Biker road rage - could I have helped him?
Discussion
Yesterday afternoon I was here, in my car:
https://goo.gl/maps/T3cKdHvuQrv
Imagine I'm in the VW Eos, there's a queue of traffic in front of me waiting for the traffic lights at the crossroads, which are about 100 yards ahead, past the white buildings ahead on the left. Also imagine that the Corsa and the Evoque are not there, but the queue in front of the Evoque is there, as per this image. I stop where the Eos is, as per the Highway Code, so as not to block vehicles wanting to turn in or out of the side street on the left.
About 10 seconds after pulling up, a motorbike appears behind me and stops. Another 10 secs or so, and he starts tooting me, and waving at me as if to say I should move forwards. I check he's not indicating left - he might want to go down the side street, in which case I'd have moved forwards. No indicators, so I don't react. He immediately gets the rage, and I can hear him shouting, even with my windows shut. The traffic starts to move forward, enough that I can move and clear the side street, so I do so. We go about 50 yds, and stop again as the lights have gone red again.
The biker then comes alongside my car, shouting and screaming, and then I make my mistake. I wind down the window. He screams at me that I should have moved forwards earlier, as he wants to get to the traffic lights and turn left. WTF I say, I was following the HC and keeping access to the side street free. He then informs me, laden with foul mouthed invective, that it's about 'humanity' not the HC and would I like to get out of the car to discuss it with him? Well no, I've got a 9 year old girl in the front seat and a 12 year old boy in the back.
He then roars off down the right, past the line of traffic, and turns left at the lights, on red. He could have passed us all on the right at any time, I don't recall any traffic coming the other way to stop him doing so.
Did I miss something? Is there any way that my blocking the side street could have speeded up his way to the traffic lights? I can't see it but I'm not a biker so maybe there's something I don't get. Maybe he's not a driver and doesn't get why I was keeping the side street access clear. My son told me afterwards he was scared the bloke was going to reach in and grab me, my daughter was terrified. I know it was my stupid mistake to open the window but I've got a feeling if I didn't I might have got a boot in the door for my troubles. This bloke was absolutely raging.
Anyway, I was doubly pissed off as I go out of my way to be considerate to bikers, my Dad was a biker who ended up killed by a car driver who wasn't looking where they were going, so I'm always mindful of their vulnerability and look to help them progress whenever I can. So, can any bikers maybe put this guy's perspective on it for me or did I just encounter Ragey McRageface, just looking for someone to blow off steam at?
https://goo.gl/maps/T3cKdHvuQrv
Imagine I'm in the VW Eos, there's a queue of traffic in front of me waiting for the traffic lights at the crossroads, which are about 100 yards ahead, past the white buildings ahead on the left. Also imagine that the Corsa and the Evoque are not there, but the queue in front of the Evoque is there, as per this image. I stop where the Eos is, as per the Highway Code, so as not to block vehicles wanting to turn in or out of the side street on the left.
About 10 seconds after pulling up, a motorbike appears behind me and stops. Another 10 secs or so, and he starts tooting me, and waving at me as if to say I should move forwards. I check he's not indicating left - he might want to go down the side street, in which case I'd have moved forwards. No indicators, so I don't react. He immediately gets the rage, and I can hear him shouting, even with my windows shut. The traffic starts to move forward, enough that I can move and clear the side street, so I do so. We go about 50 yds, and stop again as the lights have gone red again.
The biker then comes alongside my car, shouting and screaming, and then I make my mistake. I wind down the window. He screams at me that I should have moved forwards earlier, as he wants to get to the traffic lights and turn left. WTF I say, I was following the HC and keeping access to the side street free. He then informs me, laden with foul mouthed invective, that it's about 'humanity' not the HC and would I like to get out of the car to discuss it with him? Well no, I've got a 9 year old girl in the front seat and a 12 year old boy in the back.
He then roars off down the right, past the line of traffic, and turns left at the lights, on red. He could have passed us all on the right at any time, I don't recall any traffic coming the other way to stop him doing so.
