Almost got run over by a jealous cager

[SovietRobot]

I fixed my throttle issue and decided to take the ol' fiz out for a little ride today.

I was going through town and came up to a stop light, so I filtered up to the front and waited for the light to turn green. I notice the car to my right is creeping forward towards my bike, so I look back and give him the stare.

I take off and climb over the bridge, doing about 40mph(limit 35), and that same goddamn cager is about 6 feet from the back of my bike!! I look back and lay on my stebel airhorn for about 5 seconds, then he changes lanes and passes me doing atleast 60mph(limit is still 35).

I catch up to him at the next stop light and I stop right next to him and ask him "What the hell is your problem?", and as soon as I ask him that, another SUV pulls up to his right and starts yelling at him and telling him to "slow the **** down ***hole", so the cager turns back to me and says "what are you scared I'm gonna run you over?", so I say back "No I'm not scared of a **** ******", and I start to move forward. I notice he switches lanes and gets right behind me! At this point I see another car infront of me so I move around him so that I'm not infront of the ***hole.

I passed about 6 cops in these 5 minutes, but none were there while this douchebag tried to kill me.

On a side note I filtered up to the front at every intersection, and there were cops at each one, and the only one that looked at me was a motorcycle cop, but I didn't look at him long enough to see what he was thinking.
I'm always safe about it and respect the other cars and give them plenty of room, but these people are jealous, and unaware of the laws so they get pissed off and try to block me.

Other than that my ride today was fantastic :cheer:

 

[damnpoor]

Ah, the joys of having to share the road with ****tards. That seems to happen to me a lot too, mostly in the bay area. I think a lot of them see a motorcycle and assume you're going to drive really fast so if you just go normal speed they get all irritated and pissy.

 

[dako81]

I get road rage too. That's why I try to never make eye contact or talk to another driver. I don't want to meet someone who has nothing to loose.

 

[cv_rider]

Filtering to the front of a stoplight always makes me a bit nervous, but I do it frequently. I'm a bit paranoid of not getting to the front before cars start moving (don't like riding between when cars are moving on the surface streets - lanes are too narrow, and people drive more erratically than on freeway), and also find that it's tough as I dart out in front of the lines of cars at a green to ensure that there isn't a red-light runner from either side while also trying to determine when it is clear to get back into the middle of a lane. It's a lot of stuff to keep track of.

I've never any type of experience like you had, but a time or two people have seen me filtering from behind them and move to the center of the lane to block me. It's obnoxious and lame (especially since me being at the front of the line won't slow them down), but nobody likes someone cutting in line, and it's not that much of a stretch for a cager to see this as cutting in line.

 

[SovietRobot]

^^I agree

I've had many instances where the light turned green and cars started to move.
What I do is look for the closest opening, look, use my turn signal, and merge.
It's easier than it sounds.

 

[damnpoor]

I've never any type of experience like you had, but a time or two people have seen me filtering from behind them and move to the center of the lane to block me. It's obnoxious and lame (especially since me being at the front of the line won't slow them down), but nobody likes someone cutting in line, and it's not that much of a stretch for a cager to see this as cutting in line.

I get a lot of people who scoot over to give me more room, mostly on 101 or I-80 during rush hour. I always wave a "thanks" to them.

 

[wrightme43]

Some cagers need to be beaten with bats, so do some bikers though too. Asshats are asshats.

Sorry it happened to you

 

[FZyLarry]

I personally don't filter to the front at red lights and mostly it is because it seems to really piss a lot of people off. I don't hold it against anybody who does as long as they aren't being a :squid: when they do it (I'm sure Soviet was being very respectable in his maneuver). I know some riders do it to avoid the possibility of getting rear ended and others do it because being on two wheels seems like it should earn you a few privileges. But for me personally, I just don't think what I gain is worth the negative energy that it induces in some people (the a$$hat that tried to intimidate you is hopefully a rare occurrence, but it does happen).

Glad nothing more came of this than elevated blood pressure!

 

[ant_mb]

I fixed my throttle issue and decided to take the ol' fiz out for a little ride today.

I was going through town and came up to a stop light, so I filtered up to the front and waited for the light to turn green. I notice the car to my right is creeping forward towards my bike, so I look back and give him the stare.

I take off and climb over the bridge, doing about 40mph(limit 35), and that same goddamn cager is about 6 feet from the back of my bike!! I look back and lay on my stebel airhorn for about 5 seconds, then he changes lanes and passes me doing atleast 60mph(limit is still 35).

I catch up to him at the next stop light and I stop right next to him and ask him "What the hell is your problem?", and as soon as I ask him that, another SUV pulls up to his right and starts yelling at him and telling him to "slow the **** down ***hole", so the cager turns back to me and says "what are you scared I'm gonna run you over?", so I say back "No I'm not scared of a **** ******", and I start to move forward. I notice he switches lanes and gets right behind me! At this point I see another car infront of me so I move around him so that I'm not infront of the ***hole.

