[JAY4SPEED]

I was first at a stoplight tonight on the way home from a little bike meet at the lakefront here in New Orleans. I noticed in my mirror that the car behind me was very close to my rear tire. I let off the brake to creep forward a bit to get some distance between me and the car. As soon as I let go of the brake the car bumps my rear tire causing my bike to lunge forward. I lose my footing and came sooo close to dropping the bike. After I regained my balance, I cut the ignition and got off the bike, turned around checked the back of the bike for any damage real quick. It took all the restraint I could muster not to jump on the hood, punch through the windshield, and rip the throat out of the driver. It was a car full of girls and 1 guy. I yelled at the driver if they were "FU$#ING NUTS!??!". A pretty scared little teenage girl got out of the car and apologised. She said that when she saw my red brake light go off that she thought I was starting to go across the intersection. I pointed up to the stoplamp and I asked if she bothered to pay attention to this red light??? I told her she was damn lucky that I didn't drop the bike or I wouldn't be so nice about it. No damage was done just a close call. I remounted and drove off shaking my head.

Anyway, what do you do when you see a cager crowding you at a light? Would you have handled it differently?

 

[havoc]

If I feel crowded I usually back up even closer to the car to let them know they are too close then I pull forward again. Most of the time they get the point.

 

[natecoop]

i have had a few situations where cagers have been very close to my back-end. never touched me though. in your case, seems as though the driver was a young and inexperienced driver not paying attention to what was going on. there seems to be a lot of that going around lately. i hope other drivers learn to SHARE THE ROAD!!

i am glad to hear on damage was done and you and your bike are both ok.

 

[daleCarlsbad]

I had an old man actually bump my bike hard enough to put me on the ground! Clearly his fault with intent.

It’s a long story but after the hassle with insurance, medical, no bike to ride…..my feeling now is simple. Just get the hell out of there. It’s not worth getting into a pissing contest, which could escalate. I would have loved to have gotten up and beaten the crap out of that jerk…..but thought that the law was on my side and he would get his later.

So….his rates may have gone up…but I was the real looser.

 

[mcobb533]

Someone "bumped" my rear tire about 3 months ago when the light changed to green. I was waiting for the car ahead of me to go, and the pickup's front bumper bumped my rear tire.

I got off, and the guy was real appologetic. He said he didn't see me..... WTF??

 

[GA_RR]

I have people get real close to me all the time too. Yet to have anyone bump me though. Sounds like you handled the situation pretty well. Hopefullly if that ever happens to me I can use the same restraint you did. I get a little hot headed sometimes in situations like that but it never helps anything.
Be careful out there guys.

 

[baboon's ass]

cagers crowd me all the time specially when i'm stopped at a light and on the curb lane. if i take the #1 position, cagers would squeeze their cages so that they can turn right and they get really really close to me. ever since then whenever i'm stuck at a light i usually park myself on the very middle of the lane or a bit more to the right so that cagers will have no room to squeeze themselves between me and the curb.

 

[Guest]

Ride as if you're invisible! Has done me well so far. At stoplights and during riding I try to "control" my lane. I still have engrained in my memory a young woman (probably around 23) in a Volvo not talking on a cell phone or applying make up that would have run me over with a cop 2 lanes over none the wiser. Amazingly enough all I had read and tried to absorb and learn from older/wiser/better riders actually worked and I simply gassed it to get myself away from impending doom and then just sped away, I could NOT win. Toughest concept I have had to learn thus far in relation to anything in life, and it's very real when riding. It doesn't matter whose fault it is, we lose. You think your family and friends care whose fault it was when the coroner calls?

 

[Random600rr]

I feel kinda odd reading this...When I'm in St. Louis people treat me like a car and leave about 2+ feet between their bumper and my rear wheel. On the OTHER hand, when I'm in Houston (where I am now) I feel VERY PARANOID at every stop because people here LITERALLY leave a whole car length if not more between you and them. I always get the feeling that they are leaving space for a cop to pull in behind me (Which I have seen happen many-a-times), which really wiggs me out! But I guess i can't complain about it because it is safer. Well, all of you be safe!

 

[GA_RR]

cagers crowd me all the time specially when i'm stopped at a light and on the curb lane. if i take the #1 position, cagers would squeeze their cages so that they can turn right and they get really really close to me. ever since then whenever i'm stuck at a light i usually park myself on the very middle of the lane or a bit more to the right so that cagers will have no room to squeeze themselves between me and the curb.

This same thing happens to me all the time. I try to do what you do and take up the same space a car would.
Hard to describe the situation but a while back this woman that was pulling out in heavy traffic at a light was trying to get me to pull up next to another car so she could get in. She started beeping at me a yelling for me to move up next to the car cause there was room. Bottom line, it would have been illegal not to mention dangerous. Pisses me off that cagers think because we are small we should take up as little space as possible yet it's against the law for us to take advantage of it ourselves....such as sharing lanes....I know, I know, it's legal in CA, but not here.

 

[Down On My Knees]

******* dumb chick :evil:

 

[ND4SPDSHO]

Heh, you're a better man than I. I woulda went apechit on the guy, got his insurance and had my bike checked out regardless. Doesn't take much to bend a rim by a 3000lb slab of bricks

 

[Vaein]

Out here in cali I simply dont stay in the normal flow of traffic, especialy at lights I am always in between the lanes at the front so when the light goes green Im outa there, just clear all the cars and dont gota worry about them. Though a co worker of mine thought it was funny to give me a love tap on my rear tire =P she was quite gental *grin*

 

[Bravo1]

Yeah, I get the frequent "love-tap" by the other riders I'm with. And on occasion, they even turn off my bike by hitting the orange starter! All in good fun though.

As for cars, most of them here in Seattle will give you ample space at a stop light and even when following behind in traffic. There are the occasional tricked-out import cars (You know who I'm talking about) that will ride my ass just to race. In most cases, I will either hit the throttle and get away or just pull over at the next available stop and let them pass. No need to get a ticket or worse...

 

[DiRoc]

At night here in Gainesville, I flash my lights when i see a fast approaching car coming up in my rear and I stay in First. I always keep one eye in front and another on my rear mirror. I flash the lights quickly and hold it when they get near. I do it with the slow ones too. After my bro in law was rear ended by some damn drunk blonde and drove off, he told me he wish he would have done so, now I make it habbit. I just wish that they don't get mesmorized by the light show, that they run into me.

 

[Dar25]

after hearing cage's tires behind me lock up and slidei now look behind me first before i start slowin gdown lor late yellow or red light.

It's better to roll on the intersection a little bit than being hit from behind.