Well, this was pretty stupid!

[Rams]

Motorcycle rider charged with assaulting driver in road rage incident
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/motorcycle-rider-charged-with-assaulting-driver-in-road-rage-incident/ar-AAXYjKP?bk=1&ocid=msedgntp&cvid=8e0d8d7db2ed41c9a18d32d3669880fb

DEARBORN COUNTY, Ind. (WKRC) - Police have arrested a motorcycle rider suspected of assaulting a man during a road rage incident in Dearborn County.

Larry Sawyer, 48, faces a felony charge of battery resulting in serious bodily injury for the May 15 incident.

Police released video of the assault from a camera along US 50.

Investigators say it was Sawyer who got off his motorcycle at a traffic light and repeatedly struck a man driving a convertible.

The man in the convertible later lost consciousness and was involved in a crash shortly after.

After regaining consciousness, the victim told investigators he'd gone to Dairy Queen. He said the motorcycle rider was yelling at him and told him to pull over but he didn't. The victim said he hadn't done anything wrong.

After tips identified the rider as possibly being Sawyer, an officer spoke to him.

Sawyer told police that he and his son were on the motorcycle and were driving home. He told police that the victim brake-checked him all the way down US 50 and they almost crashed several times. It was previously thought his son was a woman riding on the back.

He said when they were both stopped he "lost it and started punching the guy". He said he looked back and saw the driver had crashed.

A witness did tell investigators the victim may have been speeding in the right lane on US 50. Sawyer tried to get over into the right lane when the victim's convertible came up fast and they almost side-swiped each other. The convertible had to swerve off of the road to avoid crashing with the motorcycle.

That witness also told investigators that the motorcycle rider and the driver were "cussing back and forth" and that the victim "flipped the suspect off".

Another witness said the motorcycle rider did not signal to get over when the convertible came up.

I wasn't there but..............
I ask myself, was this confrontation really necessary? Maybe everyone involved was lucky no one was carrying.
One thing for sure, if one goes looking for trouble, one is almost guaranteed to find it.

Rams  

[cookiedough]

yah,  I did something stupid once as well.  I was being tailgated on my cycle in front and the lady was on my A__ literally doing about 40 mph in a 35 mph speed zone.  The car could not have been more than 10 feet, at most, from hitting me.  I slowed down to 30 mph and with one hand on handlebars, the other hand turning around flipping her the bird.

luckily, she backed off somewhat from my rear end, not enough, but better.      Yah, I know there is a joke in there somewhere - LOL   

do something like that to the WRONG person, and you get hit from behind am sure.  road rage is out there for sure.

One other time I passed a car on a rural road, car in front doing tops 55 mph,  me passing say 65 mph and the darn car speeds up on my A__ big time.  This time I sped up to tad over 70 mph and the darn car was right there behind me VERY close.  He stayed right behind me for over 2 miles VERY close,  until I turned off on another road.  What are you suppose to do in that scenario?   If i pulled over (not really any good place gravel side ditch), he coulda hit me from behind NOT slowing down.  Should I have driven 90 mph speeding up? 

[scooperhsd]

yah,  I did something stupid once as well.  I was being tailgated on my cycle in front and the lady was on my A__ literally doing about 40 mph in a 35 mph speed zone.  The car could not have been more than 10 feet, at most, from hitting me.  I slowed down to 30 mph and with one hand on handlebars, the other hand turning around flipping her the bird.

luckily, she backed off somewhat from my rear end, not enough, but better.      Yah, I know there is a joke in there somewhere - LOL  

do something like that to the WRONG person, and you get hit from behind am sure.  road rage is out there for sure.

One other time I passed a car on a rural road, car in front doing tops 55 mph,  me passing say 65 mph and the darn car speeds up on my A__ big time.  This time I sped up to tad over 70 mph and the darn car was right there behind me VERY close.  He stayed right behind me for over 2 miles VERY close,  until I turned off on another road.  What are you suppose to do in that scenario?   If i pulled over (not really any good place gravel side ditch), he coulda hit me from behind NOT slowing down.  Should I have driven 90 mph speeding up?  

