Educating Cagers... (aka. cars trying to kill us)

**EnzoYug** · 2nd November 2007, 14:40

Ok before I get into my rant of todays very near accidents here's a question: How do you let a cage know he almost killed you?

Now it's my fault for not checking the pressure on my new tyres and assuming the shop who fitted them had also filled them with more than a party balloons worth of air. But that's not why I almost got smeared today...

So I'm heading through the Symonds street/Newton road/Khyber pass intersection in the far left lane. A white Nissan saloon decides to change lanes on top of me just as we hit the other side.

Problem: I'd grabbed the tail end of an orange light and was doing about 60-65 through the intersection.
Problem: There's a 4x4 right up my ass.
Problem: My brand new tyres are slippery as shit and the rear tyre is running at very low psi.
Outcome: The rear end goes, starts wobbling and slides to the right. Over corrected on the slide but managed to hold it away from the curb. The 4X4 nearly eats me. I level out and it's ok. Whew!

Anyhow - The guy doesn't realize he's nearly killed me. I don't even think he saw me! I start pulsing my high beam and firing my horn as I follow him - then pull up on his right at the next set of lights. My heart is still pounding when I knock (read: bang threateningly) on the guys window, yelling "USE YOUR FUCKING INDICATOR! CHECK YOUR FUCKING MIRROR" (with my black visor down - doh!) and making 'blinking' motions with my hand. The guy looked like he was about to shit himself, I saw my reflection - I looked pretty crazy.

This guy must've thought I was a physco nut (assuming he really didn't see me)
So here's the question: - How do you let a cager know they've nearly killed you?

**MotoGirl** · 2nd November 2007, 15:13

Originally Posted by EnzoYug

So here's the question: - How do you let a cager know they've nearly killed you?

I get aggro

There've been instances on group rides where I didn't realise that it wasn't only the person in the cage that heard me yelling "You stupid fuc*ing bit*h!"

I'm naturally loud anyway so people definitely hear me when I start yelling at them

**fireball** · 2nd November 2007, 15:19

ive been known to roll alongside the cager thats nearly killed me knock on the window and politely say
"you stupid f*cken idiot what were you thinking....... did you even f*cken........"

most get surprised at the little fireball in a helmet...(hence my name)

**jrandom** · 2nd November 2007, 15:23

Ride on. You won't make their driving any better.

Use it as motivation to sharpen your situational awareness skills and your knowledge of your bike's handling capabilities.

**EnzoYug** · 2nd November 2007, 15:28

Originally Posted by jrandom

Ride on.

That's always the best I guess - but damn, I work in the training/sales/managerial field and I'm well used to hauling people up giving them a gentle word (or a violent once over) when they fuck up.

It's going to be hard to let that instinct go. Still, you're probably right. It'll take an accident for them to learn. Hopefully it's not vs. a biker.

**SPman** · 2nd November 2007, 15:56

Originally Posted by jrandom

Ride on. You won't make their driving any better.

Use it as motivation to sharpen your situational awareness skills and your knowledge of your bike's handling capabilities.

Then track them down and beat the living crap out of them........

**deanohit** · 2nd November 2007, 15:57

Originally Posted by EnzoYug

Anyhow - The guy doesn't realize he's nearly killed me. I don't even think he saw me! I start pulsing my high beam and firing my horn as I follow him - then pull up on his right at the next set of lights. My heart is still pounding when I knock (read: bang threateningly) on the guys window, yelling "USE YOUR FUCKING INDICATOR! CHECK YOUR FUCKING MIRROR" (with my black visor down - doh!) and making 'blinking' motions with my hand. The guy looked like he was about to shit himself, I saw my reflection - I looked pretty crazy.

This guy must've thought I was a physco nut (assuming he really didn't see me)

I think he may have got the message!

Generally I do the same thing.

Some times works, some times they're still tossers afterwards. Then they need a

**mitchilin** · 2nd November 2007, 17:34

There really is fuck all you can do.Cagers use size as a weapon and steath is the key.A good friend when he felt aggrieved reached thru an open window and tore out the indicator stalk with a comment of 'if you're not gonna use it.."Short of hauling someone out of their car and dealing to them there's not much in the way of education.But Richard Hamond(dont no if i got this right the little guy from top gear) says the worst thing a biker can do is ride past ,very slowly shaking his head.It gives a message to the driver that it's not acceptable driving and I'm disappointed.

**jrandom** · 2nd November 2007, 17:36

Originally Posted by SPman

Then track them down and beat the living crap out of them........

Shhhhhhh, I'm trying to maintain a public image here, man.

**MSTRS:Me** · 2nd November 2007, 18:20

Originally Posted by EnzoYug

So I'm heading through the Symonds street/Newton road/Khyber pass intersection in the far left lane. A white Nissan saloon decides to change lanes on top of me just as we hit the other side.

Problem: I'd grabbed the tail end of an orange light and was doing about 60-65 through the intersection.

This in a 50 zone? You wanted to 'win', right? Go to the back of the queue, and start again. Your safety is in your hands, and you compromised it first.

**mstriumph** · 2nd November 2007, 18:21

Originally Posted by jrandom

Shhhhhhh, I'm trying to maintain a public image here, man.

where's the fun in THAT??

**MotoGirl** · 2nd November 2007, 18:23

Originally Posted by mitchilin

But Richard Hamond(dont no if i got this right the little guy from top gear) says the worst thing a biker can do is ride past ,very slowly shaking his head.It gives a message to the driver that it's not acceptable driving and I'm disappointed.

How is this a bad thing?

**Sully60** · 2nd November 2007, 19:02

Originally Posted by jrandom

Ride on. You won't make their driving any better.

Use it as motivation to sharpen your situational awareness skills and your knowledge of your bike's handling capabilities.

+1

It's your responsiblity to look after yourself, and only your the only one who's going to out there.
In terms of telling them what they did wrong although you may be 100% right in your rant take a look at the situation from the other side. If you were the cager and you were abused by some angry biker you DIDN'T SEE how would you react?

Pretty much everyone feels they're always right, and will go away from this type of situation simmering away in a state of mind were they won't learn from the berating you've just handed them. In the end you'll just do nothing but alienate the ambivalent and add to the ire of the aggrieved motorists, frustrated at sitting in traffic while you "idiot" bikers lane split and perform other "dangerous" maneuvers whilst you flit past them.

Originally Posted by mitchilin

.But Richard Hamond says the worst thing a biker can do is ride past ,very slowly shaking his head.It gives a message to the driver that it's not acceptable driving and I'm disappointed.

That's what I do, so am I just as bad?
Kinda like ol' Robbie says,
I'm just doin' all I can to be the better man.

**breakaway** · 2nd November 2007, 19:41

Originally Posted by EnzoYug

Ok before I get into my rant of todays very near accidents here's a question: How do you let a cage know he almost killed you?

Originally Posted by EnzoYug

My heart is still pounding when I knock (read: bang threateningly) on the guys window, yelling "USE YOUR FUCKING INDICATOR! CHECK YOUR FUCKING MIRROR" (with my black visor down - doh!) and making 'blinking' motions with my hand. The guy looked like he was about to shit himself, I saw my reflection - I looked pretty crazy.

That'll do it