Tailgated, then "ROAD RAGED" (?)

[o_matic]

Yesterday I was tailgated, then "road raged" here in Austin. Thought I'd share the experience.

I am riding down the left lane of Airport Blvd. (four lanes with a middle turn lane). 45 MPH posted speed, medium/heavy traffic. I spot a Suburban behind me tailgating really close. Not worried, I am about to make a left turn on to Oak Springs Dr. (wide 2 lane with bicycle lanes and open shoulders), hopefully I can get away from this guy. I make my left, and there he is, still tailgating me really close. I heard his tires chirp and his engine roar as he made the turn.

I figure the safest option is to pull over onto the wide shoulder and let him pass. He passes me. Good. I'm now behind him and he slams on his brakes, I back way off. About 1/2 mile up, Oak Springs meets Springdale Rd. at a "T" intersection, you must turn right or left. Here he is, in the right turn lane, flailing his arms and "making one fingered gestures" out his window. I pull up and he starts screaming obscenities. His eyes are as wide as frying pans and his neck is craned back in a very unnatural angle while he screams. I ask "What did I do?" in a calm/confused manner, I can't figure out why he is so mad at me. He responds by screaming more obscenities and then opens his door and gets out of his Suburban and starts walking towards me.

I was in the left turn lane with a truck in front of me. This crazy person and his truck are blocking the right turn lane. I went to pass to the left of the truck in front of me, riding on the yellow line now. I approached the intersection, the light is red for me but it is clear in both directions. I figure a right turn is safer (red light) so I begin to make a right, and I see this guy is back in his Suburban and driving directly at me. I made a quick u-turn and gassed it, last I saw he was making a turn to come after me.

The whole time I did not make a single provocative movement, gesture, or maneuver. I was just trying to ride my motorcycle and not get hurt.

I still can't figure out what his problem was, but the way he looked he could have been under the influence of something.

Thankfully I had the wisdom to get away and the riding skills to do so.

Be careful out there.

[Pedro]

Glad you got out of there OK. Some people are just nuts.

True story- I once had a guy in a pickup swerve into my lane of oncoming traffic in an attempt to hit me on the bike. I went heavy on the brakes and he just missed me and managed to hit the car in the next lane over. Since his truck was now blocking my bike, I stopped to make sure everyone is OK, thinking he had just lost control or passed out or something. This is where it got weird.

He got out of his truck and started yelling at me. He was approaching me aggressively, and I think he meant to attack me physically. Just then, the police officer that was 2 cars behind me walked up and got between us, and ended up having to physically restrain him.

Once everything was settled, the cop told me that the guy had been trying to hit me because "those things are death traps" and he apparently thought he'd speed up the process for me.Needless to say, that gentleman left in the back of the officer's squad car. I never did find out what happened to him, but admitting attempted vehicular manslaughter to a cop can't possibly end well.

[focus frenzy]

he found out someone who rides a versys is playing "hide and seek" with his wife.

[cdc]

Glad you were able to get away...

[ekms377]

I will see if I can find you a concealed handgun course in Austin.....

http://centraltexasgunworks.com/

[bmcdonau]

You were lucky, there was a road rage incident in SA this week and the instigator ended up dead, but also shot at least one othe person.

[o_matic]

Originally Posted by Pedro

Some people are just nuts.

Well said. That pretty much sums up these situations.

Originally Posted by focus frenzy

he found out someone who rides a versys is playing "hide and seek" with his wife.

I was thinking something along those lines, like he thought I was an abusive brother-in-law or, yeah, the guy "seeing" his wife.

I'll never know.

[o_matic]

Originally Posted by ekms377

I will see if I can find you a concealed handgun course in Austin.....

http://centraltexasgunworks.com/

I thought about that. If I would have had my pistol, I probably would have had time to draw and aim...

[whoa]

Most times I'd not want a helmet cam, but then here's your situation. There are people living outside their bodies, and it's frightening to think they can seemingly get through the day. I can be provoked into abusive behavior, but there are some out there who really don't mind driving over you, or worse, pulling a weapon.

You made the better choice. I assume you've no chance of remembering their registration or at least partial? Still, I'd call in APD traffic and report the road rage incident. He's likely to show up another time with someone else, and it'd be good to have some history.

[Smiley]

Glock 27 in my fanny pack every time I ride. Had to show it to a jerk on Bee Caves this past Saturday. Not proud of it either but, this guy just wouldn't give up. I had to ride near my limit to get rid of him. People are really stressed nowadays. That's the only thing I can figure.

[DaveC]

nut jobs with SUVs!

[kurt]

Sounds like a prime candidate for bath salts. Right area of town too. They are becoming more common than almost every other drug we see combined.

Anxious and jittery behavior
Decreased need for sleep
Lack of appetite
Severe paranoia
Erratic behavior with potential for hallucinations, violence and self-mutilation

http://recovergateway.org/resources/...h-salts-abuse/

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by ekms377

I will see if I can find you a concealed handgun course in Austin.....

http://centraltexasgunworks.com/

If you can make it as far south as Shertz, Lonestar Handgun does a **** of a good job.

[ninthlord]

Let it go. Won't be the last.

[KenH]

The world is full of idiots. Don't become one. You can't win against a bully in a Suburban. Even if you have to pop a cap in someone and are perfectly justified in doing so, you really don't want to have to deal with the investigation. The best defense is exactly what you did: Simply don't be there. You're on a bike. Don't even acknowledge the idiots--just leave. Most nutcases are pacified if you let them go first. In any case, let them go first. Easier to keep an eye on someone in front of you than behind you. The rare oddball you have to outrun. U-turn and haul, drop back, turn off, lane split, ..., whatever it takes. Try to get a license plate number and call it in, but don't put yourself at risk to i. d. an idiot.

I've been pulled over for running a redlight to avoid a road rager. After being forced into the left turn lane twice and brake checked by the same F150, I split lanes and turned left across traffic. I stopped as soon as the cop hit the lights, pulled off my helmet, and had license, insurance, and CCP in hand when the officer walked up. Once I explained what happened and that I felt my only two choices were escape or shoot the nutcase in the F150, he let me go. Either way, I'd rather pay a redlight ticket than pay a defense attorney even for a legitimate shoot.

If I ever move back to a big city I'll consider a helmet cam and cell phone with remote controls mandatory. Documentation can keep you out of jail.

[cheez]

Glad you got away unscathed. Idiots abound, and angry idiots are the worst kind.

[YoDoc]

I had a guy tailgate me then swing into the other lane, I thought "good, he's going to pass me", but then he swung back into my lane trying to hit me. I ended up on the shoulder.

They're everywhere.

[KenH]

Try. Ride like everyone else is out to kill you. Some are.

[Gravel Guy]

Glad it turned out well, O.
And, a dual-sport is better for hopping curbs to get away.....just saying!

[Maintainer]

It's called motohatred, it may have been from another aggressive rider incident that made him hater all riders. Then again who knows, some nuts get offended by something as simple as being passed. In large metro areas you are just exposed to more irrational, frusrated, and angry drivers. I've had my share of crazies around Houston.