| Author | Message | ||
     Midnightrider |
What do you do when some cage, either accidentally or on purpose, nearly takes you out or causes you to take some serious evasive action? Yesterday was the second time in a month I have been riding in the left lane of a 3 lane interstate ans some moron has passed my on the left. I was already riding in the left third of my lane so he had to pull over 75% on the paved shoulder to do it. He pulled back in with less than 24 inches between his bumper and my front wheel. All at 80 mph+. I have visions of kicking out the taillight or taking off a mirror but I figure with my luck I'll be the one who ends up in the median. Or worse. I know the mature thing to do is nothing but I'm not always mature. So far I'm thinking paint ball gun or baseball bat/nightstick but neither seems too workable. It's something I'll probably never do but I'm open to suggestions - if nothing else it'll give me something to fantasize about dg | ||
| Skyguy |
I usually just re-adjust their mirror........... Same thing happened to me but on a city street. I pulled up at the light and nicely (really) asked what she was thinking when she passed me in my own lane. She flipped me off and nearly took me out as the light changed. Been almost a year since I was angry enough to do that. The SUV was an Escalade. I heard the mirrors were several hundred dollars each. Sometimes you just can't let things like that go. | ||
| Southern Marine |
I had a friend in Cali who used to ride with extra bolts and nuts and would either pull up next to them and pull their mirror off or pull up and drop a nut in front of their windshield. I don't recommend doing either. I have pulled up next to some and give them the WTF look and followed one until they stopped. I calmly approached them and let them know what they did. That individual had an oh shit look and apologized. If you approach them you have to be careful how you do so, especially in todays world. | ||
| Skyguy |
I do not condone violence or damaging a persons vehicle. Accidents happen. But go and flip me off afterwards and I kinda lose it.................... I do my best to try logic but some dogs only understand a rolled up newspaper. | ||
| Voltage_vector |
A long time ago, on a beautiful Sunday morning, some jack aZZ was going about 40 ish in the left lane. I was just cruising on my older 750 Ducati. In no hurry, but I at least go the speed limit. So I pass him on the right. I think nothing of it. A ways up, there is a light and I'm stopped in traffic. Over the sound of my idling engine I hear some guy swearing a blue streak. I turn around and its this guy freaking out calling me everything in the book. Hey I'm not some big guy, or looking for trouble, so I just shrug and shake my head and the light turns green. I'm gone... Next light this clown in a El Dorado, gets along side me and is giving me the finger and all kinds of sh%t. I'm like, what is your problem? He just hit a nerve... I pull in front of him and kinda force him into this gas station parking lot. I was so mad, it was, you either turn or hit me... Now I was in full leathers, gauntlet gloves and full face helmet. I throw the Duck up on its center stand and go back to his car. He gets out and as we get close, he takes a swing at me! I was flabbergasted! This fool just brushes my right shoulder, I feel nearly nothing! Vanson makes a good suit! I'm sorry friends but I lost my temper, I grab him by the jacket front haul way back and punched him as hard as I could right in the mustache. Down he goes. Now in my rage, I haul back to kick his brains in, when sanity makes a reapearence... I took it out on his left front fender and door instead. I dont know why it all happened. But I'm not really sorry thats for sure. I did learn something. Never punch a guy in full leathers and a full face helmet! Immature? Sure. Stupid? Maybe...he could have had a gun. Satisfying? You bet. Some people need a lesson, plain and simple. | ||
| Roc |
I reported it to the local PD. They followed up with me and let me know the driver/car/license I gave them all matched and that they were giving him a letter, a warning I guess. At least they have a record of it. | ||
| Old_man |
Why were you in the far left lane? Where you passing other vehicles? If not , and you had kept to the right, you wouldn't have had this close call. | ||
| Jackbequick |
If I'm in the fast lane and someone is closing on me from behind, I put my turn signal on and get right one lane as soon as practical. Life is too short to get mad at someone just because they want to drive faster than I am. Jack | ||
| Slowride |
With all respect to OldMan and Jack be quick, in todays world traffic is a full on war zone. I commute on one of two different bikes daily and stand in total amazement to the down right Cracker Jack license holding idiots I encounter. I was an instructor in combat and evasive tactics (hummers to Dragon Wagons)in the USMC for a while. I use these skillz daily to avoid some of the sheer stupidity. Most days I am not even close to being involved, but I witness it. On other days I have had people pass me on shoulders and I drive 90+ mph on most days. I refuse to be a victim and I am always on the aggressive side as I am the only one that can answer for my life. I have had people of all ages flip out on me and to all that have I have never used my skillz as a Marine to embarrass or humble them. I have on several occasions disabled the car they were in by simply pulling out a Big Rig wheel lug nut out of my pocket and drop it about 2 bike lengths in front of the car/truck in violation. Now once again, I don't advocate it unless you can man up to the ultimate possibility which in all things could be death, but daily I have people try to take me out no matter what truck or bike I am on. So to do nothing is to accept the problem and I can't just live with it. As always please be sure you know what the possibilities are and plan, plan and plan some more. I as a marine will never live another day without a weapon and a plan on my person and in my head. I am off my soap box. | ||