Did I miss something? Is there any way that my blocking the side street could have speeded up his way to the traffic lights? I can't see it but I'm not a biker so maybe there's something I don't get. Maybe he's not a driver and doesn't get why I was keeping the side street access clear. My son told me afterwards he was scared the bloke was going to reach in and grab me, my daughter was terrified. I know it was my stupid mistake to open the window but I've got a feeling if I didn't I might have got a boot in the door for my troubles. This bloke was absolutely raging.
Anyway, I was doubly pissed off as I go out of my way to be considerate to bikers, my Dad was a biker who ended up killed by a car driver who wasn't looking where they were going, so I'm always mindful of their vulnerability and look to help them progress whenever I can. So, can any bikers maybe put this guy's perspective on it for me or did I just encounter Ragey McRageface, just looking for someone to blow off steam at?
Piersman2 said:
You did nothing wrong, he's just one of those throbbers that we have to interact with every once in a while.
Or alternatively...
Your own fault for driving around over THAT side of town!
Yeeeears, one does live north of the river, however needs must and one must pass through less salubrious areas occasionally. Perhaps I should draw the curtains in the Maybach in future.Or alternatively...
Your own fault for driving around over THAT side of town!
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I always help filter where possible. On this occasion I'd already come to a stop before the bike appeared behind me and wasn't in a position to reposition my car, and there was no traffic on the other side of the road to stop him passing that I recall. Perhaps I'm wrong though and there was some action on the right, in which case my moving forward would have helped him filter all of 10 yards, to the back of the next car in the queue which would have been unable to move to help him filter more. The biker had my attention with his hooting and waving, so whilst I was looking in the mirror and wondering what I was dealing with, there may have been some traffic passing on the other side I suppose. If this is what upset him, I'm not sure his reaction was justified.
Either way I'm reassured by the replies here, thanks fellas. I feel a bit better about it. Him ranting about 'humanity' made me feel a bit like Withnail when accused of being inhumane for not doing the washing up. Fork it!
knitware said:
The biker is a tit.
When I'm out on my bike a car in front doing what you did wouldn't cause me any grief, I wouldn't even think about it. I'd sit and wait or think about filtering past, I wouldn't get angry.
Was he a biker or a learner rider?
Not a learner. Full size bike. No idea of make and model, but it was probably small to mid range in engine size, going by the sound it made. Bigger than a 250, but not as big as a 750 I'd say. Sporting pretentions, I'd say, but nothing special. Bike equivalent of a Saxo VTR perhaps. Mainly white, some orangey decals if I recall correctly. I'm no expert, as you can tell. Wish I'd clocked the number plate.When I'm out on my bike a car in front doing what you did wouldn't cause me any grief, I wouldn't even think about it. I'd sit and wait or think about filtering past, I wouldn't get angry.
Was he a biker or a learner rider?
joema said:
There are nob heads everywhere. Probably even a nice guy but when they get in their box or put a lid on become d
heads. ps sorry to hear about your old man.
Cheers Joe, it was a long time ago (34 years next month), but it still keeps me alive to the dangers bikers and cyclists (I do cycle a bit myself) face from inattentive motorists. This particular one reversed out of his drive without looking, it was enough to kill.heads. ps sorry to hear about your old man.Most people are decent but as you say sometimes most of us lose our rag over something silly on the roads. To err is human and all that.
PurpleTurtle said:
Oi Sixer, I ride that road fairly often, and often filter down the outside - just need to do it in chunks as/when there are gaps in oncoming traffic.
The bloke is a total throbber. Pity you didn't get his plate, I'd have a word if I saw him about. I suspect that he's turning left into Whitley isn't unrelated, old UphillFreewheeler had some beef with an angry Gangsta yoof on a bike a few months ago, wouldn't surprise me if it was the same dhead.
Wasn't this utter bell-end was it, by any chance?
https://youtu.be/S7a4NiBVj_k
No, not the same bike. My bloke's one was white with orange/black flashes I think. He was wearing one of those open helmets with a scarf across his mouth.The bloke is a total throbber. Pity you didn't get his plate, I'd have a word if I saw him about. I suspect that he's turning left into Whitley isn't unrelated, old UphillFreewheeler had some beef with an angry Gangsta yoof on a bike a few months ago, wouldn't surprise me if it was the same d
head. Wasn't this utter bell-end was it, by any chance?
https://youtu.be/S7a4NiBVj_k
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