Does Freaking Out Help??
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,980
Likes: 16
From: USA
However, I gave the middle finger out the window of my car just Saturday. Was in my little car, coming back from the dentist office, in a very residential, quiet part of town. Speed limit is 35, I'm doing 40 and some bitch (in an Escalade, of course) is ON my ***, inches away from my car for a half mile or so, until I turned off. I was pretty hot about it.
Last edited by Jack Straw; Jul 18, 2011 at 03:54 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Hey this reminds me of the minister here in Florida that burned to Quran. Here we are at war and people were worried that by burning the Quran it would put Americans in Afghanistan in jeopardy. Talk about political correctness gone ta hell. We are at Fu&*ng war already!
Rant Over!
Rant Over!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,173
Likes: 177
From: East Coast
I pulled out of my development on Saturday and went about half a mile. About 75 yards ahead I see a cager slowly pulling down her driveway on the left side of the street. As I get closer, she looks right at me, and continues to SLOWLY pull right out in front of me. I was prepared and slowed enough to not hit her, but at the same time, I laid on my horn and raised my fist in the air at her. Only then, did she acknowledge me and she was visibly shaken by it. So much so that she immediately pulled off the road and looked like she was starting to cry. On my way by, I shook my fist again and yelled, "WTF is wrong with you!!".
Now, on one hand, I felt a little bad about getting this middle-aged woman so upset that she had to pull over. However, on the other hand, I'm hoping that the whole experience might help her be a little more aware of bikes in the future and not pull out in front of them.
Of course, I'd never get physically violent with with one, but do you think that yelling at cagers when they're being morons ever changes their way of driving?
Now, on one hand, I felt a little bad about getting this middle-aged woman so upset that she had to pull over. However, on the other hand, I'm hoping that the whole experience might help her be a little more aware of bikes in the future and not pull out in front of them.
Of course, I'd never get physically violent with with one, but do you think that yelling at cagers when they're being morons ever changes their way of driving?
Unfortunately, a similar technique has been used in an attempt to change leopards into zebras. Alas, to no avail.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: Prairie Village, KS
Sounds like this woman made the mistake of not actually seeing you, even though she was looking at you. And then felt horrible about it, judging from her reaction to becoming aware that she almost pulverized you. To me, there is a world of difference between someone who makes a mistake and someone who maliciously attempts to cause harm. And each type qualifies for a different response. If I had never made the same type of mistake, perhaps I could fail to see the difference. And perhaps some of the repliers to this have never made that type of very human mistake. But, I kind of doubt it. Just because I get shaken up by someone's brain f@rt does not mean that I have the right to act like an a$$ toward them. It really means that I am taking advantage of a chance to blow up in "righteous indignation" at someone who does not really deserve it. I ride, knowing that by doing so I increase the odds that I will become a road stain. That's the trade-off that I have chosen to make. Doesn't do me much good to then ride with the attitude that it is everyone else's responsibility to be extra careful that they don't run me down. That's for the cop with the camera and the accident report to figure out- who's at fault. I'm better off using my experience and awareness to attempt to anticipate and react effectively to avoid becoming a statistic. Hating cagers for having mental lapses gets me nowhere, but can contribute to transforming someone's lapse into an experience that causes them to view bikers as threatening a$$holes. It's dangerous enough without having more of them feeling hostility toward us.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 707
Likes: 0
From: Missouri
It happened to my dad once when I was young and in the car with him. In broad daylight he almost pulled right out in front of a motorcycle but stopped short just in time. He was trained to drive by the state highway patrol and later was a city police officer driving a patrol car for 20+ years. If could happen to him it could happen to anyone.
Just remember Hanlon's razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. Or in this case, plain 'ol inattention.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Tomball, Tx
Hmmm...she didn't see you, kept pulling out, you honked, she locked 'em up and was so visibly shaken by the incident that she had to pull over. And so to ensure she was COMPLETELY terrorized by her mistake you pulled around and yelled obscenities at her? Okay, now we have a justifiably hysterical woman behind the wheel of a car. If my crying wife came home with that story I would camp out waiting for you to ride back by.
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Thread Starter
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 57
From: PA
Interesting responses. Yeah, I did feel a little bad afterward, hence the post to get others opinions. I guess my hope was that it would be a "memorable" experience for her and that she'd be reminded of it every time she thought about pulling out in front of a bike - thus, maybe saving some other rider's life in the future.
I honestly DO think that she saw me, but must have had something else on her mind. Kinda dangerous no matter what the situation.
Fair enough, I guess, but at the time, the last thing I felt like doing was politely asking her to please be more careful in the future. I don't think it would have had the impact I was looking for. Hell, at least I didn't do like others have on the forum and kicked her car or done some other sort of physical damage on the way by.
BTW, I have to disagree about respect needing to be earned on the highway. EVERYONE needs to give and be given respect out there, unless and until they prove that they don't deserve it.
Seriously? Would you be camping out to thank me for doing her AND you a favor?? If my wife came home with a similar story, I'd have probably asked her what she learned from the whole situation and I guarantee that she'd be more aware of bikes in the future. Get a grip, my friend. It's not like I chased her down and terrorized or threatened her. I said a few choice words on the way by and continued on my way.
I honestly DO think that she saw me, but must have had something else on her mind. Kinda dangerous no matter what the situation.
And to get some respect, keep your language like a man, not a high school punk.
BTW, I have to disagree about respect needing to be earned on the highway. EVERYONE needs to give and be given respect out there, unless and until they prove that they don't deserve it.
If my crying wife came home with that story I would camp out waiting for you to ride back by.
Last edited by AnotherBlackSG; Jul 18, 2011 at 04:35 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 696
Likes: 1
From: NYC
If my crying wife came home with that story I would camp out waiting for you to ride back by.