Road Rage?
08-23-2010, 09:20 AM
#1
Senior Member
SuperSport
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 807
Road Rage?
I took a day trip to New York and Pennsylvania last week. It was a very nice ride for the most part but I am still really puzzled about an incident that occurred in northern Pennsylvania while I was on my way back to Canada.
I was stopped on a two-lane city street in a line of traffic at an intersection controlled by a traffic light. I intended to turn right. I rode slowly to the right of the stopped vehicles, stopped beside a vehicle at the front of the line, put the bike into neutral and put a foot down.
Suddenly something hit my left shoulder with a fair bit of force. I looked to my left and saw a very irritated man who shouted at me saying: "Park your f---ng bike! The [unintelligible word] cops are right behind me [or are on their way]." The man was not in uniform and there was no sign of a badge. I rode to a parking spot to my right, put the bike into neutral and left the engine running. The stoplight was red at the time.
My first thought was that I had done something illegal by riding between the stopped vehicles and the parked ones and going to a place opposite the vehicle at the front of the line. I didn't hear any sirens or see any flashing lights in my mirrors. I saw the man who had hit me walking back along the line of traffic. I noticed that the light had turned green so I moved off and turned right and kept going. Fleeing from the police usually leads to a lot of trouble but I didn't see any sign of the police. I don't know what limits there are on a citizen's power of arrest in Pennsylvania but the man didn't detain me after I parked the bike. I was happy to get to the New York-Pennsylvania border.
I just couldn't figure out why he punched me. I would have expected an accusation before he hit me and ordered me to park the bike but there was none.
The only other explanation that came to mind was that he was driving one of two tractor trailers that I had passed a few minutes previously. They were close together on a curving two lane road. I began to pass in a passing zone and a oncoming pickup truck came into view. Rather than pull in between the two tractor trailers I was passing I decided to pass the lead tractor trailer. It's nice to have a quick bike. I pulled in front of the lead tractor trailer while the pickup was about 100 m. away. Neither truck blew its horn. There was a tractor trailer in the line of traffic behind me but I don't know if it was one of two that I had passed.
I was wearing a full-face helmet and an armoured textile jacket. The armour in the shoulder worked well when he hit me. I didn't say a word throughout the whole transaction. It was the weirdest thing.
The experience was a reminder of how vulnerable we are on a motorcycle and that good jackets and full-face helmets do more than protect us from unpleasant contact with the road.
I was stopped on a two-lane city street in a line of traffic at an intersection controlled by a traffic light. I intended to turn right. I rode slowly to the right of the stopped vehicles, stopped beside a vehicle at the front of the line, put the bike into neutral and put a foot down.
Suddenly something hit my left shoulder with a fair bit of force. I looked to my left and saw a very irritated man who shouted at me saying: "Park your f---ng bike! The [unintelligible word] cops are right behind me [or are on their way]." The man was not in uniform and there was no sign of a badge. I rode to a parking spot to my right, put the bike into neutral and left the engine running. The stoplight was red at the time.
My first thought was that I had done something illegal by riding between the stopped vehicles and the parked ones and going to a place opposite the vehicle at the front of the line. I didn't hear any sirens or see any flashing lights in my mirrors. I saw the man who had hit me walking back along the line of traffic. I noticed that the light had turned green so I moved off and turned right and kept going. Fleeing from the police usually leads to a lot of trouble but I didn't see any sign of the police. I don't know what limits there are on a citizen's power of arrest in Pennsylvania but the man didn't detain me after I parked the bike. I was happy to get to the New York-Pennsylvania border.
I just couldn't figure out why he punched me. I would have expected an accusation before he hit me and ordered me to park the bike but there was none.
The only other explanation that came to mind was that he was driving one of two tractor trailers that I had passed a few minutes previously. They were close together on a curving two lane road. I began to pass in a passing zone and a oncoming pickup truck came into view. Rather than pull in between the two tractor trailers I was passing I decided to pass the lead tractor trailer. It's nice to have a quick bike. I pulled in front of the lead tractor trailer while the pickup was about 100 m. away. Neither truck blew its horn. There was a tractor trailer in the line of traffic behind me but I don't know if it was one of two that I had passed.
I was wearing a full-face helmet and an armoured textile jacket. The armour in the shoulder worked well when he hit me. I didn't say a word throughout the whole transaction. It was the weirdest thing.
The experience was a reminder of how vulnerable we are on a motorcycle and that good jackets and full-face helmets do more than protect us from unpleasant contact with the road.
