We complain about the "cagers" but are we any better?

[Metastable]

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We complain about drivers hogging lanes etc... but lately I've started to see quite a few motorcycles doing the same things. Case and point.....

On my way into work today (in my car) I took a small section of the QEW in my commute. The weather wasn't the greatest... there was a little fog.... but visibility was pretty good. I got in behind a pair of riders, one on a ZZR250 and another on a KLR (or similar). They were riding "fine", but they wouldn't move out of the fast lane, even though they had ample opportunity to do so. I was giving them distance, but that's because I didn't want to get too close... BUT THAT DIDN'T MEAN I DIDN'T WANT TO PASS. If you feel like doing 100kph, fine.... just move over and give other traffic a chance. I just waited patiently until it was time to move over for my exit.....

Although that pales in comparison to two cruiser riders that were doing ... 80? 85 MAX in the middle lane. Cars were splitting around them in both directions. COME ON MAN.... if you want to go THAT slow.... hit the right lane!

And there is no excuse for either. I use to lead some fairly big group rides and yes I would move the whole group out of the way of a faster moving vehicle. I sometimes had riders approaching me to not do that, because they thought it was safer to just stay in the left... but I don't agree with having a ****** off driver behind a group of bikes.... let them through.... then it's all good.

Let's look at our riding first before we start picking on them cages.

 

[RonnieRev]

There just as many poor riders as poor drivers !

 

[imnothng]

It seems that people are generally too lazy to change lanes. I can't count the number of times I've slowed down to let someone merge, then I end up passing them while I'm doing 100 and they immediately moved over to the middle after merging.

Common sense is the most uncommon thing.

 

[jeero]

Common sense is the most uncommon thing.

Nice one, I like it. This goes in my book of quotes!

 

[kamikaze]

I"ll stay in the left lane if there's nobody behind me, but I keep an eye on my mirrors, if someone is coming up on me i'll move over as soon as I notice.

 

[skitta]

We complain about drivers hogging lanes etc... but lately I've started to see quite a few motorcycles doing the same things.
...Let's look at our riding first before we start picking on them cages.

Thank you! I am so glad you started this thread! It really bothers me the way some people here bash "cagers". I've read the way people are bashed, and the ignorant things that are said if you dare to have a different opinion. So, I "bit my tongue". I did try and allude a little to this subject in another thread just today. The one about weaving.

I have a theory. Since I started riding a motorcycle, I have become more aware of motorcycles on the rode. When driving, if I hear one, I will try to see where it's coming from; what it looks like; maybe it's someone I know? For those car drivers who have no affiliation/connection to a motorcycle or a motorcycle rider, perhaps it makes them less attuned to their presence?

I personally had a (first) cousin who was killed while riding his motorcycle. By *all* accounts, the driver was absolutely at fault. She made an improper right turn. She was also an olderly woman, driving with a suspended license. This happened to a blood relative of mine; I went to his funeral in New York. It made me acutely aware of the dangers of riding a motorcycle. I even contemplated not getting my motorcycle license because of this.

I still maintain that as motorcycle riders, we are absolutely and totally responsible for how we choose to ride. If we feel that "cagers" are not aware of us, then we must be acutely aware of them.

When I first started riding, I had a "mentor". He taught me some invaluable lessons for when riding. Of course, there is still a lot to learn, but most will come from experience, whether from my own or from reading about others' experiences.

 

[kiwi]

There just as many poor riders as poor drivers !

Highly agree with this. I see bad riders - SS, Sport Tourers, Dual Sport, Adventure sport, Cruisers etc. They take the bad habits form their driving cars to riding bikes.

 

[k-man69]

I"ll stay in the left lane if there's nobody behind me, but I keep an eye on my mirrors, if someone is coming up on me i'll move over as soon as I notice.

Just because nobody is behind you in the passing lane doesn't mean you should keep driving in it. It's called the passing lane for a reason. Use it to pass slower traffic, them move back over to the right lane.

 

[invictus43]

Highly agree with this. I see bad riders - SS, Sport Tourers, Dual Sport, Adventure sport, Cruisers etc. They take the bad habits form their driving cars to riding bikes.

Watched a bunch of cruiser riders going up hwy 11 on saturday squatting in the left lane..in the rain..MOVE OVER!!!! Ugh..

 

[TwistedKestrel]

Lane discipline is not something that we're very good at in North America. That said though, I can remember being taught in the motorcycle class that the blocking position is more effective if you are in the rightmost or leftmost lane. It might even be in the MTO handbook.

 

[Griffin]

Just because nobody is behind you in the passing lane doesn't mean you should keep driving in it. It's called the passing lane for a reason. Use it to pass slower traffic, them move back over to the right lane.

+1.

