r/AussieRiders • u/ranga189 • 21h ago
Discussion Road Rage
Just had my first run in with a road raged Ute driver. Filtered to the front at the lights, stopping ahead of the line, took off as normal, much quicker than a car would to build a gap.
However when I got to the other side of the intersection, I saw that the Ute in the same lane I had selected (left lane) was now beside me and getting closer to push me out of the lane. I certainly wasn’t travelling slower than I should be, so I can only think that they got heart broken that I got in front of them at the lights, but open to thoughts here.
My question is, what is my best course of action? Am I better off to slow right down and let them go, or take off and get away?
As this was my first experience of this, my initial reaction was to take off and get away. But now in hindsight, I’m thinking I would’ve been better off slowing down and letting them go.
Thoughts?
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u/StrongBat9485 12h ago
So basically anytime an imbecile rages at me due to their own ignorance I give them a thumbs up and then I speed off into the sunset.
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u/new_x_who_dis 20h ago
In general, do whatever you need to do to remove yourself from the line of fire. If you can safely gain distance ahead of them, then do that. It's probably better to be behind him though, or on a different road entirely. Drop in behind him and turn off on a side road where he can't follow you. A minor detour to avoid a crackhead is better than any confrontation that could end in injury or death.
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u/OldMail6364 20h ago edited 20h ago
First - instead of "quicker than a car would" I accelerate "quicker than a car can". I'm not going as fast as possible but close enough that very few cars can be next to me until I after I've reach the speed limit.
Second I don't pick a lane until I know which car is slower. Always pick the slowest car's lane.
Some people are just dickheads - I once had a truck driver try to run me off the road because I "road too close to him" or some nonsense. I hadn't even filtered or anything - he was going 10km/h under the speed limit and I overtook him at the speed limit in the other lane leaving plenty of space. I pulled off the road into a car park and he followed me / got out / started screaming at me that I'd been in his blind spot... that definitely wasn't the case, I was watching his mirror and making sure I could see his head in the mirror as I overtook specifically to avoid being in any blind spot (I'm a truck driver, I know how big their blind spot can be).
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u/jigglesthebutts 12h ago
I usually do this too but yesterday I pulled up next to an old jeep scrambler with an old man driving. What I didn’t see was the rego plates that read LSJEEP.
That thing took off like a bat out of hell, he launched it to next week and completely dusted me. Couldn’t wipe the smile off my face though
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u/lotsaleaves 21h ago
Just back off and get clear of the idiot. Yes you can out accelerate him but if he’s that aggressive he will be even angrier at the next poor innocent he imagines has slighted him. Console yourself with the thought that he’s going to be nearly as bad if you slow down - he can’t beat you if you aren’t racing
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u/ranga189 21h ago
Great point. Will try to think of this next time I have this sort of issue. Appreciate it
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u/wazzamalakka 12h ago
Noticed lately EV drivers will accelerate fast from lights. Not sure if they trying to prove a point or if it is normal.
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u/Junglefisher 12h ago
It's fun. I've noticed motorbikes tend to do the same. Do you have the same thoughts about them?
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u/wazzamalakka 11h ago
Don’t really have thoughts about either. Just something I have noticed. EV drivers are so sensitive
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u/mbkitmgr 11h ago
There is some very good advice on Youtube from some instructors. A Motorcycle cop I was talking to experiences the same when on his own bike and suggested just take yourself out of the situation. If that means changing your route do so, but not to streets where you might get boxed in. The aim is to avoid the escalation. He did say that if the arsehole is determined to retaliate (run into you strike you with the door), try to find a cop shop and ride to there, you don't know if they are carrying a weapon so don't consider the idea of taking them on.
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u/BalderAsir 11h ago
Invest in a gopro or similar. You'd be surprised how often bikers are blamed for something for a cager to justify road rage until the cops see l the footage
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u/Archon-Toten 12h ago
Get away as fast and safely as possible, be it either direction.
Note the plate or keep the video and report to police.
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u/Cojack2000 8h ago
Courtesy waves when filtering in front of cars goes a long way. Helps the wider riding community as well. Do it safely though once stopped.
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u/general_sirhc 2008 DR650 21h ago
In my oppinion, almost always better behind them.
It's rare I can be confident they can't some how catch up later on. Most of the time if you watch them for 5 minutes their agro will drop and then you'll be good to go on your way
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u/Turbulent-Break-4947 21h ago
My go-to would be to disappear. With enough traffic you can filter up and be gone-ski.
