Road Rage - Just Give it Up

[bunsen burner]

Originally posted by Fire
...right.



That was in response to you telling me off because I was the one who wasnt showing courtesy.

You should go read it again you idiot.

 

[Katthawk]

Originally posted by Leon
Thanks, like I said, you never stop learning. I didnt stick to the right lane out of selfishness or laziness, I just wasnt aware you shouldn't do it.

Excuse me for butting in but now you are aware, will you stop doing it? I'm one of those feral people sitting up your backside while you pansy along watching the trees pass the window.

It would be safer all around if you would just move over. Hope you don't take offence at my strong words. We all learn by experience. As I said earlier, I could go on for hours about bad drivers. Good to know you are learning. Keep it up!!

 

[Leon]

Originally posted by Katthawk
Excuse me for butting in but now you are aware, will you stop doing it? I'm one of those feral people sitting up your backside while you pansy along watching the trees pass the window.

It would be safer all around if you would just move over. Hope you don't take offence at my strong words. We all learn by experience. As I said earlier, I could go on for hours about bad drivers. Good to know you are learning. Keep it up!!

Yes, it happened 5 years ago.

 

[Diego]

Yes, I admit, I suffer from road rage.

And you would too if you have been driving through the inner city of Sydney for the past 10 years.

 

[Blues4Life]

Been an aggressive driver is one thing, but a complete arseh*le is another. Just because your stuck behind someone doing the speed limit for a few minutes shouldn't make you as angry as I have seen people get. These are the type of people who should have a giant "Unstable" sticker slapped over their forehead.

 

[EssJayW]

Its quite bad up here. I hate driving to Maroochydore. They have traffic lights. I forgot what they were.

 

[rubberman]

Road rage will always happen. A few American salutes some yah yah yah and thats all it should be, and everyone goes along their merry paths to wherever they are going. When it goes further situations like in Perth happen. One party in the incident let go of the matter. The other did not. Look what happened.

 

[otaku]

Originally posted by Mr Q
Are you one of those motorbike riders who cruise up between cars going slow? Because if you are you're an accident waiting to happen. Other users of the road expect that vehicles are going a particular speed and are occupying a lane - when motorbikes come down through between two cars in adjacent lanes and a car in front is trying to change lanesthe motorbike just seems to appear out of nowhere.

no, i dont split lanes when the traffic is moving. However, the only reason bike "appear out of nowhere" is because people in cages just dont keep themselves aware. I have been driving and riding for over a dozen years now, and have never been "surprised" by a motorcyclists. Wonder why that is?

For instance, this morning on the way to work. Traffic is slow, but due to where I'm going I always get as far to the right as I can on the freeway. See a nice big gap between two cars to my right, and while trying to keep an eye on both of them, the car in front of me to ensure it doesn't suddenly slow (as happens on freeways), I have a quick glance around for trouble. Sure enough, just as I'm about to change lanes, a motorcycle comes out between the car behind me and the one I'm pulling in front of, so I have to quickly duck back into my lane before it hits me. Motorcyclist flips me the bird, despite me (a) indicating five seconds before attempting to change lanes (b) they pulled out from two cars back to pass me. Worst thing is that he/she pulled into the spot I had been changing into.

If this was an isolated incident then maybe, but it isnt. In the last three weeks I've seen five motorcycles passing cars in the emergency lane (so that's somewhere you *really* don't expect there to be traffic coming from). I've seen dozens running up between slow moving cars and cutting off cars that are changing lanes (when they have used their indicators). I don't have a lot of respect for most motorcycle riders out there, because they have no respect for anyone else on the road.

no doubt - there are some knobjockeys on bikes out there - never claimed otherwise.

How often do you take your eyes off the road to change the radio? to adjust your mirrors? how often are you distracted by something in your car? how often do you answer your phone? send a text message, talk to a passenger?

How often do you fail to headcheck? how often do you change without indicating? how often do you not look in your mirrors for a couple of minutes?

If you do any of these, you are worse than the worst motorcyclist. You are in control (nominally, anyway) of a couple of tonnes of metal. It is a lethal weapon. Learn to use it responsibly.

I have absolutely no respect or trust of people in cages. They are the biggest danger to someone on a bike.

The number of knobends on motorbikes who change lanes ten times in 500 m and dodge cars then have the audacity to blame car drivers for accidents involving motorbikes... If you drive within the road rules, then OK, you might have a right to complain as a motorcycle rider if someone doesn't see you. If you do anything I've mentioned above, then you should pretty much accept that you've got a lot to answer for if you have an accident.

Um, it is perfectly acceptable to change lanes "10 times in 500m". A bike is more manuevourable and has a greater acceleration that any car on the road. We need to uses these attributes to protect ourselves.

If you see a bike rider doing that (and "if" is the appropriate word here), have a look at the people in cages around him - see if he is keeping as much distance between himself and the 1.5 tonnes of metal driven by some bozo who is changing the radio all the time.