I passed about 6 cops in these 5 minutes, but none were there while this douchebag tried to kill me.

On a side note I filtered up to the front at every intersection, and there were cops at each one, and the only one that looked at me was a motorcycle cop, but I didn't look at him long enough to see what he was thinking.
I'm always safe about it and respect the other cars and give them plenty of room, but these people are jealous, and unaware of the laws so they get pissed off and try to block me.

Other than that my ride today was fantastic :cheer:

You have a lot more self control than I do. Had he said that I would have been off the bike right there! I would have found out what he was scared of.

 

[cv_rider]

I get a lot of people who scoot over to give me more room, mostly on 101 or I-80 during rush hour. I always wave a "thanks" to them.

I agree - 10x more Bay Area drivers make extra room for a filterer (especially on the freeways) than try to prevent you from doing it. I wave to everyone who makes extra room for me. That positive feedback probably encourages them to do it more.

 

[Norm]

That sucks! Glad you didn't get hurt. I think you summed it up right though when you said he was jealous. People find it so hard to live and let live. They're envious of the most ridiculous things. They're basically just haters. Don't let it mess your day up too much.

 

[Stumbles06]

Glad you got out of it ok there Soviet... Pity theres so many idiots in cars out there.

Wolfman (+ son as pillion) and myself went for a short cruise last night, noticed the good and the bad. Coming up to a set of lights, a guy in a delivery van moved over for us to filter up to the front :thumbup: , but then some stupid boy-racer in his Lancer thought he could give us a run... What is it with idiots in cars out there... (hmm, did I already say that :rof: )

I don't filter up to the front very often, normally only when riding with a group that does it... Too many idiots that get jealous because they can't do it in their stupid cages just makes me nervous!!!

 

[The Toecutter]

You have a lot more self control than I do. Had he said that I would have been off the bike right there! I would have found out what he was scared of.

Yea i'm with you on that one.

 

[psnbye]

I take it that "filtering" means you ride between the cars to the front of the line? I might not understand the term maybe, is this legal? It doesnt sound too safe. I have never seen anyone on a motorcycle do this, I dont think these drivers around here would let a bike get away with it. I am just kinda confused I guess.

 

[dako81]

I take it that "filtering" means you ride between the cars to the front of the line? I might not understand the term maybe, is this legal? It doesnt sound too safe. I have never seen anyone on a motorcycle do this, I dont think these drivers around here would let a bike get away with it. I am just kinda confused I guess.

In CA it's not illegal to do. It can actually be safer in some instances.

 

[damnpoor]

In CA it's not illegal to do. It can actually be safer in some instances.

Yes. I feel safer moving between the cars where I am in gear and can accelerate or swerve than I do sitting still in the middle of traffic at the mercy of anyone who wants to rear-end me.

Plus in the hot summer months it keeps the engine and myself much cooler to stay moving.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Just remember, Car versus Bike, Car will win everytime!

Becareful and don't turn your situation into road rage. You never know when people snap. Just ain't worth it. If it really bothered you, get one of those 5 coppers you passed and report the reckless driver, get the plate #, etc.

For those who are against filtering or splitting. This is one good example why filtering is used to separate yourself with an aggressive driver, especially towards a motorcyclist.

 

[Stumbles06]

Yup, that's what Wolfman did last night, got through a few cars and got away from the idiot racer.

Filtering is sort of "frowned upon" here in Oz (if you get away with it all good, but if a cop sees you and can catch you.. he'll book you), but the traffic here is normally fairly light... e.g. only going past 2 or 3 cars to get to the front.

 

[SovietRobot]

It falls under lane splitting/lane sharing here in CA, so it's not against the law.

It was pretty hot today so instead of sitting behind 20 cars for 5-10 minutes, you get some air to yourself and the bike, and you're in gear ready to move.

I didn't want to be in the situation on the bike. If I was in my car I would've kicked some ass, but these people will just hit you or your bike and run. When he got behind me the second time I had no choice but to illegally lane split (I went to the outside of a single turn lane) because my safety called for it.

If there had been no car there, I probably would have did an illegal Uturn on a red light(ASSUMING THERE WERE NO CARS GOING THAT WAY) to get away from that douchebag. I don't care if someone rear ends me out of anger in my car, but it's a different story on the bike.

 

[chunkygoat]

If it really bothered you, get one of those 5 coppers you passed and report the reckless driver, get the plate #, etc.

I've had to do that with a reckless cager a few weeks ago on a short ride. Somebody almost hit me so i rode behind is left mirror to let him know how close he was to killing me. He got angry and pulled to my side in a 1 lane road - screaming and cussing out the window at me.

I just got his plate number, sped back up and yelled to him "JOES-00 (his plate number)! i'm calling the cops!" I don't deal with that crap, so i called them po-leece on him.


And somehow i tend to attract the type of drivers that try to provoke me to drive way to fast. I think they assume sports bike riders want to drive fast. I'm not sure but it irritates me (sometimes).