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Now what? After a big scare?
- Thread starter Hollow Road Rider
- Start date
mikegalbicka
Back in the saddle again
Great news. And glad to see the HiViz gear. It really helps IMHO.
:
jconway607
JohnWC
I'm very glad both you and your wife are okay. That sounds like a really unnerving and scary situation. I'm talking about the race car wannabe BMW driver flying past you like that. What a total jerk. My wife often asks me,"Why do people drive like idiots?" I say, "It's the cars. Everyone now has two-three hundred horsepower ready to fly at the slightest touch, so they all drive like that." And BMW drivers are often poster children for that behavior. Given the chance I think most of us would have confronted the driver at the stop, but probably leave the "gun" part out of it. It's incredible that the guy could have killed you, or others with his stupid driving, but then gets all bent out of shape when you threaten do to the same thing to him. I guess you were " diss-ing" him. Can't have that.
Others have already said all the obvious. I'm heartened to read that you have been riding for 30 years and this is the first really close call. Judging from the high vis jacket and nice high vis helmet in the picture, you're doing everything right. Actually, you showed excellent coolness of nerve in the original car-bike interaction, which allowed both of you to survive and get off the road. Good job. I would guess that with those skills and experience you may well be good for thirty more years of safe riding before fate/ bad luck puts you into another risky situation, which, it looks like you will handle.
A final note: did you get the guy's license number and turn it into the police? You do have a good description of him to go along with it.
Others have already said all the obvious. I'm heartened to read that you have been riding for 30 years and this is the first really close call. Judging from the high vis jacket and nice high vis helmet in the picture, you're doing everything right. Actually, you showed excellent coolness of nerve in the original car-bike interaction, which allowed both of you to survive and get off the road. Good job. I would guess that with those skills and experience you may well be good for thirty more years of safe riding before fate/ bad luck puts you into another risky situation, which, it looks like you will handle.
A final note: did you get the guy's license number and turn it into the police? You do have a good description of him to go along with it.
Rinty
New member
When I see someone driving very dangerously, I just assume that there's a reasonable possibility of them having mental health issues, and I don't want any interaction with them.
+1.
jconway607
JohnWC
I don't believe they are driving that way because they have mental health issues. They are driving like a jerk because, as two people mentioned, we in America are now living in that wonderful "I'm BAD! Get outta my way! I got places to go!" cowboy environment. If I'm on my motorcycle, or even worse, my bicycle, and someone nearly kills me, then ends up next to me at a stop, I am probably going to tell them in no uncertain terms, " Hey,XXXXXX! You know you nearly killed me back there?!" When I ride, I consciously ignore/ stay out of the way of those drivers. Always. But the police can usually do nothing to these guys, and they know it. So it's up to me, when given the chance, to try to "correct" their poor driving skills. Ignoring a road bully will only encourage them.
That will certainly make some road rage entitled driver stop their ways
.and get you in a bind more likely.I give them a wider berth than I used to....get a plate and good description...call the real road police cause it's not me .
We now live in a society.....
Wherein whatever your do, you will be judged by your actions. When I was growing up, if someone provoked someone else and got a punch in the nose, they were told that it was their fault and they got what they deserved. Now in the age of "No one is responsible for their behavior", people get to be asses and it's everyone else's problem. I refer to this as Responsibility Inversion wherein the "Perp" takes no responsibility and society has to take all of the burden on itself. This is of course Nanny-state bull****, but the deck is stacked against folks like you and I who were raised in a time that was ruled by common sense. It occurs to me that retirement to some other countries wherein you simply don't have the luxury of "writing a check with your mouth that your hands can't cash" becomes increasingly inviting. In those countries, if someone did to you what the idiot in the car did, he wouldn't be driving too long before it caught up to him. When I was in Graduate School we used to call those people "Mouth Breathers" or "Hypes". The best advice I can give here comes from Grandmaster David Lin who when referring to situations like yours said "No be there". Finally, the fact that this guy is black changes nothing; an ass is an ass.
