On a motorcycle DRIVING TEST can you do the following?

Question

Drive down the edge of a line of moving and/or stationary traffic?
Undertake, either on dual carraigeway, motorway, roundabout,
Overtake on hashed marked areas.
Sit in the blindspot of other vehicles.
Cross double white line road systems.
Roll over the STOP line at traffic lights just to be ahead.

Personally i think NONE of these are regular driving practices that instructors would teach in their lessons.

I have always wondered WHY do motorcyclists do these things so often?

Any ideas?

Answer 1

You are obviously making a point about motorcyclists. I would say that as long as the manoeuvre is not illegal, like crossing double white lines there is no reason why they should not do these things.
The same question could be asked about car drivers. On the test are they able to turn left or right without signals, can they sit at light with their foot on the brake thereby dazzling the driver behind with the stop light, especially in wet weather. Are they allowed to use their mobile phones on a test. I could go on but you would soon get bored. Have a great weekend.

Answer 2

You are obviously a car driver. You seem to have a problem with other road users. As a car and motorcycle user for over 15 years and without an accident using either, I would like to say that the test for the motorcycle licence was far more comprehensive. The car test was merely about getting a license whereas the motorcycle test was more about riding on the road. On a motorcycle you're more exposed to the dangers of other traffic and are taught to be aware of your surroundings. It was an eye opener for me to see how oblivious to other traffic most car drivers are (once I had begun to ride).
As for your points;
1- Riding down the edge of moving or stationary traffic is not illegal and I have done this past police vehicles without a problem.
2- Undertaking, yes this is illegal but then is not keeping left on a road. Which many cars now seem to do.
3- Overtaking on Hashed marked areas, these are called box junctions and should not be entered into unless the area after the box junction is clear. So therefore if you are being overtaken in these areas the you are in the wrong as you should not be there in the first place. The bike will probably be able to filter safely (see point 1)
4- Sitting in blind spots; As with all other road users it is up to the individual driver/rider to know what is around them. This is why rearvision and side mirrors are compulsory by law. Also when you took your test did the instructor tell you to look before you moved; as in look, signal, manouver. The stick net to the driving wheel that operates the flashing lights either side of the car, front and back, usually known as the indicators should be used for this purpose. This is also another legal requirement which all to often is ingnored these days.
5- Crossing double white lines; this is, except in unusual circumstances, ILLEGAL by any road user.
6- Roll over the STOP line at taffic lights; This also is illegal. there are however in some cities of this country, areas located in front of many traffic lights that is reserved for cyclists of all types which cars are not meant to enter. Which unfortunately does not regulaly happen. these areas can be recognised by the ususally differnet coulouring of the asphalt and a bike image depicted on the ground.
So in conclusion Yes some of your points are true but then as I would not like to tar all motorists with thre same brush I hope that you would do motorcyclist the same courtesy.
If you disbelieve me try riding a moped or motorcycle and see. Like they say if you can't beat them join them

Answer 3

1. Drive down the edge of a line of moving and/or stationary traffic?

If this is done safely, I would think it would be allowed

2. Undertake, either on dual carraigeway, motorway, roundabout,

Undertaking in this sense is against the law so would not be permitted. This is different to holding your lane where the outside lane is moving more slowly than you are. This is permitted.

3. Overtake on hashed marked areas.

If the hashed area is surrounded by a solid line then this is not allowed as you are only allowed to enter this area if directed to do so or in an emergency. If it is a broken white line, you are allowed to do this in order to complete a manoeuver if it is safe to do so.

4. Sit in the blindspot of other vehicles.

I would suggest this wouldn't be allowed because it is an unsafe practice

5. Cross double white line road systems.

Only if overtaking a slow moving road maintenance vehicle or cycle doing less than 12mph. Otherwise contrary to Highway Code

6. Roll over the STOP line at traffic lights just to be ahead.

Not allowed as it is contrary to Highway Code

Answer 4

You may not drive down the edge of a line of traffic unless you are overtaking (on the right in UK, of course) and even then you must give sufficient space - at least 1 yard between you and the vehicle you are overtaking is a good idea.
Overtaking on the left is generally only allowed in a traffic jam where the traffic on the other lane is stopped or only going marginally slower. On a roundabout you may 'undertake' if you are leaving at the next exit and the car/lorry/bus is continuing around the roundabout.
You may not overtake on hashed marked areas.
There is no law to say you may not sit in the blind spot of another vehicle - however there is something called common sense.
You may not cross double white lines, whether on a one-way system or on a normal two-way road.
You must stop at the white line at traffic lights.
Motorcyclists do not follow these laws because they are mainly in a world of their own. I once had an accident where a biker drove into the back of me and then started shouting at the police who just (luckily) happened to be in the nearside lane next to me. The biker insisted that it was my fault because I should not have stopped at the end of the queue but done what he wanted to do and squeeze between the two lanes of traffic. I was on a motorbike at the time. We are not all brain dead but a lot of bikers unfortunately are. My apologies for them. Oh, by the way, he was fined and received points on his licence. The motorbike I was on, incidentally, was property of the Dorset Police force, of which I was a member of at the time.

