I know this has probably been discussed somewhere on here, so let me apologize ahead of time. Other than slow down and let the bad/angry/stupid drivers get some distance ahead of you, what are the preferred methods of dealing with tailgaters, people who come in to your lane/pull out in front of you, and generally bad drivers?

Today, while in relatively heavy traffic, there was a guy who kept riding about 15ft behind me (close enough I could have read his license plate through my mirror if it wouldn't vibrate so much) at 65mph along side an 18 wheeler. I slowed to get some distance between me and the car in front of me and he kept creeping up, so of course I flipped him off. He then cut through traffic until he got up next to me, acted like he was fumbling through his console and pulled out his hand and made a shooting motion at me. This really pissed me off so I invited him to pull over, he declined and sped off smiling.

I know I could have handled the situation better, so how would you guys have handled it?

 

Motorcycles will always lose when picking road rage fights with cagers..slowing down or brake checking a tailgater was wrong. Flipping him off was also wrong. Just speed up and get away from him.
Just last week a Reno rider was killed picking a road rage fight with a subaru wrx. The driver just pinballed the rider into the shoulder. Rider was going to work as a correctional officer in Susanville. Cage still not found.

 

Just today I had a guy try passing me on the right hand side, on a single lane road. A kid in a new sportscar. He looked at me like he expected ME to move over and let him pass. I dropped a gear, sped up, and left him behind. Someone like that, I dont need near me.

 

E = MV2/2. M = mass, so a motorcycle will ALWAYS lose to a cage. Suck it up and move on, or follow the SOB to his/her destination and kick their @$$.

 

We loose 99.99% of the time. Move over keep your wits about you. Get a Tag #. Hunt him/it down. Everyone goes to the 7-11 at night.

 

On one lane roads, I generally ride in the right side of the lane, in case a group of oncoming cars and one wants to pass the car in front of them, I HOPE they can see me before they pull around.

If I feel like a car behind me would like to go around and they're a decent distance, I'll wave them around, staying in the right side. Quiet a few times, they'll flash their hazards at me, to thank me. It's better than the "go slow, here's my middle finger" gimmick.

 

Throttle is your friend use it heavily when idiots approach.

 

Basically, I ride like everybody is trying to kill me and I do what I have to do to try and not make their day.

 

about the only thing i do, and the situation/traffic has to be right anyway to do it, is try to find a crack in traffic i know i can get through easily, but they can't. like the gap bettween two cars in different lanes. then some quick acceleration and leave them stuck in slower traffic.

it's one time that being on a smaller vehicle works to your advantage, but usually just avoiding them in whatever way is possible is best.

 

If I am reading your post correctly you were cruising alongside a semi at 65 mph. That is really stupid. If a recap comes off you'll be dead. Pass semis WOT, then slow down.
He may have been doing you a favor by trying to get you to speed up. So maybe he was a road rage idiot, but maybe he was trying to educate you.
When I was young, I used to flip people off, but do it to the wrong person and you may get shot.
Let me know if I misinterpreted your post.