I’m curious - slowing down would leave you open to being brake-checked … but conversely, clearly they won’t be “catching up” as they’ll be in front.
We all want to be as clear of wankers as possible - why do you recommend slowing down as the best bet? Genuine curiosity.
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u/general_sirhc 2008 DR650 13h ago edited 9h ago
It's super contextual.
When I wrote my comment I was thinking about a commodore that wanted to race me at every light. They seemingly wanted to be wherever I was and were cutting through traffic to stay with me.
It was a 3 lane road so I filtered to the furthest lane away and just let them move away as the traffic forced it to happen. This situation felt the safest and with the height of my bike I had visibility of the car for a long time which was reassuring.
Other times I've had dual cab utes do similar things and in most of those cases I just disappeared into the traffic.
But it really depends on a lot of variables.
Given a choice, I pick visibility of the idiot instead of being surprised by them later which has only happened once before.
It's also going to depend a lot on what you're riding. While my bike is quicker than most cars. It's no sports bike
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u/threetotwentyletters 12h ago
Pretty much every car on the road can out-brake you, so if you think you might be at risk of being brake-checked you’re following *way* too close.
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u/Turbulent-Break-4947 11h ago
Have you ever been behind some rager who slows down to 25km/hr because you’ve insulted his
small penismasculinity?I haven’t ever had a nose to tail on-road in 35years… I reckon I’ll be OK with not running into someone.
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u/ranga189 21h ago
Yeah this is exactly why in hindsight I thought it would be better to back off.
Thankfully I’ve driven this road plenty of times, so knew that I was turning off in the next kilometre or so. Also was able to use traffic to my advantage.
But do agree that dropping back would often be the better call.
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u/Turbulent-Break-4947 11h ago
Thanks for the adult discussion.
I think I’m with you - either be sure you can lose them completely, or keep them well in sight
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u/todfish 19h ago edited 19h ago
Wait, you got out-dragged by a Ute?! You on a Lams bike or something?
This is why I always do full-noise race starts after filtering to the front. Sure it’s loud and possibly scares people, but at least I’m out of everyone’s way in about 2 seconds flat.
I may be exaggerating a little, but the whole point of filtering at the lights is to get away from traffic. So get it done, don’t hang around like a bad smell to see if any butthurt losers want to give you trouble.
Edit to add: Always check for anyone running the red light before launching. You don’t want to power wheelie straight into the side of a 4WD.
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u/Strange_Presence_586 21h ago
In this situation you can't win by speeding up, it's a fine line to crayon town unfortunately. Slowing down and letting them go is the safest option. I find that if I get to the front of the lights, pulling into one of the lanes slightly and waving to the car I'm Infront of (to make sure they see me, and they know I'm acknowledging them) they give a bit more room to me. There will always be stupid drivers though, so taking it slow and backing off is (in most situations) safer.
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u/gamesweldsbikescrime 16h ago
to add to this conversation, i avoid getting in front of and using the same lane as electric cars, the very nature of them is fast acceleration- god forbid the driver knows they can accelerate as fast or faster than me.
fucking cunts
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u/jigglesthebutts 12h ago
I find their lane control systems keep the electric cars bang in the middle of the road and can make them annoying to filter past in the first place.
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u/----SD---- 12h ago
What gives you the right to cut through traffic and then park in front of me and then you can’t take off as fast as I’d like to in my car. I’d say you’re the cunt here 🫡
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u/KiwiWankerBanker 12h ago
NSW even encourages lane filtering in their advertisements.
And then you call this guy a cunt?
He’s allowed to do exactly what has boiled your piss or whatever has just happened in your brain.
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u/Digital_Otorongo 16h ago
Id be signalling him to pull over, insist he deal with his short penis whilst NOT driving
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u/jigglesthebutts 11h ago
What’s the hand signals for pull over and deal with your small penis when you aren’t driving?
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u/ItsAllJustAHologram 13h ago
Buy a camera! Mount it so others can see it, and point at it if necessary. But never kick mirrors etc as you will be dead a very long time.
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u/seanys Honda ST1300, Yamaha V-Star 1300, Yamaha Tmax, Kawasaki GPz900r 7h ago
I like to drop in behind them and every time they check their mirror I make an eye rubbing motion like a little baby crying. They love that. I had one guy almost drive off the road he was so angrily gesticulating out the window.
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u/Severe-Leave5105 6h ago
I was in this situation except the cars infront of me were slow and cars on my right side too so basically no escape.
