The first complaint applies in every country where there are roundabouts but in CH it's every time!

That's everytime I take my bike across a roundabout the car driver waiting to pull onto it at the next entry point always pulls out in front of me potentially causing braking while cornering (not a good thing on a bike). Of course, I ride defensively so I'm ready for it and don't try to nip in and out of the roundabout unless the other entries were clear.

It's not that they don't see me - I make eye contact with drivers at junctions whenever I can, especially on roundabouts, but they just pull out anyway. I've also noticed German and French cars don't behave like this, just CH.

Secondly, filtering. I have to admit that things have improved and many drivers sitting in long traffic queues on the highway will move over a bit and let bikes through - but then you get the odd one who does the opposite. The first time I experienced it I thought I was mistaken, the guy couldn't have seen me. The next time it happened I caught the car drivers eye in his wing mirror, he definitely saw me coming, and he moved over to block my way - of course I just nipped behind him and took him on the other side (ooer, didn't mean it sound like that). Is it just jealousy or are they taught to that at driving school?

Finally, overtaking. The bike advantage is that as long as you judge every hazard correctly, overtaking is possible in situations where it is not possible for a car. Often, when the closing speed of oncoming vehicles is such that I can overtake and get back on the right side of the road with 5 secs to spare I get flashed by the oncoming driver - I haven't made him slow down, brake, or change his path at all but he'll flash me anyway for being a bike and overtaking safely. I'm used to that. But now, the fecker I'm overtaking has started flashing me after I've gone past! What is that all about? The first time I stopped to see what it was on the bike he'd spotted that was wrong. Again, is it just jealousy?

Regarding the blocking, seems to be part of the 'noone can get ahead of me' mentality that pervades life here - whether getting on to busses/trains or driving on the roads. Seems particularly bad in ZH ... I suspect it's a case of people venting their stress. They have to be on best behaviour 90% of the time in front of their peers at work or socially, so they act like total dickheads on the road to compensate.

Overtaking - there seems to be a lot less overtaking on the regular roads here compared to the UK. A mate told me about a Swiss friend of his who once threw a wobbly (as a passenger) when he overtook another car. Apparently the guy thought that overtaking was inconsiderate and disrespectful or something. Might just have been a personal gripe but it could be a more widespread attitude.

I know that I have been flashed on a couple of occasions when I have overtaken (perfectly safely) another car. On both those occasions the other car was doing about 70kph in an 80kph limit limit. Both times the driver then sped up and attempted to tailgate me. Both times I just zoomed off and left them far behind me. Just another little examples of petty-minded behaviour here I guess.


Gav

I was talking with a Swiss guy the other day about pettiness. He said something to me which made me think about the whole situation in a different way. I know it's a pretty simple thing, but sometimes something just comes along and makes sense in a way that it didn't before. Anyway, what he told me was this:

"A Swiss always has this feeling that someone is trying to take something away from him, and he must constantly defend whatever it is that he feels is being taken from him".

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense, and I was able to use it to explain quite a few situations I'd encountered. I have noticed a deep-rooted sense of insecurity on quite a few levels, and maybe this is the key to it all.

Gav, I know what you mean about the light flashing thing - I often get flashed and I have no idea why. Sometimes the only explanation I can make is that the guy meant to wash his windscreen and pulled the wrong control!

Being both a motorbike rider and avid cyclist, at least on a motorbike you can power your way out of trouble (and frustration).

I have found the most frustration with riding my racing bicycle. I really enjoy it....when the roads are empty. But put other cars in the picture and the nightmare starts.

Firstly, you average CH cyclist rides around on a city bicycle at ca. 15-20km/h. Therefore, most CH motorists thinks all bikes travel that slow. Every single time I am on my racer someone cuts me off from a side street and look at me in amazement when I pull up beside them give them some body language they are sure to understand. And at least 1 in every 10 rides, someone overtakes me only to cut me off turning right into the next street or driveway, again not estimating my 40km/h speed, instead assuming the CH standard 20km/h.

And what really bakes my cake....

Coming down my favourite 12-18% gradient hill towards home (its no freebie...I earn it by riding up this at the start of my ride) I like to wind it out in 53-11. Speeds of up to 80km/h, perfectly legal. But there is more often than not some clown in a car doing 50. No problem, a few straights where I can legally overtake. But of course, as soon as I make my move they speed up then its not possible. And on the bottom corners where I can't overtake...you guessed it...they are back down to 40 or 50. And the ones who do let me overtake look at me with bewilderment.

That makes a lot of sense. Despite the outwardly slow pace of life here, there is the constant feeling of being in a 'rat race'. When driving, shopping, doing everyday stuff - everyone seems to be trying to compete with you.

