Motorcyclist tries to educate truck driver

[Motofool]

"Published on Feb 7, 2013:
Left lane merged due to construction and, as always, I proceeded to pass up the slower moving traffic and go to the front of the line (notice all the space when I get up there). This stupid **** in a big truck decided it was his place to make sure I waited my turn and swerved in front of me. Then pulls up to hassle me some more at 3:50 and again at 4:40. I stayed next to him at 3:50 long enough to make sure I got a good shot of his company info. (If you can read it feel free to make a phone call or two and let me know what they say) I called them and the supervisor didn't seem to care much and apparently, didn't want to see the video. This kind of stupidity is what gets people killed and should not be tolerated. If he was my employee I would fire him on the spot. Thought about waiting for him to get off work and "having a word" with him."

Link to original page on YouTube.

[MistahT]

The truck driver was definitely driving like an idiot, but I'm not sure if he did what he did because he was an idiot or trying to teach the biker a lesson. It could also be the camera. I have GoPro footage of people coming with a foot of ending my life, I toss it on youtube, and you can't tell.

Either way, glad to see they're ok

[alex.s]

It takes two to tango

[Falcor]

I don't really see what the truck driver was doing after the initial swerve when he caught up to him. Was he making gesture from behind the wheel to the biker? The swerve thing was pretty douchey though on the truck driver's part especially since there was no reason for him to do it.

[cuz]

Come over to Houston...

Can't let stuff like this stay in your mind and linger on it.

Do what ever to stay alive then move on that's what I do anyways

[Falcor]

Originally Posted by cuz

Come over to Houston...

Can't let stuff like this stay in your mind and linger on it.

Do what ever to stay alive then move on that's what I do anyways

Exactly, I had a lady the other day that got absolutely furious because I lane changed through a gap that really only a bike could get into but she wasn't accelerating at all so I knew it was no danger to myself as long as I continuously accelerate while lane changing so that I wouldn't make them have to brake. Now if I did the above without braking I can understand why she would get upset. Ended up aggressively tailgating me for half a mile until I went over one lane and back in to the same lane around a car to put space between her and me because I was convinced she wanted to ram me from behind. Eventually she ends up getting back up to me and as she drives by flicks me off and starts cussing me out.

Long story short is people are crazy and you never know what they'll do.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by alex.s

It takes two to tango

Exactly. We don't know what happened between them before this video. Usually people don't react for absolutely no reason by swerving to cut you off.

[dfox]

I don't see much wrong here. Truck driver was in left lane, moving right. Car in right lane hits brakes, he swerves left to avoid rear ending someone. Bike is really far away. Trucker moves right to get out of his way.

Seriously. Trucker didn't try to block him at all, otherwise he'd have stayed in the left lane.

Don't be a douche bag. That trucker is now angry at him for no reason.

[Jiggles]

Someone needs to give this rider a tampon

[Falcor]

Originally Posted by dfox

I don't see much wrong here. Truck driver was in left lane, moving right. Car in right lane hits brakes, he swerves left to avoid rear ending someone. Bike is really far away. Trucker moves right to get out of his way.

Seriously. Trucker didn't try to block him at all, otherwise he'd have stayed in the left lane.

Don't be a douche bag. That trucker is now angry at him for no reason.

I just re watched with my eyeballs up to the screen and saw no sign of braking from the white pickup that he was lane changing behind. The big truck had a good amount of space between him and the pickup anyways even if that pickup was braking.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Exactly. We don't know what happened between them before this video. Usually people don't react for absolutely no reason by swerving to cut you off.

[alex.s]

You deal with stupid people every day. Doing anything but getting away from them and focusing on what you are doing is asking for trouble. Don't have an ego. Egos kill. You don't need to inform someone they have wronged you. You don't need to get mad. You don't need to do anything but keep riding your ride. Getting emotional is the quickest way to die on a motorcycle.

It takes two to Tango. Don't Tango with a truck.

