[ultra4life]

Man I have to start by saying since I got hit last March and have had several neck and knee surgeries since it my road rage due to dumba** people on cell phones has gotten awful. I don't put up with any bs now on the road.

So if they cut me off and pull out in front of me do I have any right to kick their a** or do anything else or am I supposed to wave and go on my way. Fiance just started riding with me and twice last night people on cell phones almost came over on us on the highway and she was scared, since she is new to riding, but she has been trying to calm me down. As she did last night.

Any comments as to a friend of mine has now mounted a ball pein hammer on his bike to knock out side glasses. He has actually done two while I was riding with him for the same bs drivers on cell phones that have cut us off.

Any other suggestions?????? Just tired of bout being killed by idiots!

 

[OldMsocko]

I can only tell you that it is going to get worse.

 

[HrleChk]

Riding is most definitely more dangerous now than it used to be. Hardly a time out that some jerk is either talking on cell phone , or worse texting. Between all the bad drivers and the deer............. Even when cops see it, they don't seem to care ( at least around here ) HRLECHK

 

[tunnelrat]

There are quite a few cars running around here with my boot prints pressed into the door skins. I always offer to stop and chat but oddly enough the driver always declines.
I'd lose the hammer. Adding a weapon makes any action become a felony in most states.

 

[BVBOB]

If you are truly worried about safety become a defensive rider, which we all are anyway being on a bike, riding up and smacking someone's window out might feel good but is more dangerous when you consider they only need a 1/4 turn of the steering wheel left to take you out for good.
A couple years ago a guy in a Ford Bronco cut off a buddy of mine's niece and her boyfriend in the twin cities, he came up on the Bronco, kicked the door, wiped out and my buddies niece was killed, he walked away with relatively minor scrapes, I guess he really showed the guy in the Bronco now didn't he?

 

[FXDRYDR]

@gree:

That could get you shot in some places.

 

[msocko3]

I chew gum while riding, a few folks have had it spit on their windows. As FXDRYDR said, putting out a window with a hammer could get a person shot.

 

[kustom_flames]

Yeah, if you're gonna have road rage with a passenger on the back, then don't bother riding cuz you'll only put her at more risk. Pick and choose the best times to ride for a more enjoyable experience. Usually between 10 and 2 during the week is a great time to ride if you don't have to work...early mornings on the weekend are great too...

Being less tolerant is just going to get you in more trouble. I know for me if someone banged on my glass or kicked my truck while driving I would be pretty pissed off and might do something stupid. OR if you do that to an unsuspecting driver you could scare the hell out of them and it could cause an accident...You'll NEVER win against a cage.

I was hit nearly head-on on my heritage back in 04 and riding has never been the same for me. Too many distractions out there for cagers I agree...but good defensive riding will keep you safer than being on the offensive.

We're either invisible or practically have bullseyes on our backs...it sucks!

 

[johnmon]

Two wrongs do not make a right three lefts do. Remember like BVBOB said. "it only takes 1/4 turn of the steering wheel" to take you out. I just fly the bird and be thankful I am still on two wheels when **** like that happens. Life is too short. To try and make it shorter is an option but not the only one. We are all taking risks everyday but us being on two wheels is even more of a risk. Count your blessing and move on people it's really not worth it to put other people not to mention our own lives in more danger.

 

[Thealien]

Get the plate number

Find where they live and have a calm conversation with them about how they almost killed you, or just punch them in the face when they open the door?

Just kidding

Drive like you're invisible because to most you are!!

 

[BigCheeze]

I learned to ride in L.A., so I learned VERY quickly that I had to watch out for myself to a degree of insanity.

If I see someone talking on their phone or looks like they aren't paying attention I will go as far to make a bit of an ass of myself between the horn and/or gunning it so everyone around knows there is some dumb ass crazy dude on bike. If they think I'm an as$hole, as least they know I'm there.

 

[LexKing]

@gree: with that and with what BVBOB said. Using a hammer is a weapon, if someone did that to my vehicle, I would have to make them a speed-bump or a target. Just sayin....

 

[DaveT]

Your friend's actions with a hammer could easily get other bikers hurt or killed.

Keep in mind that most cage drivers (distracted by cell phones or not) never see motorcycles because they have never been exposed to motorcycle riding, therefore they don't 'think motorcycles'.

Acting like your friend says he does will only give drivers he encounters a bad impression of ALL motorcycles. That could easily relate to those same drivers not giving a motorcycle the right of way or some other action in the future that could get a rider hurt.

As riders, we all understand your frustration with drivers on cell phones, etc. As another poster stated, it's only going to get worse.

My suggestion to you is harsh...... but based upon years of being a Police (Motor) Officer and later being heavily involved in the world of motorcycle safety, I'm not going to sugar coat it:

If your road rage problems are as bad as you admit, then take yourself off the road.

