Word origin

[Maha]

What is the origin of the word Cager?
I understand that it refers to a person driving a car that they are surrounded by metal making them feel like they in a cage.
Most of us who own/ride bikes also own and drive a car.
Are those of us that own both a bike and a car classed as a 'Cager'?
I for one feel quite safe when driving the car or indeed my daily work vehicle the trusty Hi Ace van.

[James Deuce]

The etymology of the word is obvious. Its widespread use as an epithet by the motorcycling "community" is simply a symptom of the closed minds and overt bigotry rife within that community.

"Motoryclists just want to be treated as people". Well start treating other road users as people. Two way street and all that.

[Berries]

Yeah.

Fucking bikers.

[Maha]

So basically, in a segregated way, it only refers to those who do not own/ride motorbikes?

[James Deuce]

I think that it is opportunistically applied, depending on circumstance.

[willytheekid]

I for one feel quite safe when driving the car or indeed my daily work vehicle the trusty Hi Ace van.

Show off!

I for one feel nervous as hell when driving, keep forgetting about the left side of the vehicle (Kerb grind king here!), and generally feel like Im in a sardine tin with glass!...hence I drive slow like a nanna but use all my "Bike observation" skills to stay outta trouble.(Don't think Ive ever crashed a car personally)
I think the "fear" comes from growing up with maniac friends who tried VERY! hard to kill me in there hotted up tin cans over the years.....I have even had the pleasure of flying off a cliff (while a mate was chasing a possum!) and landing IN a tree!

Cagers!....there just out ta get ya!

[imdying]

Are those of us that own both a bike and a car classed as a 'Cager'?

Only when driving said cage.

[ducatilover]

What's a cage and how many bodies can I fit in one?

[Big Dave]

Only when driving said cage.

Only said by Nerds.

[slofox]

I'd probably classify it as a derogatory term - to be applied only to car drivers who drive without due care for other road users - kinda like the woman who stopped at a compulsory stop yesterday, looked at me coming along on the bike and then pulled out anyway. THAT is a cager.

As opposed to the dude this morning who saw me coming up behind him on an uphill section of SH23 and pulled left to leave me a channel to go by. He's not a cager in my opinion.

Driver #1 got the glare and raised finger. Driver #2 got the raised thumb + friendly wave.

[wysper]

I don't like the term. I try not to use it.

[Scuba_Steve]

I'd probably classify it as a derogatory term - to be applied only to car drivers who drive without due care for other road users

Really? See I use it just for someone in a 4-wheeled vehicle i.e. at the mo while the tank is in the shop I am caging it.
I thought it was just to refer to the steel "cage" around the person & the lack of "freedom" that there cage gives them.
People like the one you described I just simply call "fucking wanker" as they can be found on many vehicles, tho more prevalent in people movers, Holdens, lesser SUV's, & lycra.

[BAY CITY MOTORCYCLES]

I don't like the term. I try not to use it.

Completely agree...a term used by teenaged riders IMO.

[Katman]

The word is used by people who fail to recognise that their shit, in fact, stinks too.

[bogan]

I for one feel quite safe when driving the car or indeed my daily work vehicle the trusty Hi Ace van.

I feel safer on the bike, but then, my van is a mitsi.

Cager is just the car version of biker imo. I don't think it is derogatory at all, unless used in a derogatory manner obviously.