Warped Humor, or Attempted Murder?

[Lyn-Del]

Some people have a very warped sense of humor!  At least I'm hoping this guy thought it would be funny, I'd really hate to know he really was trying to kill the motorcyclist.....

Wednesday morning, with MANY witnesses, a lady rider pulled out (in a legal passing zone) to pass a slow car.  The driver sped up to prevent her from passing, tried to run her off the road by swerving toward her, then pulled ahead of her, moved into the lane she was passing in, and slammed on the brakes.  He succeeded in running her off the road.  And then he took off. Fortunately she wasn't too seriously injured, but it did damage her knee (It could have been MUCH worse).  Someone at the scene tried to chase him down to get the license number.  I understand the police officer who took the call took it seriously.

It's bad enough that most drivers don't see us.  Why do so many of the ones that do see us AIM for us?

[Bobbo]

I wouldn't consider that to be humorous at all...

Sounds more like a combination of revenge, road rage, or competitive driving.  For me, it's common for someone to speed up as I try to pass.  I think it's a subconscious thing that by passing them you are somehow "winning".  When you return to the lane behind them, they slow down.   

Maybe he was irritated with her for something that happened miles back.  Hard to say, but aggressive driving and forcing someone off the road is usually illegal.

[R J]

That is a good question, however most of them say gee officer, I never saw him/her.....

Going out to the Dodge dealer this morning for my free 1st oil change.   Was running the bypass, 65 MPH limit, came up in behind a unmarked patrol car and some guy driving an old VW bus in front of him.

I pulled out and was easing around the unmarked, and the bus take off, so I pull back into the right lane, next thing i know the bus is running about 50, so I pull out again, since I'm on Cruise Control at 65.    Bus takes off again, I pull back in, bus slows down, I pull out again, bus speeds up, I pull back and the unmarked came around me like a shot out of a cannon.    Red/Blues the Bus, gets the finger, unmarked apparently called for some Black and White's, about 5 miles down the road, there are 7 IHP cars blocking the road.     Bus tries the median, the unmarked is right on his tail, 6 of the IHP cars are also in pursuit, last one flags me over and asks me to stop when they get this nut stopped,   Said OK, he takes off, just as we were going off the bypass onto I-35 North, they got this guy boxed in by a bridge railing..    I pull up and stop about 4 cars back.  They drag his sorry butt out of the car, bury his face in the mud and cuff him.

He did not pass go and collect $200, he went straight to jail.   

Doubt if he will be driving legally for awhile........     When I pulled away, the one officer said they had 23 citations on him.

So much for an exciting morning.    Never a dull moment in Dullsville, Ia.

[Daniel Meyer]

Gotta wonder what's with some folks. Run into my fair share of those myself.

[Jack]

Ten yrs ago, I got hit (rear-ended) by a young woman who told the police, "motorcycles shouldn't be allowed on the road" and that she didn't like motorcycles.  The police officer never even gave her a ticket and she had no license or insurance.  State law required both, of course.  I went to the police station and was told there was nothing I could do.  My insurance paid to have my bike repaired and I paid the deductible.

[BigAl]

And still people ask me why I carry a Pistol when I ride one of my scooters.

That's why.

Sounds like the script right out of Easy Rider Movie, when the Red Necks got them both at the end of the movie.

AL

[BigAl]

Jack remember you can sware a warrant out for anybody.

There are ways to fight back.

Sueing her comes to mind.

AL

[The Anvil]

Probably a NASCAR fan. Or a H-D rider. 

"Rubbin's racin!"

"If you ain't first, you're LAST!"

"Shake n' Bake. WHOOO!"

I don't get the passing thing either. Years back a buddy of mine and I (back in my sportbike days when I was mounted on a 954RR) were on a very twisty and deserted road and positively KILLING it when we came upon a rolling roadblock af about ten cruisers. We didn't wanna be dicks so we waited until we had a legal passing lane and we started around them. I could hear them all wringing the piss out of their bikes to try and keep us from passing. Meanwhile my bike wasn't even breathing hard.  When we got past the last miscreant I can see him flipping me the bird in my mirror. 

