It all depends on my mood. When I'm feeling pumped I ride more aggressive than when I'm relaxed. I try not to ride too aggresive or too passive.
I always prefer to be in the front of traffic to have a better visual of the road and hazards ahead.

 

HAHA that's a pretty good read elshawno. I'll have to remember that

I always prefer to be in the front of traffic to have a better visual of the road and hazards ahead.

This. use you're maneuverability and acceleration to get away from the bozo cagers. this isn't an excuse to be stupid and pull bonehead moves like barely squeezing between two moving vehicles.

 

I always go for the front. That being said, I am really cautious about being in front at a stop light. I once had a lady slam the back of my car at about 35 cause apparently she just didn't see the whole red light thing. That happening on a bike could easily be catastrophic. So I often try to pull up next to a car or do something to make myself more obvious if I'm sitting in line at a light. At least until there's a car behind me.


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I would rather be in the front but the main thing for me here is lane splitting. You have to be extra cautious of the ignorant people and the ones who seem like they want to block or hit you. When there's no traffic though I make a BIG bubble around myself lol. If anyone enters, I'm aggressively protecting that bubble.

 

I am always in the front if possible. It takes effort for cagers to look in their mirrors, and that effort is to much for most cagers. I go at least a few mph faster than the flow of traffic. Make sure you don't just ride in a straight line for to long. I do a couple weaves every few miles in my lane so drivers don't start looking past me. Its easy to look past the smaller object and fixate on the larger in front.

 

oh and at lights I stay to the left of the car in front of me. Just a few inches to the left of their left bumper. It gives me an escape route if I hear screeching tires. Sometimes the right of the right bumper depending on situation, like no way to make a right turn but there is a shoulder.

 

To me the bottom line is safety, and to be as safe as possible one must be proactive in all situations.

Of course, everything we are considering right now is situational.

Whether traffic is heavy, but fast moving, or slow, but spread out; these will all dictate, in my opinion, how proactive a rider must be in keeping themselves safe.

By proactivity, I mean whatever the rider is doing in order to keep themselves separated from the obviously-dumb drivers, the people indiana-jonesing eachother (coming close together and never pulling from one another), people with inconsistent driving speed, and the actual road-type you are on.

In my mind, I describe my riding awareness, speed, quickness and overal style by the level of proactivity required- not by aggressiveness. To me, using aggressiveness as ones way of riding is just setting you up for an emotional ride, when it needs to be the complete opposite (when commuting).

Having said all that, I tend to ride like a grandma when no one is around me, but in heavier traffic I have no issue riding more quickly, filtering lanes, and passing cars in odd ways if the motive is to stay safe. However, I will always try to ride as legally as possible. I don't pass people on unsafe shoulders and smash people's side-view-mirrors for the sake of getting by. I'll wait for the right time to split lanes and will do so at whatever speed is safest to me.


Bottom line is to be safe. Second in line, as part of a way for me to gauge my riding situation, is to stay at consistent a speed a possible whilst not letting cars surround me. I don't mind having cars in front and behind me, but not in all directions.

If I'm going 55 and people are driving 45, I try to split the lanes at the 55mph I'm traveling at, instead of always needing to accelerate by them. It's all apart of being proactive (how you look ahead, judge and gauge car's movements, and anticipate traffic) and being as consistent as possible. Staying consistent keeps my mind level, as opposed to trying to articulate moving from 50-70mph every 3 seconds.

Just my .02

And yes, always in front at a stop light. I try not to split lanes in a situation where there is a queu (like a stop sign), but will absolutely move to the front of anything where the movement is timed (traffic light, traffic jam, accident).

 

just read this from my car forum

pretty good HFL about all the stupid people asking stupid questions

An open letter to every person I meet who finds out I ride a motorcycle

Let me stop you right there, mmmm-kay? I can tell by that little intake of breath what's coming next. Thank you in advance, but I already know that motorcycles are "dangerous." After nearly twenty years of riding on the streets, I am aware; telling me now will not be a revelation. It is not an insight into my lifestyle that has remained hidden from me until this, the moment of epiphany when you shine the light of outsider wisdom on my foolhardy choices.

Photo: Grant Ray

There are ways I can minimize the risk - by riding defensively, riding sober, knowing my own and my machine's capabilities, etc. - but I also know there are some risks that are simply beyond my control. But you know what? There a lots of risks that are within my control. We've become so pathologically risk-averse that for most people it is inconceivable to assume any additional risk no matter how much joy you might get back in return.

You want to know what's truly dangerous? Not taking any risks. Hanging out with like-minded middle-of-the-roaders. Absorbing the same brain-ossifying **** from media factories every day. Jogging. Putting helmets, flotation devices, and auto-deploy epi-pens on your kids every time they leave the house. Passivity. Not paying attention to where your car, or your life, or you country is going.

If you don't get that, that's OK. I'm not trying to convert anybody, but here are a few tips to save us both a little aggravation:

You don't need to tell me the horror story about your uncle's buddy who wiped out his chopper while drag racing at some hooligan rally. That just makes me wish I were talking to your uncle's buddy instead of you. He sounds pretty cool.

