🚀 go-pugleaf

Ian King (ianking@nnsgs52) wrote:
: Here is a question I've been meaning to ask and it can really only be
: answered by those of you who ride motorbikes on motorways during the rush hours.

: Q. Suppose the traffic is stop/start and all three lanes are full. It is early
:    morning (7am ish), in the dark, on the M1 southbound, say around Junct 9 (to
:    give an idea of traffic density). What is happening is that cars/vans/lorries
:    are changing lanes when the traffic does start to move and this happens every
:    morning. The motorway is lit here.
:    
:    Now along comes a motorbike(s) between the outside lane and the middle lane
:    travelling faster (say 10-15mph) than the rest of the traffic. This happens
:    most mornings.
:    
:    Is it illegal to ride  between the lanes?.

It's certainly against the highway code for cars/vans/lorries to change
lanes in solid slow moving traffic.

--
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david shepherd: des@inmos.co.uk                     tel: 0454-616616 x 625
                inmos ltd, 1000 aztec west, almondsbury, bristol, bs12 4sq
		Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television
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In article <1jjabnINNi2t@bnsgd245.bnr.co.uk>, ianking@nnsgs52 (Ian King)
writes:
> 
> Q. Suppose the traffic is stop/start and all three lanes are full. It is early
>    morning (7am ish), in the dark, on the M1 southbound, say around Junct 9
>    (to give an idea of traffic density). What is happening is that cars/vans/
>    lorries are changing lanes when the traffic does start to move and this
>    happens every morning. The motorway is lit here.
>   
>    Now along comes a motorbike(s) between the outside lane and the middle lane
>    travelling faster (say 10-15mph) than the rest of the traffic. This happens
>    most mornings.
> 
>    Now I dont ride motorbikes and if I could I wouldn't dare go on the M1
>    on one.

You haven't lived (IMHO :-)

> 
>    What I'd like to know is, why it seems that motorbike riders are not aware
>    of the perils of this practise when traffic is changing lanes ie cutting
>    across
>    the riders path. There are rarely long signals from the drivers doing this.
>    They just see a gap, stick the indicator out & go. Its bad enough for the
>    other drivers but for a rider its almost suicide because the drivers cant
>    make out their single headlight from the mass of lights behind.

I think most motorcyclists are more than aware of the dangers they face --
after all, in many car accidents, the driver can walk away.  If you ride
a motorbike then you have to accept the situation that it's going to hurt
if you come off.  It does put things into perspective.

I do split lanes occasionally -- mostly when the traffic is relatively slow
(say less than 40mph), and I feel quite safe doing it.  I usually ride a few
yards from the back of the vehicle, though not behind it.  When
I am comfortable the the driver is not going to make any sudden change
of direction, then all that's required is a quick twist of the throttle.  In
the right gear, the acceleration is such that I can pass a car in two or
three seconds which I feel is sufficient for me to pass safely before anything
untoward can happen.  It helps to watch the driver before passing, too --
you can usually get a fairly good idea of what is going on from their head
movements.

>                                                                     I've seen
>    this quite a few times. I always treat motorbikes as though they were small
>    cars & give them enough room (which proved fortuitous sometime last year).

Thank you for your consideration.  I wish more car drivers would act the
same way.
    
>    Is it illegal to ride  between the lanes?.

I have to say that I don't actually know.  But I don't do it if there are
policemen watching...
-- 
 "Yield to temptation --             |
  it may not pass your way again"    |     jfid@mfltd.co.uk
                                     |
        - Lazarus Long               |              James Fidell

In article <1993Jan26.101209.3713@wraxall.inmos.co.uk> des@inmos.co.uk
(David Shepherd) writes:

>It's certainly against the highway code for cars/vans/lorries to change
>lanes in solid slow moving traffic.

All the Highway Code says on this point is "Overtake only on the right unless
traffic is moving in queues and the queue on your right is moving more slowly
than you are. Do not move to a lane on your left to overtake."

"When approaching a junction make sure you are in the correct lane; ..."
Obviously you may need to change lanes if you need to leave the motorway
or if you have to pull off in an emergency, whether the traffic is moving
in queues or not. Surprisingly, there is very little in the new Highway
Code specifically concerning motorcycles.

Richard

In <1jjabnINNi2t@bnsgd245.bnr.co.uk> ianking@nnsgs52 (Ian King) writes:

>   Now along comes a motorbike(s) between the outside lane and the middle lane
>   travelling faster (say 10-15mph) than the rest of the traffic.
[..]
>   What I'd like to know is, why it seems that motorbike riders are not aware
>   of the perils of this practise when traffic is changing lanes [..]

I am very aware of the dangers of doing this.  It doesn't stop me doing it;
there are many dangers to take account of when on a bike, most of which
concern the habits of drivers with four wheels.  Especially Volvo drivers.
The only way to be safe on two wheels, it seems, is to assume that everyone
else on the road (on wheels, feet or hooves) IS out to get you.  YOU,
specifically.  (Wot?  Me, paranoid?)

As a sideline,  I learned to ride several years after I learned to drive.
I found it amazing how it increased the quality of my observation while
driving.  Recommended to any driver.   I'd go so far as to suggest that it
ought to be mandatory for any driver in Central London to have ridden a
bike in London for a year.


Jeremy Harris

PS: Ian, as someone else said, thanks for noticing motorcyclists specially.
    We appreciate it, even if we don't always get the time to acknowlege
    that slight shift which give us an extra six inches more room.