California Road Rage Incident

Dramatic:


A caught-on-camera road rage incident between a motorcyclist and a driver on a Southern California freeway led to a chain-reaction crash, sending an innocent person to the hospital Wednesday, authorities said.

The crash occurred before 6 a.m. on the southbound 14 Freeway near Newhall in Santa Clarita. The passenger who shot the video said he started recording when a gray sedan inadvertently cut off a passing motorcyclist.
"Words went back and forth," he told NBC4.
The motorcyclist zooms up to the driver's side of the sedan and kicks the side of the vehicle. The sedan veered left, pinching the biker to the center divider before it swerved and crashed into the wall, hitting and flipping a Chevy pickup truck over on its roof. The motorcyclist zooms past the collision.
The man in the truck was sent to the hospital and is expected to recover, according to the California Highway Patrol.Officials were looking for the biker and said they were investigating the crash as a road rage incident and a possible hit-and run.
"Obviously it was a road rage incident. He was kicking the vehicle. We have to get a statement, see what's going on," said CHP officer Josh Greengard.

Source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/lo...#ixzz4kk4SdZI9

California is such a nice place.....to be a thousand miles from.

the biker did a fine job of keeping both wheels on the ground. I don't have pity on the sedan that crashed. Too bad the innocent got taken out.

Takes a special stupid to be riding on two wheels and taking on a car.

Goes to show that there's more to riding a motorcycle than just going straight... Sedan driver reaped what he sowed.

It takes a big man to try to threaten a biker with a car.

Just a thought based on limited info available (video won't open on my phone for some reason) -

In CA they allow bikes to pass BETWEEN cars - e.g. within the space between two vehicles in adjacent lanes, and I've seen some seriously ignorant and dangerous shit related to that...Very possible that in the brief time between the driver looking back and making a lane change thinking all clear, that the biker came blazing by right between the lanes at twice the speed limit (seen it happen, and article mentioned the driver unintentionally cutting the bike off)

Both share the blame in this instance for allowing things to escalate, and not inclined to give the rider anything even close to a "pass" or the moral high-ground just because the mean driver had a larger vehicle - In fact, it's entirely likely the biker is more to blame in this instance, particularly if he was speedong and in-between lanes (not to mention he apparently was the first to escalate to physical force).

Show respect for other drivers/riders and hope to receive the same....Act like a jackass and kick/hit someone's shit as you go by, zero fucks given for whatever may happen next...

Hopefully the driver of the car gets charged with attempted murder.

Ban cars and bikes!

Much like starting an argument with a cop on the side of the road, starting (or continuing) a road rage incident with a car when you're on a bike is never going to end well.

Hope the truck driver pulls through. Senseless acts of stupidity caused this.

In California right now, it's pretty bad on both ends. I witnessed a car intentionally swerve to try and stop a motorcycle from passing in the middle, then there are also the ass hole bikers that pass in the middle damn near recklessly. Stupid games stupid prizes and all that, hope the uninvolved party makes a full recovery.

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I had 2 people try to come over into my lane this morning while I was on my motor-scooter. I laid on the horn for both. One guy actually got behind me and then flipped me off. I'll never understand that. He failed to check his lane, didn't signal, almost hit me and somehow I'm the asshole.

The second driver apologetically waved and I did in return.

There is no sense in letting it get personal, especially if your the one on the bike. As someone else posted earlier, bike vs. car = bad day for the bike. Almost 100% of the time, if someone is attempting to road rage me, I'll either hit the gas or the brake and be long gone before they have an opportunity to try something stupid. If I'm stuck in traffic, I'm not above driving on the sidewalk to get away safely in order to prevent some road rager in a car who is intent on doing me harm.

The car was obviously squeezing into the bike, but the swerve appeared to me to be an involuntary or startled response the kick. It sure doesn't look to me like the car intended to swerve into the wall with such force.

I'm surprised at how easily the truck flipped.

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but the swerve appeared to me to be an involuntary or startled response the kick. It sure doesn't look to me like the car intended to swerve into the wall with such force.

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IMO, the first car swerve to the left was reaction to having his car kicked, and then the driver over steered back to the right causing his vehicle to go out of control and back to the left into the barrier.

Rode Motorcycles exclusive for 15 years. And I would put that on the Biker. I too think the driver heard the thump and turned his head and swerved in that direction and then over corrected. but think what you will.

Not sure how much of a factor it was if it all, but that lane splitting rule that allows motor cycles to ride between lanes is about the dumbest thing I have ever seen. Riding a motorcycle around cars is already dangerous enough but encouraging them to split lanes like that in busy traffic is just asking for problems. I have seen a few hit side mirrors on the 405 as they try and zip though. The chances of someone deciding they want to change lanes, then putting on their blinker as they start changing lanes is just too great.

