am i an a$$hole?

[Dirtytoes]

okay, so this happened a long time ago...maybe a month or so...i wasn't gonna bring it up but now i'm wondering if i was an a$$hole for doing what i did.

this happened twice btw. (once on the street & once on the road)

but i'll tell the freeway story...

i'm riding on the 101...where there is almost always traffic...so once in a while i go between the cars to pass them...

some cars pull away so i can pass...but others (psychos) try to sandwich you....i'm sure many of you know that by now...

anyway, i'm going abour 50-60 in the 2nd to last lane...there is this huge truck on the left lane ahead of me, and next to it, in my lane, is brand-new wolkswagon....

...so i speed up to go between em (there was more than enough space)...

...i don't know about the truck, but the wolkswagon saw me in his mirrors...started closing in so i couldn't pass...i felt it was too late to stop so i gassed it some more to get the hell out of there...

a split second after i gassed it, i hit my right handle bar on his mirrors and i think i broke them off, because there was a a loud boom when i hit em & i kept going straight.....

...anyway, after that happened i was thinking what if i should pull over....

...but i said to myself, the guy is an a$$hole, he deserved it...so i gassed it and got way ahead of him, and since there was traffic, he couldn't keep up with me.

..other riders ive talked to so far said the same so far, so i'm wondering what you guys think...

[CNF2002]

Here's MY opinion

If lanesplitting is legal in your area, you were well within your rights to go between them. The self-righteous volks owner decided to use his new car to teach you a lesson, and he paid for it (kinda like those people who cut you off and slam on the brakes because you did something to annoy them on the road). He got what he deserved. I give it a definate o-ring status.

On the other hand if its illegal, you were at fault. But he didn't have to try to intentionally strike your vehicle, either. I consider that assault on his part. So he's still an o-ring, but you probably deserved a ticket or something.

Unfortunately he thinks he's a victim and probably tells the story about how the big mean biker cut into traffic and broke off his mirror, despite his heroic attempts to stop you.

[sapaul]

I am not going to express an opinion other than you have posted this and therefore have an opinion of yourself. What I will tell you is that we had a spate of buttwipes that decided that they would teach all the bikers a lesson, you know the lunch time coffee guys who talk rubbish at lunch and think they have come up with a good idea. Well, let me tell you that we still have some very hard core bikers in South Africa who did not appreciate people taking the law into their own hands( lane splitting is legal here up to 60kmh) and when the clever cagers moved to block off the bikers they came off worst, Even to the point where the biker would wait until the cager was completly stopped and blocked and then get off his bike and invite the cager to wind down his window Ever bumped a side panel of a door with a BMW boxer motor with header guards fitted. Suprisingly there is no damage to the Beemer but BIG dents in the doors. Explain that one to your insurance company. The fad died away, never understood why

[Pongo]

If you're going to lanesplit/share at 50-60 (MPH??), legal or not, someone is going to nail you eventually, deliberately or otherwise.

[polarelf2003]

This really isn’t any different than when you’ve parked your car, open your door, and it slams into the car next to yours. So, you look around casually to see if anyone saw you, rub off as much of the paint as you can with some spit on your finger and then park on the other side of the lot. Everyone has done something similar at least once in their life, probably as teenagers, and everyone probably has a couple of nicks in their car from some ahole that’s done it to them. I’m betting that most people are going to say you’re wrong and pretend that they’ve never done something similar. I dont think you are because it wasnt intentional and lane splitting in CA is legal. Just hope he didn’t get your tag.

[DivideOverflow]

Lane splitting is legal in Ca, so he can go to hell with his shiny new VW. Ive had drivers try to block me from just regular passing, NOT lanesplitting... silly little men who somehow get their ego chissled down by being passed on the road? They need to grow up and get over it.

I never knocked off anyone's mirrors, but I did follow some kid, who cut me off and braked heavily because his lane was going slower, and he didnt notice my lane braking!?, until he arrived at his destination, and proceeded to get his tag number and then rip him a new one. Riced out civic owner, go figure... What was funny is I saw him on campus later that week, and just happened to mention loudly to my friends how some horrible civic ricer almost caused a major accident because he drives like an old blind lady. Laughs ensued, and the ricer turned red and walked faster.

[canuckerjay]

I'm not sure it was wise, considering the truck in the other lane. No telling what can fly off those things or if the trailer will roam a few inches at the wrong moment.

But if this was in Cali, you were within your rights, so the dung beetle should have stayed still and let you go.

So, no sphincters here.

[VermilionX]

Lane splitting is legal in Ca, so he can go to hell with his shiny new VW. Ive had drivers try to block me from just regular passing, NOT lanesplitting... silly little men who somehow get their ego chissled down by being passed on the road? They need to grow up and get over it.

I never knocked off anyone's mirrors, but I did follow some kid, who cut me off and braked heavily because his lane was going slower, and he didnt notice my lane braking!?, until he arrived at his destination, and proceeded to get his tag number and then rip him a new one. Riced out civic owner, go figure... What was funny is I saw him on campus later that week, and just happened to mention loudly to my friends how some horrible civic ricer almost caused a major accident because he drives like an old blind lady. Laughs ensued, and the ricer turned red and walked faster.

that guy got PWNED!

[Ninja Geoff]

"fudge" him if he's going to try to hit you. I personally would've kicked in the front fender a bit and blasted off.

[JustJames]

Sorry I vote yes you are an a$$ , but I'm still love you and will ride with you anyday.

NO it is not legal to split lane in CA but every one has their right of way. You split lane when it safe 10-15mph over traffic speed and not supposed to knock off anyone's mirror. It doesn't matter if the guys block you or not. There will always be some jerk. If I were you, I would wait and process when there is enough room and give him/her in VW a nice salute finger afterward.

Seriously, I don't see a lot of ppl try to block me from lane-splitting. Maybe one or two from the whole 60 mins riding (on 91FWY and 60FWY in rush hour). The more bikes knock off cars' mirror and someday It would be a law like other states where bike cannot share lane with car.

Sorry for the hard comment, but I hate it if a bike knock my mirror off as well just becuz the biker wanna go faster. It is torolatable to split/share lane but no law say you can do it with right of way. If a car hit you while you are splitting, who do you think at fault, you or that car?