How best to respond to dangerously belligerant bikers (bicyclists)

How would YOU have handled this dangerous situation?

I was driving an automobile today, minding my own business, with a child
in my vehicle, on a two lane road (one lane each way).

I encountered, what ultimately showed itself to be a belligerent group of
bikers, who, attacked me en masse, and, who prior would not yield the
right of way, who crossed the yellow line repeatedly, & who apparently
threw stuff at me and made rude gestures.

At one point, I was so afraid that they would break my windows, as they
were repeatedly pounding on them. I was so scared, I could only look at
their legs, I instinctively thrust my hand up to protect me from the
breaking glass - Lord know how they didn't break it, they were pounding
so hard on the glass.

All I wanted to do was avoid these people, both before and after they
showed themselves to me to be dangerously & uncontrollably belligerent.

What should I do to properly report such dangerous activity so that it
doesn't happen to some other poor unsuspecting soul?

On Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:27:30 +0000, arkland wrote:

> How would YOU have handled this dangerous situation?

Has this ever happened to you? I'm still shaking from the experience!

DETAILS:
- Minding my own way on a two lane road. Child in front seat.
- I slow down, & stay behind, at a respectful distance, for some time,
awaiting them to move over as any reasonable bikers normally do so that I
may pass legally & safely.
- Bikers continue to block the way, two and three abreast.
- I beep respectfully, a short toot; suddenly the rear-most bikers change
speed, and one shows what appears to be a disrespectful motion with his
hand, and then, swerves over the the yellow lines (apparently in a
blocking move?), the other of the rear-most members throwing or dropping
an object which bounced obliquely in front of me.
- I decided to do what anyone would do in that situation, which was
simply to safely pass the bikers.
- There were more up front, all of whom I could clearly see, so I warned
them with a long toot of my horn as I passed, safely far away.
- Apparently 'something' (unbeknownst to be) in my actions or theirs,
caused them to become irrational as events only later showed.
- Further ahead, at a T-intersection stop sign, was an equal sized
"gang", again completely blocking the roadway.
- I stopped behind them, and waited far longer than a reasonable person
would wait, but nobody moved, even though some of them clearly saw me
waiting patiently.
- I tooted again, and then suddenly, they surrounded me!
- Bikers on the front, to both sides, and presumably to the rear!
- A huge thudding sound, repeated multiple times showed me they were
STRIKING my windows with the intent to break them, and they were shouting
loudly.
- Some even took blocking positions in the front!
- This sudden escalation in force scared the wits out of me as I realized
belatedly this was, perhaps, a planned action on their part.
- All I wanted was out of there!
- Remember, I have a kid in the front seat - and - I have absolutely no
quarrel with anyone - and this is clearly an unprovoked attack!
- I was able to squirm out of there, all the while seeing these strong
tree-trunk legs outside my window pounding on the glass - but I couldn't
the faces of the people attacking me from the side as I had my hand on
the glass to protect my face from the inevitable shattered glass.
- Luckily, I was able to get past them, and on my way, breathing a sigh
of relief.
- My passenger was stunned, as was I. "What did we do?", we asked. Why
did they attack us, unprovoked, and en masse?

Do you think the horn was what they had so violently reacted to?