Biker should have maintained a +5 or 10 and gotten away from the dangers instead of intentionally staying near it.

[Falcor]

Originally Posted by alex.s

It takes two to Tango. Don't Tango with a truck.

A big truck at that.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by alex.s

You deal with stupid people every day. Doing anything but getting away from them and focusing on what you are doing is asking for trouble. Don't have an ego. Egos kill. You don't need to inform someone they have wronged you. You don't need to get mad. You don't need to do anything but keep riding your ride. Getting emotional is the quickest way to die on a motorcycle.

It takes two to Tango. Don't Tango with a truck.

Biker should have maintained a +5 or 10 and gotten away from the dangers instead of intentionally staying near it.

Excellent post, Alex

I fully agree; hence, the title of the thread: a futile endeavor.

We riders are not road educators, we are just road survivors.

[Gurk]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Someone needs to give this rider a tampon

this.

[csmith12]

My nugget left in this thread would be. "Put as much distance between you and stupidity as possible and you will live a longer, happier life".

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Someone needs to give this rider a tampon

Originally Posted by alex.s

You deal with stupid people every day. Doing anything but getting away from them and focusing on what you are doing is asking for trouble. Don't have an ego. Egos kill. You don't need to inform someone they have wronged you. You don't need to get mad. You don't need to do anything but keep riding your ride. Getting emotional is the quickest way to die on a motorcycle.

It takes two to Tango. Don't Tango with a truck.

Biker should have maintained a +5 or 10 and gotten away from the dangers instead of intentionally staying near it.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Falcor

I just re watched with my eyeballs up to the screen and saw no sign of braking from the white pickup that he was lane changing behind. The big truck had a good amount of space between him and the pickup anyways even if that pickup was braking.

It's still clearly not "on purpose." That is a stupid assumption for the video author to make and I see people say it all the time to justify their anger. He was probably worried that someone was merging in his blind spot or heard someone toot a horn. Either way, he had no reason to believe that the lane he didn't finish leaving was occupied by an illegal lane splitter and should have had the option of swerving just to check his mirrors/blind spot. The lane was ending and he was probably forced to merge sooner than he was expecting and, therefore, sooner than he was comfortable with.

I also don't see the truck hassling him. It seems like the truck is just driving along while the bike speeds up and slows down and gestures inappropriately.

[ChaoSS]

Originally Posted by CZroe

It's still clearly not "on purpose." That is a stupid assumption for the video author to make and I see people say it all the time to justify their anger. He was probably worried that someone was merging in his blind spot or heard someone toot a horn. Either way, he had no reason to believe that the lane he didn't finish leaving was occupied by an illegal lane splitter and should have had the option of swerving just to check his mirrors/blind spot. The lane was ending and he was probably forced to merge sooner than he was expecting and, therefore, sooner than he was comfortable with.

I also don't see the truck hassling him. It seems like the truck is just driving along while the bike speeds up and slows down and gestures inappropriately.

^This.

I don't see it as dangerous either, the only way this is putting the motorcycle in any danger is if was @Jiggles, and he was trying to pay attention to the pickup, or the planes overhead, or whatever he tends to pay attention to when he should be watching the vehicle ahead of him.

[BlueHairSar]

Originally Posted by alex.s

You deal with stupid people every day. Doing anything but getting away from them and focusing on what you are doing is asking for trouble. Don't have an ego. Egos kill. You don't need to inform someone they have wronged you. You don't need to get mad. You don't need to do anything but keep riding your ride. Getting emotional is the quickest way to die on a motorcycle.

It takes two to Tango. Don't Tango with a truck.

Biker should have maintained a +5 or 10 and gotten away from the dangers instead of intentionally staying near it.

And seriously, you're vulnerable on a bike. I would never want to do anything that could potentially escalate a situation (like flipping the bird) when you're already set up to lose.

