Biker road rage

[CThunder-blue]

Have you have seen it, felt it, been a victim of it?

I saw something astonishing today. I was traveling in the carpool lane and see this guy on a touring bike or sport touring. I didn't quite see what it was, except that it had 2 muffler tips on each side ending in a V position on the tail. Anyways, I wave and pass him. I'm about 10 minutes down the road and this green sedan merges into the carpool lane in front of me. No problem since he was well ahead and no danger to me. The guy on the bike I passed comes by me and rides up next to the sedan. He hits the guy's side mirror pretty hard and sticks up his index finger. I'm guessing that the sedan didn't have the right to be in the carpool lane with only himself and no occupants.

I can't see that the driver might have done anything to the biker, but the biker was upset. I see people who shouldn't be in the carpool lane all the time, even people on their cell phones in the carpool lane by themselves. I don't get upset over it. They'll either get caught or they don't. I've never been upset enough to want to slap a driver's car tho.

A long time ago, I was driving with my wife and merged in front of a HD rider. I didn't see him and definitely would have heard him since he had open pipes. The only thing I can think of was that he was traveling much faster than the speed limit and came around the bend as I merged into his lane. As he rode by, he called me names and gave the 1 finger salute.

[wvninja]

People are usually pretty respectful of bikers around here. On back roads I'll even get the wave around to let us pass the car in front of us just so it doesn't mess up our pace. I also live in an area that if your broke down 5 people will go out of their way to stop and make sure your ok and people wave at you if they are out in their yard and you drive by (in a cage or bike) even if they have no clue who you are.

[Flashmonkey]

Sounds like it was a VFR haha....

Anyway, was this in the morning? Maybe it was just a crappy morning. God only knows when I'm grumpy on the bike in the mornings I do all kinds of weird crap.

[CThunder-blue]

Yep, it was this morning. I'm never grumpy when I get to ride my bike into work.

[Nemesis]

I've been in those situations. Cagers crossing the double yellow line to get into the carpool lane while I'm in the very spot they're crossing over to or speeding up to it. Cagers crossing from the carpool lane over double yellow to exit from a dead stop while I'm lane sharing. Cagers tailgating me literally a foot (NOT A JOKE...I'm serious) from me. Cagers not allowing me to split lanes by intentionally blocking my path. Cagers trying to run me off the road because I'm allowed to split lanes but he has to wait in traffic and feels I should to.

I'm telling you, there's some F'ed up people out there.

[coondog]

I've twice been forced to lane share with people, once by a single unforgiving screw you kind of guy who fully knew what he did and could care less. And again by simple blind spot ignorance with two guys going to work. The two who were together got the point due to three half-litre bikes pulling up, blowing air horns, pounding on the windows and shaking their index figures in a no-no-no gesture, and the two exited the highway ASAP. The inhumane fellows' vehicle was paid a visit at a later date by two bricklayers. He could've killed me and would have driven on without a second thought. I don't preach this type of Karma, but after swallowing my heart and having grey hair when I got home this ****bag (car only) owned it.

[Zombiphone]

Does it still count as road rage if you're laughing maniacally the whole time?

[HKr1]

If somebody came by and hit my car mirror, I would probably weave over on them. Play with me, Ill play back

Dont think its wise messing with a car when your on a bike.....

[KimR]

Originally Posted by coondog

The two who were together got the point due to three half-litre bikes pulling up, blowing air horns...

Tjhe first ride after I installed an air horn on my V-Strom, a kid with his driver's side window open started to pull over on me. I hit the 135 decibel ear cannon. This elicited a friendly middle finger salute and a relentless lane change. Luckily, I was able hit the brakes hard. I've never depended on the horn since.

[CThunder-blue]

Originally Posted by KimR

Tjhe first ride after I installed an air horn on my V-Strom, a kid with his driver's side window open started to pull over on me. I hit the 135 decibel ear cannon. This elicited a friendly middle finger salute and a relentless lane change. Luckily, I was able hit the brakes hard. I've never depended on the horn since.

See, this is the exact reason people need to relax a bit more. You'll never win if a car or truck driver decides he's also had a bad day and wants to run you down. Not that I wouldn't have honked my horn either. You did what you should have done and that dirtbag kid will get his eventually.