Answer 5

They are not on a test and half of these maneuvers will not be a problem to anyone. Have you not noticed how many none motorcycling motorists drive in an appallingly dangerous manner? Eg: crossing the red light, even when they have time to stop, tailgating, cutting in and out of traffic to get ahead, forcing other motorists out of their lane, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, performing U turns on busy roads.
While negotiating a small roundabout recently (I was already halfway across),when another motorist drove onto it at speed, just missed my rear end, and actually sounded their horn! I would not rate motorcyclists as the most dangerous road users, though some will ride at excessive speed, the speed bit is common to all groups of motorists, the only difference being the size of the vehicle.

Answer 6

You are allowed to overtake slow/stationary traffic as long as you do it safely without obstructing other traffic and do not exceed the speed limit.
You are not allowed to undertake anywhere, unless you are in the left lane and the right hand lane is backed up.
You cannot overtake on hashed marked areas.
You should not sit in the blind spot of other vehicles-you can fail your test for this.
You cannot cross double white lines.
You cannot roll over the stop lines at traffic lights.
Not only will you fail your test for most of these, they are also illeagal and most motorcyclists do not do these things (and pass/keep their licences for more than a few months!)

Answer 7

Motor bikers aren't goody two shoes, I agree. I am keen to become a biker myself, progressing from a 'pushbike' to a 125cc learner bike and on to a 600cc tourer. As a cyclist and learner biker I'd like to add my two pence.

While bikers are too often at fault, speeding and otherwise endangering themselves - car drivers are more numerous and when they make mistakes they endanger others more than themselves. I believe any biker not riding defensively is a daft airse, but any aggressive driving in cars is ptentially more harmful and no doubt more stupid. If the stupidest of biker and and driver both speed towards a zebra crossing at 90 mph, who do think will kill the most people potentially..

Also, do automobile driving tests encompass night driving, how to deal with bus lanes and bike paths, how to safely tie something to the roof, how to not go from 60 mph to 40 mph in a second you change into 5th gear.. And such? I am sure it does encompass not parking against double yellow lines (UK) or within 10 meteres of a crossing, or on a bus lane - but this doesn't seem to bother new or old drivers either. Motorcyclists at least have machines that accelerate faster, squeeze through easier, are less likely to block roads and cause traffic jams, and less likely to kill pedestrians. If your point is that driving tests should be more difficult - then aye - but don't single out the bikers.

Answer 8

You are allowed to filter through stationary or slow moving traffic.
If you are being undertaken then you are going too slow to be in the outside lane
You can overtake as long as the line is broken

The others you mention are dangerous and the bikers are idiots although I would have to say that in the situation at traffic lights it is really annoying when cars try to race you, the car is never going to win and to try to race you is just dangerous.

These are no ttaught on the motorcycle test because the 125cc bikes used in the test are not suitable for those manouvers.

Answer 9

what you car drivers see as dangerous has actually been planned. when riding you are looking further down the road then any car driver will consider looking let alone planning a overtake or filter.
i ride a 183 bhp sports bike i sit over the whiteline at lights by about a foot so i give the cars either side of me room and so they know they wont hit me as i will be gone before they are in 2nd gear. i have power and i use it to my advantage just like the guy in the farrari does but you think he is cool.
BTW ive done a bikesafe and the copper who took me out was a escort pursuit rider so his good and he said he could not fault my riding so how do you think your driving will compare. chevrons in the road can be crossed unless there solid just incase you dont like that either.


so squeezie are you saying bikers are stupid. i dont make you very bright either as you dont do a bike driving test. you ride a bike not drive it you moron. btw i can name more bikers with brains then car drivers that i know. infact one of them helped invent the viagra pil.

Answer 10

What have you got against motor-cyclists?

You can tell that you're a car driver by the comment 'Sit in the blind spot of other vehicles'. How is any one supposed to tell if you are in someone else's blind spot!! Being aware of the vehicles around you is EVERY drivers' responsibility.

Apart from the comment about the Double White Line system and possibly undertaking, I would suggest that the remainder of your comments are borne of frustration with the congestion efficient cycles....