Grrr Road Rage

[Zed]

...when I finally got past him he flashed his lights, blasted on the horn and shook his fist at me! I'm sorry, but when does travelling at 40kph less than the speed limit and holding up a stream of traffic give YOU the right to abuse ME!

You violated his territory, his comfort zone, you ruined his buzz? You were in the wrong in his mind somehow?

I totally agree with you Wolf/Beemer, it's a lot worse than its ever been out there on the road...and some of us are the guilty ones unfortunately!

[mstriumph]

Look, guys - this is NOT an 'apples v apples' situation.

With the protection of a cage, a driver can make a zillion stupid mistakes that would probably end up getting a biker killed or injured ............. and BECAUSE [not particulary wanting to die] we are therefore more attuned to the road and conditions around us than they are [and they are, of course, a part of this scenario] we NOTICE their mistakes.

Be aware of it - live with it - get over it.
If you always EXPECT them to do something stupid then:-
a] most times you won't be dissappointed and
b] when it happens it WON'T give you such an adrenaline spike that you have to get angry to dissipate it.

IMHO the WORST thing is to get all choked up over something you can do nothing about to the point where it hijacks your attention and YOU make a mistake ..........

[Beemer]

Look, guys - this is NOT an 'apples v apples' situation.

With the protection of a cage, a driver can make a zillion stupid mistakes that would probably end up getting a biker killed or injured ............. and BECAUSE [not particulary wanting to die] we are therefore more attuned to the road and conditions around us than they are [and they are, of course, a part of this scenario] we NOTICE their mistakes.

Be aware of it - live with it - get over it.
If you always EXPECT them to do something stupid then:-
a] most times you won't be dissappointed and
b] when it happens it WON'T give you such an adrenaline spike that you have to get angry to dissipate it.

IMHO the WORST thing is to get all choked up over something you can do nothing about to the point where it hijacks your attention and YOU make a mistake ..........

Most of the incidents where I see stupid things are in the car - for some reason I don't seem to see as much stupidity when on the bike - or perhaps I'm having too much fun to let it get to me!

I find yelling inside the helmet is a great release - no one can hear you and if you have a mirrored visor like mine, they can't see your lips moving either!

[Lou Girardin]

Look, guys - this is NOT an 'apples v apples' situation.

With the protection of a cage, a driver can make a zillion stupid mistakes that would probably end up getting a biker killed or injured ............. and BECAUSE [not particulary wanting to die] we are therefore more attuned to the road and conditions around us than they are [and they are, of course, a part of this scenario] we NOTICE their mistakes.

..........

All the more reason to bring their stupidity home to them. A little fear, for their car or themselves, is a powerful motivator.

[mstriumph]

yes - but a biker is a biker, irrespective .........?

Most of the incidents where I see stupid things are in the car - for some reason I don't seem to see as much stupidity when on the bike - or perhaps I'm having too much fun to let it get to me!

I find yelling inside the helmet is a great release - no one can hear you and if you have a mirrored visor like mine, they can't see your lips moving either!

[Wolf]

IMHO the WORST thing is to get all choked up over something you can do nothing about to the point where it hijacks your attention and YOU make a mistake ..........

Agreed - like the day I nearly clobbered an innocent car because I was ranting at another dickhead.

[mstriumph]

OK - i'll try Lou
*thinks ..... how can i look scarier? --- the height is ok, i can manage the tatts but..... growing a full beard could present a bit of a problem ....*

........... A little fear, for their car or themselves, is a powerful motivator.

[Zed]

...Be aware of it - live with it - get over it.
If you always EXPECT them to do something stupid then:-
a] most times you won't be dissappointed and
b] when it happens it WON'T give you such an adrenaline spike that you have to get angry to dissipate it.

IMHO the WORST thing is to get all choked up over something you can do nothing about to the point where it hijacks your attention and YOU make a mistake ..........

Okay mstriumph, but I still find it very difficult to NOT get choked up when someone carelessly/dangerously/recklessly endangers my health and my property (bike), and possibly some other innocent party, a pedestrian or another vehicle maybe? I think those who drive like that deserve everything they get from enraged victims of their "stupidity"!

I heard of a situation where a couple of KBers were being baited by this Subaru which inloved some dangerous maneuvers by the car, so when the KBers finally passed it one of them smashed off the drivers side mirror! So no-one got seriously hurt and someone probably learned a lesson? They both broke the law though, yet only one of them got punnished lol!

[Zed]

I find yelling inside the helmet is a great release - no one can hear you and if you have a mirrored visor like mine, they can't see your lips moving either!

Yeah but they can see the steam of your breath coming out the vents!!