08-23-2010, 10:27 AM
#2
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 320
I have no idea what he could have meant. My first thought was that there were emergency vehicles (cops, ambulance, etc) trying to get through the intersection and you were somehow keeping the other vehicles from moving out of the way. But you said you didn't see or hear any emergency vehicles, so I'm clueless.
Or maybe a cop was looking for you and he heard it on his CB? Could he have been warning you? Or was he pissed?
Or maybe a cop was looking for you and he heard it on his CB? Could he have been warning you? Or was he pissed?
08-23-2010, 12:54 PM
#4
Senior Member
SuperSport
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 807
evines - He was really, really pissed but he didn't say why.
RK1 - You're almost certainly right about it being illegal to ride between a line of traffic and a line of parked cars but I wouldn't expect it to make anyone as upset as he was. I was too surprised by the punch to get angry enough to do something about it and if I had tried to do something about it: (a) I probably would have lost. The last fight I was in happened more than 40 years ago and it didn't end well for me. (b) I might have had some 'splaining to do if the police showed up. (c) I would have become a lot like him. (d) I couldn't know what a proportionate response would be unless I knew why he hit me. In any case, the shoulder of the jacket I was wearing was armoured and covered in a coarse fabric like Cordura. He wasn't wearing gloves and it couldn't have felt good when he hit me.
RK1 - You're almost certainly right about it being illegal to ride between a line of traffic and a line of parked cars but I wouldn't expect it to make anyone as upset as he was. I was too surprised by the punch to get angry enough to do something about it and if I had tried to do something about it: (a) I probably would have lost. The last fight I was in happened more than 40 years ago and it didn't end well for me. (b) I might have had some 'splaining to do if the police showed up. (c) I would have become a lot like him. (d) I couldn't know what a proportionate response would be unless I knew why he hit me. In any case, the shoulder of the jacket I was wearing was armoured and covered in a coarse fabric like Cordura. He wasn't wearing gloves and it couldn't have felt good when he hit me.
08-23-2010, 03:00 PM
#6
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Skurup, Sweden
Posts: 6,109
Walking away is the smarter option nine times out of ten...
08-23-2010, 04:22 PM
#7
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 3,451
Where did this guy come from? Was he on foot, or had he gotten out of a vehicle? Was he dressed neatly and clean cut?
The reason I ask these questions is that there are crazies everywhere (homeless or otherwise). Look at the woman who attacked McDonalds workers through the drive-thru window a couple weeks ago...because she couldn't get her McNuggets until after 11am!!!
With my helmet on, others can't tell I'm 63 years old, and I'm sure many assume I'm a "19 year old motorcycle punk". This guy may just have it in for anybody on a motorcycle, for some distorted reason.
About 30 years ago in a road rage incident on the freeway (he had cut me off, I retaliated by flipping him off), a guy flashed a badge and motioned for me to pull over. Of course I just kept going. I was in my car, by the way.
You definitely did the right thing by riding off.
And yes, that would be illegal, since it would be passing on the right. Although I used to do it all the time at the last right turn on my way to work. But it was a lane next to the curb, with no parking.
The reason I ask these questions is that there are crazies everywhere (homeless or otherwise). Look at the woman who attacked McDonalds workers through the drive-thru window a couple weeks ago...because she couldn't get her McNuggets until after 11am!!!
With my helmet on, others can't tell I'm 63 years old, and I'm sure many assume I'm a "19 year old motorcycle punk". This guy may just have it in for anybody on a motorcycle, for some distorted reason.
About 30 years ago in a road rage incident on the freeway (he had cut me off, I retaliated by flipping him off), a guy flashed a badge and motioned for me to pull over. Of course I just kept going. I was in my car, by the way.
You definitely did the right thing by riding off.
And yes, that would be illegal, since it would be passing on the right. Although I used to do it all the time at the last right turn on my way to work. But it was a lane next to the curb, with no parking.
Last edited by VTRsurfer; 08-23-2010 at 04:25 PM.
08-23-2010, 07:07 PM
#8
Senior Member
SuperSport
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 807
RK1 - I knew that you weren't suggesting a kick in the nuts as a solution. You were very clear that the best option generally is to leave quickly.