Best,
Will
Wherein whatever your do, you will be judged by your actions. When I was growing up, if someone provoked someone else and got a punch in the nose, they were told that it was their fault and they got what they deserved. Now in the age of "No one is responsible for their behavior", people get to be asses and it's everyone else's problem. I refer to this as Responsibility Inversion wherein the "Perp" takes no responsibility and society has to take all of the burden on itself. This is of course Nanny-state bull****, but the deck is stacked against folks like you and I who were raised in a time that was ruled by common sense. It occurs to me that retirement to some other countries wherein you simply don't have the luxury of "writing a check with your mouth that your hands can't cash" becomes increasingly inviting. In those countries, if someone did to you what the idiot in the car did, he wouldn't be driving too long before it caught up to him. When I was in Graduate School we used to call those people "Mouth Breathers" or "Hypes". The best advice I can give here comes from Grandmaster David Lin who when referring to situations like yours said "No be there". Finally, the fact that this guy is black changes nothing; an ass is an ass.
Best,
Will
jconway607
JohnWC
That will certainly make some road rage entitled driver stop their ways
I give them a wider berth than I used to....get a plate and good description...call the real road police cause it's not me .
I've tried that method, and been told flat out by the police, "There's nothing we can do."
pglaves
#13338
I just rode through 2 states with highway signs posting numbers to call to report agressive driving. Unless these are just scams, it appears there is something that can be done.
I firmly believe trying to "reform" aggressive or otherwise bad drivers by giving them a lecture is a VERY BAD IDEA. Even if you weigh 250 pounds and it is all muscle (which doesn't accurately describe very many BMW riders I've known, at least the "all muscle" part.) Even if you legally can carry a handgun, and do, shooting the SOB is not likely to work in your favor. Aggressive drivers WANT to make you both scared and mad. Handle the "scared" part by getting the hell away from them - and staying away if possible. Handle the "mad" part by realizing that attitude is FURTHER putting your safety in jeopardy. Maybe find a spot to pull over until your breathing returns to normal.
Yeah, if you can pull over, make a 911 call with a license plate number and vehicle description along with where you are, that MIGHT do some good.
The only time a bad driver really scared me was many years ago and I was in my car. He pulled out to pass a long string of cars on a two-lane highway which he didn't have a prayer of making before hitting me in the oncoming lane. No time to even slow down, much less stop. I pulled as far over on the paved shoulder as I could (steep drop off to my right) and, believe it or not, the drivers he was passing ALL looked in their mirrors and pulled as far over as THEY could. The miserable SOB went right down the middle. I DID pull over as soon as I could for several minutes.
Yeah, if you can pull over, make a 911 call with a license plate number and vehicle description along with where you are, that MIGHT do some good.
The only time a bad driver really scared me was many years ago and I was in my car. He pulled out to pass a long string of cars on a two-lane highway which he didn't have a prayer of making before hitting me in the oncoming lane. No time to even slow down, much less stop. I pulled as far over on the paved shoulder as I could (steep drop off to my right) and, believe it or not, the drivers he was passing ALL looked in their mirrors and pulled as far over as THEY could. The miserable SOB went right down the middle. I DID pull over as soon as I could for several minutes.
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
It also appears that it is a major issue because they would not bother posting those if it was not.
There really is no reason for people to get that frustrated. Life here is extremely good even at the bottom end. If they don't think so, they can try living elsewhere.
natrab
New member
Glad nothing terrible happened. Hope this is a lesson learned for you when it comes to engaging with road ragers. There is no winning in that situation. When people are in their cars they feel invincible and on top of that they are driving a several-thousand pound missile that can easily kill you. No matter who is right or wrong, the only answer is to just let them go.
