Stupid Drivers!!!

[Larrym]

UnRecoverably Stupid

Tha's me. Not on the bike though. I do have a videocamera mounted and it's a part of my ATGATT. (Mounted between the handlebar risers and pointed forward.) If I do have any "problems" then the court case won't be a he-said vs she-said. There'll be an objective observer just like in Rodney King's situation. (Wasn't that awkward for the defense attorney..)

But in the stupid-is-as-stupid-does category I do have and have used a wrist rocket slingshot along with pink colored paintballs in order to "Tag" offenders. The scenario is when I was at quiet anchorage in my sailboat and some pesky intoxicated powerboaters arrived. They proceeded to disregard the "5 MPH"/"No Wake Zone" signage and thread their way in/around the anchored boats at 20 mph+.

I Tagged them 3 times before they noticed the sound plus the bright pink splotches on their hull sides. When they turned their attention to me they saw the wristrocket in one hand and the cellphone in the other. Their choice was to leave my area immediately.

Sadly, the only other place for them to dock in order to resupply the ice chest was at the marina 1/2 mile away where they originally came from. When they did go back there the harbormaster plus the county sheriff were waiting. They weren't charged for the "no-wake zone" offense. The "captain" was interviewed by the sheriff, found to intoxicated, and taken away in those nifty little tie-wraps for handcuffs.

I didn't have to provide the registration "numbers" for the boat in my phone call to the authorities: just the size, color, and make of the boat which had bright pink splotches on the port side hull.

Just a stupid policy that I have: People can do whatever they want to but sometimes I have the resources available to make them wish that they hadn't. My own way of saying, "Life is tough. But if you're stupid, it's tougher."

[Yard Dogg]

Here's my simple resolve.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=35058213

[DenyP]

I make it a habit to not ride in any specific place in a lane, instead I move around within the lane constantly changing locations to use the whole lane when I'm riding, that way they are less apt to want to try to share it with you. Especially if they think your drunk.

This also makes you a more difficult target

I really hate this kind of thing on the freeway. Happened a lot to me when I was on the west coast. They would just merge into my lane knowing I would have to get out of the way. Been almost 40 years since I was out there and it still makes me crazy when I think about it!

Deny

[lvrsnr]

that's one reason I seldom pack while riding but I really think slinging a shot gun across my back would surround me with more polite cagers

[Ivan]

So, what you can do is follow them, and get their plate number and a good detailed description of their person, and then call the police and ask to file a complaint. They may not get a ticket, but they will get a summons and the judge will at least hear your side of the story. It would be enough of an inconvience to make them rethink their driving habits, hopefully.

Other than that, just try not to get hurt. Seems like there is no in between on a scoot. You're either having the time of your life or are afraid for it.

[DiverRay]

I had one jerk pull into my lane on the way to work Friday. I had been following the same car for over a mile, keeping a close but safe distance in the somewhat heavy traffic. some jerk pulled into my lane, even though I was on the horn!!! He waved as if "that's OK, I saw you!" I just rode around and pulled in front of him, slowed down a little and looked back. he moved back, and stayed back.
In this county, we DO have a few "outlaw" gangs, and they ARE active. If someone thinks you MAY be part of one, they DO back off quickly!
It WAS hard to keep from smacking the mirror on the car, though.(Stupid VW Driver!!)

[Yard Dogg]

Last fall I was having a nice day going to the bike shop cruising along at the speed limit when a mini van decided to start crowding the crap out of me. First he started to take an exit, so I changed to the left lane, he changed his mind so now he's beside me weaving to and frow in his lane. Then he sped up so I got back behind him, he slowed again, I went left, loitered next to me again weaving around in his lane, so I got ahead of him, then he started riding my ass and went around me to the left and loitered next to me again still driving like crap. So I slowed down, then the prick cut me off and slowed again. So I went back to the left lane and picked up some speed to get some distance between us, he speeds up again and loiters beside me for a bit, gets out ahead of me then slams on his brakes. I said screw it and gassed it a bit more positively made my lane change cause my exit was coming up and there sat a stater.

