Does anyone else get pi**ed off having to squeeze past huge Range Rovers, Shoguns, Porsche Cayennes, other large SUV’s etc when filtering through heavy London traffic? The extra width of these things makes getting through the traffic more of a pain than it has to be. When I see a 4 wheel drive hogging all the available space it comes across as a big metal F*ck you to the rest of us and winds me up. I always make a point of getting past these things - however narrow the gap - I can usually just make out the expression on their faces behind the tinted windows as they imagine my dirty motorbike scratching their paintwork. if the gaps extra tight I 'll shoulder barge the wing mirror as well.:Whistling:
Sorry, don’t agree. The 4x4s I encounter on the A12 are usually pretty switched on to having a bike behind them and letting us past. What really pisses me off is the big saloons that sit way out of line with the rest of the cages in a lane and block off the filtering space. They nearly always seem to be BMWs, Mercs or Jags and they don’t move out of the way…
Im with you on the feckin’ SUV’s or 4 by 4s as we call them over here.
Range Rovers seem to be the worst, traveling down the A3, they take up the full amount of the lane and then some more. It all depends on how much you want to get past them.
A good trick I was told and use was always filter through when the cars are next to each other. This way the cars will not suddenly change lane when there is an undertaking option. Not that any of us would undertake cars sitting in the outside lane whilst the 1 and 2 are free, would we! 
they have just as much right to be on the road mate.
if ya cant get passed then wait, just because they have a nice 4x4 with tinted windows dont give you the right to barge your way past
Iteresting. Went on a site visit with a sales rep. in his baby Jag today.
I, as a passenger, was aware of the guy on the sportsbike behind us, rep. wasn’t till I said something to him.
Watched his driving after that and, as far as I could tell, he didn’t use his mirrors once in the next couple of miles except for the right turn into thr site.
On the journey back I think he only used his mirrors for parking. I’d have done that and turned to look, but ho hum… Perhaps he’s more skilled than me.
Now I know what I’m up against.
Too be fair, I’ve got to agree with Mad-Dog - they do have the right to be there and the fact that they are bigger than the average car is taken into account when they pay road tax… in fact, in london, they could argue that they have more right of way than a motorcyclist, because they pay a charge to get into london too!
what i would say is that i do think they can be a bit big for some of london’s roads, but they pay road tax and the c-charge so what can you do?
No point getting worked up over it, just wait for a car to edge forward and then make progress - I find that where possible, most people ive encountered are fairly sound about moving out of the middle of the lanes to create a bit of space for bikes, not everyone mind, there are some turds who intentionally block the space, but thats their choice, cant force them to allow us to filter past them…
Chiiiiiiiiiil Winston! Just enjoy the ride! 
Im not a great lover of 4x4s in London as i think they are a waste of money but thats my view on it. But if people like them its up to them to have one.
Agree with Mad Dog , they have the right as anyone else. As Oldman says its down to teaching people to use their mirrors again. I have to sit next to customers on demo drives and trust me the standard of driving about is shocking. Its worse for me as these people have a license and passed their test so assume they are competant. Driving instructors are better off as they know their students can’t drive and they have big signs all over their car.
Take your time in filtering its an art form and gets better the more you do it. You will always get past them eventually just don’t take too many risks. P!ss them off and they are likely to bump you and you will be the one on the deck.
Take it easy out there.
Nice range of opinion chaps. Just don’t get me started on middle lane hoggers!
They may have every right to drive their Range Rover Sports or whatever, but surely it is right to question the sense in using such over-sized vehicles (especially for single occupancy and particularly in the hands of women) on the congested streets of our capital.
Chill Pills - take the whole bottle. They have a right to be on the road if taxed, insured and MOT’d (well if older than 3 years anyhow). Just filter past as and when it is safe to do so, why bother with getting agro for no other reason than that you appear to be very jealous that they have a big 4x4…
that may be true but are sportsbikes or any big bike sensible in teh city? no…so we should all ride scooters then should we?
no…
i agree qwith Pj,Dhofty, and kml, they have as much right to be there as you and me, so chill and wait to get past, i dont get all this aggresive filtering, chill man!
they may have the right to own them still doesnt make it right ?