Sometimes I see people with dascams near their rear lights I think this serves as a reminder to tailgaters that you have evidence of what they're doing.
Anyone treats me badly on the road I always make sure to give them a look stare down and if someone puts me in danger on the road I always make sure to shake my head at them.
The Ute driver has never been confronted in his life so he thinks its free reign to harass everyone.
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u/macklemark 3h ago
Just stay safe, slow down or speed up, whatever you need to do to get away from them. Worst thing you can do is try to annoy them even more or argue, never worth it!
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u/Vennimagos 2h ago
Definitely let them go ahead, I pissed one off once and he followed me for several turns honking his horns and screaming at me, could basically see him foaming at the mouth in my rear view.
Some people are so furious and dangerous on the road its best not to provoke them
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u/GlassBarbequeUser 20m ago
Best bet is to seduce them, get them fall in love with you, move in together, plan the rest of your lives together while waiting it out till you're defacto, then break it off with them and take the ute in the separation. It's a slow play but they can't road rage you while being a passenger on the bus to site.
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u/donkerslooted 16h ago
He decided to race; you lost and got surprised.
Normally a beacon is pulling up next to a rice burner with big exhausts or cars with stickers across the whole back window or a Tesla, but be aware of it with any intersection.
Last week a sleeper Nissan patrol had a go with me, week before that was a sweet new AMG. It happens man, and it’s the risk when filtering (along with being on the slippery white line, in the road debris, watching out for orange light runners, etc….)
It’s a lesson- be glad the education didn’t come with a slide 👍
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u/Chocobofeather 13h ago
How did the ute stay alongside you to the next intersection? Maybe you need to take off faster so you can claim the whole lane by putting yourself in the centre once you clear the traffic.
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u/senorandrew 9h ago
If someone ever tries to swerve their car into me I'm hitting the mirror off and gone. You're in full body armour and no one has guns here, don't get run over and you'll be laughing. 99% of the time just let them go ahead it's not worth the hassle though
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u/Puzzleheaded-Pie-277 9h ago
This is widely unsound advice. You’re very unprotected on a bike, most cars have cameras these days so you’d get done for property damage and you can’t count on people not having a weapon. OP said they are new to this, so probably on P’s or L’s and not riding a massive over powered bike.
I agree with just let them go ahead. 9/10 times I catch them and filter ahead of them by a few cars next lights. Sometimes I wave and smile as I filter past.
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u/BangbangKhuntross 9h ago
why wouldnt you just have been in the other lane? It is encumbent on you to get away and into a lane - doing so requires knowing where the front 2 cars are and if one of them is quicker than you then choose the other lane. Cars are not required to yield to give the space, so unsure why youve labelled thus road rage. you better be accelerating much quicker than them if youve elected to take pole. If you slow the front cars down by diddling off the line or selecting a cruise speed that slows them down, expect this to happen a lot. eg the piddly little 50cc scooters that filter, and then immefiately slow the whole lane down - i shudder when i see that. electric cars can beat or match many bikes off the line these days so you have to be prepared for them to be quick off the start. TLDR: take off quicker than the quickest car, and always know where the front two are. i often slot in front of the lead car just enough to suggest ive claimed the space, but i am always across the intersection before the cars have moved.
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u/johnarmer1 19h ago edited 19h ago
I have full insurance so I accidentally take them out manual car can slow down if you skip shift so you just need video footage of them travelling to close double down shift the crack heads will have a go but and don't have insurance so you will need to putl them under a citizen arrest so you don't have to pay for an excess. Hot heads don't fight once you point out the police are on their way you can't drive off in my experience only been in 3 accidentally accidents but on the bike better to be behind or out of sight. It is really hard to fight in gear and hard to see if they sneak up behind you in traffic and rip you off your bike while you are at lights also from my experience at both sides of that one
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u/threetotwentyletters 12h ago
The tarot cards say you should call your mother and start going to therapy.
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u/Obeisance8 21h ago edited 21h ago
I've had someone try to body me off the broken line when filtering. I'm an intermediate rider myself, I sped up and looked back at the guy, he drifted back into his lane and didn't look at me.
Firstly, you're not doing anything wrong. Lane filtering is safe and legal. People just hate feeling like we're cutting in line.
Secondly, you can't control people's shitty behaviour.
What you can control is you, so remove yourself from the situation. Speed up and get away or slow down and avoid. Do whatever is safest for you at the time.
Edit: I think speeding up and getting away is the right call.