Riding faster than adjacent traffic | GTAMotorcycle.com

Riding faster than adjacent traffic

H

HorizonXP

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So today coming down the 401, I was in the left lane in the collector's, just after Keele heading into the express. I had some room, so I was doing about 130 km/h. My lane was completely empty, when I saw brake lights coming on in the lane next to me. Traffic in that lane is practically stopped, while my lane is completely open for the next 300 m.

Immediately, I shut the throttle and covered the brakes, watching for traffic popping out into my lane. I stayed in my blocking position. Then, I see a minivan change lanes from the 2nd lane over into the lane next to me, stop for a second, and start changing into my lane.

I predicted this, and saw it all happening. I was doing between 80-100 km/h at this point, but not totally sure. The smart thing to do would have been to emergency brake. Instead, I used the shoulder and went around him, giving the driver the finger as I went passed. I then continued on my commute.

Not totally the smartest move, as the shoulder isn't always available and it isn't always clean. But, I saw that it was so I used it.

My question is, how does everyone else handle these situations? Does it make sense to slow down to something like 40 km/h? Continue at 100 km/h? Speed by at 130 km/h to get the hell outta there?

Just looking for feedback to improve my riding. :)
 
In any case, I would just slow down and let the driver proceed ahead of me.
I would only use the shoulder if I had absolutely no chance at stopping in time.
Then when I catch up to him later, that's when I'll give him the finger.

If you predicted the situation and knew the driver was going to get into your lane, I can only assume that you had more than enough time to stop. I could be wrong.
 
You need to try to predict these scenarios. Keep your eyes on the cars in the stopped lanes, many people give away their intentions before they make a move. As unconventional as it may be, sometimes I even shift to the non blocking side (in this case) to give myself a bit of extra space in the event that someone does decide to cut over (especially if I'm beside a big rig)... this is a rare occassion though and I don't condone driving in the 'wrong' side of the lane.
 
Sounds reasonable what you did. I try not to scream past stopped traffic in a lane next to me though as there's always going to be the one idiot that doesn't check properly and pulls out into your path thinking that maybe they have time to do it. If there's other traffic in your lane going at a reasonable speed things are a little safer but then you have to factor in stopping distance in case someone pulls out in front of the car in front of you.
 
If your going to stop better use your brake lights, because in this situation , its not only looking in front of you but also making sure that you dont get rear ended by cars coming up behind you.
 
people stopped or going slow are only thinking about themselves and their need to get somewhere - if your speed differential is as great as you say it is, you will get creamed even if they check, by the time they start moving, there you are in their way with one hand off the bars gesturing ......
 
Twoth said:
sometimes I even shift to the non blocking side
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Thats not always the best thing to do as it makes it harder for the driver in the other lane to see you and increases your chances of getting cut off.
 
2live&ride said:
In any case, I would just slow down and let the driver proceed ahead of me.
I would only use the shoulder if I had absolutely no chance at stopping in time.
Then when I catch up to him later, that's when I'll give him the finger.

If you predicted the situation and knew the driver was going to get into your lane, I can only assume that you had more than enough time to stop. I could be wrong.
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As I rode away, I was thinking about this and thought the same. I probably could have stopped. I usually would have. Some reason, today I decided not to.

Twoth said:
You need to try to predict these scenarios. Keep your eyes on the cars in the stopped lanes, many people give away their intentions before they make a move. As unconventional as it may be, sometimes I even shift to the non blocking side (in this case) to give myself a bit of extra space in the event that someone does decide to cut over (especially if I'm beside a big rig)... this is a rare occassion though and I don't condone driving in the 'wrong' side of the lane.
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I do this every time I ride, which is why I saw all this happening. I did predict it happening, because it's something I would do too. If I saw an open left lane, you bet your *** I would check my shoulder, signal, and move in. This guy didn't stay in the lane after changing long enough to check for me coming. I saw this and reacted accordingly.

jc100 said:
Sounds reasonable what you did. I try not to scream past stopped traffic in a lane next to me though as there's always going to be the one idiot that doesn't check properly and pulls out into your path thinking that maybe they have time to do it. If there's other traffic in your lane going at a reasonable speed things are a little safer but then you have to factor in stopping distance in case someone pulls out in front of the car in front of you.
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Completely agree.

djez said:
If your going to stop better use your brake lights, because in this situation , its not only looking in front of you but also making sure that you dont get rear ended by cars coming up behind you.
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Which is why I always check my rear when I brake hard.
 
I have the same situation every afternoon rush hour on HWY 8 just before the Fairway RD exit heading to the 401 from Kitchener. It goes from 4 lanes to 2 due to the construction that's been going on for 2 years now. The left 2 lanes are always backed up for kms because people coming off the fly over from HWY 7 refuse to use the entire freeway then merge. They are content to crawl along. The empty 2 right lanes are feeder for King St and HWY 7&8 east bound traffic. I always use the 2 far right lanes and whiz by the crawling left 2 lanes and merge at the very end of the lanes. Cars eventually see how much space is in the far right lanes and sometimes pull out at random and join the enlightened. So, I do something very unpopular around these parts. Expecting cars to pull out in front of me, I have my high beam on while in the blocking position for just this stretch of road. In 400+ times riding this route home only 2 cars have pulled out in front, but both incidences I was able to react safety. Unpopular, yes...effective IMHO, yes.
 