You lot need to come through Hampstead every morning where its like a 4X4 rally and obviously these owners are different to the ones you encounter as they are generally driven with no regard for other road users, park where they like and have almost no spatial awareness. In addition if you get hit by a 4X4 at 30mph you are 6 times more likely to die than if you get by by a mid sized car.
enjoy !
My CBR600 is perfect for my daily commute through London. 
Hardly jealousy mate - I ride a bike because I love them - If I wanted a 4x4 I would be in one - but I love to be on a bike probably for the same reasons that you do - if I ever need to tow a load of heavy gear up a muddy mountain track then i’ll get a 4x4 (and people that use them for their proper purpose have my full support). I’m going to be honest now and am happy to be shot down in flames and am happy to be proved wrong and will take it on the chin with a sense of humour etc. but debate is healthy so here goes - I guess if you want to get to the root of this it stems from a deeper sense of frustration regarding the tone of society - for me these things just seem aggressive and arrogant - it’s probably more about ‘what they say’ than what they do - for me what they say is ‘might is right and f**k the rest of you’ - the more observant among you may have noticed that this kind of thinking has become popular at governmental levels both here and across the atlantic. For me it’s ultimately about the bigger picture. Respect to London Bikers and anyone that disagrees - after all - open discussion is healthy!
I used to drive 4x4’s in South Africa, dirt roads and what not. Not for driving in the city in my books, but I don’t get worked up about it. All comes down to just making progress past them when safe to do so, but yes, they do drive like blind twats!
In answer to the original question yes you can add me to the list of people pissed off by them (and what they stand for)
It seems that mostly the people who don’t think 4x4s are a problem on the road are 4x4 drivers or lets say wannabes.
So, I still agree that these 4x4 drivers are mainly arrogant ‘might is right drivers’.
I am talking about central London, dual carriage way outside lane hogging drivers, NOT SA or any other dirt loving non city area drivers where it is extremely useful to have such a vehicle.
I have a sports bike and a scooter too. Both are good for the city.
Fair point, and too be honest, I’d need to think about my comments about the current state of society, I dont want to get onto my soap box! but i think you have a fair point about the “f**k everyone mentality” that unfortunately so many people have in london, the UK, the world…have.
I don’t own an SUV, have never owned an SUV and will never own an SUV. I think from an environmental perspective they are rediculous, and I wouldnt own one on that basis. I do agree that in London they are a bit pointless and I also agree with you sid that they are nothing more than status symbols, lets be honest, some of those SUV’s wouldnt know an off-road track if it hit them…
but at the same time, someone has paid £60,000 for his top of the range, range rover sport, has paid all of the necessary gov’t taxes and levees, so what do you do? lobby to stop the production of these vehicles? ban them in london? charge them £30 a day to come into london?
Moving this onto a bit of a tangent - what are peoples opinions of the C-Charge? The current level, the proposed level, the expansion into K&C?
Chelsea Chariots have the same right to be on the road that the rest of us do?! Hang on. From my own experience, they tend to have absolutely no clue as to their vehicle’s dimensions or road position - which would be dangerous enough itself if it weren’t coupled with the fact that their big arses and tinted windows make it virtually impossible to see any of the road in front. I know vans cause this problem, too - but they have a reason to be driving the vehicle they are !
As well as this, they churn up the roads more than the rest of us do resulting in more frequent road-works, have chest-crushingly high radiator grilles for the benefit of anyone (especially smaller people i.e. women and children) unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a collision, weigh several tons, which is bad for the environment but worse for other drivers/riders in the event of an accident and, of course, are frequently driven by people who have thirty grand to spend on a car (or frequently a husband with thirty grand to spend on a car) but wouldn’t know how to judge their own width/position/speed if you tattooed it onto the inside of their eyelids.
I don’t think a slightly greater road tax - which every single person in a modern SUV (SubUrban Vehicle?) can afford to pay out of their back pocket - really makes up for all that!
(Prejudiced? Me?)