Whatya do with attitude drivers at the lights?

**forkoil** · 23rd November 2006, 08:37

Coming to work this morning, at the Birkenhead lights down Onewa Rd. Cruise up the inside of the line at the red light to the front. Noticed the car next to me edging forward so could see myself getting jammed in against the opposing curb unless I did a quick start. So blew him away (as one does) then slowed to normal speed for the trip down Onewa (in the HO lane). This guy sits 3 metres from my back wheel all the way down. When we got to the tail end of the next queue I turned and "looked", he gave back a challenging look / nod. So questioning myself now at work, would it be better to have let him go at the lights and not challenge his attitude. That way I would probably not been at risk with the tailgating, he wouldnt have had quite so much attitude for the rest of his trip, and for other bikers he encounters. Of course I did change lanes further on to get away from him, but the point remains. What do you think?

**SimJen** · 23rd November 2006, 08:41

I usually just wheelie away. I find it demoralises them as their car is suddenly deemed a slow shit vehicle with a roof

Let them go past if you are that worried.

**Shaun** · 23rd November 2006, 08:41

Let him GO and do not stare at him! It just is not worth it

**McJim** · 23rd November 2006, 08:44

I had the same issue with a BMW dirver a few weeks back - this was at the approach to the Southern Motorway Northbound at Sylvia Park.

When I realised he was tailgating me I just lane split and put a few cars between him and me.

No point in kicking doors, flipping the bird etc while he's on 4 wheels and you're on 2 he'll just kill you with his car before his mind kicks into gear and realises it's wrong to kill motorcyclists.

The fuckwits don't actually realise that by lane splitting and in fact merely being on bikes we are actively reducing congestion on the road thus getting him to work faster than if we had used a cage.

**terbang** · 23rd November 2006, 08:47

Your biggest mistake was looking Mr Agro in the eye. The trick is to not even acknowledge his presence while you clinically give him the learn and put some space between him and you.

**slinky** · 23rd November 2006, 08:52

duno if is a good idea....
but wen i jump to the front, i come up alongside the car(s) , go a little ahead of them, then stop on a lil bit of an angle, then they can't edge forward.
burn off at the lights.
and ignore them.

**Damon** · 23rd November 2006, 08:55

when ever i encounter these pricks in traffic I just continue to lane split, leave the bastard there to stew while you ride off

**crashe** · 23rd November 2006, 08:55

Let him go, as he aint worth the shite... he suffers with/from little weenie syndrome.

Then fly past him further up the road and wave to him as he is stuck in traffic yet again....

I have had idiots pull over in front of me, to not let me lanesplit past them...
I sit back and wait for the traffic to start flowing again. Other drivers see what he is doing and allow me the space to move. I then move around the back of him and pass him on the other side and zap off. I am home within minutes and guess where he is....... yep still sitting in the motorway traffic for another hour.

We are always going to strike these idiots out there on the road.
Dont let them bait/wind you up. They are not worth the air they breathe in.

**slinky** · 23rd November 2006, 08:59

i have had one guy get out the car an tell me to be patient, he can't go anywhere!!
was turning right, and the other side of road was banked up, he just needed to go, and merge in.
but he wouldn't and i couldn't get past,
naturally, i toot the horn

out he comes, skinny lil white guy (bigger then me thought, i am a skinnier littler white guy) haha! but he doesn't know that, i got big sholder pads n shit,
he takes a look, n jumps back in his car!

**Fishy** · 23rd November 2006, 09:01

I guess it comes down to your personality. If you are bothered by it then let him go.

**vifferman** · 23rd November 2006, 09:04

Meh.

Do whatever the hell you like. It depends who/what the driver is whether it has any effect, and what that effect will be. So, in the final analysis, whatever you do is for your own satisfaction anyway.

I've found glaring is more intimidating when you're wearing a tinted/mirrored visor (yeah, I know it sounds daft), because the moron/driver/arsewipe can't be sure if you're a psycho or not. Doing something psycho helps the illusion....

Sometimes I do really mental things, especially when I'm sure I can't be chased, like punching Mr Drunk/Braindead/Fuckwit's side mirror so it folds back the wrong way.
Then I usually feel guilty when I've calmed down...

Heh (that goes with the opening "Meh")...
I was on my way to the autoparts store to check out some tasty Fiamm horns to replace the anaemic OEM squeaker, when some fluff-brained dolly bird came up to an intersection, looked right, then went anyway. WTF?!?

So, instead of just looking at the Fiamms, I bought them. Finding a mounting place was a bit of an interesting exercise*, so after a goodly while working on it, my bike is still only at the "partly disassembled, but horns more or less in place" stage. Tonight will involve the wiring up bit. Then Mr/Mrs/Miss Yoik/TrafficTransgressor/IrritatingTwit better look at, that's what.

* It's surprising how much assorted crapola lurks beneath the fairings, and how little room there is for mounting additional assorted crapola.

**slinky** · 23rd November 2006, 09:04

Originally Posted by Fishy

I guess it comes down to your personality. If you are bothered by it then let him go.

good point, and if your stroppy/easily wound up.
ride off pulling the fingers!!

**McJim** · 23rd November 2006, 09:06

Originally Posted by sl1nky

i have had one guy get out the car an tell me to be patient, he can't go anywhere!!
was turning right, and the other side of road was banked up, he just needed to go, and merge in.
but he wouldn't and i couldn't get past,
naturally, i toot the horn

out he comes, skinny lil white guy (bigger then me thought, i am a skinnier littler white guy) haha! but he doesn't know that, i got big sholder pads n shit,
he takes a look, n jumps back in his car!

It's vitally important if confrontation is inevitable to be stationary (altercations at speed are dangerous for riders...obviously) - I had a driver chase me round Auckland so I found a busy place (plenty of witnesses) and stopped there, quickly killing the engine and getting off the bike (so I'm not at a disadvantage). the guy skids to a halt and jumps out the car runs up to me looks UP into my helmet (smoked visor so he can't see my eyes) turns round without a word, jumps back into his big arsed car and drives away.

**Roj** · 23rd November 2006, 09:08

As the others have said, let them go, take your next opportunity to get out of their way, even a nudge from a car can cause you to drop your bike, it doesn't matter of you are in the right or not, you are the one that will come out worst