how quick do you move over for faster riders? Or do you?

[garry]

I move to the right side of the lane, slowly roll off the gas and wave them by at the first safe spot as soon as I see riders in my rear view. It's what I wish other riders would do for me. I don't want to pass on a corner, but will gladly pass (or be passed) on a short straight between corners when it's safe.

[skip]

So, pass 'em.  What, you gotta wait for their OK to blow past?  Who says THEY know better than you do where it's safe?

I've had people pull over for me in the absolutely most unsafe spots...blind corners, gravel on the road, etc.  Fer chrissakes, just DRIVE!  Keep it on the road, don't worry about me, I'll pass when I think it's safe, dammit!

Those of you suggesting that anyone not pulling over is intentionally holding up traffic, get over it!  Yes, people pass me--not too often, and usually on the straights--if they're on my ass in the twisties, then they're better riders than I am and can decide for themselves when it's safe to pass.  When I come up behind slower traffic, I assess the situation, and pass--or not--when it's safe.  When I feel it's safe.  I don't want Joe Motorhomerentaldriver deciding when it's safe for me to pass him, pulling onto the shoulder and showering me with gravel and dust...I don't want Mr. Wingenbanger waving me to pass him on a blind corner, in his lane, with a logging truck coming the other way just out of sight...

If you're in front of me, just ignore me and I'll get by when I'm ready. If you come up behind me, you can pass me in the passing lane, when there's no oncoming traffic.  You're a big boy, you don't need me to tell you when to pass (and fer gossake, DON'T pass me then slow down to a lower speed than I was originally travelling!).  

Sorry I disagree. Its safer when you Both know that you are passing and they are expecting you too. especially in the example I gave where its all corners. If they don't pull over and know you are going to pass them where can you do it safely?  blind corners?  Short straits with no passing?  So that was you I was following. Don't those ape hangers bother your circulation?

[black hills]

Those of you suggesting that anyone not pulling over is intentionally holding up traffic, get over it!  

I was referring to people intentionally holding up traffic (ie. riders in the driving and passing lane going the same speed). They are dicks and I treat them as such.

[David Morrow]

A bit off topic but... on a recent trip, we were heading south towards Lakeview, Oregon - some very long, straight, boring stretches. We were doing about 75-ish and I think it's a 55 zone. A big shiny pickup came up behind us at great speed but then wouldn't pass but stayed uncomfortably close. We pulled just over to the right half of our lane and waved the drive by. He wouldn't move. We slowed down and waved him by again. After a few more times, he finally passed, slowed down and screamed something and waved a fist at me. Go figure. I guess he thought I'd be his rabbit and I didn't want to play his game.

Normally, I'm happy to pull to the right of my lane when it's safe for a following driver to pass, and wave them by. I almost always get a friendly wave in return.

[Kootenanny]

 Sorry I disagree. Its safer when you Both know that you are passing and they are expecting you too. especially in the example I gave where its all corners. If they don't pull over and know you are going to pass them where can you do it safely?  blind corners?  Short straits with no passing?  So that was you I was following. Don't those ape hangers bother your circulation?

My point is, I've had people pull over and expect me to pass in places that are NOT safe--blind corners, etc.  I'm not gonna pass 'em there, thanks...I'm not in such a hurry I can't wait for a safe place ("safe" depends on a lot of factors).  It's annoying to have the guy ahead slowing down and pulling over in a place where I'm simply not gonna pass him...if he'd just drive, we'd get to a safe passing spot that much more quickly (and I wouldn't get showered with dirt from the shoulder).

Rather than expecting someone ahead of me to pull over for me, I plan my passes for spots where I can blow past them safely.  Part of that includes NOT passing in their lane, but passing at a location where I can move completely into the passing lane.  I much prefer to be in control of when/where I'm gonna pull out than some stranger who happens to be driving ahead of me.

[Kootenanny]

I was referring to people intentionally holding up traffic (ie. riders in the driving and passing lane going the same speed). They are dicks and I treat them as such.

Agreed.

