Insane Tailgater

I was riding home from work last Friday, in the left hand lane of a 6
lane road (Northbourne Ave for any fellow Canberrans), traveling at the
speed limit, 60, with my L plate blazing away on the back of the bike.
I checked my mirror and am shocked to see a Subaru badge way too close
for comfort. I'd estimate that the car was about a metre from the back
of the bike.

Of course I was a little discomforted by this, and became even more
worried when the driver started swerving back and forth within the lane.
A commodore driver in the lane next to the subaru started blowing the
horn, however at this point I thought it was the subaru driver.

Some traffic lights changed to red ahead of me so I stopped and turned
around to glare at the subaru driver, who then started pointing
frantically at the commodore driver, at this stage I was unaware that
the commodore driver had been the one blowing the horn, so was naturally
thinking "WTF is wrong with you?".

Lights turned green, got back up to 60, Subaru driver began maintaining
his metre following distance again, Commodore driver started blowing his
horn again. I started flashing the brake light, the suby driver didn't
back off. This went on for another 30 seconds before the Subaru turned
off. At the next set of red lights, the commodore driver got out and
appologised if he'd worried me, but he was concerned that the driver of
the Subaru was going to run me over, and was attempting to get him to
back off. I said Thanks, and I was going to report the Suby to the cop
shop. Unfortunately by the time I got home I'd forgotten the entire
numberplate.

You've got to worry about some of the people we share the road with.

 

This is what I noticed when I started riding.

Spada.

L/P plates on. Tailgated all the time.
Pillion on, no L/P plates. Tailgated all the time.
By myself, no L/P plates. Tailgated occasionly.
By myself with saddlebags on, no L/P plates. Tailgated, very, very
rarely.

Never worked out why, but that's what I've experienced.

 

Might have been my son-in-law, he has a dark blue wrx, there seems to be
some sort of a wrx club in Canberra

 

next time slow down to 10kph... or stop at the lights, go over and
tell the **** to get off your arse.

 

Hi Agranulocyte,

Next time you get some *u*king idiot like that, indicate and
pull over. Let them pass. You probably will never see them
again, so who cares ?

...and remember-- soccer mums get absolute right of way.

 

[...]

My experience is very different. IMV, its not you, its them...

Any Subaru wagon: tailgates all the time
Any Commodore: tailgates all the time
Any 'luxury' 4WD: tailgates all the time (and cannot/will not see
out of the vehicle)


Most other types will inadvertantly tailgate for a bit, but simply
backing off to increase following distance from the vehicle in
front will catch their attention, they'll wake up and back off.
The abovementioned three groups don't act inadvertantly tho, they
act with malice!


Subaru wagons are by far the nastiest, closely followed by
current model Commodores. The Suby wagon drivers are every bit as
"I bought this car for safety" incompetent as the stereotypical Volvo
driver with the added bonus of "I can afford this car" arrogance.
Current model Commodores are just a picture-perfect match for the
meatheaded 4WD stereotype put forth in that newspaper article
the other week. They tailgate because its their right!


Is it just me, or have the Commodore wankers been a bit more
aggressive this week after the Bathurst win?


GB

 

I'd dare say the Falcodore*/Subaru menace is borne of the drivers'
belief that they're "kings of the road;" the thoughts of "I've got a great
car, I bet I can beat that bike" must constantly be going through their
baseball-cap covered craniums. "Luxury" 4WD drivers are generally just
oblivious to their surroundings.

Speaking of which... Ever notice how rare it is to see a Commodore being
driven by someone _without_ a baseball cap?

On the subject of the "Bathrust win;" is there really any point to a
race which is exclusively between two cars? Why not throw some real cars
into the mix 'n see where the Falcodores end up on the pole?

- Bob.

* I classify Falcons in the same group; had an idiot in an AU Falcon trying
his hardest to "follow me" on the way home yesterday.