[Ixion]

So true, in the past if someone did something wrong like pull out without indicating or cut you off at a roundabout, if you tooted at them, they would more than likely look chastised and give a small wave of apology. Nowadays, even if they are in the wrong and their move is potentially dangerous, you are likely to get a shaken fist, angry tooting and a torrent of abuse. ..
I'm surprised at the age of people who respond aggressively too - it's not always the young hoons, it's often the middle-aged or retired drivers who should have some respect for other road users. I got stuck behind a guy doing 60kph on the open road once, and when I finally got past him he flashed his lights, blasted on the horn and shook his fist at me! I'm sorry, but when does travelling at 40kph less than the speed limit and holding up a stream of traffic give YOU the right to abuse ME!

I think this is indirectly related to the current slagging off of young drivers.

What I think is happening, is that traffic volumes have increased, and road speeds have increased with better roads (I know the speed limit has remained the same, and speeds on a given road may have dropped, but overall they are higher than 25 years ago, just because roads are now sealed, and less twisty) , and cars are capable of MUCH higher speeds than 25 years ago.

The overall effect of this is that a lot of older drivers are having trouble coping (I'm talking 40 - 70 year olds, not the real oldies). They feel intimidated, a bit frightened, it's not like it was when they got their licence 40 years ago, and they haven't updated their skills over the years. (Obviously, not all older drivers are thus : but not all older drivers are aggro either)

So they feel insecure on the road, and look for an excuse."It's those darn Asian drivers to blame" ; "it's those young drivers, should increase the age limit". And anyone who "pressures" them by pointing out their errors or inadequacies, they are angry at, because we don't like people reminding us of our insecurities.

[Wolf]

growing a full beard could present a bit of a problem ....*

Anabolic Steroids - they do wonders for the Russian Womens' Weight-Lifting Team

[scumdog]

I got stuck behind a guy doing 60kph on the open road once, and when I finally got past him he flashed his lights, blasted on the horn and shook his fist at me! I'm sorry, but when does travelling at 40kph less than the speed limit and holding up a stream of traffic give YOU the right to abuse ME!

In that situation give a friendly wave back- and blow a kiss too, with a bit of luck he'll blow an artery, crash off the road and make the road a heap safer.

I often do that (but not the kiss bit) and it gets puzzled looks from the offended (offending?) driver.

Never needed to do that in my 'work' car, they never get rude at me when I'm in IT!!

[scumdog]

I think this is indirectly related to the current slagging off of young drivers.


The overall effect of this is that a lot of older drivers are having trouble coping (I'm talking 40 - 70 year olds, not the real oldies). They feel intimidated, a bit frightened, it's not like it was when they got their licence 40 years ago, and they haven't updated their skills over the years. (Obviously, not all older drivers are thus : but not all older drivers are aggro either)
.

THANK-YOU for putting me in my place, shit in 17-odd years I'll a 'real oldie', glad to know you don't think I'm there just yet!!

(Gives big sniff and stomps off in huff, hanging onto Zimmer-frame and bumping into various obvious-to-others objects while popping the odd heart-pill and fumbling for bi-focals and hearing aid....mutter-mutter-mutter bloody young whipper-snappers, I'd show them (if I could remember WHAT I was meant to be showing them)

[Beemer]

The overall effect of this is that a lot of older drivers are having trouble coping (I'm talking 40 - 70 year olds, not the real oldies). They feel intimidated, a bit frightened, it's not like it was when they got their licence 40 years ago, and they haven't updated their skills over the years. (Obviously, not all older drivers are thus : but not all older drivers are aggro either).

Holy shit, I'm over 40, didn't realise that classed me as old! Bastard! I'll be keeping an eye out for you, sonny Jim!

I know what you mean though, the increasing volume of traffic makes many people nervous so they slow down, which only makes the situation worse as people tend to sit on their tail. And we know what happens next, don't we? Yes, as soon as they get to the passing lanes, they speed up because it's wider and they feel safer!

AAAGGGGHHH!!!!! I've just run my cursor over my green blips and found something horrible and grossly inaccurate! It says "Beemer is just really nice" - who the hell decided THAT! It's all lies!

[Ixion]

Holy shit, I'm over 40, didn't realise that classed me as old! Bastard! I'll be keeping an eye out for you, sonny Jim!

I know what you mean though, the increasing volume of traffic makes many people nervous so they slow down, which only makes the situation worse as people tend to sit on their tail. And we know what happens next, don't we? Yes, as soon as they get to the passing lanes, they speed up because it's wider and they feel safer!

Need less to say (but I better say it anyway, before people get upset), it is hardly likely that anyone on this site would be in the "can't cope any more" category. Bikers , by necessity, keep up with the play. And our skills are constantly being upgraded. Cage drivers however, nowdays, just sit and push the pedal. Many drivers have LOST skills over the eyars, because their cars now are so easy to drive , technically, compared with the manual gearbox, no power anything , no synchro on first cars of 40 years ago.

And I'm older than any of you (almost - I think there are 4 KBers I know of older than me, might be a few others)