Almost killed yesterday

[Jlittle]

So this is my first experiance with an angry drivers, well he almost killed me...  I was take an on ramp from a smaller highway onto a 5 lane highway.  Anyway i was pretty far on the ramp and i came up on a dark green ford expedition. i backed off as soon as i safely could.  Well when it opened up to the highway i went around the guy he was on his cell at the time.  Well i was now in front of him and he was about 3 feet from my rear tire.  I waved back to see if he could back off i was already doing over the speed limit and i didn't want to go any faster.  He continued to follow that close and even got a little closer by that time i was angry and started to increase my speed and change lanes to get out of the way but another car had me blocked in the lane by then.  I then gave him the finger and drove off rather quickly i slowed down so i could taker the next exit not thinking about the guy that was previously tailgating me. Before i get into the exit he come flying on the shoulder cuts in front of me and slams on his breaks.  I have never used my breaks that hard before, i felt my back tire leave the ground and me coming withing 1 foot of the back of his truck.  He takes off and does it again halfway down the exit by this time i was already scared shitless from before so i was a decent distance behind him.  This time it wasn't as bad but close non the less. Angry, scared and full of adrenaline i just back off and follow him trying to get a pic of his liscense plate cause my memory sucks. He saw what i was doing i guess without any warning cut his truck right and slams his breaks one last time before turning off the road that last time i came within a few inches of hitting his bumper as i pass him. (this was a single lane road now with oncoming traffic).  I then try to think quickly what to do, im all worked up so i cant think strait, i turn around and try to find the guy with no avail. I only remember the first part of the plate number and what kinda truck it was and what the guy looked like.  Even if i had the full plate number i don't think the police could of done anything about it.  I wish i had a camera on my bike =( Anyway i actually thought i was a goner yesterday i cannot believe people would do something like that knowing they could kill the person...

[birdman]

Glad you made it out alive!
When I read things like this I feel that if you were to shoot the guy, you would be shooting in self defense since he is assaulting you with a deadly weapon.
That is assault in my book.  Partial plate still may be a good report since you know the make and model and color.

Also a good reminder, escalation by flipping someone off is never helpful.  You never know how crazy someone might be.  And there are crazy people driving around in big cars with guns who think just like Dahmer.

Be safe.

[lewismug]

fuggin idiots.....dontcha just love 'em?  Now, why were you following him so closely that you almost hit him when he hit his brakes?  The finger just pissed him off even more and next time it may cause the end of your life  if the idiot you flip off is crazy enough to run you over.  You must remember that your bike will not hold up well in a crash with a car or truck.  Glad you're alright, but in the future, keep your fingers to yourself.  We don't wanna have another memorial on this website anytime soon!  I know where you're coming from though.  I can't stand stupid people.  BUT......We have to be responsible and the better person in this type of situation though, because what may just be a slight swerve by the other driver "just to scare you" could mean that guardrail is going to make contact with your bike instead of just missing it.  Get what I'm sayin?

[Jlittle]

the first time i wasnt following him closely he drove on the shoulder to cut infront of me and slammed the breaks.  I know i shouldnt of flipped em off but i was extremely mad about the tail gating there is no reason for him to be doing it even.  (stupid angry MD drivers!)  After my first close call i ride so much more responsible it just bothers me alot, i try not to do even 5 over the speed limit and i always ride in the slow lane

[beRto]

That's a sad and scary story 

I would definitely call the police with the information you've got.

[Ry_Guy]

What happens if you report this kinda stuff? Does it at least become a foot note for the driver even if he "gets away" with it? I would at least report it, Jlittle. Others might be having the same problem with him, and if he gets enough complaints then maybe it will add up?

[Jlittle]

Yea i think after i get off of work im going to stop by the police station and see what they can do.

[ohgood]

Yea i think after i get off of work im going to stop by the police station and see what they can do.

there you go man. good choice. don't sugar coat it though, admit the mistakes you made. honesty is the best policy.

i reported a driver that HIT ME on my bicycle over a year ago. i provided a partial tag number, 3 witnesses, the vehicle color, make/model. nothing happened. when i called about the case number, they said the vehicle was since destroyed. whatever. the driver was never charged.

if a cop doesn't see it happen, it didn't happen. we are only pee-ons, and not to be trusted or believed apparently

[Jlittle]

MY dad is a retired police officer for the county it happend in.  Hes in a middle of a move though and i cant seem to get ahold of him.

[Ronin]

Hum!.........dang

[spc]

Find his house, ask him if he knows what the minimum sentence for Attempted Vehicular Murder is.  Then put a bullet in his f%$king skull, we don't need him breathing our air.

[Chokstick]

Scary story.

Definitely file a police report.  Depending on how your local enforcement agency works, they may be able to lay a few tickets on the guy.  If they feel it bad enough, they may go after his criminally.  Its possible neither of those will happen, but if you file a report and he does it again, it shows a history of that kind of behaviour.  What people seem to forget is that driving is a privilege, not a right.

PS. Advice about keeping your fingers to yourself is worth noting.  Most road rage incidents end up escalating due to the "bird"

Glad you made it!!!

[GeeP]

Remember, on a bike you cannot play "flow of traffic" like the moron cage drivers.

I prefer to go faster than traffic for two reasons:

1)  I can devote more attention forward, where it should be.

2)  The traffic situation stays fluid, constantly opening up new escape routes.

Always stay mobile in traffic, for sight distance, for cager visibility, for angry driver avoidance.

Never piss off a cager unless you know you can outrun him.   

[wreckhog]

You passed the guy and sat 3 feet in front of him at highway speed. WTF is wrong with you? Try 100 feet next time and the world will be your oyster. If he is up your ass, outrun him. Passing people when you are unwiling to go 5mph+ over the limit is just weird.

[cd]

this is what guns are for, and replacement barrels.

[cd]

also, a good trick that i have used as well as other people is carrying a LARGE cannister of police grade mace, serious shaZam!, and you spray most of it into the front of the car tailgating you

it goes into the cabin if they have the ac on and they are f%&ked

eventually they have to pull over and you take their keys and leave with them

when @$$hole do this kinda shaZam! i just take their keys and throw them in a ditch someplace, problem solved, no violence, dude is TOTALLY f%&ked, police get to laugh at him.

[spc]

Aside from the felony battery charge they can tag you with, that's a f%$king great idea.

[wreckhog]

also, a good trick that i have used as well as other people is carrying a LARGE cannister of police grade mace, serious shaZam!, and you spray most of it into the front of the car tailgating you

it goes into the cabin if they have the ac on and they are f%$ked

eventually they have to pull over and you take their keys and leave with them

when @$$hole do this kinda shaZam! i just take their keys and throw them in a ditch someplace, problem solved, no violence, dude is TOTALLY f%$ked, police get to laugh at him.

How many times have you done this?

[yamahonkawazuki]

Aside from the felony battery charge they can tag you with, that's a f%$king great idea.

and you know this how?

[wreckhog]

I picture the offending car, rolled over in a ditch. (Attempted manslaughter) "cd" steps off his GS, removes his license plate, kicks in the windshield (Breaking and Entering), ignores the Mace in the air (perhaps he is wearing a gas mask), pushes aside the screaming driver who is hopefully unarmed (Assault), grabs the keys (also covered with Mace) (Theft), shuts off the vehicle, winks at the other vehicles that are rubbernecking, mounts his trusty GS, and rides off the next exit into a safe house, knowing that the world is a better place.

I shall set my AC to Recirc before I head out in the am.