This jerk pulls me over and the first thing he says is, "Just to let you know I ride bikes for the state patrol so don't think I'm pulling you over to be a prick." Cool I thought. Then the moron looks at my bike and says, "On a bike like that you would KNOW if you were doing 81 MPH. Your speedometer reads 85, you had to have been giving it about all it has." I politely explained the bike is shaft drive, very smooth and with the wide engine and windshield I really don't catch too much wind." He then comments about it being an old piecer or something to that effect, and I again politely explained the reason for the oxidation and the original miles were only 20,000. He kept at it so I told him, "This is a very smooth and powerful bike. It is shaft drive, in great mechanical shape and puts out around 95 HP. If I was getting on the throttle YOU WOULD KNOW IT." He says' "There ain't no way this piece of crap puts out 95 HP. It might put out around 50 if your lucky." I said, "Well I guess you don't know **** about bikes after all do ya?" We had a small pissing match then I talked him into sitting on it and cranking the engine a bit to feel the response and what not. He liked it. I explained about the mini van hoping a fellow rider would understand. I got a ticket.

Sorry about the long story, just wanted to vent cause it still ticks me off. Whats worse is he had started to pull over the mini van first and then went around and came after me. He thought he knew about bikes, that's really why I got the ticket.

If I get in that situation again, I'm gonna pull over to the shoulder and let the idiot cager keep going.

[DenyP]

Last fall I was having a nice day going to the bike shop cruising along at the speed limit when a mini van decided to start crowding the crap out of me. First he started to take an exit, so I changed to the left lane, he changed his mind so now he's beside me weaving to and frow in his lane. Then he sped up so I got back behind him, he slowed again, I went left, loitered next to me again weaving around in his lane, so I got ahead of him, then he started riding my ass and went around me to the left and loitered next to me again still driving like crap. So I slowed down, then the prick cut me off and slowed again. So I went back to the left lane and picked up some speed to get some distance between us, he speeds up again and loiters beside me for a bit, gets out ahead of me then slams on his brakes. I said screw it and gassed it a bit more positively made my lane change cause my exit was coming up and there sat a stater.

This jerk pulls me over and the first thing he says is, "Just to let you know I ride bikes for the state patrol so don't think I'm pulling you over to be a prick." Cool I thought. Then the moron looks at my bike and says, "On a bike like that you would KNOW if you were doing 81 MPH. Your speedometer reads 85, you had to have been giving it about all it has." I politely explained the bike is shaft drive, very smooth and with the wide engine and windshield I really don't catch too much wind." He then comments about it being an old piecer or something to that effect, and I again politely explained the reason for the oxidation and the original miles were only 20,000. He kept at it so I told him, "This is a very smooth and powerful bike. It is shaft drive, in great mechanical shape and puts out around 95 HP. If I was getting on the throttle YOU WOULD KNOW IT." He says' "There ain't no way this piece of crap puts out 95 HP. It might put out around 50 if your lucky." I said, "Well I guess you don't know **** about bikes after all do ya?" We had a small pissing match then I talked him into sitting on it and cranking the engine a bit to feel the response and what not. He liked it. I explained about the mini van hoping a fellow rider would understand. I got a ticket.

Sorry about the long story, just wanted to vent cause it still ticks me off. Whats worse is he had started to pull over the mini van first and then went around and came after me. He thought he knew about bikes, that's really why I got the ticket.

If I get in that situation again, I'm gonna pull over to the shoulder and let the idiot cager keep going.

The cop was Stupid and a jerk on top of it!

I have experienced first hand rabid road-rage. I Have been chased for over 20 miles and nearly run off the road. I did pull over and was ready for the face to face altercation I expected to follow. I think the young ass hole changed his mind about approaching me when he considered I could be armed and pulled away. This for flipping the jerk off. I wasn't carrying at the time but in central Minnesota people tend to be armed more often then in the metro areas (hunting ground all around ya). I remember this experience now when ever I am on the road. The other part may have been when I unfolded myself from the economy job I was driving (I am a big guy and was as mad as hell)

Deny