Temperatures from high 30s to low 60s, sunny and gorgeous riding weather.
Got in some pretty good commute riding miles today, not too "brisk" in the morning and just my work shirt under my riding jacket in the evening when I left work just shy of 6pm.
Traffic was light by then, the rush hour and my taking back roads result in a pretty easy ride home. The sun was still halfway up in the sky, very few clouds and cool winds.
All was great with the world, that is until the DAC showed up. DAC: Dumb Ass Cager.
It's good that I am paranoid about cars coming up behind me at stoplights, I am always watching my mirrors to ensure they're slowing down.
Today, about five miles from the house, I am slowing to a red light on Gun Club Rd and Jewell Avenue, sliding slightly to the left of my lane on this two lane road so that oncoming traffic can see me as they try and make a left turn. I have a vehicle in front of me.
As I slow down, I look in my mirror and this dumb ass in a white POS coupe was fast approaching me from behind, giving no sign of slowing! Luckily, I had not come to a full stop yet, I swung my motorcycle over to the left, going over the lane marker and partly into the left turn lane. This dumb ass finally stops his vehicle with him abreast of me as I come to a stop. Big dumb look on his face. I was so in shock at this that I failed to raise my helmet visor to yell at him or even give him the finger, just something to express my anger!
The light turned green and this dumb ass makes to keep going like nothing had happened! I goosed Maria and cut him off by perhaps a foot off his front bumper and kept the speeds slow for the first 1/2 or so, watching him warily in my mirrors. Dumb ass finally got the hint that he was stupid and backed off a ways. I sped up to the limit and still watched him closely, maintaining more than the usual safe interval between me and the car in front of me, just in case.
I turned right at the next intersection, and again he sped up and closed on me as I slowed and braked and signaled my turn. Again, I failed to even give him the finger as he sped by, the temptation to abort my turn and follow him was great but reason prevailed. What an asshole!
So the close call, courtesy of that asshole, ruined what had been a pretty lovely day of riding to work and between data centers. Oh well, goodbye Winter.....Hello Spring, glad I will be able to greet you properly tomorrow, in spite of dumb ass cagers everywhere.
Never let up on your vigilance, the DACs are out there and you're invisible to them.
4 comments:
That's one of the hardest decisions to make. Do I really need to move or will the cager actually stop and make me look paranoid?
You're a great example of taking responsibility for looking after yourself. It's hard to resist doing something to make them feel the consequences of their stupidity, isn't it? Nice self control.
thanks Dan, coming from you that means a lot.
I am surprised a motorcycle as large anmd illuminated as yours failed to impress him. I have taken to heart irondad's rule about flashing the brake lights instead of relying on engine braking. But one other thing I have noticed since I sold the Vespa GTS, a "moped," and took to the road on my Bonneville with bags and topcase is that I get absoltuely no attitude from other drivers- the ones paying attention. They don't see a scooter, they see a motorcycle and give me room. Idiots? Nah, they won't even see the finger, never mind the tail lights.
Conchscooter,
I've tried my best to have my motorcycle be conspicuous from the back but when cop bikes get hit while they've got all their much brighter emergency lights going....
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