| Milo_h |
Hers something to think about! http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/news/local/032706a1_trafficmurder Peace Milo | ||
| Jackbequick |
I didn't say it but there is always a little anger in me as I yield a lane to someone who has crowded me a little with a car. But anger is one letter short of danger, especially on a bike. I used to react with more anger but at some point in the last 10 years or so I decided I did not want to let myself do that. So I moved away from it. I enjoy "stifling" aggressive cage drivers on longer trips in a car. But regardless of if I'm on a bike or in a car, I never screw with aggressive motorcycle riders. No matter how egregious their conduct is. I figure those people are like Joe Btfsplk and I don't want to get close enough to get caught under their little black clouds. Jack | ||
| Curtyd |
I always give them a quick wave or a "what's up?" arm shrug. So they know I saw them nearly kill me. Never really aggressive. If I get PO'd every time someone didn't see me, I'd spend my whole ride PO'd. It's like a BIG pinball machine, and iI have to avoid every single bumper and paddle out there. Remember I chose to be on a motorcycle instead of a pik-um-up truck or some other tank.  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
In my little punk years, I used to put a dent in their car. Now I evade them or pull off the road. The most recent time that I lost my cool was last summer. A guy in an LTD waited until I got close and then pulled out for his left turn. I was almost done. That was the fastest panic stop I ever did, complete with the rear end coming off the ground. I got within 3 feet of his side. If I was in any other vehicle, we would have connected. I tore off after him and he pulled into a gas station. I had every intention to beat him until he stopped moving. He was too damn old to hit. That stopped me. He said that he was sorry and that he couldn't see me. It was completely understandible since he had no left eye! Just for the record: white LTD with Maine plate "DICK" So if you see this mostly blind fossil, keep your distance. | ||
| Old_man |
Motorcycles do not register in the brain of most drivers, they can look right at you and you think they see you, but they don't. This is one of the reasons that we have to assume that the other driver is possibly going to do something very stupid. | ||
| Chadleys1 |
MidnightRider, I realize the guy should not have pulled so close to you at highway speeds, that is idiotic and dangerous. He was wrong for that. However, I am still wondering why he had to pass you on the shoulder? You mention that this happened twice in a month. When one is being approached from behind by a faster traveling vehicle, while in the left lane, one should safely change one lane to the right in order to let the faster traveling vehicle pass. That was the first thing I ever learned about driving on the highway. Nine times out of ten, as a sport motorcyclist, you are going to be the one cruising at a little faster pace. You will appreciate the drivers that extend this courtesy to you. Why is it so hard for some to move over when being passed? If midnight rider had changed lanes for a few seconds, he shortly would have been right back over there doing over 80 mph again and there would be no story or thread. Overpopulation is taking the fun out of everything. | ||
| Buellfighter |
Try comn' to Texas and kick bubba's truck and see what that gits ya. | ||
| Midnightrider |
Wow. Naw, I have to admit it's mostly fantasy - just a way to vent. I'm not willing to do something that would cause a cage to swerve or something and get somebody hurt. If they pulled out of traffic and stopped, however.......we might "chat". To clarify - this was on the a divided highway with limited access - all 4 lanes going north, 4 lanes on the other side of a 3 foot concrete divider going south. The left lane is the HOV ( high occupancy vehicle) lane and during peak traffic times is restricted to cars with at least 2 occupants, and bikes). The craziest thing is once the moron passes me on the left, he's still got 4 lanes of rush hour bumper to bumper traffic for as far as the eye can see. It's not like by passing me he was going to actually get anwhere faster - now he's behind a long line of cages that he can't pass on the left. Meanwhile, we are all moving at the same speed. There is no way for me to "safely" change lanes unless I wan't to pull a similar bone-head maneuver By the way I lived in the great state of Texas for 3 years and never had a problem with Bubba or his truck That is the most frustrating thing - the whole maneuver was pointless. | ||
| Buellfighter |