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Originally Posted by Drucker

...I too think the driver heard the thump and turned his head and swerved in that direction and then over corrected. but think what you will.

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Very unlikely. Between unforeseen bumps in the road or a blowout, and things of that nature most people don't go jerking on the wheel just to see where the noise came from.

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Originally Posted by KAPA

Not sure how much of a factor it was if it all, but that lane splitting rule that allows motor cycles to ride between lanes is about the dumbest thing I have ever seen. Riding a motorcycle around cars is already dangerous enough but encouraging them to split lanes like that in busy traffic is just asking for problems. I have seen a few hit side mirrors on the 405 as they try and zip though. The chances of someone deciding they want to change lanes, then putting on their blinker as they start changing lanes is just too great.

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The reason why splitting lanes I'd legal in California and has been for many decades is that if your bike is air cooled (ie Harleys) you will overheat in bumper to bumper traffic. You can split lanes legally, but there is a 25 mph speed limit while doing so when sharing the lane with a car. If you are riding abreast of another bike then the posted speed limit is enforced. I wish it was legal to split lanes in Colorado as it is a benefit to those on an air cooled bike on hot days in heavy traffic, so that their engine is not damaged by heat.

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Originally Posted by UncleDave

The reason why splitting lanes I'd legal in California and has been for many decades is that if your bike is air cooled (ie Harleys) you will overheat in bumper to bumper traffic. You can split lanes legally, but there is a 25 mph speed limit while doing so when sharing the lane with a car. If you are riding abreast of another bike then the posted speed limit is enforced. I wish it was legal to split lanes in Colorado as it is a benefit to those on an air cooled bike on hot days in heavy traffic, so that their engine is not damaged by heat.

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When I lived in Newport Beach I was going to school in Fountain Valley. Rode my Vstar 1100 to class, as I had an evening class which started right during rush hour. Lane splitting was very needful on making it there without having to leave an hour earlier. Oddly, I never had a problem in that entire year of getting creamed. My only real scare was one night coming back and some idiot decided to cross 3 lanes while merging on a generally empty freeway. He missed me by feet. Pucker factor high.

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Originally Posted by hatidua

California is such a nice place.....to be a thousand miles from.

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I can't argue with this... so true.

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Originally Posted by davsel

Takes a special stupid to be riding on two wheels and taking on a car.

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This.

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Originally Posted by TFOGGER

Much like starting an argument with a cop on the side of the road, starting (or continuing) a road rage incident with a car when you're on a bike is never going to end well.

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I always practice due caution, and excessive courtesy while riding. I often explain to others who ride, and bicyclists (goes double), it doesn't matter if you're right or wrong, you will lose 99% of the time. Best to just let transgressions slide. I've been cut off while riding so many times I don't bother to keep count, I let it go. Most of the time it's because they didn't see me, weren't paying attention, or on their f***ing phone. Either way, it's a losing argument. I usually just take a mental note of their plate and vehicle description if it's really reckless behavior and call it in to CSP, but that's rare.

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Originally Posted by UncleDave

The reason why splitting lanes I'd legal in California and has been for many decades is that if your bike is air cooled (ie Harleys) you will overheat in bumper to bumper traffic. You can split lanes legally, but there is a 25 mph speed limit while doing so when sharing the lane with a car. If you are riding abreast of another bike then the posted speed limit is enforced. I wish it was legal to split lanes in Colorado as it is a benefit to those on an air cooled bike on hot days in heavy traffic, so that their engine is not damaged by heat.

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Thanks, I did not know the intent behind that law, that at least makes some sense. I still think it is dangerous mostly because the law is taken advantage of. I have been on the 405 many times and crotch rockets are splitting lanes flying by traffic that is flowing just fine. Did not know about the 25mph limit.

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Originally Posted by UncleDave

The reason why splitting lanes I'd legal in California and has been for many decades is that if your bike is air cooled (ie Harleys) you will overheat in bumper to bumper traffic. You can split lanes legally, but there is a 25 mph speed limit while doing so when sharing the lane with a car. If you are riding abreast of another bike then the posted speed limit is enforced. I wish it was legal to split lanes in Colorado as it is a benefit to those on an air cooled bike on hot days in heavy traffic, so that their engine is not damaged by heat.

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My air cooled 911 would overheat in slow traffic in CA and they never let me use the emergency or carpool lane to negate that issue [Rant2]