !

 

[big cyril]

When I did the bike test the instructor told us that when you're on a bike you had to watch every other road user like a hawk, eg look at the car waiting to turn right across your path in case they haven't seen you and be prepared to stop etc, ie protect yourself from other road users mistakes.
Filtering to a point is ok, but when you're cutting less than a foot in front of other traffic and having to put your foot down to go up the left side of a bus as in the first video then in my view the risk outweighs benefit as then you're just putting yourself at the mercy of other road users.
The fact that it is legal and an accident is probably someone else's fault isn't much consolation when you're getting your femurs pinned because the lady in the x5 on the school run moved over by a foot to avoid a pothole.
Guess it comes down to how much risk is worth it.

 

[Apis]

It's legal but you aren't supposed to go more than 15mph faster than the other traffic. If you crash doing it, youre more than likely (but not always) to face the blame.
You can go to the front of the queue at the lights, but not at pedestrian crossing where you are supposed to stay one car back.

 

[Gareth]

It's legal but you aren't supposed to go more than 15mph faster than the other traffic

On that though, how could it be a) identified and b) enforced?

 

[NotKG]

- Police issue urban riding advice | The Bike Insurer -

 

[Apis]

On that though, how could it be a) identified and b) enforced?

Just a judgement I guess. Same way as they judge being reckless or not taking due care and attention.

 

[fabiostar]

well just on the above post. i was judged last week.. story goes. riding the firestorm down the M2 last week, lovely evening not much traffic about and just before dusk, happy days thinks me lifes all good, sitting about 80/85 oitside lane and just as i pass a dark skoda outa the corner of my eye i peeks a dash cam. oh ho thinks me the boys in blue. so instead of being stupid i indicates into the inside lane and carries on about the same speed and skoda keeps up with me.

so a few miles later the onslip road appears to my left and outa fecking nowhere comes Mr Audi A5 giving it big licks and straight over my nose to the outside and i touch the brakes and away he goes... ******* thinks me then the Skoda slides up level with me and when i looks round the pass just smiles and away they go.


must have been a good five mins later when i passed Mr A5 on the hard shoulder with MR boys in blue wagging the finger at him and the book out lol....

i had a chuckle lol

 

[fabiostar]

So basically theres a time and a place to be well behaved on the roads.

 

[Apis]

The tree that fell in the woods didn't make a noise if no one was there to hear it.

 

[Adam]

Something many people in a small backward country like NI fail to realise is that there is a whole big world out there which moves at a far faster pace and in different ways. The way Baron commutes and filters through traffic is normal if you've spent any time in a big city and if you don't ride like that you'll get nowhere and end up holding up all the other bikers behind you.
I learned to commute in Birmingham and still ride like that now that I'm back in NI. It probably shocks a lot of people who have never seen filtering before but there's nothing wrong or illegal about it if you do it properly. Ive encountered quite a few f***wits but I've also noticed a lot of people go out of their way to give me space even when I don't need it which is much appreciated and I always acknowledge it with a little wave.

Back to Polite vests. If you wear one then you are a cu**. The safest thing you can do is fit a loud exhaust. Yes it might annoy people but you wouldn't believe the different it makes when commuting.

 

[G N K]

Pretty sure I seen the NI version of ghost rider yesterday filtering past me on route to Crawfordsburn.

THINK it was an R6 but he passed that fast.

Didn't have a polite viz on so its all good in my eyes.