VTRsurfer - I didn't see or hear the man approach. I was looking at the traffic light. I saw him only after he punched me. He was a slightly bulky, middle aged guy with a shaved head. I think he was wearing a t-shirt. I moved off almost immediately after I saw him in my mirror walking away. I didn't see him get into or out of a vehicle or talk with anyone in a vehicle. He didn't look like the homeless people I'm used to seeing. He looked like one of the tow truck drivers on the TV show "Operation Repo". I would have expected some verbal communication or, as in your case, some gesture before things escalated but there wasn't any. His behaviour wasn't complex but I can't figure it out. That's what troubles me. Maybe he was just a crazy.
VTRsurfer - I didn't see or hear the man approach. I was looking at the traffic light. I saw him only after he punched me. He was a slightly bulky, middle aged guy with a shaved head. I think he was wearing a t-shirt. I moved off almost immediately after I saw him in my mirror walking away. I didn't see him get into or out of a vehicle or talk with anyone in a vehicle. He didn't look like the homeless people I'm used to seeing. He looked like one of the tow truck drivers on the TV show "Operation Repo". I would have expected some verbal communication or, as in your case, some gesture before things escalated but there wasn't any. His behaviour wasn't complex but I can't figure it out. That's what troubles me. Maybe he was just a crazy.
08-23-2010, 07:58 PM
#9
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 3,451
He was a slightly bulky, middle aged guy with a shaved head. I think he was wearing a t-shirt. He didn't look like the homeless people I'm used to seeing. He looked like one of the tow truck drivers on the TV show "Operation Repo". I would have expected some verbal communication or, as in your case, some gesture before things escalated but there wasn't any. His behaviour wasn't complex but I can't figure it out. That's what troubles me. Maybe he was just a crazy.
08-25-2010, 05:36 AM
#11
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 320
I just had a road rage incident on the way to work. First time in years for me, as I don't usually ride aggressively.
I was in the middle lane of three and had to get into the left lane to turn left into work (a navy base). There was a lot of traffic, but it was moving at about 30mph. I saw an opening to my left, turned on my turn signal, and started moving to the left to change lanes, looked over my left shoulder, and saw a lady in a honda accord (looked like a typical soccer mom) speeding up (like trying to block me). The blocking maneuver kinda pissed me off, so I gunned it and got in front of her anyway. She started honking her horn and flashing her lights at me, tailgaiting me. So I sped up, but not too aggressively, to get away from her, and then got in the left turn lane to the base. As she went by, she stopped (in traffic), rolled down her window, and yelled "you f*cking a*shole" extremely loud, then drove off.
Besides laughing at her, the only other thing I could think was "hey, that's what I was going to say."
I was in the middle lane of three and had to get into the left lane to turn left into work (a navy base). There was a lot of traffic, but it was moving at about 30mph. I saw an opening to my left, turned on my turn signal, and started moving to the left to change lanes, looked over my left shoulder, and saw a lady in a honda accord (looked like a typical soccer mom) speeding up (like trying to block me). The blocking maneuver kinda pissed me off, so I gunned it and got in front of her anyway. She started honking her horn and flashing her lights at me, tailgaiting me. So I sped up, but not too aggressively, to get away from her, and then got in the left turn lane to the base. As she went by, she stopped (in traffic), rolled down her window, and yelled "you f*cking a*shole" extremely loud, then drove off.
Besides laughing at her, the only other thing I could think was "hey, that's what I was going to say."
08-25-2010, 06:53 AM
#13
Senior Member
Back Marker
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: NW London UK
Posts: 108
We have them too.
Some years ago i was driving out of a tunnel onto a major road, as I soon as I saw a gap in the traffic I went for it nothing silly maybe a little quick but nothing near enough for it to be a problem.
A hundred yards down the the road the traffic stopped for the traffic lights. next i know a guy is pounding on my window flashing a badge and ranting at me that he is a police officer, I said sorry if I scared you, he went ballistic, at this point the lights changed I drove off and he was left standing in the road with a line of cars honking at him.
I was sure he was a nut as no real policeman would just start ranting like that.
Oh and of course I never heard a thing about it.
Some years ago i was driving out of a tunnel onto a major road, as I soon as I saw a gap in the traffic I went for it nothing silly maybe a little quick but nothing near enough for it to be a problem.
A hundred yards down the the road the traffic stopped for the traffic lights. next i know a guy is pounding on my window flashing a badge and ranting at me that he is a police officer, I said sorry if I scared you, he went ballistic, at this point the lights changed I drove off and he was left standing in the road with a line of cars honking at him.
I was sure he was a nut as no real policeman would just start ranting like that.
Oh and of course I never heard a thing about it.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