Do not - do NOT - tell me about the time you almost Sausage Creatured a biker because you "couldn't see him" or he "came out of nowhere." I have never known a bike to come out of nowhere, but I have seen plenty of cars pull a Crazy Ivan and turn into a lane occupied by a biker or make an impromptu unsignalled left turn in front of an oncoming me. If you're expecting me to share your outrage at the temerity of bikers to be in the lane you want, you're more deluded than a goldfish with a passport. I can't make you see bikes. I can't make you hang up your phone. They won't let me mount a .50-caliber machine gun to my bike. So really, there's not much I can do to change the outcome of your anecdote, so save it for your coreligionists who also have stick-figure families and giant softball stickers with the name "Tailyr" or "Flynn" or "Shyly" on their rear windows.

I do wear a helmet, as a matter of fact, along with other protective gear. But, the fact that you "certainly hope" I wear a helmet is so condescending it makes me want to ride a tricycle completely naked doing doughnuts in your front yard screaming Beastie Boys lyrics at midnight. Trust me, you do not want that. My buttocks are extremely pale and unsightly, especially in moonlight.

Please, do not complain about bikes parking in car parking spaces. Where are we supposed to park? If they let us park up on the curb like in Europe, we would totally do that, and precious few parking lots have motorcycle parking areas. Most cops already have a hard-on for bikes, so parking anywhere but in a designated spot is asking to be impounded.

Yes, I know, some bikes have very loud exhaust. Maybe it's obnoxious, but at least you knew they were there, didn't you? They say loud pipes save lives. I don't know if that's true, because there hasn't been a serious comprehensive study of motorcycle safety since 1981, the poetically named Hurt Report. And yes, I know, at one point you probably saw some kid riding his 600cc sport bike at 100mph doing a wheelie down the freeway. He's a squid, and he'll either grow up or just take care of himself. Some bikers do crazy things. Anti-social things. Unsanctioned things. I don't represent him and he doesn't represent me - that's the great part of being a biker. I could be a Lowbrow Weirdo or Antoine Predock or Lyle Lovett or just whatever I want to be.

If you're really so all-fire concerned about my safety, don't preach at me. Just do me this one favor: pay attention when you're driving. Keep your greasy fingers off your touch-screen, put down your phone, use your turn signals and lay off the booze before you get on the road with me. You take care of your part and I'll take care of mine.

But hang-gliding, man, that **** is crazy.

 

So much quality and truth in that post. It's revelatory to me in that it gives me good reference material when talking to other people about the same thing.

Funny how I've been coming across a lot of instances like these that have made commuting (and riding in general) on my bike seem to make so much more sense.

 

If I'm not first, I'm last. Therefore I'm always first.


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I've actually never split before. Its illegal here and I'm pretty sure the police around here dont take too kindly to it but if worse came to worse, I would in a heart beat. I believe in the correct doses, it really does help to gain a really advantageous position in traffic.

 

Agreed, it is illegal here as well, however my uncle is an officier, and he said in most situations, as long as it is done safely, they couldn't care less.

 

Yeah lane splitting is something I only do when the other options are more dangerous. Or in stand still traffic, occasionally I'll right down the shoulder, but only at about 15 mph. At lights I pretty much always angle my bike to the left or right of the car in front of me so I can escape if necessary. I also just stare in the mirror until there's a car behind me, so I can see if some genius wants to play tag with my bike.

 

I always ride like Rossi is right on my tail waving a steak knife.

 

Woah now! That's a little to crazy! Even for the people of this forum :willy_nilly:

 

Filter it...

I always lane split and filter to the front when in traffic and always get to the front at the lights and get away fast.

For me, it's way too dangerous to be in amongst those lunatic car, bus and truck drivers who are *all* trying to kill me.

I'M INVISIBLE. They can't see me. Until I get to the front. Then they can see me...see me disappear when the lights turn green. :thumbup:

My attitude in traffic is aggressive/defensive, mostly aggressive.

My mindset is "frack em all".

I've been riding this same way for many years and i'm still alive.

Motorcycles are fast, small, and can fit in little spaces.

Sitting in smelly traffic queues ???

Bugger that!

S.

 

At the intersection after the light turns green, don't charge ahead like Motogp, let at least a car or two go first. The first vehicle that goes first usually gets hit by car who trying to beat the red light.

Ride safe.

 

Im always in the front of traffic and then some, and when there's a light I look in my mirrors until I get a nice barricade of cars behind me.


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In some instances there is no "front", its a constant wall of traffic...if theres no way out, I try to stay where the traffic looks safest and stay VERY alert for anything!!

Once off the main highway, the smaller back roads of my commute is better, but still I stay alert to turning traffic and people running red lights and stop signs...

I try to make myself as visible as possible, by not following to close that on coming traffic can't see me, and staying to the left of the lane, so on coming traffic can see me better.

I always glance both ways when crossing an intersection, to spot vehicles that aren't paying attention.

