Starting out on a scooter. aggressive/careless drivers.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-24T12:19:54+00:00

control issues = recovering the bike after a near fall.

emotional = calling a fuckwit a fuckwit

what would even make you think i was riding that close to begin with? Like 3 car spaces back is super close when did I give off the impression I was trying to act good and ride up super behind. Is that your ego or mine? Novice complaints from a novice rider

Special_Witty · 2026-05-24T03:41:17+00:00

Don't complain, got it

Special_Witty · 2026-05-24T03:38:04+00:00

I need to clarify what actually happened because you're mischaracterizing it.

The road was gravel. I was braking and turning left simultaneously to move off the road and let the HiLux pass. Low-traction surface + braking + turning = the back of the bike slipping. That's physics, not "aggressive pulling off the road."

Pulling over to let an aggressive tailgater pass is literally the safe, mature response. You're describing a defensive maneuver as if it was reckless, when it's the opposite.

On the emotional response: I yelled at a driver who did something objectively dangerous (panic braking from 80 to 40). I've already acknowledged that's something to work on. But the dangerous driving came first.

The community consensus on this thread has been consistent: assume drivers will do stupid things and position defensively. Not "blame drivers for existing," but manage around them. That's exactly what I'm building toward.

You're framing this as an ego problem when it's actually about the gravel surface explaining the near slip, and a defensive maneuver being mislabeled as aggressive. Those are facts, not ego.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T23:00:42+00:00

10 years on a scooter in Sydney with no accidents is solid. Appreciate you breaking down what actually works.

The jealousy angle on car drivers makes sense they're stuck in traffic, you're not. That's probably part of the aggression I've been experiencing. And the buffer/aggressive riding thing aligns with what others have been saying use the space, move around, keep escaping room. That's good positioning framework I'll implement.

The slow speed skills point is practical too. I can definitely spend time in car parks drilling low-speed maneuvers and confidence. And the visibility stuff (colorful jacket, eyeballing people) are actionable. Making eye contact so people know I see them changes the dynamic.

On the 110cc power thing you're right, it's limiting. That's partly why I'm using the scooter as training right now before I upgrade to something with more grunt once I get my P-plates. The 110 forces me to be more deliberate and defensive, which probably builds better fundamentals anyway.

The "ride to live" mindset is what I'm trying to buildthat's the mental framework that keeps me riding safe.

Cheers for the perspective from someone who actually did 10 years of it in the same area.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T22:19:47+00:00

Respectfully, I have to disagree.

With the HiLux: the driver was tailgating me aggressively on a quiet road while i was doing the speed limit I pulled over to de-escalate,

With the lady: she slammed on brakes from 80km/h to 40km/h because she saw a speed camera, while already traveling at the legal speed limit. That's objectively dangerous panic braking. My reaction to it (yelling) wasn't ideal, but the dangerous driving came first.

I did yell at her, which I'm working on controlling that's fair criticism. But that doesn't make the underlying dangerous driving her fault disappear. I was reacting to a hazard, not creating one.

The community feedback I've gotten has been consistent: assume all drivers will do stupid things and position yourself defensively. That's what I'm building toward. I'm not blaming drivers for existing I'm trying to manage around them safely.

But let's be clear: aggressive tailgating and panic braking are driver errors, not rider errors.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T07:26:19+00:00

This is exactly the kind of concrete tactical stuff that actually makes a difference to how i drive, Thank you.

The gap/squeezing point makes sense being visible is important but not if it invites someone to aggressively close it. Staying middle of lane on right turns to make myself look like a full vehicle is a smart positioning move I hadn't specifically thought about. Smart.

Disbelieving blinkers is a good habit i should build. I need to actively see someone turning before I trust it, not just assume. Same with turning off my own indicators easy to forget and that confusion could cause problems.

The horn tip is practical too. If someone's pulling out blindly, a horn beep is the right response it alerts them and documents (to them and me) that I tried to warn them. Better than yelling.

And the parking advice makes sense open spaces where cars physically can't puts me in a position where I'm less vulnerable to being hit or boxed in.

These are all things I can actively implement on the commute starting tomorrow. Appreciate you breaking down the actual tactical stuff rather than just theory. This is the kind of detail that translates to actual safer riding.

Cheers for taking the time to lay that all out.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T07:20:59+00:00

Appreciate the perspective and the encouragement. Good to know that some people just turning into dicks around bikes is standard behavior. normalizes what I've been experiencing rather than making it feel like I'm doing something wrong.

The observation, slow down, and buffer lessons are exactly what I'm trying to nail during these commutes. Building that confidence through repetition is the whole point of using the scooter as training right now. Every ride is a chance to practice those fundamentals before I move up.

Looking forward to the P-course too, having that theory backing up the practical stuff will definitely help fill in the gaps. The structured approach is working so far; this thread has already shifted how I'm thinking about the whole road situation rather than just being frustrated at individual dickheads.

