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Glendale, AZ United States | I ride my 09 VV to downtown Phoenix Mon through Fri to work and today was no exception. I manage to shave off one hour of commuting time daily by utilizing the carpool lane, which to me is a no brainer even though it's a jungle out there.
On the way home today, I get off on my usual freeway exit and head west. After going under the freeway overpass I'm trying to get into the left lane to make a left hand turn at the next intersection in the middle of pm rush hour traffic. I got the turn signal going and my left arm up in the air to let folks know and to get their attention that I'm wanting to merge/change lanes. I hear the pickup truck behind me in the left lane deliberately speed up in an effort to block me in, which really P***** me off for the simple fact there was no mistaking the fact I was wanting to merge with my left arm up in the air like a moron and wearing my high visibility jacket to boot not to mention the blinker also. He literally gave me inches to spare, which I took. Red light, so I promptly put the kick stand down and ran over to the truck seeing red and ready to throw me down a little something. Apparently, the pickup driver grew up in a different school and was not the "throw down" get your hands dirty type. As I run up to the driver's side truck window, he points a handgun in my face. Seeing red immediately turned into a "flight response." I dropped down to the ground and scrambled as quickly as I could and ducked behind the tail gate. A split second later the light must have turned green and the pickup driver gingerly drives around my scooter through the intersection like nothing happened followed by the lemmings behind him. In all my years this is the first for me and hopefully my last. Lesson learned and let that be a lesson for everybody that read this as well. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
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Tourer
Posts: 573
Central Illinois | It sounds like your serious road rage got a proper correction. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| Got a gun a truck, can do anything. Did you call his plate in? |
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Visionary
Posts: 1365
Central Maryland | Halfway reading through your post Vlad... I started thinking EXACTLY what the outcome was going to be; for you live in AZ and CCW/open carry is allowed more freely (and that's a good thing).
Ya, we won't win with an altercation while on 2 wheels -vs- 4 wheels, and most certainly approaching someone in a threatening manner such as that elicited the expected response.
Glad that you didn't either call his bluff or get a trigger pulled; since it's most likely possible that you would never be able to post again here.
The world is full of assholes; apparently you just met one in a pickup truck; hopefully they will be few and far between for the rest of your riding days.
Be safe out there. I miss Arizona alot. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | i had a road rage case with myself this year.. the car in front of my didnt like my HID.. (this was during the day not at night) he pulls up next to me and starts screaming.. i didnt make matters any better with telling him now i enjoyed his mother last night... oh well.. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 251
Mechanicsville, VA United States | There's only one thing in this world that you can control...........It's yourself. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 623
| Guy was certainly a asshole and a pussy, but don't know what calling his plates can do about that. Glad nothing came of it.
Look familiar??? Lol..... http://youtu.be/B_r37sYhXsM
Edited by jeffmack 2014-12-02 9:06 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 50
Virginia Beach, VA | I can see both sides of it. I would not intentionally block you out with my truck, but there are those crazies out there. Also, I'm not so sure I would force my way in front of an a-hole either. But with that said, I for sure would not get off my bike and attempt to confront someone in a cage. Remember the bike dummies and the fellow in the SUV in New York? Let some dumb A___ come at me in a situation like that and my friend would be called into action. I get that you were upset, but what you did was stupid!!! Stay on your bike and stay safe. Be the smart one out there. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 119
CASTRO VALLEY, CA United States | I thought this kind of stuff only happens in California. Sounds like you shouldn't have gotten off your bike. Everyone's an a**hole to someone. No one is immune. I know I'm an a**hole around drivers that are morons, and everyone's a moron to someone, and so on and so on. That's why we need driverless cars! Takes the anger out of driving. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | no, this happens everywhere. I was in the center lane once, and decided to make a right turn. The lane beside me, a guy in a pickup left a huge gap, giving me egress to the right turn lane. So I make my move, not impeding him whatsoever, and the right turn lane was moving, and while I'm sitting waiting my turn, he lays on the horn for the entire time I was there, and then even blew his horn after I got over in the lane to move on. I'm thinking he was going to ram me just because...I just don't get it.... |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| With so many guys caring guns now days I will go out of my way not to meat any off them. Even if it means missing a turn or letting some one cut me off at the pumps. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 115
Katy, TX United States | I drive a pickup and a 13 VV. While I would never do what he did (I hope). I can understand his concern when a biker gets off his bike and starts to approach. I would have unholster by 9mm friend if I had it with me (I almost always have it when I ride). As a rider I have yelled at my share of cage drivers, even while stopped next to them at an intersection. But I have never gotten off to approach them. Also, I try to stay behind a-hole drivers. Glad nothing happened to you. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 115
Katy, TX United States | Ops forgot to say that Bashcars does not mean I ram cages with my VV. I am an accident reconstruconist (determine what happened in vehicle accidents).