On 2011-08-06, arkland > wrote:
> On Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:27:30 +0000, arkland wrote:
>
>> How would YOU have handled this dangerous situation?
>
> Has this ever happened to you? I'm still shaking from the experience!
>
> DETAILS:
> - Minding my own way on a two lane road. Child in front seat.
> - I slow down, & stay behind, at a respectful distance, for some time,
> awaiting them to move over as any reasonable bikers normally do so that I
> may pass legally & safely.
> - Bikers continue to block the way, two and three abreast.
> - I beep respectfully, a short toot; suddenly the rear-most bikers change
> speed, and one shows what appears to be a disrespectful motion with his
> hand, and then, swerves over the the yellow lines (apparently in a
> blocking move?), the other of the rear-most members throwing or dropping
> an object which bounced obliquely in front of me.
> - I decided to do what anyone would do in that situation, which was
> simply to safely pass the bikers.
> - There were more up front, all of whom I could clearly see, so I warned
> them with a long toot of my horn as I passed, safely far away.
> - Apparently 'something' (unbeknownst to be) in my actions or theirs,
> caused them to become irrational as events only later showed.
> - Further ahead, at a T-intersection stop sign, was an equal sized
> "gang", again completely blocking the roadway.
> - I stopped behind them, and waited far longer than a reasonable person
> would wait, but nobody moved, even though some of them clearly saw me
> waiting patiently.
> - I tooted again, and then suddenly, they surrounded me!
> - Bikers on the front, to both sides, and presumably to the rear!
> - A huge thudding sound, repeated multiple times showed me they were
> STRIKING my windows with the intent to break them, and they were shouting
> loudly.
> - Some even took blocking positions in the front!
> - This sudden escalation in force scared the wits out of me as I realized
> belatedly this was, perhaps, a planned action on their part.
> - All I wanted was out of there!
> - Remember, I have a kid in the front seat - and - I have absolutely no
> quarrel with anyone - and this is clearly an unprovoked attack!
> - I was able to squirm out of there, all the while seeing these strong
> tree-trunk legs outside my window pounding on the glass - but I couldn't
> the faces of the people attacking me from the side as I had my hand on
> the glass to protect my face from the inevitable shattered glass.
> - Luckily, I was able to get past them, and on my way, breathing a sigh
> of relief.
> - My passenger was stunned, as was I. "What did we do?", we asked. Why
> did they attack us, unprovoked, and en masse?
>
> Do you think the horn was what they had so violently reacted to?

This sounds unbelievable because putting a motorist into a fight or
flee situation when the motorist is behind bicycle riders is profoundly
stupid.

As to the horn, ~95% of the time when a motorist has sounded a horn from
behind me he's going to attempt to brush pass me or even force me
off the road. Most are just stupid others are deliberately on the
attack.

"arkland" > wrote in message
...
> How would YOU have handled this dangerous situation?

I would have whipped out my trusty cell phone and called 911 for
police backup.

I always carry a legal concealed handgun as well. If the situation got
to the point where I felt it was justified, I could decide whether to
use it or not.

arkland wrote:
> How would YOU have handled this dangerous situation?
>
> I was driving an automobile today, minding my own business, with a child
> in my vehicle, on a two lane road (one lane each way).
>
> I encountered, what ultimately showed itself to be a belligerent group of
> bikers, who, attacked me en masse, and, who prior would not yield the
> right of way, who crossed the yellow line repeatedly, & who apparently
> threw stuff at me and made rude gestures.
>
> At one point, I was so afraid that they would break my windows, as they
> were repeatedly pounding on them. I was so scared, I could only look at
> their legs, I instinctively thrust my hand up to protect me from the
> breaking glass - Lord know how they didn't break it, they were pounding
> so hard on the glass.
>
> All I wanted to do was avoid these people, both before and after they
> showed themselves to me to be dangerously & uncontrollably belligerent.
>
> What should I do to properly report such dangerous activity so that it
> doesn't happen to some other poor unsuspecting soul?


Were you in my area?
http://www.wisn.com/news/28774396/detail.html

We cannot yet carry in our state until 1 November 2011. Ask
them nicely to please wait a few months?


On the Left Coast a 9mm seems to work OK:
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...e-1686396.html

Texas:
http://www.click2houston.com/news/24860512/detail.html

Kentucky:
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB...hoots-intruder