Had a situation today, driving my cage into town.  I was in a long train of traffic following a very slow motorhome.  There is a short passing lane, and with the motorhome in the slow lane, traffic started passing.  Suddenly, a school bus--full of kids, BTW--pulls out of the slow lane (it had been following the motorhome) to make the pass.  The end of the lane is coming up, and the schoolbus driver decides he's not gonna make it, so he hits the brakes.  Meanwhile, the motorhome driver hits the brakes, hoping to let the bus past before he has to merge.  Both these vehicles are now on the brakes, neither is willing to move ahead, and the entire train of traffic (yes, there were still a lot of cars behind them) slows to a near stop.  Finally, the motorhome edges back onto the road, followed by the schoolbus...it didn't end there, the schoolbus driver continued to drive like a dick for a while yet until he finally pulled out to pass (again, cutting off other traffic also trying to pass).  I finally got by...only to be stuck in another train of traffic behind Mr. Righteous Harley Rider  Oh, well...had I been riding, I would have been on the back road and would have missed all the drama...serves me right!

[Windblown]

I appreciate a wave to pass, lets me know the rider/driver up front has seen me and has figured out I'm coming through. But I hardly expect it, and I pick when I want to make my move. After all, it's always the passers job to do so safely.

As for waving others around? Hmmm... Last time I was passed I was railing up a twisty mountain side on the DR-Z with a GSX-R 600 chasing me. He managed to squeek by me on a corner exit.  I didn't wave him past but in no way was offended. He didn't wave me by when I passed him back going into a hard right hander on the way back down the other side of the mountain.  LOL

We'll pulled off together at the bottom of the mountain intoduced ourselves to one another and had a good laugh about it.  

Some folks get all bent out of shape when they get passed, I've been cussed, honked at, had a pick-up truck or two swerve into the oncoming lane in an attempt to block me, had a beer bottle chucked at me once, and had some cruiser rider approach me at a rest stop to let me know I had passed him.  Whatever.    

[deacon51]

I love to get passed.  Some one closes in on me and I let them by ASAP.
I don't wave, but if the road is twisty I'll cut deep to the inside of a righthander and stay off the gas coming out of a curve.

Run rabbit run.

[krumgrinder]

I am more than happy to let faster riders pass.  Unfortunately, when I am focused on herding the Battlestar Galactica through the curves as gracefully (and quickly) as possible, I am not always aware of those who come up quickly behind me.  For this, I apologize to all you fellow road burners.

Just got back from the COG rally at Fontana Village the first week of June; and had plenty of time while there in the mountain twisties to play, and usually I was the guy in somebody else's mirrors.  Lots of drivers/riders waved me around, a few did not- they got the fumes when it was safe.  On one run up 129, though, I came around a blind left rise that then descends into a dished out right hairpin; just as I got around the curve to the left and started down into the wash, I was buzzed by a small rider in full leathers on a ZX-7 or similar who I swear to God looked like he was shot out of a slingshot coming out of the right hairpin, he was going that fast.  Now, I have no idea how long he was behind me but I got the clear impression he wasn't there long, and knew the road like the back of his hand.  But, I still felt bad that it caught me totally unawares and I had no idea how long he had been back there.  Much less made it easier for him to get on with his ride.  Note to self: 360° awareness applies to twisties as well as city streets.

[black hills]

On todays ride I didn't get passed, but I passed 3 other bikes. A woman on a Harley, a guy on a sport bike and an old guy on a HD. Both HD riders pulled to the right side of their lane before I was within a couple hundred feet of them and motioned me by. They both gave a friendly wave (which I returned) as I passed. I stayed about 40' behind the sportbike guy for about a mile and he never knew I was there. When I did pass he seemed to be surprised I was there? I also had two cars and a truck pull over to let me pass, all in all a pleasant ride

[robrm250]

I move over as fast as I can and swear I am selling my sons dirtbike and buying me a supermotard so I can pass people .

[katego]

I move over as fast as I can and swear I am selling my sons dirtbike and buying me a supermotard so I can pass people .

nice!  

I'll just wave you by then when the time comes.

-k

[Baz]

The one error a good deal of riders make that I have noticed is that they will climb on a cages bumper, which usually causes the cage driver to just want to let him by and be done with him. I usually hang back a bit until it is safe to pass the car ahead of me.


In the case of a faster rider, I will move over when it is safe for him to pass, and it's safe for me to move over.