A lesson needed in taking turns

Tuesday 26th May 2009, 2:59PM BST.

From Ruth Pilkington.
CAN anyone enlighten me as to the correct procedure when approaching a filter-in-turn and finding oneself alongside a regiment of large, shiny, and very noisy Harley-Davidson motorbikes?

Driving west along the right-hand lane of the Avenue towards Bel Royal on Friday, I found myself alongside about half a dozen such monsters, travelling fairly slowly – as one has to do at that place – and nicely spaced in the left-hand lane.

My car took its place after the first bike, presuming one such machine was equal to one vehicle, but the second Harley rider objected strongly to such a move.

Perhaps pride was hurt by an elderly woman in a comparatively insignificant (and certainly not as shiny) motorcar taking precedence, or maybe he was just unaware of the filter system operating in Jersey (his number plate was not local).

He then tried his utmost to edge me out of line, but there was little I could do at this stage as the road was narrowing and the order in line ahead was already resolved. After finding no slot in front of me from the left, he then pulled back and up beside me on the right and tried similar tactics from there.

One expects small bikes and mopeds to weave around a bit and overtake on either side and up the middle of the lanes, but they are generally well behaved and I have great respect for them. I am usually more worried about their safety than my own. But this afternoon was something different. I found the incident intimidating and was shaking when I got home.

What to do in future? When approaching such Knights of the Road en masse, does one slip gently into the gutter and wait in respectful subservience for them all to go ahead, as one would for ambulances and fire-appliances?

Or does one press on, a vehicle from each lane in turn, and trusting to the respect and undoubted skills of most of the motorbike riders to get the message and take their turn in the filter?
97 Rose Mews,
L’Hermitage Gardens,
St Peter.

1
Paul

May 26, 2009 at 10:51 pm

GET A LIFE !!!!!!!!

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2
Sid Mallet

May 27, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Hi Ruth
For some bikers, riding in a group is great fun- it’s part of the social aspect to motorcycling. This can be awkward at junctions such as the one you mention. The rider you refer to was simply trying to keep the group together. You acknowledge they were ‘nicely spaced’, in a group riding formation. So my question is why you would want to place yourself in the middle of such a formation just because the junction is a merge in turn?
Result? You end up surrounded by motorcycles with the ones behind trying to get past to re-form the group. You look upon stopping and allowing the bikes to remain together as ‘slipping gently into the gutter’ and ‘waiting in respectful subservience’. This really does reveal the real issue here, your animosity to anyone getting in front of you. Please try and be a little more magnanimous on the road as it will make you feel better.

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3
Leah Holmes

May 28, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Ruth, whilst I don’t totally disagree with the second comment I can understand his point.

However, as you, like most of us, are just trying to get from A to B it isn’t really fair for groups of bikers to expect any special treatment on the road. We all get annoyed at ‘Sunday drivers’ out driving for leisure and holding everyone else up from getting to their work or to meetings etc. The same can be said of groups of bikers.

As someone who has cycled in groups before, we obeyed the rules of the road and had points planned along our location where we would pull over to regroup if we had been separated by traffic. It wouldn’t be too hard for the bikers to do this and it would allow them to still ride as a group save for the limited times when they get separated by traffic lights or filter in turns.

Funeral processions or float processions aside, it is a filter in turn and should always be treated as such. If it isn’t then it will simply cease to be a filter in turn and will become a ‘whoever is the most obnoxious forces their way out first’ turn.

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4
joker

May 28, 2009 at 4:41 pm

Sid Mallet

So you think it’s perfectly acceptable for those riding in groups not to follow law or road signs? Because I think it is “fun” does that mean I’m allowed drive at 100mph along Jersey’s roads?

Perhaps Ruth wanted to place herself in the ‘middle’ because she had somewhere to be, or maybe because it would have been unfair to hold up those behind her, that’s called consideration for others – something that rider failed to show.

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5
Sid Mallet

May 29, 2009 at 11:34 am

Road laws are not meant to replace common sense. How many times have I seen a car block the access to Beamont Hill at the round-about because it was their turn to go? Their route to Victoria avenue is blocked and there are vehicles waiting to go up Beaumont hill but no its the law they go now so they block the road! These are the same people who hoot and shout at foreign drivers when they dont obey the filter in turn system.

The sad reality is car drivers spend so much of their time stuck in traffic they hate having anyone get by them hence the animosity toward motorcycle users. How many times do motorcycles ride in a group? Does it really hapen so often that a car can’t wait for a few seconds? Is it realy going to add that much to your journey time?

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6
Leah Holmes

June 3, 2009 at 9:53 pm

#5 Sid, I have to say that no-one should spend their driving time ‘driving in a group’. Trying to maintain a grouping simply adds to the complexity of the skills required for driving and as these are not thoroughly tested could be seen to distract from the main issue which is road safety.

I have had to drive as a ‘group’ in the past in cars when I was either following someone or was being followed. We did not stick together like glue but allowed common sense to prevail such that we could be separated by a couple of other vehicles and still not lose our way.

I totally understand your desire to drive in a group but I feel that road safety (not the driver’s fun) is the most important aspect, and that means everyone following the rules of the road.

And as a car driver I have no animosity to motorcycle users, I am happy for them to get by me as long as they do so safely and sensibly (and this seems to be a rarity in Jersey). I am not, however, happy to let road safety lapse for others desire to ride in a group. Roads are a means to get from one place to another.

I would say the same to people enjoying a ‘day out in the car’. The passengers can enjoy it but the driver has to sacrifice their view and purely be the driver.

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7
Rozel Aubin

June 4, 2009 at 9:24 am

The original letter deserves careful reading.

Ruth Pilkington was not describing filter in turn at a roundabout or T junction. She was at the “Zip-fastener at the western end of the avenue.

Quite understandably she would expect each vehicle be it motorcycle, car or tow truck plus trailer to take its turn.

Groups of motorcyclists manifestly do not like to split up, not the least because it rather undermines their image as a force tobe reckoned with.

If there are no more of them than the space taken up by the largest permitted lorry or bus then it might make sense for them to be treated as one unit provided that they are in close formation.

What should be done when there is a large group formed as part of a planned ride is not something that all drivers would agree about. Similarly a funeral cortege. What do they do at the end of the Avenue? How does one know which is the last car even if the driver is wearing his cap backwards and a dirty T shirt?

At the very least the group leader (if there is one) should advise the others about the potential for upsetting drivers who expect to take their turn at the “zip”.

With regard to driving in convoy generally, there is now no need to be in visual contact as
anyone can buy and use licence free short range radios with voice operated hands free action which are ideal for passing instructions back and forth. Much safer than fiddling around with some mobile phones.

Many of these radios are aimed particularly at motor cyclists and can often be bought for under £20, sometimes for a pair although expect to pay a little more when buying local in Jersey!

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