 

Riders can be meatheads too. I was off my bike and in my Mazda Tribute
(taking two small kids and wife i.e driving sensibly) heading up the
Wollombi Rd and in my 4WD managed to catch up to two bikes (one slow fem
rider and one obviously experienced male) before lemings corner. Hanged
back, got to the bottom and overtook - well - Mr bike rider objected to
being overtaken - most riders are the same - zipped out overtook me again
and then hit the brakes hard WTF is that?
I am a rider and wondered what this dumb ass was trying to do by braking
hard in front of a 1600kg 4WD i.e something that can't stop as quick as a
bike?
So the common factor to these two stories is a dickhead is a dickhead.

 

I consciously left Falcons out of the group. I have very little,
if any, trouble with them. It's all Commondores and Subaru wagons
for me.

GB

 

Hat back wards drivers ?

 

They're ok too - ya can hear the DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF well before
you catch sight of the 'WRX' badges and the arms hanging out the
windows!

G

 

That's for sure ....and around along here with mulletts they all
have pathetic sounding exhaust systems on the V6's

 

Had a bit of a worry coming home from work one arvo while at the traffic
lights of Moorefields road on the overpass crossing the M5. I was in the
left lane awaiting at the lights and a magna was in the right lane. Next
thing i know, I heard a loud revving from behind and it was this jerk-off in
a one tonner (think it was a hilux) revving his motor behind me getting
ready for the lights to change I think so he can get in front of the Magna
or was it to scare the shite out of me.
Now like Agranulocyte, I'm also an L plater and still a bit timid regarding
traffic on a motorcycle, so with first gear engaged (as they taught me in
the course) , the green light came on and I was right into it accellerating
to about 50 in first,then 80 in 2nd then 100 in third to get away from this
prick before he ran me over (not how they teach you in the course). Once
reaching 100 in a 60 zone i backed off when i was well ahead of the hilux
back down to 60kph (like a good little L plater) and this jerk-off came
right up behind me about a meter from my rear. I kept glaring at him in my
right mirror and and flashing my stoplight he took no notice so i just
slowed down to 40kph then to 30 kph as he couldn't pass with heaps of
traffic comming the other way. He backed off slightly then when there was a
break in traffic i pulled over to let him go just to get rid of him but gave
my middle fingered salute as he passed........he recipricated but who cares,
he was out of my danger zone now.
Untill I get my full licence, I will just slow em down and then pull over to
let them pass cause you just don't know when you'll get a full-on lunatic
behind you. I guess it makes us better learners when we experience some of
these nutters out there trying to kill you. I mean what do you do when you
are restricted to 80kph, in a 70 zone and having massive tip trucks going
around you doing 100kph.? ...bloody scary!!

DJ

 

You must live in Newcastle area?
Never seen soo many cars with sad sounding exhausts in my life, and
never seen worse driving.

Regards, Andrew.

 

Carry small heavy objects to throw at windows.
Makes for a lifetime of staying well clear of bikes for the recipient.
25yrs of trouble free riding is proof this works.
Never be intimidated by the four wheel fuckers.

 

snip a bit...

Just get out of their way.. they are a lot bigger and stronger than
you ... no prizes for finishing second best!

Johno

 

Absolutely. Forget macho bullshit, if someone really wants to
have an accident that badly, let them go have it somewhere else.

-----sharks

 

Sounds like a recipe for having one of the 'fuckers' (as you so
eloquently put it) either drive straight over the top of you from
behind, or turn left on top of you. Sounds like a recipe for
death (yours) to me.

GB

 

I reckon theres no need to antagonise them any more than they already
are.......last time i tried to be brave, I found out the antagoniser was
also a kickboxer........had a swolen cheekbone for weeks!!

DJ

 

Yah - it's amazing how demure some cagers become when a rider, fully clad in
leather/cordura and a helmet, dismounts walks up and taps on the window

Of course, me in full leathers - well, I resemble more of a leather
tape-worm with arms than anything you'd be shit-scared of. Clem OTOH gets
around in stubbies and a Hawaiian shirt....which is the other end of the
scale.

Cheers,

James
ZZR250->ZX9R