Scruit Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawlins87 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Looks to me he made his point and you ran away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Should have taken his mirror with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 That's seriously fucked up, but why did you slow down so much on the ramp? I assume he was behind you and didn't appreciate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 So, no excuse for the pickup coming over on you, but from the video it appears that you got annoyed because he was following too closely. So, to teach him a lesson you slow almost to a stop on the exit ramp. I'm sure that pissed him off pretty good. Then you hot dogged it, pulling the front wheel just to show him who's the really cool one on the highway. So, thanks. You succeeded in escalating a situation and portraying a negative image of a motorcyclist. Hope the next motorcyclist he encounters doesn't get run off the road because of your example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 You can't control the distance someone follows you at, only the speed at which they do it. I also tend to leave more room in front of me when merging, so I have room to accelerate if necessary. If you're on the ass of the car in front of you, you can only brake. If you leave room, you can brake or accelerate. I didn't notice the truck in the mirrors, but especially when you're taking video, don't provoke cagers! Absent the brake check stunt, this could have gotten the driver of the truck charged criminally. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claine650 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Yeah, doesn't matter if the biker made the big bad man in his little truck slow down, he could already smells the riders farts (which may just be what really upset him)But seriously, that guy deserved his window broken into his face for that shit. road rage should never involve a motorcyclist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anden Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Hmmm, Don't know on this one. I am assuming he was tailgating you. Noticed truck in your mirror. So you almost came to a stop on ramp. So he encroached on you. You are both at fault here. Just the way I am seeing things. Why not use that getaway speed before all this happened? Plenty of time to pass car in front of you. Or move out and let him around. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnone Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Hardly call that the OH version of the KY incident a few years back. I don't think you slowed down too much. I do think you shouldn't play chicken with a truck when they come over. Even if you have the right away, it's a bad idea. As I always tell new riders, I know you're not one "Technically right won't matter if you are dead or in the hospital'. Meaning rules are one thing, physics is another. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdonn Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Gotta agree with Chris... Seems to me you were playing a game you couldn't win.... Maybe next time let bygones be bygones and roll the "f" out. Don't let that petty shit kill you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I know I have to learn from this. What could I have differently? At what time point in the video? Bear in mind that he was tailgating me from the first second of the video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I know I have to learn from this. What could I have differently? At what time point in the video? Bear in mind that he was tailgating me from the first second of the video. I actually give you credit for posting it, knowing that you were out-of-line for at least a portion of the video. Hindsight is always 20/20. I once brake-checked an a-hole who was tailgating me while I was towing my bike. That was supremely dumb, aggressive, and impulsive to say the least. He was the instigator, but I didn't react appropriately either. The textbook answer to tailgating is as I described above: slow down to control the following driver's speed, because his following distance is beyond your control. So if he's leaving a foot off your rear wheel, you're supposed to slow to a speed where a foot is a safe following distance. That is ridiculous, and even the guy teaching the BMV driving class admitted as much. My practice is to increase my speed mildly, and create or take the first opportunity to get out of the tailgater's way. I won't be bullied into riding faster than I feel is safe, or following a vehicle too closely just because the guy behind me is on my ass. I have done the full-on turn around, and given a hand motion to "simmer down" to the following driver. That didn't work well for me. He seemed to take it as provocation. Last resort is sprint away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1crusher Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I tend to take the offensive when I feel like I'm being tailgated. I'm on a much faster, nimble and capable machine than anything a cager is in. I will distance myself and usually try to put myself in a position further ahead of the tailgater as to all them to freely do their business behind someone else. Now if they close the gap I have created and purposely get behind me again then all bets are off as to my decision to go defensive or not and start kicking off mirrors and putting dents in shit at 70mph. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnone Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Slow down gradually to create a gap in front. Keep an eye out for the person and pick the lane that allows them to go past in the least dangerous manner. When you see someone coming over that was already aggressively tailgating, slow down and let them come over. Keep slowing down in case they brake check you. Goal is to get them in front of you and let them be on their way. Who knows what's in their mind at the time. Maybe in a hurry maybe just a dick. Speeding off only works if you are going to be faster than them for the foreseeable future. I don't recommend it. It's a tough balance whether they are being aggressive towards you or to everyone. I will also gradually slow down and sometimes look back directly at them or gently raise my hands in the universal 'what shall I do or what's your problem' sign language. Try not to be too aggressive with the hand motions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1crusher Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Could apply. His life was in immediate danger when the truck drive decided to occupy the same space as him. I say try it next time and post that video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 (edited) The textbook answer to tailgating is as I described above: slow down to control the following driver's speed, because his following distance is beyond your control. So if he's leaving a foot off your rear wheel, you're supposed to slow to a speed where a foot is a safe following distance. That is ridiculous, and even the guy teaching the BMV driving class admitted as much. That was my answer too - but the slower I got the closer he got. I couldn't move to the sides, and I couldn't accelerate away (until after I started slowing). Where do I go? Put myself near a crash barrier and hope he doesn't sideswipe me on the way past? Here's my confusion. I do the "right" thing, and it nearly gets me run off the freeway. If I pass and skip forward one car then I risk pissing off THAT guy too. Did you signal your rear brake light before actually slowing down? I don't believe he wasn't intentionally tailgating. He was clearly a cock, but that's a good "first attempt" to clear someone flowing too close. Just a little, "Hey! Pay attention!" Sometimes, people just aren't invested in what they're doing. Lyns follows too close, too often. I'm constantly reminding her to leave more room between her car and the others. She just doesn't recognize her limited space. I tapped my brakes a couple of times leading up to slowing down - no response. Another thought... All that video and not one shot of his tags? That would be priority two, second only to getting a safe distance from him. I have his tags, yes. He actually caught back up with me further down the freeway and he and another pickup tried to box me in, so I wound up lane-splitting through stopped traffic to get away. Edited June 25, 2014 by Scruit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 (edited) Point a gun at them? In all seriousness... I know a lady whose husband got into a road rage thing with a biker while driving his truck. How it started was unclear, but the result was that the biker pulled up alongside him and and pointed a gun at him. The biker spent two years in jail. Edited June 25, 2014 by Scruit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 So, assuming the textbook answer is a great way to become road pizza, let's consider alternatives to "slowing down"... - Pull onto the fog line and let him pass- Accelerate ahead in traffic, passing illegally- Let him tailgate me until I can safely move away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 in most situations, what you did was fine. you can't control what flaming asshole you run across on the road though, so just do what you need to do to get away. all this video shows is that if some asshole in a truck wants to kill us, they can at ANY time, for ANY reason. i just let them tail gate until i can put some space between myself and them... if i'm in my car/SUV, i will play games with tailgaters because they would have to really work at it to kill/injure me and frankly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I always keep a handful of marbles in my left jacket pocket for times like this 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claine650 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I always keep a handful of marbles in my left jacket pocket for times like thislol, I've heard of people using this method on tailgaters, but in this case I think if he let some marbles loose on the guys windshield, the guy would have probably smashed him into the barrier for sure.Would certainly make for good retaliation if you can immediately speed away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I would advice against responding with greater force and becoming the aggressor. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-bus Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 You just gots to slock dat ho in her sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBBaron Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Slow down gradually to create a gap in front. Keep an eye out for the person and pick the lane that allows them to go past in the least dangerous manner. When you see someone coming over that was already aggressively tailgating, slow down and let them come over. Keep slowing down in case they brake check you. Goal is to get them in front of you and let them be on their way. Who knows what's in their mind at the time. Maybe in a hurry maybe just a dick.Speeding off only works if you are going to be faster than them for the foreseeable future. I don't recommend it. It's a tough balance whether they are being aggressive towards you or to everyone.I will also gradually slow down and sometimes look back directly at them or gently raise my hands in the universal 'what shall I do or what's your problem' sign language. Try not to be too aggressive with the hand motions.From my experience on a bicycle shoulder shrugs and serious glances in their direction seems to only make them more upset/aggressive. Obviously based on his reaction he took issue with the slow down/brake check. I'm kindof surprised he didn't try to pass at that point, though he may not have though of that at the time. Some drivers take very little to go off the handle. My wife had someone try to run her off the road because she flashed her head lights to indicate she wished to pass someone going slow in the left lane. Who knows what goes through their minds. I think most tailgaters are aggressive drivers but are not usually at that point intending to injure you. My solution to a driver like that is just open a very comfortable margin between myself and the car ahead and use brakes early when slowing to ensure he/she has time to react. That kind of driving does not give one much reaction time Not much more you could have done in that circumstance without lane splitting to get away from him. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodninja420 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 IMO, if you had things to do over, just deal with the tailgater through the onramp then cut loose when you merge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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