When it comes to motorcycles, passenger car drivers have plenty of complaints. From the sound, how they share the road, and the stigma of how they drive. There’s no doubt about it, your everyday driver likely has a little bit of an aversion to motorcyclists. But, there a few common complaints bikers have for you too…
Common Complaints Bikers Have for Passenger Vehicle Drivers
Driver’s Who Don’t Use Their Turn Signals
One of the most common biker complaints is when driver’s don’t use their turn signals. By using your signals, you give a rider behind your or turning in front of you a heads up. Without it, they must gauge whether you are slowing down or not. Or the only warning they get, is when your brake lights come on right before you stop. This is especially dangerous for bikers because stopping on a dime can be quite difficult— much more difficult than for a passenger vehicle.
Poor Road Conditions
Another cause for biker complaints comes from poor road conditions. As you know when driving in your car, hitting a huge pothole is not fun. For larger vehicles, they can cause some alignment issues and may just be uncomfortable. Now, imagine hitting one on a motorcycle. First, they can be even more uncomfortable and can cause cosmetic and actual damage to your bike. But much more, they are dangerous for bikers. Any type of holes and debris can do a number on motorcycles. Therefore, poor road conditions can pose a huge threat to bikers.
Wiper Fluid Hits Them In the Face
Have you ever been traveling down the road and you have a huge bug hits your windshield. Rather than riding down the road with his guts in plain view, you spray your windshield and have the wipers take care of it. But as you get your window clean, a biker receives a nice wash down from all the fluid that you just washed off. As you can imagine, having a mysterious fluid whip you in the face randomly, is not a fun feeling. Likewise, a leftover cigarette butt that’s flies from the driver’s window and into your face isn’t fun either. These can act as distractions, and make it difficult for the biker to focus in on the road.
Squeezing Them Out
Finally, possibly the most important of common complaints bikers have is that drivers squeeze them out. For the most part, bikers should be making calculated moves when driving through traffic. If they weave through traffic or a stopped intersection, it’s normally for a safer purpose. So when you see them making these moves, and you move over to block them out, it’s frustrating. Yes, bikes are smaller. Yes, they can fit in spaces your vehicle will not be able to fit in. So allow them to do so, and avoid blocking them out. You never know what they’re seeing that you’re not.
These complaints may not mean a lot to car drivers, but bikers are drivers too; they are members of the road as well. So, cooperate. No driver is perfect, and they will make mistakes. But, part of being a good driver means making adjustments and being observant of other members of the roadway. So, drive safe, drive smart, and watch out for motorcyclists.