Most of us have had similar experiences, and although we do feel like yanking them out of their vehicles and beat the you know what out of them or telling them off, it's better not to. Always drive defensively, anticipate, react, are all keys to avoiding accidents. Ride safe!

I, just like every two wheeler ( both pedal & motor) have had someone pull out in front of me...either out of blind stupidity or just being a blatant asshole! I was often accused of having a short temper....to this day I refer to it as a shift and decisive reaction to bullshit!

Well said Jimmy, You too Rex.

I am with Rex on this, if they were really afraid of us "bikers", they would not do the things they do to us on the road. And the things they do to us only proves they are not afraid.

I have learned to control my anger, see I too am a hot head. And if I had let my temper get the best of me the other day, I do not think it would have been pretty. And really I would have hurt her pretty badly I think! Now if this happened to my child in my presence, it would have been on then. There would have been no control then. Even if is he is 33 years old now.

I just really can't wrap my head around the fact when I pulled up next to her to confront her, she would not even look at me.

I had an older lady the other day cut me off, is was not done on purpose. When we got to the stop light, I was right next to her, was not going to say a word. She rolled down her window and was telling me how sorry she was, that I was in her blind spot (my fault there, but she also had just passed me?!). I told her is was cool, she really did not cut me off that badly. So I did not feel threatened, but when she told me I was in her blind spot, my first thought was then why did you not turn your head to look. I notice alot of people only use their mirrors when changing lanes. I was taught to always turn my head and look. I even do this on the bike, cause there are blind spots there as well.

Someone mentioned something about it was to bad that another biker on a bike or car was not behind me. I actually am glad that no one was behind me, due to the fact that I had to stop so quickly. When I have to brake like that, my eyes automatically look in my mirror. Don't want to become a hood ornament!

I would not key the car, cause it was not the cars fault, it was the person behind the wheel.

All that being said, don't be to hard on Uncle Charlie, he is just giving his opinion.

Ride Safe!

TD

Oh and Jimmy, I so agree with your post!

And to the person who said that I was nicer than him, I really am not. Just trying to change my ways.....LOL

When I frist started riding a few decades back had a lady run my over 3 lanes of interstate...Not once did she look to see me and when I speeded up so did she. I was lucky that there was no one in the other lanes but by the time I was going up the emergency shoulder horn blazzing the entire time she was running across those lanes I was livid. I do not feel bad one bit about throwing a marble at her window and to be honest I am glad I busted it. Would I do it again.... Maybe depends on my mood and what time of the month it might be. EWG

After reading some more of the response's I realize we are all conditioned to some degree by our upbringing on the proper way to respond.Some will want to act rationally while others feel the heat of the moment n act accordingly,each of us is responsible for their own actions.

TD describes a driver that acted intentionally in a murderous fashion, I have encountered a few myself,and in one instance had a gang banger pull some iron n threaten me,why? cause I split lanes to pass them n gave them a glance as I was riding by,apparenly dipwad took issue with that,they chased me down a main drag for as far as possible till I left them fuming at a light behind me.Splitting lanes has its distinct advantages !

Once I recall leaving a boot mark in a young mans door after he deliberately cut me off,by rolling thru his stop sign,and refusing to even acknowledge me.N guess what,I felt terrible later realizing I put myself in harms way by giving into my emotions.And for a few days worried abt JohnnyLaw come a calling.

From now on, I will take the approach if this happens,to stop use cell or / a payphone n call PD w/description of said idiot driving under the influence and/or acting irrational.This way the PD have knowledge of it,n next time some fellow biker is intimidated by the same idiot & calls it in,they (PD) can take note & act accordingly,safe in the knowledge that this person already has been called out by others.

One other point, I think the penaltys for such sort of accidents are way too minor,murder is murder,no matter if using a gun or a car !! Ask any policeman thats been chased down by a driver. Case in point local kid driving recklessy took out a family riding bikes,Mom survived.The kid may do 3 yrs in cty lockup,minor jail time.In my mind a person who does this sort of crime deserves minimum 20 to life depending on the severity & actual intent.
Maybe if the penaltys were more severe for these senseless acts while driving,people would take driving a bit more seriously.??..who knows.?