I usually don't give people the chance to road rage on me. If I notice someone in a fast car flooring it after I pass them, I'll get a couple lanes over to find extra buffer zone to let them go. I ride a lot at night and I always am checking for headlights quickly approaching from behind.
One time I had someone follow me at night by turning out their lights. I live out in the country and I was stopped at the one stop light on my route home at an intersection of two lane roads when I see headlights turn on behind me coming at blazing speed (and seeming like he intended to run me over). Really got my heart pumping that someone was clearly trying to either scare or kill me. Quick right hand turn and the next few minutes were spent at 100mph + until I knew I had lost him. I'm assuming had had been following me since getting off the freeway and was upset about something (honestly don't know what. I am a fast, but polite rider). That's really been my only encounter with road rage. Most of the time people just get upset about being passed and want to show me how fast they are and I let them (with a safety buffer of course).
I usually don't give people the chance to road rage on me. If I notice someone in a fast car flooring it after I pass them, I'll get a couple lanes over to find extra buffer zone to let them go. I ride a lot at night and I always am checking for headlights quickly approaching from behind.
One time I had someone follow me at night by turning out their lights. I live out in the country and I was stopped at the one stop light on my route home at an intersection of two lane roads when I see headlights turn on behind me coming at blazing speed (and seeming like he intended to run me over). Really got my heart pumping that someone was clearly trying to either scare or kill me. Quick right hand turn and the next few minutes were spent at 100mph + until I knew I had lost him. I'm assuming had had been following me since getting off the freeway and was upset about something (honestly don't know what. I am a fast, but polite rider). That's really been my only encounter with road rage. Most of the time people just get upset about being passed and want to show me how fast they are and I let them (with a safety buffer of course).
shortythorne
shortythorne
I feel all the comments were very good advice and right on the spot. So glad your wife is back riding with you, and all seems to be well. I wonder how many times that BMW driver called you a"muh fuh" after the incident ? 
David13
New member
I don't think it's based on a 'cowboy' mentality. Cowboys are notoriously polite.
I think it's based on the "me generation" and "entitlement" mentality.
As to these signs saying call in aggressive drivers, I wholeheartedly doubt that means anything will be done.
I think it's more like a placebo.
You call it in at their suggestion rather than shoot them or otherwise escalate the situation. They do nothing with your information. But you feel all warm and fuzzy about your local politicians who have "solved the problem so that it will never happen again".
I have episodes like op describes several times a day in this city so the most I ever do with it is laugh. And get out of the frantic drivers way, one way or another. Lane splitting is frequently good for that.
I actually get a little bored on a ride in this town if some idiot doesn't try that stupid stuff with his "powerful" car, which can't go very fast as there are 100,000 cars all around him, mostly in front. And there's a red light a block ahead.
dc
I think it's based on the "me generation" and "entitlement" mentality.
As to these signs saying call in aggressive drivers, I wholeheartedly doubt that means anything will be done.
I think it's more like a placebo.
You call it in at their suggestion rather than shoot them or otherwise escalate the situation. They do nothing with your information. But you feel all warm and fuzzy about your local politicians who have "solved the problem so that it will never happen again".
I have episodes like op describes several times a day in this city so the most I ever do with it is laugh. And get out of the frantic drivers way, one way or another. Lane splitting is frequently good for that.
I actually get a little bored on a ride in this town if some idiot doesn't try that stupid stuff with his "powerful" car, which can't go very fast as there are 100,000 cars all around him, mostly in front. And there's a red light a block ahead.
dc
Hollow Road Rider
New member
David, you seem like a level headed guy, and yet you have a platinum Tokinese cat on your avatar... I wish my Tonk loving wife was as clear headed... though, she's coming around.
pglaves
#13338
I agree about the entitlement generation. They have polluted our social fabric.
And if I had to live where "I have episodes like op describes several times a day" I would move. Period. Life is too short to live in such a place. But as long as individuals tolerate such uncivility from others, then society just continues in a downward spiral of selfishness.
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