[ChaoSS]

Originally Posted by BlueHairSar

And seriously, you're vulnerable on a bike. I would never want to do anything that could potentially escalate a situation (like flipping the bird) when you're already set up to lose.

I dunno, I do that kind of thing all the time, of course, I have more options to get away if needed.

[Falcor]

Originally Posted by ChaoSS

I dunno, I do that kind of thing all the time, of course, I have more options to get away if needed.

But why risk it? Don't underestimate what people are capable of if rubbed the wrong way.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by ChaoSS

I dunno, I do that kind of thing all the time, of course, I have more options to get away if needed.

Such as?

[dino74]

Originally Posted by Motofool

I proceeded to pass up the slower moving traffic and go to the front of the line (notice all the space when I get up there). This stupid **** in a big truck decided it was his place to make sure I waited my turn and swerved in front of me.

You don't know why he changed lanes. He might have thought he could bypass some more cars on the left, then realize it wasn't a good idea.

Once, I was in my car on the 405 in the carpool lane. Just cruising along and there was pothole so I swerved to the right to miss it. 15 seconds later a biker passes me on the right via lane splitting. If that bike was 13 seconds earlier I bet he'd think I was swerving to F with him when in reality it was for another reason.

Take a look at the white car you passed in the beginning. He was between lanes when you passed him. What if another car two lanes to his right changed lanes at the the same time. That white car might have to swerve back to the left.

Then you completely turn your head around to look back at the truck

Cars swerve. Cars Stop. Cars have blind spots.

[Falcor]

Originally Posted by dino74

You don't know why he changed lanes. He might have thought he could bypass some more cars on the left, then realize it wasn't a good idea.

Once, I was in my car on the 405 in the carpool lane. Just cruising along and there was pothole so I swerved to the right to miss it. 15 seconds later a biker passes me on the right via lane splitting. If that bike was 13 seconds earlier I bet he'd think I was swerving to F with him when in reality it was for another reason.

Take a look at the white car you passed in the beginning. He was between lanes when you passed him. What if another car two lanes to his right changed lanes at the the same time. That white car might have to swerve back to the left.

Then you completely turn your head around to look back at the truck

Cars swerve. Cars Stop. Cars have blind spots.

Motofool copied the description from the video on YouTube, he is NOT the rider in this video. I would never suspect him to do something like this.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Falcor

........I would never suspect him to do something like this.

That is true!

I know that 80% of the drivers sharing the road with me are mentally troubled and that the 20% has genuine problems much bigger than driving.

Hence, I try to be extremely polite and never, never, never take offense or get distracted by others' mistakes or even evil actions.

I know that I am the more vulnerable piece of meat at there and that I must arrive in one piece (the alternative is not an option to me).

[dino74]

Originally Posted by Falcor

Motofool copied the description from the video on YouTube, he is NOT the rider in this video. I would never suspect him to do something like this.

Oh okay! Sorry Motofool! Thought that was you.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by dino74

Oh okay! Sorry Motofool! Thought that was you.

Hahaha,...........it is OK Dino.

I fully agree with your post above.

Most of my scary moments with drivers have been the result of distractions and mistakes rather than from the animosity that the rider in our video did assume coming from the truck driver.

Yes, there are bad people at there that wouldn't hesitate about hurting a rider on purpose; but most are just distracted and worried commuters.

Pointing out mistakes, getting angry, gesturing and confronting cagers and truckers only distracts our attention from more oncoming dangers.

[ChaoSS]

Originally Posted by Motofool

Such as?

Well, since motorcycles fit in much smaller spaces, it opens up more escape routes.

[Motofool]

I see, Tim; thanks for clarifying.

I wouldn't do it at all, much less all the time, though.

IMHO, there is nothing to win and there is at least some risk of getting into an ugly situation.

[Reyno2ac]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Someone needs to give this rider a tampon

At least he didn't rearend the truck...

[Jiggles]

Yea cuz he's a noob