I find the right lane has become the passing lane on most three lane highways now. All the slow riders/drivers are in the left lane trying to be "safe".

 

[invictus43]

Just because nobody is behind you in the passing lane doesn't mean you should keep driving in it. It's called the passing lane for a reason. Use it to pass slower traffic, them move back over to the right lane.

Meh..I'm with ya..but if they do move over in time, I don't have an issue with people like that..not great but ok. It's the idiots in the Honda Pilots with the DVD for the kids in the back doing 115kmh in the left lane and NEVER MOVE...

 

[invictus43]

+1.

I find the right lane has become the passing lane on most three lane highways now. All the slow riders/drivers are in the left lane trying to be "safe".

Yeah, agree somewhat. Except that the truly slow still use the right lane and you can get jammed in there. It's funny, in Bavaria they're thinking of expanding the autobahn to three lanes..and most people there agree that it won't make anything better..

 

[koFFey]

Meh..I'm with ya..but if they do move over in time, I don't have an issue with people like that..not great but ok. It's the idiots in the Honda Pilots with the DVD for the kids in the back doing 115kmh in the left lane and NEVER MOVE...

The only times that I see them moving over is when they eventually look in their mirror to see you almost tailgating them. Yes, that is bad driving habits as well, but horns that flashing lights do not always work in daylight when the driving of the van in front can't hear a thing because of the noise in his cabin.

 

[kamikaze]

Just because nobody is behind you in the passing lane doesn't mean you should keep driving in it. It's called the passing lane for a reason. Use it to pass slower traffic, them move back over to the right lane.

If I'm on a 2 lane road I will move back, because there's proper blocking position, on a 3 lane like the 400 series, I prefer to stay out of the middle lane. It's not like I wait in the left lane for someone to come right up behind me, if I see someone 500+ ft back even, i gtfo the way.

 

[Griffin]

If I'm on a 2 lane road I will move back, because there's proper blocking position, on a 3 lane like the 400 series, I prefer to stay out of the middle lane. It's not like I wait in the left lane for someone to come right up behind me, if I see someone 500+ ft back even, i gtfo the way.

Where has this idea that a motorcycle shouldn't ride in the middle lane come from? I've read that in more than one post on this forum. There are three lanes on the 400 series highways, I use all of them. If you have such a hard time picking a line in the middle lane, maybe you coulld just weave?

 

[GayManLoveIsOK]

meh, plenty of both bad drivers and riders...when i'm on my bike and approach a car just sitting in the left lane, i gave up waiting for them, will just go around them like they weren't even there, i've stopped making my point...

 

[Baggsy]

Where has this idea that a motorcycle shouldn't ride in the middle lane come from? I've read that in more than one post on this forum. There are three lanes on the 400 series highways, I use all of them. If you have such a hard time picking a line in the middle lane, maybe you coulld just weave?

Lazy people drive/ride in the left lane. Other vehicles only move up on you from the back or the right then. In the right hand lane other vehicles normally come from the left or rear, but there are also on/off ramps so vehicles can come from the right as well. I ride in the middle lane sometimes, moving to the track where I believe the most chance of incursion from another lane will come. But normally I ride on the right and let all the other riders/drivers have the fun of road rage.

 

[kamikaze]

Where has this idea that a motorcycle shouldn't ride in the middle lane come from? I've read that in more than one post on this forum. There are three lanes on the 400 series highways, I use all of them. If you have such a hard time picking a line in the middle lane, maybe you coulld just weave?

there's no good blocking position in the middle lane. That's where it comes from, and was mentioned a few times by the MSF instructors when I took the class. I know what you guys are getting on about, nothing pisses me off more than someone blocking the left lane. I let faster traffic thru without holding them up, then it shouldn't matter where I am. Even if I'm in the cage in the middle lane and someone is barreling up on me, I'll move over if it's possible to do so safely.

 

[k-man69]

there's no good blocking position in the middle lane. That's where it comes from, and was mentioned a few times by the MSF instructors when I took the class. I know what you guys are getting on about, nothing pisses me off more than someone blocking the left lane. I let faster traffic thru without holding them up, then it shouldn't matter where I am. Even if I'm in the cage in the middle lane and someone is barreling up on me, I'll move over if it's possible to do so safely.

+1

If you're riding in the middle lane, you don't have anywhere to go if there's an emergency and the lanes on both sides are full of cars. But if you ride in the right or left lane (left lane for passing only, remember that kids), you have the shoulder as an out in case some ****** does something stupid.

I can't count the number of times that I see someone drive in the left lane when no one is around, especially in the early hours of the morning. Nobody else around for miles, just me in the right lane keeping pace with them and they keep driving 120 in the passing lane all the way to London, never once making an effort to move back to the middle or right lane. Pass and GTFO!

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