etc.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Brent wrote:
> On 2011-08-06, arkland > wrote:
>> On Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:27:30 +0000, arkland wrote:
>>
>>> How would YOU have handled this dangerous situation?
>> Has this ever happened to you? I'm still shaking from the experience!
>>
>> DETAILS:
>> - Minding my own way on a two lane road. Child in front seat.
>> - I slow down, & stay behind, at a respectful distance, for some time,
>> awaiting them to move over as any reasonable bikers normally do so that I
>> may pass legally & safely.
>> - Bikers continue to block the way, two and three abreast.
>> - I beep respectfully, a short toot; suddenly the rear-most bikers change
>> speed, and one shows what appears to be a disrespectful motion with his
>> hand, and then, swerves over the the yellow lines (apparently in a
>> blocking move?), the other of the rear-most members throwing or dropping
>> an object which bounced obliquely in front of me.
>> - I decided to do what anyone would do in that situation, which was
>> simply to safely pass the bikers.
>> - There were more up front, all of whom I could clearly see, so I warned
>> them with a long toot of my horn as I passed, safely far away.
>> - Apparently 'something' (unbeknownst to be) in my actions or theirs,
>> caused them to become irrational as events only later showed.
>> - Further ahead, at a T-intersection stop sign, was an equal sized
>> "gang", again completely blocking the roadway.
>> - I stopped behind them, and waited far longer than a reasonable person
>> would wait, but nobody moved, even though some of them clearly saw me
>> waiting patiently.
>> - I tooted again, and then suddenly, they surrounded me!
>> - Bikers on the front, to both sides, and presumably to the rear!
>> - A huge thudding sound, repeated multiple times showed me they were
>> STRIKING my windows with the intent to break them, and they were shouting
>> loudly.
>> - Some even took blocking positions in the front!
>> - This sudden escalation in force scared the wits out of me as I realized
>> belatedly this was, perhaps, a planned action on their part.
>> - All I wanted was out of there!
>> - Remember, I have a kid in the front seat - and - I have absolutely no
>> quarrel with anyone - and this is clearly an unprovoked attack!
>> - I was able to squirm out of there, all the while seeing these strong
>> tree-trunk legs outside my window pounding on the glass - but I couldn't
>> the faces of the people attacking me from the side as I had my hand on
>> the glass to protect my face from the inevitable shattered glass.
>> - Luckily, I was able to get past them, and on my way, breathing a sigh
>> of relief.
>> - My passenger was stunned, as was I. "What did we do?", we asked. Why
>> did they attack us, unprovoked, and en masse?
>>
>> Do you think the horn was what they had so violently reacted to?
>
> This sounds unbelievable because putting a motorist into a fight or
> flee situation when the motorist is behind bicycle riders is profoundly
> stupid.
>
> As to the horn, ~95% of the time when a motorist has sounded a horn from
> behind me he's going to attempt to brush pass me or even force me
> off the road. Most are just stupid others are deliberately on the
> attack.
>
>

Cyclists (on bicycles) or bikers (on motorcycles) ?

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 2011-08-06, AMuzi > wrote:
> Brent wrote:
>> On 2011-08-06, arkland > wrote:
>>> On Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:27:30 +0000, arkland wrote:
>>>
>>>> How would YOU have handled this dangerous situation?
>>> Has this ever happened to you? I'm still shaking from the experience!
>>>
>>> DETAILS:
>>> - Minding my own way on a two lane road. Child in front seat.
>>> - I slow down, & stay behind, at a respectful distance, for some time,
>>> awaiting them to move over as any reasonable bikers normally do so that I
>>> may pass legally & safely.
>>> - Bikers continue to block the way, two and three abreast.
>>> - I beep respectfully, a short toot; suddenly the rear-most bikers change
>>> speed, and one shows what appears to be a disrespectful motion with his
>>> hand, and then, swerves over the the yellow lines (apparently in a
>>> blocking move?), the other of the rear-most members throwing or dropping
>>> an object which bounced obliquely in front of me.
>>> - I decided to do what anyone would do in that situation, which was
>>> simply to safely pass the bikers.
>>> - There were more up front, all of whom I could clearly see, so I warned
>>> them with a long toot of my horn as I passed, safely far away.
>>> - Apparently 'something' (unbeknownst to be) in my actions or theirs,
>>> caused them to become irrational as events only later showed.
>>> - Further ahead, at a T-intersection stop sign, was an equal sized
>>> "gang", again completely blocking the roadway.
>>> - I stopped behind them, and waited far longer than a reasonable person
>>> would wait, but nobody moved, even though some of them clearly saw me
>>> waiting patiently.
>>> - I tooted again, and then suddenly, they surrounded me!
>>> - Bikers on the front, to both sides, and presumably to the rear!
>>> - A huge thudding sound, repeated multiple times showed me they were
>>> STRIKING my windows with the intent to break them, and they were shouting
>>> loudly.
>>> - Some even took blocking positions in the front!
>>> - This sudden escalation in force scared the wits out of me as I realized
>>> belatedly this was, perhaps, a planned action on their part.
>>> - All I wanted was out of there!
>>> - Remember, I have a kid in the front seat - and - I have absolutely no
>>> quarrel with anyone - and this is clearly an unprovoked attack!
>>> - I was able to squirm out of there, all the while seeing these strong
>>> tree-trunk legs outside my window pounding on the glass - but I couldn't
>>> the faces of the people attacking me from the side as I had my hand on
>>> the glass to protect my face from the inevitable shattered glass.
>>> - Luckily, I was able to get past them, and on my way, breathing a sigh
>>> of relief.
>>> - My passenger was stunned, as was I. "What did we do?", we asked. Why
>>> did they attack us, unprovoked, and en masse?
>>>
>>> Do you think the horn was what they had so violently reacted to?
>>
>> This sounds unbelievable because putting a motorist into a fight or
>> flee situation when the motorist is behind bicycle riders is profoundly
>> stupid.
>>
>> As to the horn, ~95% of the time when a motorist has sounded a horn from
>> behind me he's going to attempt to brush pass me or even force me
>> off the road. Most are just stupid others are deliberately on the
>> attack.
>>
>>
>
> Cyclists (on bicycles) or bikers (on motorcycles) ?