As i have said before, there are clowns on bikes - but they dont last very long.

In the end, i could give you a list as long as my arm of the stupid things people in cages do TO bike riders (not just the situations where they "dont see us").

It boils down to this - what maybe a fender bender for you in a cage, is death for me on a bike. Of course i am going to be doing whatever i can to keep you away from me. If that involves speeding, changing lanes "10 times in 500m" or lane splitting, then i am going to do it.

Why?

Cause it wont end up costing me a couple of grand to fix my car if we touch, it will cost me my life.

So, keep an eye out for bike riders. Be aware we accelerate better than you do. Be aware we stop better than you do. Be aware that we are more maneouverable than you are. Be aware that we are in more danger than you are.

 

[Fire]

You should go read it again you idiot.

Just did.

Was there a reason to?

 

[Docker_Brat]

Shame it's turned into a slanging match and a comparison of apples and oranges. Each situation is unique and there are always going to be dolts on the road.

Have you ever cut someone off deliberately (without provocation)? Do you think the person who just did it to you, did it on purpose? Do you think the other driver knows his brake light is out and leaving it like that to upset you? Will escalating the situation, change the initial action?

Sure, swear under your breath, shake your head, whatever. But if you find yourself screaming, smashing your fists on the steering wheel and wanting to get out and kill the other person, then there is something seriously wrong and it isn't with the person who doesn't know their road rules.

Just give it up. It isn't worth the hassle.

 

[harlean]

Originally posted by Docker_Brat
Shame it's turned into a slanging match and a comparison of apples and oranges. Each situation is unique and there are always going to be dolts on the road.

Have you ever cut someone off deliberately (without provocation)? Do you think the person who just did it to you, did it on purpose? Do you think the other driver knows his brake light is out and leaving it like that to upset you? Will escalating the situation, change the initial action?

Sure, swear under your breath, shake your head, whatever. But if you find yourself screaming, smashing your fists on the steering wheel and wanting to get out and kill the other person, then there is something seriously wrong and it isn't with the person who doesn't know their road rules.

Just give it up. It isn't worth the hassle.

Hear Hear, well said.

 

[dr nick]

i saw one of the most classic cases of road rage a few months ago in manly. Some guy was driving and decided to pull up and double park. The guy behind him beeped and went right up to his bumper. He then reversed and puuled up to the side and started hurling abuse. The guy who double parked started laughing his head off so the other bloke gets out of his car. The other guy speeds off and the rage guy jumps back in his car and pursues. Both were going at high speed down backstreets. ridiculous.

 

[harry_hawka]

Originally posted by SaveFeriss

I guess bc although its a beautiful state, half the Population here are dim witted in breds, who literally are very slow...in mind, body and motor vehicles

You say you live on the Gold Coast? I've no doubt you've been to other parts of Queensland, but I still have to strongly disagree with your last comment. Firstly, not all of Queensland is beautiful, a lot of it working class, with people just as "fast" in mind and body as other parts of Australia. Whilst I do agree that, at times, Queenslanders can be a bit lazy whilst driving, I think that has to do more with the ease in which we can get about, rather than us being "slow in mind and body".

Queensland's roads are generally very safe, and compared to Melbourne and Sydney (I've never been to other capital cities) are not as populated, particularly in the CBD area. Therefore, as is human nature, people feel quite safe on the roads, and I guess tend to 'switch off' at times. No one can be blamed for this - I bet there's no one on this thread who has been 100% switched on when they are driving every time they get in their car. For example, I always shoulder check when I'm on the freeway, but often it is just out of habit or a token gesture. I can see how people would sometimes be in their comfort zone and make the mistake of not thoroughly checking over their shoulder, before merging into the right lane.

Therefore, I feel that often those that make mistakes and cause "road rage" are innocent, and have just been a bit careless (as we ALL are at times, I'm sure no one will argue that) at the wrong time. In saying that, however, I think that those who go over board and retaliate to someone elses careless-ness are being moronic. I've got no worries with a horn here and there, but to follow someone closely in retaliation, in the hope that you scare them, is putting yourself, and them, in more danger than you were in the first place. It is my belief that most serious cases of road rage are caused by those who retaliate to people who have obviously made a careless mistake- as we all do at times.

There's only one to make our roads completely and utterly safe, and that's to hope that one day every single person on the road will be 100% switched on, and abiding by the rules, at ALL times. Unfortunately, this will never happen.

 

[Mr Q]

Originally posted by otaku
Um, it is perfectly acceptable to change lanes "10 times in 500m". A bike is more manuevourable and has a greater acceleration that any car on the road. We need to uses these attributes to protect ourselves.

No its not. It makes it harder to predict what you are going to do, it makes it harder to clearly define where on the road you are, and it makes it harder for other traffic to manouever around each other properly. Additionally as you are a vast minority in the traffic, it is incumbent on you to behave like the traffic to the best of your ability so you don't surprise people.