I have absolutely no problem with what you did, but I wouldn't of done that.

Given that you said you predecited him coming into your lane, I would of slowed down enough for him to "cut me off".
I would of cursed a little in my helmet and maybe flip him the bird and even honk for a bit, but I'd keep the shoulder for last resort.
I recently got a bad cut + gouge in my rear tire from an object I couldn't even see on the main part of the highway a couple weeks ago, wouldn't want to risk it by taking the shoulder even though it looks clean.

To answer your question with my opinion, if the 2 right lanes are crawling and the left lane is moving freely, I keep the speed down and stay at a pace where if some shmuck decides to hop into my lane, I have plenty of time to grab a proper amount of brakes and avoid a collision.
Surprisingly, I see a lot of single-passenger vehicle do this to the HOV.
I was riding home from BB one night and the gf was on the back.
Due to the retarded construction on the QEW/403 they reduced it to just HOV lane and the left-most lane.
The HOV was moving 80-90kmh and the regular left lane was maybe 30-40kmh.
I got cut off 4 times by single-passenger vehicles who crossed over the double "do not cross" lines.

Ugh.


tl;dr: Always be prepared. Don't put yourself at risk.
 
When in that situation I generally slow myself down, significantly, because it's the speed differential that will kill you when a driver doesn't look, then quickly pulls out of the queue. Braking is preferred.
 
I would disagree with being in the blocking position in this case.

Sure you have better visibility in driver's eyes but so what?

Always assume all drivers are malicious and want to kill you. In this case, even being visible will not help, as the cager can simply decide to move into your lane.

Yes, you did the right thing not to be in his/her blind spot, but you were hit by him. Now what? cager is charged with careless driving, homicide,.... and you? Well lucky if in hospital.

I would rather be predicitvely cut off by a cager, rather than unpredictively.
 
+1 on slowing down. A motorcycle with a closing speed of 100-130 kph is barely visible in somebody's rearview mirrors. It's no excuse for not signaling, but whenever I commute on the highway it seems like less than half the lane changes I witness are signalled anyway. It's good to be able spot these drivers before they even make their move - usually you can tell it's about to happen by how close they're driving to the lane markings.

I usually reduce speed, cover the horn button, and ride in blocking position. Keep an eye out for this situation on 401 Westbound near the 400 on-ramp.
 
There's just too much crap sitting on the shoulder waiting to pop your tire or cause a slide to use it unless absolutely necessary. If you didn't have to, then you took an unnecessary risk. Could catch a ticket too for that I assume as well.
 
Blocking position for visibility is more for up close and personal, so they see you in the mirror right beside them, 2 - 3 car links away they can see you just fine. If your advancing down an open lane with stopped traffic beside you, I would ride the middle, and keep a close eye out for one who wants to get away. Cars can't judge the speed of bikes, when you watch a car you can tell how fast they are approaching by they way the headlights seem to separate. One light or 2 lights really close together don't give you this ability. I hate blasting beside stopped traffic, makes me edgy, I would slow it down to 40 - 50 you can stop pretty quick at that speed.
 
thowe said:
Blocking position for visibility is more for up close and personal, so they see you in the mirror right beside them, 2 - 3 car links away they can see you just fine. If your advancing down an open lane with stopped traffic beside you, I would ride the middle, and keep a close eye out for one who wants to get away. Cars can't judge the speed of bikes, when you watch a car you can tell how fast they are approaching by they way the headlights seem to separate. One light or 2 lights really close together don't give you this ability. I hate blasting beside stopped traffic, makes me edgy, I would slow it down to 40 - 50 you can stop pretty quick at that speed.
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I agree. I wouldn't overtake a string of stopped traffic at anything more than 40-50 kph.
 
I generally fly by stopped traffic but I know it isn't the safest thing to do. If retards would check their mirrors first, it wouldn't be an issue.

I hate that so many accidents are caused by people not obeying right of way and then the media blames it all on speeding.
 
If the traffic is stopped and bumper to bumper, as usual, then there's a very small window through which a fast approaching vehicle can be seen in the mirror. Even at 50 Kmh, you're covering almost 14 metres per second. Keep that in mind.

It is, actually, a time when not being in the blocking position is advantageous. You have a greater distance, in which to react, and are visible from further ahead.
 
To the OP, I think you did a great job anticipating the dangerous situation (that's the important part!) and reacting appropriately. Obviously you recognize the danger associated with large speed differentials when one lane is blocked and the adjacent one is clear...so many drivers / riders are oblivious to this, and just zip past stopped traffic at the speed limit or above!

I would agree with some of the others above though that the speed differential you had (about 80 km/h compared to the very next lane) is still way too high and it would be much safer to reduce that some in a situation like this. And yeah, I don't know if it is correct in thery or not, but my instinct would be to ride in the part of the lane that gives me the most space if someone does pull out.
 
I would've slowed down 'cause it gets dangerous any time the left lane's going way faster & there's a back-up on the lane beside you. Let's say you take the shoulder and further along the lane, some other idiot merges. When that first van came into your lane, it makes anyone checking THEIR mirrors at that time think that they've got some time to change lanes as well. And if you swerved around and continued that speed, it might not end too well.
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