"By the way I lived in the Great State of Texas for 3 years and never had a problem with bubba or his truck Thats because you didn't kick his truck! | ||
| Slowride |
Buellfighter, I too live in Texas and have not been crazy enough to kick bubba's truck. I did drop a lug nut and pegged the grill/radiator. It popped like a cork! He pulled off the road and that was the last I saw if him. Yeah, I would never balls up to kickin bubba's truck, since bubba's in texas can legally carry shotguns and rifles without lic. and pistols like me with lic. How does he explain a truck lug nut being dropped on the road and smashing his radiator. The HP see this all day every day. | ||
| Chasespeed |
When one is being approached from behind by a faster traveling vehicle, while in the left lane, one should safely change one lane to the right in order to let the faster traveling vehicle pass. I see 2 problems with this.. First, is the most obvious..I cant see ANYTHING out of my mirrors..unless its dark out..and they have their lights on... Second, at 80, I shouldnt have to worry about anything behind me... And one more thing, you think the left lane issue is bad, try living in a state where it is legal to pass on either side on a multi lane roadway... *Thats because you didn't kick his truck!* I have kicked Bubba's truck before, when I first moved to texas....wasnt pretty.... Now, I just make sure I am not in my own neighborhood when i kick bubba's pride and joy rusted out 84 chevy...} Chase | ||
| Blake |
I kicked my own truck. Damn thing won't die. Kinda irritating. | ||
| Kdan |
If I have the time, I like to follow the worst offenders to their destination. If it's their home, I like to park in the street in front of the house. Hang out for a while, write down the address and sign them up for every piece of pornographic advertisement I can find on the internet. I'm patient. | ||
| Smokescreen |
 Now that's good! | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Kdan wins. I also did this once. Check the "bill me later" on the card. I didn't sign them up for porn though. I went through a women's mag and sent everything with a free reply card. so pewter crap, and franklin mint commemorative plates and all. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Many years ago, I used to carry a big baby-milk tin, you know the one with the popoff plastic lid, bungeed to the seat base of my cabover tractor, it was full of pea-gravel & old car lug nuts, a small handful out the window was quite effective. Also many of us who drove internationally used to have tins full of loose change from places where the money was virtually worthless, a handfull of small denomination coins at 50mph don't do paintwork a lot of good. Another nice revenge a friend of mine did, was to print up some cards advertising certain "services" with the victims phone number, then stick em in phone booths in the less salubrious parts of town. | ||
| Voltage_vector |
Kdan....gay porn.... | ||
| Blublak |
The worst mail Hayduke I've ever heard of was done like this... Joe Right had a little run in with Harry Meathead. Mr. Meathead though that it was perfectly legal to push someones restored '57 panhead with the push bumper on his truck so he could park in that 'non motorcycle' spot. Mr. Right was non-plused by this and actually waited until Mr. Meathead came back out to his truck. There was an argument regarding restitution which Mr. Meathead stopped with the flick of a large lock back blade. Mr. Right left the scene and called a truck to carry his baby home. Remember, years ago, before the internet (some of us remember those days, right?) it was much easier to get information from DMV on a tag. Mr. Right secured Mr. Meatheads address and went to his friend J. SOC, who was in the military assigned to a NATO country and was going back to his duty station in a week or so. Did you know child porn is legal in some European countries? Did you know in Europe, some really disgusting porn can be found easily in adult bookstores? Several packages were of course mailed to Mr. Meathead from a fictitious 'company' in Europe. Complete with bad english note thanking him for his order and declining his offer to supply them with material as they are 'proffesionally produced under contract'.. etc. For reasons Mr. Meathead never seemed to understand. The Postal Inspection service, and a few other LE's suddenly liked him very, very much.. too much as it turns out. And here he was the whole time, claiming that he never ordered such material.. Oh well.. Haydukes first law - Revenge is best served cold. When done hot, the server may get burned... | ||
| Gearhead998 |
I know that we are told violence doesn't solve anything, but what else gets these ignorant cell phone talkin, stereo thumpin, head up their a$$ cagers to pay attention. Whenever I report anything tot he authorities it is shrugged off. There is a lot to be said for taking the law into your own hands. All too often, the judicial system fails us. | ||
| Skyguy |
I never retaliate against people that are stupid. I do try to get their attention with some eye contact and a hands off the bars shrug. Most apologize because they did not see me. If not seeing me with a cell phone or burger in their hand I give up a little attitude and suggest that they put the offending object down and focus on driving. It is the ones that flip me off that get the mirror/bolt treatment. |