I am constantly checking my mirrors so I am aware what is behind me.

and I pray that God keeps me safe. :nod:

 

I ride slightly aggressively without being stupid or a jerk/tool to other ride users, most of the time. If I can overtake a car or three safely on a straight, I will.

The reason I probably ride slightly aggressively is partly because I don't trust car drivers, I will try to overtake partly just because I don't want to be in blind spots, if I am behind a car, even if they are going the speed I want to go I will still get ahead then risk being behind and them not to see what I am doing.

If I am banked up behind a long road of traffic on a straight with nothing coming I might stay in the other lane for awhile or so to get far ahead. I don't weave in and out overtaking at a moderate speed though, that's pretty stupid and really you won't get to where you are going any sooner.

If I come to a set of lights and can lane split "safely" I will, luckily where I live in Australia the roads are wide and many dual-carriage (two lanes a side), in Perth however many of the lanes were narrow compared and lane splitting is not very safe, especially if the cars started moving so I hardly ever did it there.

Edit: Oh something else I have done with the mirrors is have the mirrors turned on different angles slightly, we ride in the left hand lane. So the mirror that is on my right I have angled out slightly so I can see the other lane behind me more (can't really see the traffic behind me anyway), but it really helps on multi-lane roads like freeways. The left mirror I have turned slightly toward myself, it catches more of my arm etc but I can see behind the traffic in my lane behind myself much better - not sure if anyone else does this lol.

 

A few principles that I commute by...

1. Like Sp00ky said, filter to the front in stopped traffic, and then put space between me and the slo-mo'ers when it goes green. It might seem aggressive to howl away from the stoplight quickly, but it gives you space. Space is your friend.

2. Stay the hell out of the cagers' blind spots. When going by in the lane beside them, stay a bit behind them until there's enough space to be in front of them, go by fast, then slow down. It might seem aggressive to shoot past them so quickly, but the longer you're beside them, the longer the opportunity for idiocy exists.

3. Ride damned close to the line between lanes going the same direction. It helps ensure that the cagers see you in the side view mirror. Which they may or may not be using. It also puts you in their consciousness when you're beside them; makes them aware of how much space is between you and them. Which might seem aggressive, but if that's the price to get them to pay attention, so be it.

 

I get to the front, and leave them all behind. I am always nervous when riding next to a cage.

 

Really good tips in here guys. Not exactly what you get at the MSF class :laugh:

 

I always look at the people I'm around and expect them to not see me; defensive is my driving expectation and understanding defensive driving has saved me many times. That said, I prefer to pass people than sit in situations that can go bad.

 

Same here. I am always watching around me. Whether I am moving or not, I keep an eye on my mirrors when stopped or going slow, and I am always making sure I have two ways out of an area in case a car starts to come into my lane.

I also keep the revs up higher around 8k most the time, hoping the little added noise may help, but I do not rely on it to much.

 

Always in front, & watch out for lane jumpers who "don't see you"

 

Watch out for details and telltale signs coming before an impromptu lane change etc, like the tendency to go the edge of the lane. Knowing where wheels point is also useful.

I ride aggressively in the sense that I decide where I go and how, as much as I can, a good offense being the best defense. The bubble mentality must also be applied to others, visualising the probability bubble they evolve in and keeping a way out in mind helps a lot.

 

I ride and drive with the belief that everyone else on the road is mentally challenged when it comes to driving, until they prove otherwise. If it still leaves me acceptably close to the speed limit, I'm usually going around 5 over the flow of traffic. My theory is that the more time I spend in close to proximity to each person, the more time I'm giving them, to do something stupid that could effect me. I hate stagnant traffic. Also, I know that I can only control what I do, so I try to plan and execute my moves through traffic in a way that aim to eliminate the ability of a drivers' choices to affect me. Also, if something is worrying me and I feel unsafe, if I have the space available, I no problem jumping on the throttle hard to get away quickly. I guess you could say I'm a bit aggressive in traffic.



Basically what he said ^

 

Yaeh good point. I always watch the front tire, since the car only follows its front haha. Typically people will edge to the line and do their quick useless glance if any at all and then shoot over.

 

Yeah, that's a good point, boys. When people are thinking about changing lanes, they drift toward it, long before they commit to it. Waving the warning flag.

 

And actually most people much like you should do when riding a motorcycle will go where they look, it is a natural thing. So when people start checking the next lane their hands will automatically start to turn that way. Not all do it but if you watch people you will see. I watch my girlfriend do it all the time.

But I am a people watcher haha

 

Traffic is the worst time to be aggressive. I keep my distance and only lane split at a slow pace when traffic is nearly stopped. I commute around 10k mi per year and want to stay in one piece

 

Is 10k miles a lot in Cali lol

Last year I put 10k miles on my bike in a matter of like four or five months, I would be close to 20k on my bike if I would not have had to leave the state for my job for most of the year.

I am aggressive as I need to be. I let people know where I am at, in slow traffic around here it is not hard to scare people and making your presence known, it is when traffic is moving steadily, but still crowded that I start to run into problems with people coming into my lane and when they start to do that they will definitely hear me since I like to knock on their car doors with my boot haha