IF at all possible - do your best to get BEHIND such a possible road rager. Or slow down enough that they go around you.
In any case - you want them IN FRONT of you, and then pay close attention that they don't try to brake-check you.
YOU WILL lose if there is any contact between vehicles (Law of Gross tonnage).

Some people are just Douchebags and you can't do anything to please them, so put them where you have more control.

[Jess from VA]

If you have an anger or temper problem, motorcycling is not for you.

And it doesn't matter whose fault it is. 

I have a few times lost it and cussed drivers a blue streak and shook my fist at some who really almost got me (which they probably didn't hear, but could see if they were looking), but not for a long time.  I've even a couple times had a driver pull up next to me at a later light who said.... that asshole almost got you, didn't she?

If you ride (esp in traffic) it will happen.  Ride defensively, keep your head on a swivel, watch your mirrors. Get over it, get out of their way, let them pass, and don't let it spoil your ride.  Think happy thoughts.  One thing is for sure, being a 50 year bike rider has made me a better defensive cage driver, though you can relax a bit more in them.   

[Rams]

The only time my last Valkyrie was ever over the triple digit mark was when a newer Mustang decided to tailgate me on an interstate highway.   I don't mean a few feet away, I'm talking inches.   Scared the hell out of me.   I tried tapping my brakes lights and waving him around me, this jerk was determined to stay on my ass.   Oh, he had several opportunities to go around me.   Finally, I twisted the throttle and let her fly.   Although he fell behind, he did catch up but, not before I found an exit.   Was never sure why he was so intent to meet me close up.   He came up from the rear so, it's not like I cut him off or anything.   There are jerks out there, one simply hopes they are fortunate enough to avoid them.

I agree with Jess, ride defensively like everyone else wants to occupy your space and be prepared to get the hell out of their way.   There are things in life worth standing up for but, not against vehicle that  out weighs  you by 4 to 20 times.

Rams

[TTG53#1717]

I was 17 in ‘71 and heading home from my electrical appliance sales job at a local department store. About 18:15, on my chopped H-D with my longgg hair , royal blue sport coat and glitter helmet. At an interchange where the highway split in two, I was pretty much doing the speed limit at 50 and suddenly was hit in the rear and got real squirrelly. I actually credit my extended forks with helping regain stability. I looked behind me and there was a cream colored Eldorado with those giant round plexiglass surrounds on the headlights.
A big “Super Fly” , complete with the giant hat, was behind the wheel and waving his hands in the windshield for me to get out of his way. I gave him the finger and he bumped me again.

I had a chrome steel 1” bearing ball in a little carrier I made and as I hit the throttle I flung it over my left shoulder. God himself guided the ball directly to the windshield in front of the driver. SPLAT. The windshield spidered.
As I sped away the car veered left, slamming into the Jersey divider and then spun around twice.
I took the next exit and then local roads the rest of the way home.


My really strong, school shop made, sissy bar probably saved my a$$. My tail light was shattered but that was about it. Quick repair.

I took an alternate route home for the next month or so ‘til I got a different job.

[John Schmidt]

TIG53, that's the same method some of us used when I was a kid. I always carried a pocketful of larger ball bearings and if someone decided to smell my exhaust close up & wouldn't back off it was marble time. I'd just flip a couple bearings straight up a few feet and the following car would drive right into them as they came back down. The faster you were going, the better the effect...especially back in my day when the glass simply shattered, didn't spider. I also had my license plate on a hinge for both the car and bike with a wire running to the driver's seat. If someone is tailgating you, they usually aren't checking your tag # at first. Steel balls were rather effective creating distance.

[Ramie]

There have been a few times I would have used an eject button to push a driver off the road if such a things existed.  Alas, all I can do is shake my head at them and go on my merry way.