I know what you're saying. I may be off base but I can't help but think that it's a matter of "What goes around, comes around". (You show attitude, you get attitude)!!!

 

I've noticed that I get tailgated a lot in Huntsville... but it also happens when I'm driving my Wrangler. I think it's just poor driving.

My brother and father ride, so I've always given bikers a huge amount of space. But I can say that since I've started riding, my car-driving skills have gone way up. I'm far more observant and I try to do less "stuff" when behind the wheel.

 

I drive my glide most of the time and have a cup holder with a glass bottle in it (Usually Root beer). On more then one occasion when I have beendriven out of my laneand given the single finger salute, my bottle has accidently jumped out of the holder onto the drivers side windshield. Sometimes stuff just happens. For some reason

 

I've had many such things happen to me through the years. I've been riding since early ninties, when there were far-far fewer Harleys and choppers on the road. Not to say that i'm that old but i learned from the old cats. I've been harrassed by the police many many times, as i've been pulled by the police, given a verbal without checking any paperwork, then chatted about scoots for 20 minutes with the cop.
In my youth, i've been puled outta a car for being stupid. Maybe thats why i know you're far from anonymous or untouchable in a cage or on a bike. Nowa days, there are more bikes and even more dangerous drivers. Its a sign of the times.
In so far as retaliation, i've done that too. But some other biker might pay for that down the road, when this pea-brain gets even more biased against bikers for whatever reason.
Just for the record: i think everyone should have to ride a motorcycle or moped, and try to run a small busines...once in thier life.
-Gator

 

Get a lot of tailgators and fools that anticipate that red light turning green and start rolling up on me before I've even let off the brake. Can't count the number of times I've had a cage come over to my lane right along side of me - guess they're thinking 'he only needs part of the lane'.

Mac

 

I was riding to work one morning and a car was following close behind me. We were in the left hand lane and the right hand lane was about to end and merge into just the left lane. All of a sudden the car behind me just whipped into the right hand lane then back into the left right before the lane ended and cut me off close. I was pissed and started cussing loudly. I was surprised when the car turned into the parking lot where I worked. I parked my bike then looked back to see a civilian lady that worked with the school board get out of the car andshe was laughing. UNBELIEVABLE!
I told her she could have caused me to crash and she just said oh you were fine, I was just messing with you. You would think someone on the school board would have some sense. What a stupid bitch.
I would have loved to have cussed her *** out or done something to her car but instead since I need my job and was in uniform and supposed to be professional, I just told her she needs to learn how to drive and stop driving like a moron before she gets someone killed, especially on a motorcycle.

 

I've had 2 really bad cases of cager stupidity. The first was documented here last year in the Wal-mart parking lot. In my case I didn't just let it go, but chose to suggest the driver be a little more respectful of motorcyclists. Thatescalated into the cager getting out of his truck and pulling about a 12" knive on me. As it turned out, he had brought a knive to a gun fight. [:@]

The second instance was much more entertaining. I was at a stop sign, coming out from my daughter's high school,waiting to make a left onto a divided 2 lane road. As I was sitting there, a couple of young punks rode past in the near lane, and the passenger hurled a half full can of beer at me (can you believe the alcohol abuse!!). He missed, but came close enough that the beer splashed up on me and my bike. I started to just flip him off and make my left hand turn. Just as I was about to do that, I noticed 2 bikers turning onto the road coming in my direction.

I decided to turn right and take off after the young punks. As I did, I heard that I had help coming quickly from behind. Ah...yes, they had witnessed the beer toss. After about half a mile the cage got onto a major 4 lane. I was going to just leave it alone and go back about my business, but then I noticed that one of my 2 backups was my neighbor that is a motorcycle cop. He motioned for me to stay with the cage. He was talking away on the microphone headset. We reached speeds of 75 mph in a 55 mph zone and the cage got off at the first exit. (At least at this point I was heading back in the direction I originally intended). We were now on a 2 lane major road through a residential area. After about a mile the rider on the Ultra Classic stopped jabbering into his microphone, grinned and gave me a thumbs up. Another mile or so later down the road, there were 2 police cars waiting to have a discussion with the 2 young men in the cage.

As it turned out, both of the 2 that came to my assistance were motorcycle police, just out riding there personal bikes on their day off. The list of charges against the 2 teenagers, that were skipping school, was VERY long. In addition to all of the traffic law violations, DUI, and open container, they were also found guilty of assault. I doubt they will be throwing away anymore perfectly good beer at bikers in the future.

Chalk one up for the good guys!!!!

 

Its happend to most of us I guess and first reaction is to get a little po'd. Hell, I live in a small town full of rednecks and punk kids and have been hit with washer fluid many times (just the other day actually) and this past summer hadhalf full cup of soda or coffee tossed out the windowover the hood (which meant it was aimed at me)fortunately ithit my front wheelrather than my face but was messy nonetheless. I really think I'm just going to start carrying chain in my jacket pocket if for nothing more than to whip out and swing a couple times so they can see it in the rear view.

I think we all can get prodded into a little road rage with vehicles against bikes but most times its better to just let it go and forget about it...$h1t happens.

 

Wow, other than the occassional dumbass not paying attention, I have not had any altercations of these sorts. Everyone I meet seems either oblivious or likes bikes.

 

Unless you & your buddy are willing to follow them to their house and confront them then there is not much a 2 wheel can do to a cage.

Cops get blind at the wrong times.

Many a cage will give you a bath & they don't know you are behind them. This guysounds intentional. You might start riding like an old person, givingeverybody too much room but it keeps you safe & dry.

I've done things to cages with an 18 wheeler that I would rather have not been in the situation, but they were f-ing with me at the wrong time.