[JMcDonald]

Originally Posted by HKr1

Dont think its wise messing with a car when your on a bike.....

That's what I was thinking, heh. I mean, maybe the rider was just having a really bad day. But, maybe the cager was also under a lot of stress as well? What if the rider had punched the mirror, and the cager, in some emotional state, reacted by swerving over and crushing the rider at 70mph? Everybody has a breaking point and the rider is lucky he didn't reach that of the driver.

I dont think Ive ever had anything close road rage on my bike. I get it all the time in my car (not ever mad enough to do anything, but expletives become more common :P . But on my bike, I stay surprisingly cool even when people do stupid things (which really isn't very often as long as Im doing my part).

[Jinx250]

Originally Posted by CThunder-blue

I see people who shouldn't be in the carpool lane all the time, even people on their cell phones in the carpool lane by themselves.

DUDE! I'm on a conference call - it's the same as having those people in the car with me!


The closest I ever came to receiving road rage was a lady purposely cut way over into my path when I was lane splitting up a very crowded main street. Fortunately, I never fly between cars up on one at high rates of speed, so I was able to use my brakes to great advantage. What she didn't know was that there was a cop car 2 cars back (behind the car behind her) who saw it, along with the hard braking, which made the other cars hard brake. Caught! I LOL'd the rest of the way home.

[coondog]

Originally Posted by KimR

Tjhe first ride after I installed an air horn on my V-Strom, a kid with his driver's side window open started to pull over on me. I hit the 135 decibel ear cannon. This elicited a friendly middle finger salute and a relentless lane change. Luckily, I was able hit the brakes hard. I've never depended on the horn since.

Dudes with horns were behind the guy, thankfully, but I still couldn't believe the one that pulled up pounded on the cagers window. Finger wag was fine, maybe after a tap,tap like I did. the driver didn't even hear me just the passenger as I was on his side. But you're way right about messing with extra Y chromosomes in any situation really.

[JMcDonald]

I have had to dodge cars before and never relied on my horn (or even used it, really). I'm always concentrating more on calculating my options, rather than wasting time worrying about eliciting a response from him. The other day a semi merged into me. I was too busy easing my way to the far side of the lane and checking my mirrors to make sure braking was a safe option,\ to hope that not only would he hear my horn, but that he would react quickly and appropriately.

I've taken shoulders, gone between cars, and even squeezed in to share the same lane to avoid threats, but never relied on my horn.

When you honk, it could take up to several seconds before 1) their brains actually acknowledge a honk took place; 2) before they realize the horn was directed at them, 3) before they notice you and tie the horn to you, and 4) before they react**. I have always been one to count on myself, though.


**And this is assuming they react appropriately to not cause further problems.

Anyways, back to Road Rage :P .

[Nemesis]

Originally Posted by HKr1

If somebody came by and hit my car mirror, I would probably weave over on them. Play with me, Ill play back

Dont think its wise messing with a car when your on a bike.....

This is the exact reason why cagers feel they can do what they feel like because they're in a far superior vehicle. But I'll tell you one thing, if I saw a cager hit a motorcyclist even after being approached in the situation you pictured I'd apprehend you and place a citizens arrest on you regardless of the situation. And if you took off, I'd take off right after you.

[JMcDonald]

I don't think the argument is about right or wrong. Whether the car is chased by a whole biker gang is irrelevant of the original rider is in a twisted heap on the side of the road directly resulting from his own aggression :P . I think the point is don't let yourself get blinded by road rage, ESPECIALLY on a bike.

My dad is really good with counterexamples. One time when I was 16, I told him about how I slowed down to like 20mph in a 40 zone, because the lone driver behind me was tailgating me really bad. I laughed as I told him how when the road opened up to four lanes after the next light, I then floored it as the guy tried to pass me. He immediately told me something like this:

"What if the guy didn't really care about his car, and when you started to slow down he just tapped you. What if he just bumped you at the light? There are always two sides to every story. If he had just found out his daughter was hurt at home, or his wife had just left him, or any number of things that would naturally cause heightened emotions, he might have caused you way more trouble that a quick laugh was worth."

So, while I am only human, I try to fully consider the potential consequences of all my actions.

