Questionable maneuvers
These maneuvers depend on the situation for safety and acceptability; some violate Russian traffic rules. Weigh the benefit, new risks, and exit before attempting one.
Why a maneuver may be questionable
A maneuver may improve your view or give you more room while also violating Russian traffic rules or creating another hazard. Assess both outcomes: what you gain and what risks you face in the new position.
Basic skills come first
This kind of maneuver requires you to confidently assess the situation, brake, and control the motorcycle. If you have to think about where to look or how to apply the brake while carrying it out, less attention is left for watching traffic.
Look for a specific benefit
- more open space around you
- a better view of the road and nearby vehicles
- more time to react
- a direction chosen in advance for moving away if needed
Speed is not a goal in itself
If the maneuver merely puts you further ahead while space remains tight and your view has not improved, it offers very little.
Each technique has its own conditions
Filtering, stop-line positioning, and road position are covered in separate topics. For any maneuver, ask why you need it, where you will finish, and what you will do if the situation changes.
Know where you will finish the maneuver
Before starting, decide where you will finish and where you will rejoin traffic. If there is nowhere ahead to merge back in, do not continue the maneuver.
Choose an alternative in advance
Decide what you will do if your intended space is taken: stay in your lane, let a car move ahead, or choose another gap.
Check what could enter your path
A car could pull out of a driveway or parking area, a pedestrian could appear between vehicles, or a neighboring driver could start turning. A truck or bus can hide all of them from view. The poorer the visibility, the sooner you should abandon the maneuver.
Do not rely on everyone behaving perfectly
If the maneuver works only when everyone keeps moving exactly as they are now, there is too little margin. Do not start if another road user's unexpected action would immediately leave you without a way out.
An unexpected position calls for a smaller speed difference
The less other road users expect to see a motorcycle in that position, and the poorer the visibility, the smaller your speed difference should be. Keep the difference low enough to brake or move aside in time if necessary.
Consider your road speed too
With the same speed difference relative to traffic, a motorcycle traveling at 100 km/h covers more meters during the rider's reaction time than one traveling at 30 km/h. Consider both the speed difference and the speedometer reading.
Reduce the speed difference before space becomes tight
Lose excess speed as soon as you see the space between cars shrinking or your view ahead worsening. Do not wait until hardly any room remains.
More uncertainty means less speed
If a bus, a bend, or a dense row of cars hides part of your path, slow enough to react to something emerging from behind the obstruction.
Your speed after the maneuver
After passing a vehicle or riding between lanes, compare your speed with that of the cars ahead. The pace you needed to pass may be too fast for following the next car.
Do not linger in a hazardous position
Leaving one blind spot does not help if you immediately find yourself beside a bus, curb, or entrance with a restricted view. That position is no safer.
Reassess after a few seconds
Traffic changes constantly. After completing the maneuver, reassess the situation: who has moved closer, where the view has become blocked, and whether your escape route remains clear.
Why did the maneuver not help?
If space is still tight or the road remains hard to see afterward, work out what you missed: the next group of cars, an occupied gap, or a narrowing road. In a similar situation, that review can help you decide earlier whether changing position is worthwhile.