Stupid Drivers!!!

[crazy steve]

I just get away from the idiots and let it go.
You can't fix stupid.

That's it in a nutshell.

Really, I adjust my driving style to the vehicle I'm operating....

Motorcycle: I pretend I'm invisible. The ultimate in defensive driving and with anything less you'll end up a statistic.

Nice car: I might play a bit of chicken, but usually not. Pretty much size-based. Idiots in little s**tbox imports I'll cut off without a second thought.

Rusty, dented beater truck: It's my lane and I dare you to try me. And few do...

'78E original owner

[79XS11F]

The best thing you can do is have them charged. I don't know about at your location but here in Ontario, if you can without question ID the driver you can call the cops when you get home and they will charge the driver. You of course have to be prepared to help them in court as a witness and also must know the plate number.
Rob

[psycoreefer]

I don't know about here in nevada, I just moved here, but in michigan where I grew up, its mostly like if the cop didn't see it then it didn't happen, unless you've got some sort of proof, video, pictures, paint transfer etc. at least for traffic type stuff.

[Ivan]

Just ask them if they feel lucky.

[RS Thornton]

And you expected her to want to roll down the window?

If she knew she screwed up what was she supposed to do? Roll down the window and take the abuse from an irate biker.

If you had followed her into the parking lot do you think she would have stopped? Or would she have just phone 911 and reported a suspicious character. The funniest solution I have ever heard when a cager pulls that crap is to call in the plate as a suspected drunk driver based on the erratic driving.
Scott

[mro]

I don't know if the "law" has changed, but it used to be legal to pass on the right if: Can do so safely, don't leave the pavement, are not speeding.

Small consolation, should an accident occur the "passer" would be considered at fault.

Out here in CA CA land we have perfect government, perfect police and courts etc etc etc the best tax money can buy and of course the best laws too.
If you would have kept following her you most likely would have wound up in jail charged under one of the "road rage" laws. The fine (with associated fees several times more than the fine) would cost you thousands plus more for court costs and attorney fees.

Quote:
Originally Posted by oseaghdha
I just get away from the idiots and let it go.
You can't fix stupid.

I agree


mro

[Pat Kelly]

My sympathies, but.....
I see motorcycles 'split lanes' unnecessisarily all the time. 10-20 or more cars sitting in two lanes all waiting for the light to turn green. Here comes a motorcycle between the lanes up to the red light. It turns green and off the zoom. A lot of times the traffic isn't stopped yet. There's no good reason for this other than to circumvent traffic. Yes I know it is allowed here in Calif and I know that it is allowed so that air-cooled (ours are but how many bikes are water-cooled nowadays?) bikes don't overheat during "rush hour" (an oxymoron if I ever saw one). But on surface streets just pisses cagers off and they might be vindictive to the next motorcycle they see.
She might not have seen you and swerved to the right to avoid rear-ending you. Then too embarassed to take the heat. She may just not like bikes and you shouldn't ride your toy in the street. No one but her knows why she did it.
I'm glad your safe.
I've had this happen a few times in the past. A couple of times I yelled at them and broke thier mirror off. Once I got behind them and at the next stop I rode my front wheel up on their trunk (enduro). Now I just take it in stride and chalking it up to having to watch myself and everyone around me.
I don't ride like I'm invisible, I ride like everyone wrapped in steel with nothing to lose is out to kill me.
I'm glad you're safe.

[CatatonicBug]

The best thing you can do is have them charged. I don't know about at your location but here in Ontario, if you can without question ID the driver you can call the cops when you get home and they will charge the driver. You of course have to be prepared to help them in court as a witness and also must know the plate number.
Rob

That doesn't work unless you have some kind of physical proof. If there is no damage to person/property, a cop has to actually see a person do something to give them a traffic ticket.

I don't know if the "law" has changed, but it used to be legal to pass on the right if: Can do so safely, don't leave the pavement, are not speeding.

Nope - Not legal. You can pass on the left only AFAIK. That was part of my driver's training (behind the wheel class) when I was in High School in CA.

[cywelchjr]

That doesn't work unless you have some kind of physical proof. If there is no damage to person/property, a cop has to actually see a person do something to give them a traffic ticket.

While that is true, if the cop feels like it, they can give the person a talking to. I understand that if there are enough witnesses they can indeed give a ticket as well, but it can't be you said she said, there have to be disinterested witnesses willing to come forward. That's why the red light tickets stand up in court, the cop doesn't have to witness it, but a credible witness does.

Nope - Not legal. You can pass on the left only AFAIK. That was part of my driver's training (behind the wheel class) when I was in High School in CA.

Yes, you can. It's not considered proper, but it's legal, as long as the road allows enough space to do so safely.

[CatatonicBug]

Yes, you can. It's not considered proper, but it's legal, as long as the road allows enough space to do so safely.

Well, the one ticket I have on my record is for doing exactly that. Passing on the right, putting my right wheels in the shoulder while another vehicle was in the left half of the roadway.

[cywelchjr]

Well, the one ticket I have on my record is for doing exactly that. Passing on the right, putting my right wheels in the shoulder while another vehicle was in the left half of the roadway.

That's the rub, if you put a wheel on the shoulder there wasn't room to pass. Leaving the roadway, or crossing a solid line to pass is ticketable whether to the right or the left.

[psycoreefer]

She might not have seen you and swerved to the right to avoid rear-ending you. Then too embarassed to take the heat. She may just not like bikes and you shouldn't ride your toy in the street. No one but her knows why she did it.

I'm sure she saw me, I was watching her in my mirror as I started to slow down to make sure I wouldn't get rear-ended. She just suddenly decided that I had "too much" space in front of me or something and passed me on the right (she was partially on the shoulder) I do drive defensively, and I'm aware that had I followed her further I would probably have been the one to end up in trouble with the law. I just wish people could have some common respect and courtesy for others.

Maybe I'm the exception but I always try to give the other drivers on the road their space, respect their right to the road as much as mine. If i'm in a long line I'll let a person or two in front of me. If someones trying to get over I'll let them in, I try not to tailgate, or cut people off. About the only people I don't have any sympathy for is people who rush past all the "lane closed" signs to the front of a traffic jam and then try to cut in.
Oh and people who don't pull over and get out of the way for emergency vehicles. My inlaws huge pole barn burnt to the ground because the fire department couldn't get past the "gawkers" in their driveway. Anyways....

I really like the idea of reporting a "drunk" driver. I'll have to remember that for next time.

[draketrumpet]

Maybe I'm the exception but I always try to give the other drivers on the road their space, respect their right to the road as much as mine.

Yep. You are the exception. We are a small minority anymore.

[petejw]

I also hate it when someone cuts you off and they know they have,
then ignores you, as long as they acknowledge you with an apologetic
gesture then i intend to accept that.
with regards to reporting it to the coppers, over here as stated before unless there are witnesses or some sort of proof its generally one persons word against the other.
My pet hate at the moment is tailgating, i had a run in with a truckie about that a little while ago.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Psycoreefer,
Sorry to hear this happened to ya, but glad you're still here to tell the tale.

What else could ya do, man?

She had 2 advantages on ya...
1) she was bigger than you were..
and 2) she was definitely dumber!

I do like RS Thornton's suggestion...
(gotta remember that one, just in case...)

If you'd followed her into the parking lot, she might've turned the tables on ya and called the cops for stalking or road rage....

Sounds like ya did the best ya could.
She knew she'd screwed up...
Glad you're ok.
Bob