Edited by Bashcars 2014-12-02 8:07 PM
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Glendale, AZ United States | RedRider - 2014-12-02 3:49 AM
Got a gun a truck, can do anything. Did you call his plate in?
Unfortunately, I didn't catch the plate. Too many other things going on and adrenalin pumping also. |
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Glendale, AZ United States | willtill - 2014-12-02 4:16 AM
Halfway reading through your post Vlad... I started thinking EXACTLY what the outcome was going to be; for you live in AZ and CCW/open carry is allowed more freely (and that's a good thing).
Ya, we won't win with an altercation while on 2 wheels -vs- 4 wheels, and most certainly approaching someone in a threatening manner such as that elicited the expected response.
Glad that you didn't either call his bluff or get a trigger pulled; since it's most likely possible that you would never be able to post again here.
The world is full of assholes; apparently you just met one in a pickup truck; hopefully they will be few and far between for the rest of your riding days.
Be safe out there. I miss Arizona alot.
Yep, lesson learned. You never know. Next time someone cuts me off or does something stupid on the interstate will just blow it off, put my head down and not cause a fuss and hopefully laugh about it when I get home. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2026
Brighton, TN | Normally I just smile and wave. If given the chance to speak I try to tell them to have a nice day and hope they look out for me next time. It would be appreciated. I've thought about what you did but never done it, cause it always seems my father would highly disapprove of said behavior. Some things from childhood never go away. That and I like the look of astonishment when they don't know how to respond to a person that just told them "have a nice day!" |
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Cruiser
Posts: 190
| I was camped out in Oregon a few years ago for a month and enjoyed reading the local newspaper every week when I rode into town to do laundry. Either some bicyclist had chased down a cager for taking up too much space in the bike lane or some guy in a car would chase down a bicyclist for running a red light. Words would be exchanged and the bike rider would use his bike as a weapon and beat up the car with it.
Ultimately, everyone (well maybe not hikers) is bigger than we are so even when we're in the "right" ...we're going to lose the argument.
Glad you didn't get shot.
Edited by beemerdad2@yahoo.com 2014-12-08 9:34 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 612
| Vladezip - 2014-12-02 1:13 AM
... I'm trying to get into the left lane to make a left hand turn at the next intersection in the middle of pm rush hour traffic. I got the turn signal going and my left arm up in the air to let folks know and to get their attention that I'm wanting to merge/change lanes. ...
Maybe he was confused, as I am, about your intentions? You state that you signaled left, for a left turn/lane change, yet had your left arm "up in the air", which is the manual signal for a right turn! Just wondering ... carry on.
Edited by Turk 2014-12-09 9:31 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 122
Westchester Co., NY | Your whole left arm horizontal would indicate your intention to make a left. Your left upper arm horizontal and your forearm vertical (upright) would indicate your intention to turn right.
I learned my lesson with road rage while riding. I had my young son on the back. Some asshole in a cage was weaving in and out of the lanes. He nearly took out my front wheel as he cut in front of me. Then he went back into the left lane while I caught up in the middle lane. I started screaming at him. When he slammed on the brakes I knew I was in trouble. My head snapped forward and sure enough traffic was stopped. There was not enough time to stop and not enough room between the middle and left lane. So I swerved and aimed for the space between the middle and right lane. I was sooo close to making it but the left side of my handlebar hit the right taillight of the car in the middle lane. I had seriously slowed the bike when I hit so it was a slow speed crash. No major damage and no injuries. But the asshole drove away and I was the responsible party for the guy I hit. Whatever about me but the fact that my son could have been injured really made me think. Risking injury just for the satisfaction of yelling at an idiot is just not worth it. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1365
Central Maryland | efd158 - 2014-12-14 2:33 PM
Your whole left arm horizontal would indicate your intention to make a left. Your left upper arm horizontal and your forearm vertical (upright) would indicate your intention to turn right.