It makes for a lot of 'background' stress. I notice it a lot when I come back from abroad. In your everyday life you just KNOW that no-one will cut you any slack or show you any understanding, so you're constantly 'on guard' lest someone get one up on you.

A real shame I think as many other things about society here are well sorted.


Gav

wingmirrors can be "adjusted" when someone "closes" the door...
Progressive filtering I believe is a right earned by me when I have to ride through the *other* weathers....

If you want to be nice and warm, sit in line in your cage - I've got better things to do than sit in line relying on my waterproofs and heated grips

Just a little update:

Waving in a friendly manner after nearly killing me on a roundabout this morning DID NOT make it alright .

This time I have the number and will make a complaint - let's see what happens.........

Report him, I always regretted not to report the absolute &*$% that nearly cut us up on the M6 whilst chatting with his mates at the back of the car, something you obviously do on a motorway...

Some spectacular psycho-babble above, some of you ought to try the M60 at rush hour

I was nearly wiped out this morning 100m from the house, came down to a + junction in a 30 zone where entry from the right has priority.

Just as I was about to enter the junction and turn a Subaru Forester came across the junction from my left at around 60, driver had a shocked look on her face when she realised she nearly drove through me and waved her hand as if that makes everything ok.

I can understand some of the attitude to motorbikers that drivers have because it seems as though around 10% of people who ride motorbikes are idiots who don't care about their safety or the safety of others around them (yes I know the same applies to car drivers).

Here's a list of the things that get me. Again, I know that the list is mostly also applicable to cars but today we're talking about bikes!

• Tailgating. 10 cm is not a suitable distance from my bumper to ride.
• Ignoring speed limits. They apply to you as well (also when overtaking)
• Overtaking. Yes I know that your bike can accelarate quickly and it probably won't be you who gets injured, it will be the car drivers who took evasive action or braked.
• Weaving all over the road. You're not in a race and you don't need to keep your tyres warm.
• Missing silencers (i'm not allowed to mow my lawn on a Sunday so why are you allowed to ride up and down my road 10 times on your Harley deafening everyone around)
• Leathers.
• The silly waving thing. Surely you get tired of that after a while?

Anyway, feel free to flame me but I think that everyone could agree that there are quite a few bikers out there who do drive in a dangerous and irresponsible manner and that's probably the reason why so many car drivers have such a negative attitude to them (despite the fact that the are a lovely bunch really).

There's also a degree of jealousy because they look like they're having too much fun!

now this I heartily agree with .... not so much the Harleys, but the hairdryers all the kids beetle around in with no silencers ... grr

Because Harleys are a religion and riding them on a Sunday is a form of religious observance and expression.

dave

Agree totally, in the same class as kids on R1's in T shirt and shorts.
Bollocks . Hey, you aren't one of those feckers that flashes me after I've passed you?

Generally, there's no need to do either - this reaction is normally just a misunderstanding of how a bike can behave (or not) on the road.
Actually, many riders do this on occasion to maintain the adehesive nature of the complete tyre, nothing to do with temperature. It helps to avoid flat spots which can kiss off a 200 CHF tyre in 1000K.

I don't understand this either - it reduces the power output but then, Harley riders don't care about that.

- T shirts and shorts?
We are a sociable lot (excluding Harley riders and most BMW riders who are too much up their own arses).

Thanks ........

lol great reply sb.

Funny reply SB but maybe you missed my point. I certainly wouldn't accuse any EF'er of being a "bad biker" but my point is that there are a lot of badly behaved bikers out there. If you add a sunny weekend day and a nice mountain pass or Schwarzwald road into that equation then the number of idiots increases further and can lead people to make generalisations and stereotypes and perhaps explain some of the behavior that you observed.

You want a bike, don't you. Go on, you know you do .

Seriously though, you'll notice around the EF I'm a big advocate of advanced bike training and the UK cops Defensive Riding Technique. I don't ride like an idiot (much ) but still get challenged every day by idiot car drivers. Don't even get me started on scooters .

anyone can be an idiot, they actually don't need a bike.

I have to say I've become a manic lane one-user. The rate race home on an evening usually has Audiman in lane two with his buddies - and knowing that he would not let anyone in himself, he refuses to pull over with that fear in his mind.

Cue the fast lane doing 110kph or so and the slow lane being mostly empty. An easy, progressive filter to the next obstacle is usually needed

There is nothing wrong with speeding safely. This really means national roads and motorways and not past the local school

I've even had someone honk me for filtering. I took time out of my day to confirm this - and point out his lane-change without indication 1 minute earlier. The moral high ground crumbled around him

On my bike ride few days ago I almost ejaculated when I saw a group of 5+ Ducati 999s all with Xerox superbike paint job. The beautiful music coming from the engine was just too much for me!

For those who don't know what the bike looks like-
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photos...box_300dpi.jpg