Why? When I end up in front of someone like that I just let em go. At least this woman's relatively okay. But that crap is attempted murder in my book. A car is as deadly as a gun and when wielded so carelessly or with malicious intent it should be treated the same way.

[musclehead]

Probably a NASCAR fan. Or a H-D rider. 

"Rubbin's racin!"

"If you ain't first, you're LAST!"

"Shake n' Bake. WHOOO!"

I don't get the passing thing either. Years back a buddy of mine and I (back in my sportbike days when I was mounted on a 954RR) were on a very twisty and deserted road and positively KILLING it when we came upon a rolling roadblock af about ten cruisers. We didn't wanna be dicks so we waited until we had a legal passing lane and we started around them. I could hear them all wringing the piss out of their bikes to try and keep us from passing. Meanwhile my bike wasn't even breathing hard.  When we got past the last miscreant I can see him flipping me the bird in my mirror. 

Why? When I end up in front of someone like that I just let em go. At least this woman's relatively okay. But that crap is attempted murder in my book. A car is as deadly as a gun and when wielded so carelessly or with malicious intent it should be treated the same way.

probably closer to assault with a deadly weapon but still this jerk is from the shallow end of the gene pool

[musclehead]

I wouldn't consider that to be humorous at all...

Sounds more like a combination of revenge, road rage, or competitive driving.  For me, it's common for someone to speed up as I try to pass.  I think it's a subconscious thing that by passing them you are somehow "winning".  When you return to the lane behind them, they slow down.   

Maybe he was irritated with her for something that happened miles back.  Hard to say, but aggressive driving and forcing someone off the road is usually illegal.

thats not common for me its every stinking day! sometime 3-4 times a day. but I get it people don't want to look at the south end of a north bound truck. if they really, really wanted to go faster then me all they gotta do is like 64 MPH. these days with my 72 MPH truck they get one chance. i'll pull out to pass, when they speed up I drop back. WHEN they slow down again (they always do, its like they never heard of a cruise control ) I blow by them at the upper end of the speed limit

[sugerbear]

coming home from work a coupla three yrs ago, had a pickup messin with me.

i'm in the left lane coming up on st charles bridge, pickup was tailgateing me, passed and cut me off, and then the finger.

a semi came up on the right, waved for me to back off, and pulled into the pickup, running him into the median.

told me over the cb, that he's been wanting to do that for a long time. never was anybody around when HE got cut off.

made my day

[Tropic traveler]

The speeding up when you try to pass syndrome makes me glad that I have a Valkyrie underneath me. Just twist the throttle a bit more & get the job done. 

Kim's SS750 used to take a bit of planning when trying to pass. Somebody speeding up usually meant no go Joe! 

[Gear Jammer]

and some folks ask why some of us "carry'   ???   

[sandy]

One day I bought a Mossberg SS riot gun. Pistol grip handle and all. Slung it over my back and came home on a busy commuter freeway in Scottsdale AZ. For some reason, nobody tailgated me that day. HMMM!!

[X Ring]

One day I bought a Mossberg SS riot gun. Pistol grip handle and all. Slung it over my back and came home on a busy commuter freeway in Scottsdale AZ. For some reason, nobody tailgated me that day. HMMM!!

GEEEE!!!  I wonder why?   

Marty

[9Ball]

My Wife attended the MotorMaids rally this week where this incident happened.  The MotorMaids are a serious bunch of women riders, that in order to attend their annual convention they MUST ride their own bikes to the convention.  There were somewhere over 300 attendees at the Grand Rapids convention this year.  Last year it was held in Cody, Wyoming and the year before was Lewiston, Maine.  Next year it's down south.

There are a lot of mothers and grandmothers (and a few great grandmothers) in this active club.  It was founded over 70 years ago and the organization was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame at Sturgis in 2005.  I was fortunate to have a seat as a guest of the MotorMaids at the ceremony and sat at the table with the last surviving original member of the Jack Pine Gypsies and his wife.  Also at the table were Mike and Margaret Wilson.  Willie G was at the next table over.  It was a surreal experience.