Also - if your road rage problems are as bad as you admit, why have a passenger on your motorcycle that you are also putting at risk?

We all have to adapt to the changes in today's society, and unfortunately for motorcycle riders, those changes include more cars on already overcrowded roadways and drivers who are multi-tasking and multi-distracted. Nobody is 'forcing' you to ride, but society expects you to act in a civilized manner.... or answer in a court of law.

Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not giving idiot drivers a pass. That's another area where you need to act within the law..... get their license number, notify the authorities and sign a complaint against them if you feel that strongly about their actions.

The actions of every single motorcycle rider go a long way towards public perception of motorcycles. Just two weeks ago, a crotch rocket rider here lost his life when he smashed into an SUV after he had been clocked on radar by a DPS Trooper at triple digit speeds. In the days following the accident, the reader comment section of the local newspaper was filled with anti-motorcycle comments. Even with 41 years of riding behind me, I was surprised at the overwhelming negative attitude towards motorcycles. Almost every comment included the writer relating the actions of a bad motorcycle rider they had encountered. While the majority of the comments were directed towards crotch rocket riders, all of us on two wheels were being portrayed in a very negative manner. After reading all of that, it was evident that we ALL need to rely on defensive riding skills more than ever before.

Sorry, but I don't see road rage or hammers as good defensive riding skills.

 

[1egc]

Using a hammer on someones window is not the answer and only reinforces the negative light a lot of people see us in.

Road rage has led some people to do something they never have if they hadn't been so angry. It's not the answer and only makes matters worse.

I believe that being alert and expecting other people to do something dumb has kept me from several close encounters of the worse kind.

 

[Jeffytune]

...And when the glass broke it scared me so much I jerked the wheel, and that was when I ran him over.......(Cry) so, is he really dead, officer?

That is about how it would go.

 

[ultra4life]

Wow thanks all giving me a better prospective of it all in light. I have taken the defensive driving class a week before my accident and still it helped me from getting killed by knowing what to do it that short time frame to save myself. Guess need to get anger under control more than anything but never thought of the felony stuff.

I carry all the time but have thank goodness never had to pull it. And actually never thought of that to someone for dummy driving. Guess just need to chill a little more as she said when we ride. Just need to keep riding only when she does so I don't lose my temper.

Thanks all for the opinions!

 

[Scotykid]

I had a situation a few months ago. I was approaching a red light to make a left turn in the left turn lane. 18 wheeler coming at me making a right from road I was turning left onto. Some dopey yahoo on a cell phone tries to go around rig, coming around the turn blind and low a behold he is looking straight at me. Still not sure how I saved that one, it was nothing he did to help is all I know. I regrouped and decided chase this guy. I caught up to him shortly after at a stop sign. I asked if he was even aware that he almost killed me. He mumbled some nonsense about being in a hurry. I asked if he'd like to try killing me again standing on 2 feet. He declined.
I usually wouldnt do this being you never know who is packing what, but this guy got me heated. Looking back it would have been better to just carry on being thankfull the inconsiderate bastard didnt take me out, but then again I would not have gotten to see the scared sh-t look on his face when I pulled up to his window!

 

[gdkenoyer]

So if they cut me off and pull out in front of me do I have any right to kick their a** or do anything else or am I supposed to wave and go on my way.

You're supposed to wave. If you stop and kick their asses you have two probable scenarios:
1) you have just turned into the agressor and will go to jail for assult.
2) the idiot you attack noticed the gun you later mention, pulls his own and legally kills your ass stating "I was in fear of my life".

Either way you've lost more than just your temper.

Any comments as to a friend of mine has now mounted a ball pein hammer on his bike to knock out side glasses.

Your friend has crossed the line and is no longer the victim, as mentioned in other posts. He will go to jail or get his ass killed.

Any other suggestions??????

How's about a really loud air-horn. Scare the $heet our of `em. They make nice loud horns specifically for bikes.

Years (and years) back I put a nice FIAM airhorn on a little Datsun 510 (ya, that many years ago). The thing came with a little "meep, meep" horn that should have been on a kids toy. One day this old coot came into my (left) land and forced me into the center lane. I drove along side of him for at least a block hitting that "meep, meep" horn and cursing him. A$$hole never even looked.

I put the airhorn on the next day.

A few days later the same dam thing happened, but this time I leaned on the airhorn. That somebeatch jerked the wheel away from me and dam near hit the other curb.

Most satisfying!!

 

[WideOne]

Remember, that cage is a 2 ton weapon in the hands of an aggravated driver.

 

[gdkenoyer]

Remember, that cage is a 2 ton weapon in the hands of an aggravated driver.

That's from a practical (survival) standpoint.
From the legal standpoint, I'd have to go with Jeffytune's post "he scared me, I jerked the wheel and I ran over him" ...