I learned my lesson with road rage while riding. I had my young son on the back. Some asshole in a cage was weaving in and out of the lanes. He nearly took out my front wheel as he cut in front of me. Then he went back into the left lane while I caught up in the middle lane. I started screaming at him. When he slammed on the brakes I knew I was in trouble. My head snapped forward and sure enough traffic was stopped. There was not enough time to stop and not enough room between the middle and left lane. So I swerved and aimed for the space between the middle and right lane. I was sooo close to making it but the left side of my handlebar hit the right taillight of the car in the middle lane. I had seriously slowed the bike when I hit so it was a slow speed crash. No major damage and no injuries. But the asshole drove away and I was the responsible party for the guy I hit. Whatever about me but the fact that my son could have been injured really made me think. Risking injury just for the satisfaction of yelling at an idiot is just not worth it. So true. That last sentance captures the futility of the issue. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 67
| Patience grasshopper they will get theirs in the end. I have had my share of road rage situations and my riding reflects the situation. I find it is far better to let it go. Got into a situation with a loaded gravel hauler throwing out gravel that was not going to allow me to get by on a 4 lane even if it meant taking the bike up to 80 plus in a 60 zone. After getting in front of him he tried to ram me at 75. I took the next exit with him going on by. I then pulled in behind him staying back in a safe area only to have him pull up to a stop light where I could get the information off his truck. I then called the company and talked to the owner explained to him what this driver and truck number did to me. loan and behold the owner was a fellow rider and boy was he road rage mad after our conversation. I do not believe that driver worked for him after that day. So their are many ways to handle a situation. Mine when on my bike is "don't get mad get even".
Edited by Tom13 2014-12-23 8:12 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I have to admit I've backed off a lot, and won't consider any sort of "retaliation". I had a guy push me over on the shoulder on I-95, and I gave him a piece of my mind. Today, I still believe he had no excuse to do what he did, he just blindly moved over into my space causing me to move to the left onto the shoulder. He seemed apologetic, but I could have raised his temper, and "fearing for his life" he could have easily taken me out. That's when I decided to ride "offensively", not to offend people, but to be on the offensive, to predict what others may do, or always go to the spot where I will have less interaction, to include getting hard on the throttle. From the time on, my rides have become even more enjoyable, and I go on ignoring the stupidity of how people drive. I may write a short book to compliment the many other books on how to ride safely. When we ride offensively, we remain in control regardless of what others will do in nearly every circumstance. There will be a time when something becomes totally unpredictable and unavoidable, but until then.... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 206
Lumber Bridge, NC United States | ^^^^^^^^^^^^well said^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ |
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Visionary
Posts: 1365
Central Maryland | varyder - 2014-12-23 9:32 AM
I have to admit I've backed off a lot, and won't consider any sort of "retaliation". I had a guy push me over on the shoulder on I-95, and I gave him a piece of my mind. Today, I still believe he had no excuse to do what he did, he just blindly moved over into my space causing me to move to the left onto the shoulder. He seemed apologetic, but I could have raised his temper, and "fearing for his life" he could have easily taken me out. That's when I decided to ride "offensively", not to offend people, but to be on the offensive, to predict what others may do, or always go to the spot where I will have less interaction, to include getting hard on the throttle. From the time on, my rides have become even more enjoyable, and I go on ignoring the stupidity of how people drive. I may write a short book to compliment the many other books on how to ride safely. When we ride offensively, we remain in control regardless of what others will do in nearly every circumstance. There will be a time when something becomes totally unpredictable and unavoidable, but until then....
What you are describing is Passive\Aggressive riding. I have been doing just that for many years.
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 8
kansas city, MO | Now days, it is very unsafe to approach someone in a threatening manner with everyone caring handguns.he doesn't know what your intentions are so he's probably going to assume the worst. |
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Serious Case of Road Rage...
