I Got Rattled Today

Message

Flipper · #1 Unread post by **Flipper** » Sun May 06, 2007 6:58 am

This morning something happened that really shook me up.

I was riding down a long down hill sweeping road.
Speed limit is 35. I'm going about 40.
At the bottom is a left hand turn lane that is very long and holds about 10 cars.
I plan on taking a left here.

I see a car coming up fast behind me.
He's right on top of me now and I'm afraid to slow.
I start flashing my front brake light without braking. I signal left.

I merge into the left turn lane and so does he.
The guy is all over me and I can't accelerate now because the light goes yellow and I couldn't make that turn at this speed anyway.
If I had a bazooka on the back of my bike I would have fired at this point.
Get the @&%* off of me.

Also, the guy is OLD and driving some beat up 1970's hit wagon that probably has drum brakes.

I start to slow and keep flashing, I can't merge right because of traffic.
The light is red and I come to a stop with this guy a foot from my tail.

I'm so rattled my heart is racing.

I get the left green arrow and go.
This guy actually passes me IN THE TURN and almost hits a car waiting at the light on his left.
I was so shaken up and angry I had to pull over.

Aside from the bazooka, how else might I have handled this situation?

Flipper

#2 Unread post by **Sev** » Sun May 06, 2007 7:06 am

Keep a couple of big rocks in your tank bag. Drop them over your shoulder.

Some people are just "fvck-wits" sadly there isn't much you can do aside from getting the license plate and make then report them to the cops.

#3 Unread post by **Wrider** » Sun May 06, 2007 7:14 am

Learn to shoot with your left hand...

Wrider

Flting Duck · Sun May 06, 2007 7:16 am

Try to remain relaxed and do what you gotta do - sounds like you did fine in this case.

Don't get mad, let it go - being mad detracts from your foucs on riding and increases your risk. If you have a real close one, it never hurts to pull over for a minute to cathc your breath and calm down from the experience..

If it looks like the person is really out of control, like it sounds this guy was - it might not be a bad idea to get his/her plate call the cops - tell them he was driving erratically and appeared drunk.

Nalian · #5 Unread post by **Nalian** » Sun May 06, 2007 8:43 am

Flting Duck wrote:Try to remain relaxed and do what you gotta do - sounds like you did fine in this case.

Don't get mad, let it go - being mad detracts from your foucs on riding and increases your risk. If you have a real close one, it never hurts to pull over for a minute to cathc your breath and calm down from the experience..

If it looks like the person is really out of control, like it sounds this guy was - it might not be a bad idea to get his/her plate call the cops - tell them he was driving erratically and appeared drunk.

+1 - this is what I hope to do in these situations and not let my anger get over me. If I was recording at the time I might have followed the guy to get his plate on tape then gone straight over to the cops with the tape.

Sun May 06, 2007 9:11 am

Sounds to me you handled it well despite nearly giving yourself heart failure. Pulling over to regroup was also an excellent idea. Some people are just plain jerks and short of doing something vile or nasty in anger, all I can say is stay in control like you did.

Flesher · #7 Unread post by **Flesher** » Sun May 06, 2007 10:14 am

I'm not sure if you had the space and time, but I would not hesitate in that situation to forgo my left and either merge in behind him after he goes by or just go straight and double back later to get back on route.

Shorts · #8 Unread post by **Shorts** » Sun May 06, 2007 11:32 am

Flipper, I don't know what you could have done differently other than what you did. And at this point, thankfully chalking it up to a non-contact incident. I think you did everything as right as you could for the situation (as far as I know, I don't kow what kind of escape room, if any you might have had. Since you said you were pretty stuck, I believe it). But like sex, car-bike accidents take two to tango its good the old man didn't do worse than he did. The guy was probably blind as a bat, as impossible as that may seem since you were right in front of him. Unless he was just a real huge jerk <-- that's more believeable these days.

Who knows, maybe everything you did truly saved you enough that there was not a collision. If you hadn't noticed him behind you, and you hadn't flashed your brake as much as you did...

I'm glad you are ok, other than pretty shaken up. Maybe we could get a motorcycle company to have a bazoka as an optional feature...????

NightNurse · Sun May 06, 2007 11:38 am

Carry a handful of nuts and bolts in your jacket pocket

! No, you handled it well. People are "Donut Holes"....just a fact of life!

scotbot · #10 Unread post by **scotbot** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:23 am

Sounds like you did very well. You knew he was there in good time because you were making rear observations and thinking ahead, and when it shook you up you stopped to calm down.

It's easy to get angry but I guess it helps to think of such drivers as just stupid, rather than deliberately 'out to get you'.