I assumed on bicycles... motorists rarely expect motorcyclists to get
out of their way.

arkland > wrote in
:

> On Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:27:30 +0000, arkland wrote:
>
>> How would YOU have handled this dangerous situation?
>
> Has this ever happened to you? I'm still shaking from the experience!
>
> DETAILS:
> - Minding my own way on a two lane road. Child in front seat.
> - I slow down, & stay behind, at a respectful distance, for some time,
> awaiting them to move over as any reasonable bikers normally do so
> that I may pass legally & safely.
> - Bikers continue to block the way, two and three abreast.
> - I beep respectfully, a short toot; suddenly the rear-most bikers
> change speed, and one shows what appears to be a disrespectful motion
> with his hand, and then, swerves over the the yellow lines (apparently
> in a blocking move?), the other of the rear-most members throwing or
> dropping an object which bounced obliquely in front of me.
> - I decided to do what anyone would do in that situation, which was
> simply to safely pass the bikers.
> - There were more up front, all of whom I could clearly see, so I
> warned them with a long toot of my horn as I passed, safely far away.
> - Apparently 'something' (unbeknownst to be) in my actions or theirs,
> caused them to become irrational as events only later showed.
> - Further ahead, at a T-intersection stop sign, was an equal sized
> "gang", again completely blocking the roadway.
> - I stopped behind them, and waited far longer than a reasonable
> person would wait, but nobody moved, even though some of them clearly
> saw me waiting patiently.
> - I tooted again, and then suddenly, they surrounded me!
> - Bikers on the front, to both sides, and presumably to the rear!
> - A huge thudding sound, repeated multiple times showed me they were
> STRIKING my windows with the intent to break them, and they were
> shouting loudly.
> - Some even took blocking positions in the front!
> - This sudden escalation in force scared the wits out of me as I
> realized belatedly this was, perhaps, a planned action on their part.
> - All I wanted was out of there!
> - Remember, I have a kid in the front seat - and - I have absolutely
> no quarrel with anyone - and this is clearly an unprovoked attack!
> - I was able to squirm out of there, all the while seeing these strong
> tree-trunk legs outside my window pounding on the glass - but I
> couldn't the faces of the people attacking me from the side as I had
> my hand on the glass to protect my face from the inevitable shattered
> glass. - Luckily, I was able to get past them, and on my way,
> breathing a sigh of relief.
> - My passenger was stunned, as was I. "What did we do?", we asked. Why
> did they attack us, unprovoked, and en masse?
>
> Do you think the horn was what they had so violently reacted to?

Really? you have no clue???????????????
what a troll,
you should have just found another way around them, turn off, go around,
you never saw a tv movie or heard what a bike gang can be like. you were
a idiot and asked for the treatment you got. First part of driving is
know where you are and what is around you. You failed this. next time
don`t put your child in a dangerous situtation because you were to
oblivious to the world around you. KB

On Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:54:00 -0500, AMuzi wrote:
> Cyclists (on bicycles) or bikers (on motorcycles) ?

I'm sorry. I wasn't clear. They were bicyclists.

In my distress, I apologize if I hadn't made that clear.

On Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:49:34 +0000, Kevin Bottorff wrote:

> Next time don`t put your child in a dangerous situation
> because you were too oblivious to the world around you.

I agree. I had no inkling prior to being attacked.

I guess I'm a wiser driver now - but - I still am unsure how I could have
prevented the attack (which seemed, based on being swarmed at the
intersection, to have been premeditated on their part).