Sorry its been a wile sence posting. Been busy. The fire burns britest before it dies. For those that know me, Know just how true that statement is. "Illness is a BITCH"
Any how. Just read thur this. First off Good job, You didnt kill the bitch. I cant say I would not have handled things better. Been knowen for my own short fuse issues in the past.
No harm . Yet in this ever forgive never fight world we allowed to exist, We seam to have forgotten there is the right to defend. We treat those that transgress us as if there our freinds. Thats how guys like the cop that shot the biker in Il and took the bikers right to ever ride agin. Only getting 6 years. Yet had it been the other way around. The biker would have gotten much longer. At least 15 years. Or the The mother of 2 that ran down the biker lady in Mi wile painting her nails. Was given 3 years of home time out. Just a few points I cant still let go of. My finel example of miss deeds aginst our own biker famlie. Az garbage truck driver KILLS 6 runs down 9 as I rember. His issue, A little too much of the white power. METH. Yet the compony was never held to account as to why that thay allowed him to operate there equment. And from what I ve read the dudes lawer working a plea deal to get out of spending more than 3 years in jail.
Its funny isnt it. "If you aint pissed yet. You might wanta see your doctor."
Trust me I am. Its guals me to no ends. To know that the world views bikers as little more than ROAD BUMPS. Yes over the years I ve had my own contacts with cagers. Some have been little more than a wave of a single finger. Others have gone much futher. I could go in to many of these and show just how stupid things get. "I am not above poor choices myself."
Well anyways long story short. I just cant figer this out. At least 1/3 of the americans out there are fellow bikers. Yet we get no push. We have no real plan. Its time to come together!!!!

AHHHHHH! Stupid fcking drivers make me CRAZY!!!!!!!!!! You cut me off? Wow, how did that dent get in the side of your van?

I have a 'Stay Back' hanging from my front brake lever and I am damn good with either hand. The last time someone cut me off, several deep dents magically appeared in the side of the car! They IMMEDIATELY pulled back into their lane. Also, I run a Thunderheader on my 80" Evo motor and have used it to return cars/vans to THEIR lane.

Was a story about a man run off the road, he chased down the 75 year old woman that did it and proceeded to smash her windshield and destroyed her hood with his 'StayBack'. He went to jail for assualt. Duh. That is NOT what they are for. They are for immediate response to an attack from a cage while riding.

I used to have a chain hanging from my handlebars that I used to take off mirrors with. If things went south, I carried a pistol for 'Really Stupid People'. Badazz? Nope. Attack me with your vehicle, I attack back!

OK,with all that said I KNOW there will be folks here that are thinking "Oh sure Edge. Whadda crock." Fine with me, think what you want, call me what you want... Just responding to a 'rant' that has happened to me with a 'mini-rant' of my own.

edge "DILLIGAF" walker

I ride cautious, polite and legal. I stay out of 'blind spots' so they don't have that excuse and I will NOT allow you to make me a speed bump!

I have found that if I have a man on my tail, i can turn around and glare at him and most of the time he will back off - unless he is in a pick up truck. However, women, especially rich women who think they are pretty, just dont respond. In my area, they tend to be the most aggressive and danagerous drivers.. The feel secure that no one is gonna do a thing to them as they are "pretty" and...they feel they can do anything they want to low lifes on bikes. I generally carry a gun when I ride and to date, the only people i have wanted to shoot were snotty, arrogant, aggressive rich women.

You know, I just read Uncle Charlies comments on non-violence. I am educated, work in the sciences and am rather liberal - so its not like I am trained to grab for the simple solution every time. However, I have found from years of working in hostile areas, violence is the only answer in many situations. Fear is more often than not, what keeps people civil. I have learned that the hard way on inner city project sites as wel on the roadways of the wealthly suburb I live in. Civilization is just a thin coat of paint that covers the true nature of humankind. When people feel safe - as they do in cages or on the net, they will do all kinds of cruel shit. Make them afraid, and they will find thier civility.

Tear...I wonder if you stuck the tip of your knife up her nose or a gun in her face, she would so casually treaten someone elses life again.

Somewhere in the archive's, is my story.  Of me, the man, and his jeep.  And let me tell Ya'll...I said it then, and I'll say it again, the SOB was lucky I couldn't get to my saddlebags in time.  The nine woulda put a nice hole in somethin'!  When someone tries to kill you...let me say that again...WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO KILL YOU, you not only have a right to defend yourself, but you might be savin' others by doin' so!  I am so SICK of this PC world, and whose feelin's might get hurt, by statin' how you REALLY feel!  Edge, I'm so totally with the DILLIGAF on that!  I WILL defend myself, or anyone else, I might be ridin' with, if some jackazz pulls that S**T!  And, if that crap ever happens again, because of a few changes I've made...well, let's just say I won't have to go to the bags. 

