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The Lurker, the Drifter and the Trimmer

Three bike riders/car drivers to be alert for. Yes, bikers are just as guilty of these thoughtless bits of riding as car drivers!

The Lurker finds places to hide, concealed spots from which he can leap out and surprise you. If there's a truck coming the other way is there a lurker behind it? He'll be right up the exhaust pipe and pop out from behind in your face - move away and gain some space and a better view. What about that side turning? He'll sit back in the entrance where you can't see him and lunge forward at the last moment - get yourself away, give yourself clearance. Blind spot ahead on a windy road? The Lurker will hug the hedge and appear when you least expect it!

The Drifter expects you to devine his intentions by telepathy. On a multiple lane road, he'll change lanes by sliding slowly from one to the other, oblivious of traffic, no looks, no signals. Place yourself so you are staggered in lanes, and not alongside another vehicle, and keep an eye on those cars in adjacent lanes for movement, and don't for a moment assume he knows you're there. At a side road, he'll pull out in front of you ohhhh soooo slowly, turn in your direction and accumulate pace rather than accelerate. Back off, prepare to brake, see if you can pass safely, but be prepared to have to match your speed to his rather than assume the other way round. When the speed limit changes the Drifter won't change his - he won't accelerate moving to a higher limit, but nor will he brake moving to a lower - keep an eye on your mirrors if he's following you.

The Trimmer thinks that using a bit of your road to make life easier for himself is fine if it cuts down the effort he has to make to steer accurately. Watch for the Trimmer coming the other way on lefthanders, he'll cut across the central line - be prepared to tighten your own line and move left. He'll swing wide right to make a left turn easy when you're coming the other way. On multilane roads he'll cut across from your outside, knowing that you'll take evasive action - aim to sit in the gap rather than alongside if you can. On roundabouts, he'll take the short cut - clipping the island if he's in the left lane or the kerb on the left if he's in the right - don't dive up alongside on the brakes.