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=368

This idiot that tried to take out a woman rider is a coward of the worst kind.  I'm praying that he is caught and punished and would love to see some vigilante justice done to this low-life.  It really pi$$e$ me off that these people are out there.  Sure hope to hear that he is caught and prosecuted.

Be careful out there people...they really are trying to kill us.

[Lyn-Del]

I wish we could have met there, Wizard and I were at the banquet as well.  Have you met Gloria?  For those who weren't there: She celebrated her 86th birthday that day, and was presented with her "increment pin" acknowledging yet another 5 years of active RIDING membership in the Motor Maids.  This pin was for 65 YEARS of riding as a Motor Maid!!! 

[solo1]

That was assault with a deadly weapon as far as I can tell.

I've had a number of cars do that to me also but I've never been run off the road.

Drunk drivers are another lot.  Many years ago I was  merging from 27 onto I75 just south of Grayling Michigan.  I was on my Seca 550, I eased over into the far right lane for the exit at 93.
I looked to my left and this Camero had the window rolled down with this guy in the passenger seat grinning and  about to throw a full beer bottle at me.

I thought about opening my tank bag top and getting out my fully loaded Ruger Security Six.  Changed my mind and made a fast deceleration into the rest stop coming up. The Camero went straight.

Probably a good decision on my part. I had a CCW but wasn't sure about Michigan.  Also, a beer bottle probably wasn't deadly force.

[9Ball]

I wish we could have met there, Wizard and I were at the banquet as well.  Have you met Gloria?  For those who weren't there: She celebrated her 86th birthday that day, and was presented with her "increment pin" acknowledging yet another 5 years of active RIDING membership in the Motor Maids.  This pin was for 65 YEARS of riding as a Motor Maid!!!  

Yes, I've met her quite a few times.  Both my Sister (Liane from Florida) and my Wife (Denise-NJ) are MotorMaids and they were both at convention.   They both get their Life pins next convention.  I'm not up to riding yet following back surgery so I stayed at home and took care of the critters.

[The Anvil]

probably closer to assault with a deadly weapon but still this jerk is from the shallow end of the gene pool

Could be both actually.

[Walküre]

I get it all the time, both bike AND truck. We have a lot of construction going on, and the back-up is at least 3 signals. BUT, they have to get there, first, just to park in front of me, for 10 minutes. I usually just let them go, not worth it to me. Unless they seem to think that they really have a chance of beating the ol' girl! Then I usually just go ahead, drop down, and smoke 'em.

The speeding up to keep people from passing is ridiculous. Or, alternatively, when there's a reason (cop, someone on the side of road, etc), that you have to get over into the right lane, they speed up to close the gap, KNOWING you have to get in there. I've had to slam on the brakes a few times, but WILL not pass an LEO in the right lane, no matter what. Just won't...

We also have one spot,where two lanes become one, as we get onto the highway - about 1/2 mile worth of warnings, and transition lane, MORE than enough for anyone to get over. We STILL have the jerks, who have to stay in the right lane, thinking he can be first, and the guys in the left lane, proving him wrong. At the last moment,there's 4 or 5 cars, or more, trying to occupy the same place at the same time. Basically NO one wins!

I came VERY close to eating it, last Wednesday in the rain - bunch of cars in front of me in left lane, one car way up ahead in the right. Traffic in the left going 10 mph below posted. I pulled into the right, and as I caught up with the car there, a big ol' work truck pulling an equipment trailer, pulled directly out in front of the car, out of an equipment rental place. I watch VERY carefully, as we all do, so I KNOW there were no brake lights on the car! I jumped on the brakes, downshifting like mad, got the bike sideways a bit - ok, quite a bit, straightened up as I'm getting down to 2nd, on/off/on/off the front, and basically got down to 1st, about 4 feet behind the car! The truck immediately pulled into the left turn lane, which I'm sure WASN'T his original plan, and was looking up at the ceiling in the truck, and all over, except at me, as I went by at about 5 mph. It's nice to know, that I've finally, after 40 years, become confident in my abilities while riding, that I wasn't shaken in the least. One of the closer calls I've had - if I hadn't picked up on the truck just pulling out, I would have been a few seconds later in my reactions, and no way would I have avoiding hitting SOMEthing, losing a few seconds. And again, it WAS in the rain - I really like the way the CT stopped me, even on slick, wet streets. After the fact, I realized I should have followed the car, to see if he DID have brake lights, or if I missed them. I VERY seriously doubt I missed them. But, around here, the cops don't stop cars for equipment failures - one headlight out, the other pointing at the moon, no side mirror - well, one, but it's hanging from the adjustment wire, headliner hanging over the back window, the one taillight they DO have is broken, and showing white...and they never get pulled over.