[Nemesis]

I'd like to think it's unlikely for bikers to get into a road rage situation simply because we know who'll win in a car vs bike situation. I'm just saying it's more common to see road rage by cagers than motorcyclists, not because there's more of them, but because they're trapped in their vehicle and envious of the fact we can slip right through traffic and they can't.

But yeah, agreed...road rage on bikes is stupid. And stupid hurts.

[CThunder-blue]

Originally Posted by JMcDonald

I think the point is don't let yourself get blinded by road rage, ESPECIALLY on a bike.

DING DING DING. We have a wiener! I mean a winner

[Nemesis]

I know of a person who was so pissed by a cager (he did something to him but I forget what) he pulled up next to the guy at an intersection, and when the light turned green he gunned it and elbowed the guy's side mirror off. Guy couldn't catch him because there was traffic. It's easy to elbow a cager's side mirror if you have a protective jacket w/elbow armour.

Another example, was throwing AA batteries behind you so it'd hit & crack the cager's windows.

For the record, I don't condone any of these actions.

[Live2ride]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Another example, was throwing AA batteries behind you so it'd hit & crack the cager's windows.

For the record, I don't condone any of these actions.

Get a monkey to ride on the back of your bike with you, then as he throws crap, you can yell at the driver to eat it...I do condone this action

[coondog]

Thankfully, I'm realizing I wasn't a victim of road "rage" just one common error and one miserable human being. I did tap on their windows lightly to show them hey i'm here too. One on the highway when it hapened, and that situation was overtaken. The other whom I followed to a red light and got told a record number of negative things (including threats) in under 60 seconds. I just back off and get plate numbers in case they cause damage to me or others. In this case I called dispatch. Then waited for a month or so. Even though I was long over it, what this guy said would've scared some newbies right out of a great pastime. I mean I look up riding along the ocean and thank God, that's how special and unique it is for me, especially being disabled and having just the one hobby left (limited to 20 minutes each way). This fella got his wagon fixed, and then his next wagon and then another. He moved.

[Jinx250]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

But yeah, agreed...road rage on bikes is stupid. And stupid hurts.

This.

And - it doesn't matter how right you are, if you end up DEAD right. Cage VS. Bike never turns out in favor of the bike.

I subscribe to another rider's theory of "Riding offensively" which is a bastardization of riding defensively. On the defensive side, you are only reacting when situations occur. In the riding offensively strategy, you take a more proactive approach and avoid the situation by getting away from it before it becomes a situation. I never rely on anyone else for my own safety. YMMV

[JMcDonald]

Originally Posted by Jinx250

I subscribe to another rider's theory of "Riding offensively" which is a bastardization of riding defensively. On the defensive side, you are only reacting when situations occur. In the riding offensively strategy, you take a more proactive approach and avoid the situation by getting away from it before it becomes a situation. I never rely on anyone else for my own safety. YMMV

I like this! I ride like that as well, putting lots of effort into deciphering possible threats and minimizing risks in anticipation (moving to opposite side of the lane, etc).

[Darling Ninja]

Last weekend some lady in an SUV pulled out in front of me and then slammed on her brakes when she realized I was going to slam in to her car head-on. I had to use my swerving skills and go around her. Luckily, there was no one in the other lane.

I find that when these things happen to me, all I can really do is shake my head in disgust. By the time it hits me that I could have died it's too late for me to react with the finger or honk my horn. I'm already long gone.

[Jinx250]

Originally Posted by Darling Ninja

I had to use my swerving skills and go around her. Luckily, there was no one in the other lane.

This is why I try to always keep track of where the cars *behind* me are at, not just when I'm coming to a stop. Nothing like swerving to avoid one car and sideswiping the car that was just next to you.

[n4mwd]

A biker will nearly always lose a fight with a car. Its best just to let them have their way and move on. Around here, it seems like the worst offenders are beamers and bummers. Beamers tend to tailgate to the point where you can hear their radiator fan noise through your helmet. Bummers are so disproportionately huge that they think bikers are bugs to be squashed.

[mj23retired]

Originally Posted by Live2ride

Get a monkey to ride on the back of your bike with you, then as he throws crap, you can yell at the driver to eat it...I do condone this action

This and the AA battery thing literally had my bent over laughing...