Ever run into a driver who purposely messes with you?

[MThomas]

last night I was in the right lane of two lanes that both must turn left.
the car next to me decided he wanted to go straight instead of turning left as he was supposed to, forcing me to move over a lane.
i noticed the three punks in the car were laughing at me.
at this point I'm in the rightmost lane and they clearly see me and move over into my lane forcing me to speed up and away.
thank goodness they didn't chase me, being an inexperienced rider.

the msf class advised me of clueless drivers not paying attention but the question is how often, if ever, have you experienced a deliberately mean-spirited driver?

[riceburner]

last night I was in the right lane of two lanes that both must turn left.
the car next to me decided he wanted to go straight instead of turning left as he was supposed to, forcing me to move over a lane.
i noticed the three punks in the car were laughing at me.
at this point I'm in the rightmost lane and they clearly see me and move over into my lane forcing me to speed up and away.
thank goodness they didn't chase me, being an inexperienced rider.

the msf class advised me of clueless drivers not paying attention but the question is how often, if ever, have you experienced a deliberately mean-spirited driver?

in 30+ years of riding, including commuting for about 15 years through London.... maybe one or two.

Drivers in the main are NOT 'out to get you', they're just not aware of your presence, or, if they DO see you, they don't expect to see you where you are (so react with surprise initially). If you bear this in mind at all times then you won't go far wrong.

[towerworker]

I agree with the above. I would add one thing though......if by chance you do come across a driver who wants to mess with you (rare)....get away as safely as you can. Seldom will a rider win in such a situation.

[riceburner]

I agree with the above. I would add one thing though......if by chance you do come across a driver who wants to mess with you (rare)....get away as safely as you can. Seldom will a rider win in such a situation.

The best way to get away..... STOP.

don't run, just slow down, stop, or get them in front of you and turn off onto another road. They won't go out of your way to catch you, but if you stay in front of them, they CAN focus on you.

Best way to avoid an incident is by simply not having one.

[Keppelj]

I had a truck driver take a swing at me at a stoplight in Richmond CA as I was lane splitting to pull up to the head of the cars lined up. Fortunately, I was moving along, saw his face and upraised fist in the driver's side mirror in front of me, and ducked so he just grazed my back. I got to the head of the line and was gone when the light changed. Made me think one of the downsides to Ca lane splitting law is resentment to motorcyclists.

[dandeldesierto]

In about 45 years of riding I have had people mess with me quite a few times. Several times it was someone "racing" me as I accelerated on an on-ramp, the other driver for some reason not wanting me to enter traffic in front of him/her. There was one driver who rolled a stop sign while making a right turn who was pulling a trailer with a giant tree trunk on it, forcing me into an emergency stop. Then when I passed him and gave him the "salute" he chased me at speeds up to around 90 mph. It was a rural area, but the "chase" had to be a lot more exciting for him than me, as he was pulling a tree down a curvy highway at 90 or so, and I was just having fun in the curves at that point. One night a long time ago out in far west TX I was tailgated in a highway construction zone by a semi-truck repeatedly; I would outrun him then go back to prudent speed, then he would come up again and I would again take off. Finally the construction work ended and I ran it up to about 105 and really got away from him. About fifty miles later I was getting fuel at an all-night truck stop and was "chatted" up by a fellow who was laughing about chasing a motorcyclist at speeds up to around 90 mph while going through a construction zone. Seems he thought it was "just good fun".

[MThomas]

This sounds pretty scary overall, I'm not even comfortable at 50 mph so I couldn't imagine 100 mph

[peels]

yes. one springs to mind. two lanes, two cars. car in front of me darts left in front of me, then the two cars, all 20-something "flatbiller" types.... apparently in cahoots, drive side by side incredibly slow for my entire 7 mile ride home.

I contemplated being a d**k and going between them. but Id rather remain a non-statistic.


But indirectly messing with me, HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. gotta watch out for them. the average driver is subconsciously looking for space BETWEEN CARS in which to maneuver, and a motorcycle can get mysteriously lost in that. phones significantly add to that phenomenon. I get pulled out in front of, blocked, nearly sideswiped quite a bit.

the other thing that adds to this, is I ride much longer into the cold season than the average person around here. Its not "normal" for a bike to be out, so definitely have to be mindful, of NOT being seen. I Can see the look on the drivers face after they nearly clip me. "sorry, didn't see you, but WTF are you doing riding when it 40 degrees and raining?"

I had a car pull directly in front of me at night once. closest call iv'e had so far. I rarely ride at night, that one scared me. I passed and made eye contact with the driver. and emphatically shook my head at him. His face was sheer terror. He honestly didnt see me. Calmed down, made it to where I was going, then he pulled in beside me! i was thinking oh crap.... BUT him and his wife were VERY apologetic, had followed to make sure I was ok and wanted to make sure I KNEW it was not on purpose. (they were both riders and we had a brief conversation about loud pipes LOL) Iv'e changed my riding a bit since then, to be a LOT more defensive.

[EX-HOG]

Tailgaters are the worst!

[peels]

Tailgaters are the worst!

I had to explain this to my mother. SHe gave me a ride to the airport one day. We were behind a Victory rider on an exit. which branches into two exits. She was RIGHT on this guys hind end he was moving to the right, and she was waiting for her chance to move past him at her branch of the exit where the lanes spread and go left.. JUST as it widened she FLEW past him on the left before it was actually two lanes. He was visibly startled. ME: "uhhhh, dont drive like that around bikers, I GUARANTEE that guy is swearing at you inside his helmet. Just because a motorcycle is small, and theres more room, that doesnt mean you get to take it, if he were trying to change lanes at the same time, hed probably be dead right now" I know she wasnt doing it on purpose, she just didn't think about it that way. And that's how many drivers are.

Then she got back from Cali a few months back... and was complaining about lane splitters when she was stuck in traffic. I reminded her about the incident with motorcycles and space.They have less of it in which to be safe, let them decide how much they need. LOL I told her if I were living there, id likely be splitting lanes too.

[monstrous]

Once in many years and miles, and the guy was trying to wreck me for sure. Pull over and pull out your side arm.

[Sunbeemer]

Intentionally? I don't think so, but many, many, many, unintentionals.
I'm willing to give the phone-blinded cagers the benefit of the doubt that they don't know what they're doing rather than they are really trying to kill me!

Ride like you're invisible!

PS> Now that I think about it, there was a lady in a convertible who raced me down a two-lane on-ramp and nearly ran me off the road at the end where the lanes merged.
I didn't notice her until she was beside me going 90mph and her lane ended, so she merged into me smiling all the while! At that point she really didn't have a choice except to crash into the guardrail, so she chose the lesser of two evils for her and ran me off the road.

I think she was having a little racing fun but misjudged my speed and exceeded her driving capability, so not intentionally trying to harm, she was just another bad driver.