Road Position

[NewriderDave21]

Ahhhhhh getting annoyed! Why can't I seem to have the confidence to just hold my number two position on the road. I seem to keep to the left and of course cars keep passing me which is dangerous. 

[Stu]

Well the cars are passing you because you are inviting them to! 

 

Close that barn door and command the road 

[Tiggie]

What are you riding?  When I was a teen and on a 50cc scoot I did keep to the left a lot because everything on the road wanted to overtake me 

 

Anything bigger and I felt more confident to be to the left of the white line

[NewriderDave21]

I'm on a Honda CBF 125 2009 model 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

By riding to the left you are telling drivers that you are a novice and, as Stu says, inviting them to pass you without giving you much clearance. Ride further out so they know you are claiming your lane. If they are going faster then they will need to do a proper overtake. 

 

Unfortunately 125 sized machines are more prone to motorists bullying them, especially if they are displaying L plates. You need to be more assertive, which is not at all the same as being aggressive. 

[Bender]

39 minutes ago, NewriderDave21 said:

I'm on a Honda CBF 125 2009 model 

Stick to the position your supposed to be in, 125 is more than capable of getting up to speed without you causing any issues, sounds like a confidence issue. 

 

 

[NewriderDave21]

I think it is and I'm starting to think I can't do this but I will be devastated if I can't ride 

[Bender]

16 minutes ago, NewriderDave21 said:

I think it is and I'm starting to think I can't do this but I will be devastated if I can't ride 

You can you just need practice and patience and you need to let the cars behind you worry about them selves. 

 

You need to make sure you know what's going on when you make a move but concentrate on the road ahead and what your doing not what they might be thinking. 

 

Practice on any industrial estate on a weekend, find a few local roads you know well and just keep riding round them in the correct position. 

 

If you put yourself In the gutter all the time the risks are much greater, pot holes, crap edges, bit too far and your in it, cars will just see it as an excuse to pass you, your making it much harder for other users to notice you as you approach junctions etc. 

 

Take lessons if all else fails. 

[billy sugger]

Are you still on L plates? Your instructor would have taught to "own the road", and to ride in a position roughly 2/3rds of the way from the kerb, or about 2 feet from the centre white line. On the CBT they will tell you that it is a fail to allow cars to pass you like that  by sticking too close to the kerb. The same goes for split speed bumps, (the ones with gaps,) you should use the gap closest to the centre line. 

[Richard]

It maybe an idea to ride in a group a few times, you can then pattern your mind easier than focusing on making all the decisions yourself.

 

a few years ago  I got knocked of twice in rapid succession, I only had my bike back 4 days a van reversed on to me at som traffic lights. It affected me badly and my confidence was shot. Riding in groups rebuilt my ability to trust what was right and lines. 

[bonio]

13 hours ago, NewriderDave21 said:

I think it is and I'm starting to think I can't do this but I will be devastated if I can't ride 

Be easy on yourself - it takes time, and you're not going to be a good rider overnight. If you've ridden for a few years and done 20k+ miles and you're still not riding satisfactorily, you can think about giving up then. Until that point, though, you're still making your way slowly up the first learning curve.

[Bender]

17 minutes ago, bonio said:

Be easy on yourself - it takes time, and you're not going to be a good rider overnight. If you've ridden for a few years and done 20k+ miles and you're still not riding satisfactorily, you can think about giving up then. Until that point, though, you're still making your way slowly up the first learning curve.

That curve is steep at the start  

[Fish]

16 hours ago, NewriderDave21 said:

I think it is and I'm starting to think I can't do this but I will be devastated if I can't ride 

Where in the country are you. Perhaps a few of us might meet up with you and see what we can do to help build that confidence 

[billy sugger]

I'D be up for that depending on location 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Yeah, we can all show how not to do it. Do the opposite and you'll be fine. 

[John Metcalfe]

Try and get a copy of the book Roadcraft. It shows how the police ride and their methods and techniques for both novices and experienced riders alike. You will be suprised at how much more confident you will become after a bit of practice

[techniques]

On 09/02/2022 at 21:23, NewriderDave21 said:

I'm on a Honda CBF 125 2009 model 

 

On 09/02/2022 at 21:00, NewriderDave21 said:

 Why can't I seem to have the confidence.

Inexperience. 

 

Put the hours in on the bike and it will come to you.  Also, there is nothing wrong with pulling over and letting others pass if you feel they're on your arse so much that it feels dangerous. 

 

You'll still filter past them at the next set of traffic lights.

 

 

[Troy]

On 10/02/2022 at 14:15, Fish said:

Where in the country are you. Perhaps a few of us might meet up with you and see what we can do to help build that confidence 

YES!!

 

I will help out and do my part…..