This video of a Volvo driver blasting through a rider’s buffer zone to undertake traffic on a multi-lane road is a good example of how frustrated motorists are a danger to riders.
Canberra rider Alistaire was riding home on his 2018 Yamaha MT-07, on Gungahlin Drive, when the incident happened.
The video shows he is doing a responsible and cautious job of owning his lane yet leaving a buffer from the right lane, keeping a safe distance from vehicles in front and frequently checking his mirrors.
But no amount of defensive riding could have prepared him for the Volvo driver’s tailgating and dangerous undertaking manoeuvre.
It was probably caused by the driver’s frustration with discourteous right-lane traffic that didn’t move to the left.
Volvo incident
“The Volvo came up very fast in the right lane behind the red hatchback,” Alistaire says.
“The right lane started to slow down and then he came in behind me quite close as seen in the rear vision mirror.
“We were in an 80km/h zone in traffic but it was flowing quite well.
“I slowed after the Volvo came in behind me because the red hatchback also put their indicator on to merge but I guess I was too close for them to do so.
“The Volvo dropped back a little and came past in the right hand lane when there was a gap but he left it a bit late in my opinion and had to cut in front of me very close.
“I didn’t see any indicator on the Volvo when he passed and actually thought he would stay in the right lane because the gap between myself and the green car was closing as the traffic sped back up to 80km/h.”
Alistaire’s YamahaAlistaire was lucky he was not knocked off the road.
The dangerous passing manoeuvre was to no avail, anyway, as Alistaire caught up with the Volvo at the next set of red lights.
It could have escalated into road rage, but Alistaire kept a cool head.
“We exchanged some dirty looks, but nothing else,” he says.
“I thought his driving was really aggressive, especially considering the time of day and traffic flow.”
Cautious rider
Alistaire says he is “a little hesitant” on a motorbike these days as he wrote off his 2014 Ducati Monster 659 in November and needed surgery on a badly broken wrist.
“So I tend to stick to the left lane and keep a decent gap to the vehicle in front,” he says.
“I am not saying I am a perfect rider but his driving was unnecessary and dangerous.”