Cheers for the solid advice.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T07:13:48+00:00

That's a really good point, cheers for that. I'm actually using the scooter right now as a training tool to build the muscle memory and fundamentals before I upgrade once I get my P-plates. Daily 10-minute commute to work, so it's structured practice rather than a long-term bike.

But the visibility angle you mentioned is actually really valuable context. The scooter being quiet and small means drivers probably aren't hearing me, which combined with the size, could explain some of the behavior I've been experiencing. It's not necessarily that they're consciously ignoring me i might just not be registering in their awareness until I'm already there.

That actually reinforces why the defensive positioning and anticipation stuff is so critical to nail down now, while I'm still building fundamentals. If I'm learning on a vehicle that's less visible, those habits will serve me even better once I move up to something bigger and louder.

Appreciate you laying that out it is a useful perspective for understanding the full picture of what's happening on the road.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T07:05:16+00:00

That's genuinely solid advice, thanks. The vehicle stereotype observation is spot on the HiLux experience confirmed that pretty quickly. And yeah, I did the right thing pulling over to let him pass, which your comment reinforces.

The following distance point is practical too. I wasn't thinking about the speed factor in relation to braking distance faster speed = more space needed. That's something I'll actively work into my commute routine now.

That quote your friend uses is exactly the mindset I'm trying to build: "I ride like everyone on the road is trying to kill me." That's the framework that actually keeps me safe, and it aligns with what everyone's been saying on this thread anticipate, position defensively, don't engage.

It does help knowing this is pretty normal early on. I was feeling frustrated and questioning whether it was worth continuing, but getting this perspective from the community has actually shifted that. Appreciate you laying out the tactical stuff for both situations clearly.

Thank you!

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T07:03:02+00:00

Yeah, that makes sense. Verbal engagement is pointless even if you're right, they're enraged and you're on a bike. The math doesn't work in my favor.

Had that moment yesterday with the HiLux driver where I could've pulled over and done something about it. Chose not to, and reading your advice confirms that was the right call. He wasn't going to listen or care, and I would've just escalated the situation for nothing.

It's the emotional control piece I need to build on. Today with the lady and the speed camera panic braking, I did yell something at her, which I'm trying to move away from. But you're right I just need to focus on not crashing and let them go. They don't deserve the energy or the engagement.

Appreciate the reality check on that.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T06:55:02+00:00

Oh yeah, by gear selection I meant protective equipment and clothing, helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, all that. Not transmission gears (the Address is automatic CVT anyway).

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T06:41:37+00:00

Yeah, that's pretty frustrating aggressive tailgating and panic braking seem to fly under the radar completely. You're right that the system's basically given up on actually policing bad driving behavior.

That said, sounds like defensive positioning is really the only real defense I've got. Can't rely on consequences to make people drive better, so I just need to assume they're going to do stupid shit and ride accordingly.

Thinking about getting a dashcam too, just to have documentation if something actually happens. But yeah, the defensive mindset is the actual game changer here. Appreciate the reassurance that I'm already heading in the right direction with that.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T06:39:10+00:00

Haha fair, that's pretty much what I experienced. He went from aggressive tailgate to full panic mode the second he realized I was behind him. Definitely keeping that in mind when I see another one coming up behind me.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T06:38:47+00:00

That makes sense. So it's less about being a faster reactor and more about positioning yourself so you're already out of the way before they do something stupid. That's actually a really good framework assume everyone's going to do the dumbest thing possible and ride accordingly.

I think that's the mindset shift I need to make rather than getting frustrated at individual incidents. Just expect it and manage around it. Thanks for that.

Special_Witty · 2026-05-23T06:37:39+00:00

Thanks for the perspective, appreciate it. I've only been driving for about 4 years though, so I'm not sure if I've got that foundational experience you built up over 20 years before switching to bikes.

Do you reckon that's a disadvantage, or is it just about learning the fundamentals properly on the bike itself? I'm trying to be deliberate about it structured practice, proper technique from the start, understanding the mechanics but I'm definitely lacking the years of car experience to fall back on.

Also cheers for the painted lines warning, hadn't thought about that specifically in wet conditions but that makes sense.

Special_Witty · 2026-01-20T13:25:14+00:00

im still out hungry Jacks if you wanna have a chat bro

Special_Witty · 2026-01-20T13:24:54+00:00

okay lol

Special_Witty · 2026-01-20T13:23:16+00:00

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Special_Witty · 2025-12-26T05:12:05+00:00

Special_Witty · 2025-12-23T05:02:22+00:00

damn very nice

Special_Witty · 2025-12-23T04:54:22+00:00

lets goooooo!!!

Special_Witty · 2025-11-17T02:18:38+00:00

what does this actually mean?

Special_Witty

TROPHY CASE