I've got a bit of a gripe... perhaps some of the more experienced riders herein who know younger riders could pass it on, I like to think that it might help. I don't know what they teach in the CBT, it wasn't around when I used to ride bikes so I've never taken it. Surely though they must teach the kids / new riders that "deftly nipping up the inside through a narrow gap between a car and the kerb in moving urban traffic" is rather dangerous? On numerous occassions I've had these little scooter things that seem to be all the rage whizz by me on the passenger side of my car, this in for instance moving traffic along the South / North Circular between Kew Bridge and the Chiswick Roundabout (just one example). FFS there are a couple of left turns along there, drivers of all kinds of vehicles are jostling for position and bad / mistaken lane choices are a frequent occurence. IMO it's also true that the driver of a car or larger vehicle is less likely to properly check their mirrors when pulling off to the left from the left hand lane (yes I know it's wrong and they shouldn't do it but I'll bet that happens lots of times). Whilst I doubt for a second that we are the perfect gentleman car drivers I do believe that I and others like me (i.e. those that have ridden motorcycles) take an extra bit of care and are more "motorcycle aware" (for want of a better term) than those who have never ridden motorcycles. But these scooter drivers, and all motorcyclists really, though the scooterists seem to be the worst offenders, must IMO understand that nipping through like that up the inside in moving traffic is dangerous. £0.02 ZK - probably sounds like a right old codger now :-)
