California Road Rage Incident

[KS63]

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

[hurley842002]

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.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Squeeze]

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.

[hollohas]

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.

[TRnCO]

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.

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.

[Drucker]

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.

[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.

[Graves]

...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.

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.

[UncleDave]

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.

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.

[CS1983]

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.

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.