I do notice that the majority of people, trying to bust your balls, are guys, and the majority of fast, unskilled, distracted driving is done by women. The younger set, especially girls, are almost ALWAYS texting, and driving erratically. Just my observation. I'd rather take my chances with a deer, than a texter! You never know when they'll look up, realize they've screwed up, and jerk into your lane, or something similar. At least the deer you KNOW is going to jump!

Oh well, another one for the books...

R

[CISE]

When 2 lanes merge into one, I always stay to the right until the lane runs out.

<Rant begins>

I find wayyyyyyy too many people will get into the lane that continues on 2 or 3 miles before the merge and slow down way below limits. Sorry, but until the lane runs out it is a legal lane, and I get tired of sitting behind someone who, after traffic has stopped and is now restarting, is too busy reading text messages, talking on phone, CB or passengers, not paying attention in genereal, waits 20 or 30 seconds to start moving to catch up to the car ahead of them.

Or the "professional drivers" who run side by side until the lane ends to prevent vehicles from getting ahead of them. If you want to be a traffic cop - get a badge and go on duty.

<Rant ends>
 

[musclehead]

When 2 lanes merge into one, I always stay to the right until the lane runs out.

<Rant begins>

I find wayyyyyyy too many people will get into the lane that continues on 2 or 3 miles before the merge and slow down way below limits. Sorry, but until the lane runs out it is a legal lane, and I get tired of sitting behind someone who, after traffic has stopped and is now restarting, is too busy reading text messages, talking on phone, CB or passengers, not paying attention in genereal, waits 20 or 30 seconds to start moving to catch up to the car ahead of them.

Or the "professional drivers" who run side by side until the lane ends to prevent vehicles from getting ahead of them. If you want to be a traffic cop - get a badge and go on duty.

<Rant ends>
 

some states put up a sign that says "state law, merge now" and the lane continues for 1/2 or 3/4 of a mile

truckers are trying to meter the traffic by keeping the lane runners in check. notice how once it gets to one lane within 1/2 mile everyone is up to speed?

[Willow]

One of my pet peeves is drivers who think everyone needs to merge early.  The most efficient means of going from two lanes to one would be for everyone to drive two lanes to within a short distance of the reduction point and then merge smoothly.  That would produce the shortest length of traffic jam and the shortest time of reduced velocity.  The problem is that a large number of drivers on the road seem to be incapable of merging smoothly.

I was riding home from work one evening on the flyway for a twenty-five mile stretch.  It was a relatively heavy traffic time (we don't really have heavy traffic in Kansas) and I passed a sign that said, "Road work.  Right lane closed ahead."  People started crowding into the left lane.  I and a few others stayed to the right.  Soon there were drivers forcing their way into traffic on the left and drivers in the left lane trying desperately to occupy two lanes to impeded the progress of vehicles in the right lane.  One a short distance ahead of me went so far as to run a car off onto the right shoulder.  I was in no particular hurry, so I just eased along and watched the circus. 

This maniacal behavior went on for the better part of five miles with the majority of traffic creeping along in the left lane.  Suddenly after all that time some of the drivers became aware that there was no lane closure, traffic spread into two lanes and we were off again at freeway speeds.

Individually about half the drivers on the road are below average in intelligence and driving skills.  As a herd they defy the statistics.      

But to the original post, anyone who points a ton or more of vehicle toward another at speed to harm or intimidate should be treated exactly the same as someone who aims a loaded weapon at someone.