road rage avoidance

My frisky young friend stopped by yesterday on the way home from picking up his frisky 2-stroke 250 Yamaha. We went for a ride around the block – a 6 mile or so loop that is half gravel/dirt and half paved. He, of course, was ‘on the pipe’ all the way as I plodded along riding Dr Zee at my own pace. The rain started almost immediately, but we went anyway.

Near the half-way point, on the dirt, a newish pickup and newish Suburban were mostly blocking the road parked window to window while the drivers chatted. I stopped, then began to inch around the front of the Suburban that was aimed in the direction we were headed. I figured to let them finish their chat without the pressure of clearing the road for us.

However, as I was almost to the front bumper, the Suburban driver began to move forward, closing the small gap on the shoulder right in front of me as he moved on. No problem – maybe he saw me, maybe he didn’t. I followed a polite distance back as he putted on down the road. My exuberant buddy ripped by both of us on the first little straight stretch. I stayed behind the guy doing his comfortable 20-25 mph.

Then he pulled over and stopped. I said a silent ‘Thank You’ and went by … noticing his driver’s side window was down as I passed. (Did he want me to pull up for a conversation???) But I was on my own, back at my comfortable pace – far behind the 2-stroke, but distinctly faster than the Suburban had been going.

Now the Suburban shows up in my mirrors – going significantly faster than he had been; faster than his comfort zone on this county road. Then he moves to the left side of the road and starts pressing forward with his front bumper almost abreast of my rear tire. WAY OUTSIDE his rational self and now a clear and present danger to me.

stock Internet photo – not The Guy

The stage is set for a report in tomorrow’s newspaper of a Road Rage incident wherein truck hits or runs motorcycle off the road.

I am convinced that the best way to deal with road rage is to be somewhere else.

I moved in that direction. Slowing down or stopping would increase my exposure, so I added speed. I moved away from the threat.

BUT he added speed too. Not enough to be as close as he got a moment before, but he clearly was losing control of his inner peace .. and probably any semblance of rational thought at the same time. Another SUV coming the other way on this narrow 2-lane seemed to slow the freaky one down a bit and I kept pressing to maintain a safe distance… still in the rain on a wet dirt road, going faster than I would were I not threatened, but not faster than my level of competence.

I passed my young friend who danced a happy jig now that his riding partner was moving at a more interesting pace… oblivious to the threat posed by the following Suburban.

The Suburban was still within striking distance when the dirt road met the paved road … at last, MY TURF. Grateful for the lack of traffic on this lightly traveled road, I rolled onto the pavement without stopping and gave the pony its reins.

In less than a mile the threat was nowhere to be seen. The only thing in my mirrors was my riding buddy enjoying the frisky pace.

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This website is a gift to my community from a pensioner dedicating a bit of his life attempting to help preserve humanity, integrity, honor and liberty – a world under attack. If I help one person find our side of the rampart, or help the resolve of one who found it via another path, my time and money have been well spent.

Thank you, Ted Dunlap