Trailers are dangerous

[TractorRob]

Some of you people really crack me up!! "If you did_____ to me I would do ____ to you!" You know what, I don't care how big and bada$$ you are, there's always someone who's bigger and more bada$$, and it may very well be the person you are addressing that message to.

 

[TractorRob]

...One day an idiot in a large pickup decided that running me off the road, into the parked cars would be fun. After avoiding serious injury I passed the "Gentleman" a mile or two ahead at a stop light. Yes, I snaked up through the stopped cars. A couple of blocks later when he tried once more to kill me, I planted a size 12 cleat in his fancy paint job...

...You stated this happened at a stop sign, so the danger you felt had passed. You were simply being childish and unable to control yourself...

Read his post again, it was not at a stop sign, it was a couple of blocks latter when "he tried once more to kill me."

 

[wvpolekat]

So, he had a chance to get away from the situation, but chose not to. Same logic applies.

 

[TractorRob]

So, he had a chance to get away from the situation, but chose not to. Same logic applies.

No it doesn't. You are assuming he had a chance to get away,and we don't know that. If somebody does try to run you off the road and you get into a situation where the vehicle may hit your bike, it is a lot easier to maintain control of the bike if you put your foot out and absorb some of the blow with your foot instead of letting the vehicle hit your bike.

 

[wvpolekat]

No it doesn't. You are assuming he had a chance to get away,and we don't know that. If somebody does try to run you off the road and you get into a situation where the vehicle may hit your bike, it is a lot easier to maintain control of the bike if you put your foot out and absorb some of the blow with your foot instead of letting the vehicle hit your bike.

My point is, if you saw a reckless driver, would you pull up along side them? BOTH drivers have a duty to avoid accidents. He did not heed this duty, he continued to play games with the other bonehead. Still, the best option is to back off and let the other guy go. From everything I read, both of them were looking for a pissing contest and apparently found it.

 

[archerm3]

Putting your size 12 in to the side of the truck was wrong, period. You did that to me, you would be sitting there waiting on the cops and I promise you, you would be paying for it. Not liking someones behavior does not give you the right to destroy their property out of malice. You stated this happened at a stop sign, so the danger you felt had passed. You were simply being childish and unable to control yourself. You had the option to stop, let him drive ahead and report him. What you did was akin to following someone to where they are going and busting a window because they cut you off. But, I suspect you know that. You just don't care.

If you felt soooooo in danger because of this driver, why would you put yourself back in danger pulling up next to him? My guess is that you got your panties in a wad and couldn't control your childish need to "show him"

Your best action, instead of being an @$$hole would have been to note his license plate, and let him go on.

If it was me that dented your truck, I would be more than willing to wait with you until the cops came, and more than willing to take the case to court to determine damages. Money well spent exposing an idiot driver that likes to try and kill bicyclists out of road rage.

Funny thing is, speaking with other cyclists who have had runins like this, and most have, is that the drivers are NEVER willing to stick around and admit to the cops what precipitated the behavior.

 

[boatyard]

Oh Boy.

wvpolekat,
Trust me, I went out of my way to avoid MR big truck. No pulling up along side at stop lights. I did not bore you with all of the gory details. Read, Truck waiting in alley before the stop sign, Truck crossing multiply lanes to have another go at me after the stop sign. I suspect that details may be wasted on you. Clearly I must have been wrong. Once more facts not in my post are ,"quoted" to let some moron in a truck/car feel ok about trying to kill some poor soul on a bike. A bully is a bully. A moron trying to kill someone with their truck/car, well thats beyond the pale.

The point that I was trying to make, obviously to deaf ears, is that their are people out in our culture who believe that threatening/ bully/ pushing around people on bikes because they, hate, dislike, thing poorly of, God knows what, [pick your poison], their being on the road, will use their truck or car to run the bike off the road. Sick!

Ever been on 25lbs of bike with some moron in multiple tons of steel playing tough guy. It would be pretty funny if it was not so scary and oh so sad.


AND I should add that once Mr Big Truck was standing in the road thinking about what it might be like to be in a pickup being threatened by a semi truck he apologised, because even a knucklehead can catch on to the fact that he was WRONG. Read my post again. Remember the girl friend.

 

[Travelover]

Watching this thread spin out of control helps me understand road rage. :laughing:

 

[wvpolekat]

So, how is it that the person KICKING the other vehicle is a victim and the other one is trying to kill them out of road rage?

Fact of the matter is, you still kicked the other vehicle. This is no different than me throwing a rock at someone in the next lane because I felt they were trying to run me off the road. It doesn't mean that they were not wrong, but it doesn't make my action right. The first thing a judge is going to ask is why, if you were so afraid did you get back next to them? What of YOUR duty to avoid an accident? "I couldn't" is not an answer, neither is "I tried", unless he was actively "stalking" you on a 2 lane road when you had no place else to go. From what you are describing, that was certainly not the case.

Remember, there are 2 sides to every story. Your side, their side and the truth is somewhere between them. I am not trying to say he did nothing wrong. But, that doesn't excuse your behavior either.

I have watched cyclists get broadsided by cars. My own father had someone turn in front of him. I know what can happen.

Do I feel like bicycles should have the right to use roads? No. There need to be limits, perhaps based on speed limits. Do I think they should have to be licensed, registered and insured. You betcha. But, as of right now, none of that is the case. Does that mean I actively try to run them off the road? Certainly not. But, I will pass them when I feel it is safe, even if in a no passing zone or on a gravel road. It is foolish to expect 99% of the vehicles on the road to sit and wait at 1/4 the speed limit for a bicycle. They should be expected to yield to vehicle traffic.

 

[sld]

Sid,
You don't mean to suggest that running bikes over with your truck for sport is OK? Do you?
The size 12 cleat was only used as a last resort against a murderous pickup truck driver. So unless you are in the habit of trying to kill someone with your truck, you and I have no beef with one another.
What would you do if an 18 wheeler really got it in his head to take you out in your pickup?
Only a monster would feel good about threatening, with a truck or a car, another human being on a bike.
PS
For those of you who can't pass up an opportunity to make snide comments about Eastern states. The size 12 cleat was applied in a manly Western state, where I lived for many years. Any, as you call it,"Culture" that includes trying to kill others with your truck for sport, is I believe a culture that all decent people would not find enjoyable. But then there are a lot of people out there who are, quite frankly, not decent people.

Boatyard, I have never tried to hurt a bike rider. I love to ride also and know what jerks drivers can be. I can't even imagine what life would be like if you were the cause of someone's death because you were being reckless.

My beef is even when trying to be ultra safe and careful when passing, some riders still treat you like you did something wrong. I would have a serious problem if I thought I was being careful and a hot head rider kicked my door in because he thought I wasn't.

That is exactly the type of actions that give riders a very bad name.

Something to remember is the guy that hits back is usually the one that gets in trouble. Kicking a door in is never justified.