07-18-2019, 11:52 AM
I can see what could have happened in that video, based on having seen it happen too many times. If someone is splitting at a speed they are comfortable with, and another splitting bike comes up from behind, the lead rider has two choices - either continue at his speed, wait for a large enough gap between cars to duck in and let the faster bike pass, or start to move faster so as not to upset the bike behind him, thereby splitting lanes at a speed that he is probably uncomfortable with, and will lead to him making a bad judgement call, such as clipping a mirror or glancing off of a car if the gap is too narrow.
Watching the video, the camera bike had three splitters behind him, and he moves to an open space to the right, and the three faster bikes move past him. Pretty much what I'd do in that situation.
The bagger was following the middle bike, and that bike may have made a bad judgement call due to going faster than he was comfortable with that bike behind him. The gap between the red and blue cars was pretty narrow.
I've ridden up on the scenario pictured in the video. I've also come across a situation where the following rider has become impatient, and has tried to swing around the slower bike on the left during a gap, which can lead to problems as well.
I glance in my mirror every ten seconds or so while splitting to watch for faster riders, as I'm very conservative in my splitting speed. As the rider approaches, I'll drop into a gap between cars and let that guy speed past. This gets him off my tail, and provides a rider in front of me to help part the way between cars - I'll have a wider gap to ride in thanks to him, and he will have put drivers in front of me on a higher sense of alert.
And, if his wads himself up a mile up the road, I can stop and help him when I get there.
Watching the video, the camera bike had three splitters behind him, and he moves to an open space to the right, and the three faster bikes move past him. Pretty much what I'd do in that situation.
The bagger was following the middle bike, and that bike may have made a bad judgement call due to going faster than he was comfortable with that bike behind him. The gap between the red and blue cars was pretty narrow.
I've ridden up on the scenario pictured in the video. I've also come across a situation where the following rider has become impatient, and has tried to swing around the slower bike on the left during a gap, which can lead to problems as well.
I glance in my mirror every ten seconds or so while splitting to watch for faster riders, as I'm very conservative in my splitting speed. As the rider approaches, I'll drop into a gap between cars and let that guy speed past. This gets him off my tail, and provides a rider in front of me to help part the way between cars - I'll have a wider gap to ride in thanks to him, and he will have put drivers in front of me on a higher sense of alert.
And, if his wads himself up a mile up the road, I can stop and help him when I get there.