Originally posted by otaku
So, keep an eye out for bike riders. Be aware we accelerate better than you do. Be aware we stop better than you do. Be aware that we are more maneouverable than you are. Be aware that we are in more danger than you are.

Just because you can accelerate better than the cars on the road doesn't mean you have to. As DB put it so eloquently, have a little patience. Overuse of your ability to accelerate more than other cars can cause you to be in a position where you surprise drivers on the road.

The fact you can stop better means you need to be aware of this and ensure you don't slam on your brakes too close to the car behind. Remember not all car drivers have actually ridden motorcycles and aren't familiar with their abilities.

As for being in more danger, that is a given on a motorcycle. Not all of it is to do with there being cars on the road. If in traffic you behave like you're in traffic you're less likely to have car drivers not see you or ignore you, and you can participate in improving the chances you have.

Not all car drivers are intelligent; neither are all motorcylists. In my experience (and I've been driving for a few years now), while most idiotic manouvers on the road are done by idiots in cars, the ratio of motorcylist/idiot on motorbike is much higher.

 

[mantis]

I used to ride a bike, 25 years ago, when it was safer, I have seen idiots on bikes weaving in & out of trafic, I saw a young guy lose his life on Flinders St Melbourne, it was winter & raining, he was weaving in & out of traffic, he decided to pass the traffic by going on the tram lines, lost control of his bike & ended up underneath a car.

 

[otaku]

Originally posted by Mr Q
No its not. It makes it harder to predict what you are going to do, it makes it harder to clearly define where on the road you are, and it makes it harder for other traffic to manouever around each other properly. Additionally as you are a vast minority in the traffic, it is incumbent on you to behave like the traffic to the best of your ability so you don't surprise people.

do you expect a truck to behave like the rest of the traffic? no! because they are designed differently.

Same with a bike. I change lanes and move around in MY lane for several reasons. Primarily, it is to keep a buffer zone between myself and the idiots in cages. Secondly, i position my self in my lane depending on where the other cars are. This look like i am weaving about in my lane, but what it does is positions my lights into the mirrors of the guy in front of me, so he knows i am behind him.

People should be aware of their surroundings. It is that simple. If you cant look in your mirrors, or be aware, dont drive. Again - it is simple.

Just because you can accelerate better than the cars on the road doesn't mean you have to. As DB put it so eloquently, have a little patience. Overuse of your ability to accelerate more than other cars can cause you to be in a position where you surprise drivers on the road.

my acceleration does the same thing as me weaving - it puts a buffer between me and the tonne and a half of rolling death.

Again - it is up to drivers to be aware of other people on the roads. Like i have said before - in the 12 years i have been driving, i have NEVER been surprised by a motorcyclist. It is because i am AWARE of my surroundings.

I move up to the front of a queue of cars so that i have clear air around me. Again, i do this for the buffer zone. you see it is being impatient, i see it as safety.

The fact you can stop better means you need to be aware of this and ensure you don't slam on your brakes too close to the car behind. Remember not all car drivers have actually ridden motorcycles and aren't familiar with their abilities.

i think it should be mandatory for all car drivers to ride a motorcycle for 6 months.

As for being in more danger, that is a given on a motorcycle. Not all of it is to do with there being cars on the road. If in traffic you behave like you're in traffic you're less likely to have car drivers not see you or ignore you, and you can participate in improving the chances you have.

Danger is part and parcel on a bike. no argument. But (according to the Road fatalities Statistical summary) the majority of motorcycle fatalities involve a another road vehicle and a bike.

Now, what does that tell you? Consider the maneuverability, the braking power, and the acceleration of a bike, how come these people are being involved in crashes? Most times (not all, but most) it is through the fault of the person in the cage, not the rider.

Not all car drivers are intelligent; neither are all motorcylists. In my experience (and I've been driving for a few years now), while most idiotic manouvers on the road are done by idiots in cars, the ratio of motorcylist/idiot on motorbike is much higher.

no doubt there are idiots in both. I have never denied that. But using anecdotal evidence really doesnt help your case here.

If you want to go that path:

I have been riding on the road (as opposed to dirt bike riding) for close to 13 years, and have been driving the same amount of time. The number of crashes i have seen involving bikes and cars is large, and the majority of the time, it s through the fault of the driver, not the rider.

The number of idiotic drivers FAR outweigh the number of moronic riders.

The number of accidents i have seen where the rider just crashes is through the rider being a toolbag. It does happen, no doubts about it. But these crashes very rarely are fatalities.


And to end, a question:

have you ever ridden a bike on the roads, through traffic for any length of time?

 

[otaku]

Originally posted by mantis
I used to ride a bike, 25 years ago, when it was safer, I have seen idiots on bikes weaving in & out of trafic, I saw a young guy lose his life on Flinders St Melbourne, it was winter & raining, he was weaving in & out of traffic, he decided to pass the traffic by going on the tram lines, lost control of his bike & ended up underneath a car.

yes, he was being an idiot - raining and tram lines are a bad combination.

how many other people did he kill because of stupidity though?