Do I feel blessed, that I'm alive?  Of course I do. Have I mellowed over the years?  Yes, and no.  When it comes to somethin' like this Ya'll, it ain't about changin' "our" ways.  It's about showin' folks, that we don't have to.  The ONLY judge of me, will do so, when I come into HIS courtroom.  That's my two.  I'm out.  Oh, Edge, where would one get those "stay back" gadgets?  PM me...lol   

Ride Free 
Tweek

Listen to the lad.

Even tho there are no-doubt-about-it psychopaths on the highways, witness Tweek & Jimmyacorn  (and me while bicycling) most of the problems are not due ill-will.

Will tell a tale, in fact will tell two tales;

Buddy and I made an ice cream run over lunch hour. – Cruising back to work peaceably, wearing our Dilbert, short sleeve white shirts

Buddy & I subscribe to the same “theory” (not the right word, find a better one) WATCH THEIR EYES.

Going < 30MPH see a car on a seldom used side street with an old lady driving. – Am absolutely positive she looked at us, I watched her eyes, I can tell you her hair style. – She pulls out right, I mean RIGHT, in front of us. – I am in right side of lane & maneuver in back of her pretty easily; buddy says he “put it down” (tho I think he lost control). – She does stop. – Police come & ask if buddy wants her charged & he says “yes”, he saw her look at him.

Moral or the story = Some people are dense/unconscious not ill willed. – I would have trusted her to baby sit my kids.

2^nd story, date today

Am riding <30MPH down heavily traveled, suburban 2 lane, see a car in the exit from an apartment complex & think little of it. – It pulls out IMMEDIATELY in front of me. – The Ulysses has the best brakes in bikedom and no problem stopping but cheese, where is your head. – Give her a “beep”, just one, but am so frustrated I start banging on my own helmet. – She must have looked in her mirrors; she holds her he hands up @ shoulder level, palms up. – No fun in taking it any further.

Moral or the story = See above

 

Today I was wearing my black leather jacket not my chicken-yellow jacket. – Dod that make the difference? I will never know

 

good that you are ok teardrops, scarey stuff !! we dont have much of that stuff in Ireland, there seems to be more of an understanding of bikers and their status on the road, a wee bit more respect is shown by car drivers to us as almost all drivers here at some stage of their early driving have been on a bike or scooter.

On the wimmin drivers, I put it all down to female hormones in beer.....'cos when I have 8-10 beers I can't drive and talk crap !

Another time traveling south from Washington state to Porland Oregon was going down interstate 5 was going through the down town part so was traveling with a bubble of escape when a pick up drive come fast on to the road from an entrance ramp. I move over a lane to give him room. Now I am traveling with pick up on the right and a semi on my left... No more escape bubble. He comes on the interstate. We looked directly at each other and the assh@(* turns his wheel to cut into my lane. At this point I am between road rage ass hat and a semi and ass hat is not slowing down. He was trying to run me into the side of the semi. Wished I had more time but all I could do is get out of there. I twisted my throtle as fast and hard as I could to get out from in between him and the semi. By the time I was half a mile in front of all this I finally upshifted. Busted my motor mount on my bike when I did so. But still raced for my life to get the heck out of there alive. I wished I had time to do more then run for my life but I did not. And I know if I would of I would have just shoot that guy point blank. Do I feel bad that I would have killed some stranger that thought killing me was all fun and game...NO NOT ONE BIT.
I think the Dalai Lama will forgive my thoughts on this.

Thanks for all of the replies and stories. I knew I should have just let my temper take over, should have just shut it down and gotten off and pounded her head on the hood. Because now I feel like I just gave her a pass, and she will do it again. And this is not because of what you all have said, it is because it gave her a pass to do this to someone else. And I just can't stop thinking about it, I know I need to let it go, but am having a really hard time doing so!

But I have been looking for her everyday! Cause payback is gonna be a bitch!

I wasn't scared, I was PISSED, was shaking so bad that I know I would have lost control!

Ride Safe & Take Care!

TD

Now ain't that the truth, we have the same here. I don't carry a gun because the wonderful state of California won't let Nevada let me have one. Long story!

One more example of a genuine psychopath (happens about 1 minute in). - Says he was offended that rider passed him on a double-yellow, and I guess by implication deserved the death penalty.
They are out there but I don't see how, even if armed with a firearm, a rider can do much while mounted. - Maybe if you were left handed you might get something off in the general direction but I think the rider is always in the weak position
(Just in passing, the pickup driver got 2 years.)