Riders ‘strike fear’ into motorists

Next time you pull behind a car, spare a thought for the poor driver. According to a new nationwide survey conducted by Bennetts the insurers, a third of all motorists are intimidated by riders.

Respondents cited the anonymity afforded by leathers and lids as the biggest cause for their upset.

Pensioners are the social group most likely to be put unnerved by a biker when they’re behind the wheel, 40 percent of the over-65s admitting they feel menaced.

Women are slightly more worried than men, with 32 per cent of respondents confessing to alarm when they see a bike in their mirrors.

There are regional differences, too. Drivers in the East Midlands are the least concerned 17 per cent of them recording some unease, while their counterparts in the North West go down as Britain’s wimps with 37 per cent.

And a whopping 69 per cent of drivers surveyed confessed it adversely affected their normal driving habits when a bike is behind or beside them.

To combat these prejudices Bennetts has produced a guide to better driving and bike awareness. If you know someone who needs a copy of ” Think Ahead! ” , send an SAE with 41p postage to: Think Ahead! Catapult PR, 19a-20a Marsh Mill Village, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs FY5 4JZ.

What do you reckon? Do riders really terrify drivers? Do you ever ride to intimidate? What could we do to appear less intimidating? Click on the link on the right to leave your comments.