nathan.johnson

I've been riding a lot for the last 6 months, having accumulated nearly 5000 miles on my bike, and last night was the first time I got tailgated. I was at the intersection of University and Euclid in Tucson, Arizona waiting at a red light when a Dodge Charger pulls up behind me. I was the first at the light, on the right side of the lane. As the Charger pulls behind me, the driver revs the engine, and slowly creeps up on me until his bumper is no more than six inches from my rear tire.

When the light turned green, I took the lane because the street narrows and both sides of the street have bars and parked cars and there are lots of pedestrians crossing the street. (See Google Street view https://g.co/maps/2v93n ) Car will generally go no more than 15 mph on this section of road and last night was no different. I was keeping up with traffic and waiting along with the cars for pedestrians crossing the street. But the guy behind me wasn't having any of it. He continued to tailgate me and yell out the window. I don't now what he was yelling, probably nothing nice.

At the next intersection, I go straight through thinking he'll turn since the road dead ends for cars at the university about a block later. But no, he continues to tailgate me as far as he can until I get to the gate blocking the road for cars. He gets one final verbal jab in, revs his engine again, and turns around.

How far would this bozo followed me had I not passed through the university? Would he eventually passed or continued to follow at an unsafe distance? Is there a sekrit meeting room for those of us that have had this experience? How often does this happen to you, and what do you do?

RaleighSport

Just sounds like an angry person trying to get his kicks looking for a reaction from you... that said I'm glad he didn't actually hit you and even more glad you gave him no satisfaction.

caloso

In a situation like that it helps to pull out your phone and make an obvious show of taking a photo of his license plate and his face. Even if your phone doesn't have a camera, just mime it. I've done this a few times and it has a remarkable effect on ******** when they realize they might have to be accountable for their actions.

DX-MAN

Never had this happen. Not sure what I'd do. I like the cell phone idea, though.

All I can say for sure is, my reaction would not be civilized. (Big guy, bad temper, military training, lots of study of various combat techniques. . . you do the math.)

bigbadwullf

Jerks come in all areas of life. Just glad it wasn't a pickup so some wouldn't get 'joy' in that.

g0tr00t

Maybe he was trying to get to "know" you. I have had heard a couple of guys yelling at me only to turn around and get a wink and thumbs up!

Pete In Az

Unfortunately, cars in Arizona don't have front license plates. A "picture" of the face would be good though.

SlimRider

I was once in Tempe, Arizona. I was in a supermarket in the grocery department, when suddenly I noticed a regular civilian-looking guy, standing next to me wearing a holster with a revolver handgun in it.

Apparently Arizona, places a new spin on the term "road rage". I mean usually, all you have to worry about are a few curse words being shot at you, not bullets too!

- Slim

pg13

I like the camera idea and was going to say maybe me but Ive never carried a revolver. Pistols all the way And arizona and a few other states now might want to be more aware that its now legal to carry concealed without a permit.

RolandArthur

After a few incidents I started to strap a camera to my backpack. Results are promising: idiot drivers notice the camera when they get close and back off. I have a mildly amusing video from the day before yesterday showing a driver moving to my side of the road to play chicken and suddenly backing off with only abuse to sling at me. Naturally I couldn´t care less.

I would post the video here just for amusement (it´s not very interesting though) but I don´t know how.

tagaproject6

Wait, I know this, I know this...er, um...you are going to get violent and assault someone and then go to jail! Yay! What prize do I get?

RaleighSport

that picture reminds of my frame at 14...

nathan.johnson

The camera idea is a good one. I usually keep my cell phone in a plastic bad with my cash and ID, so it'd be a little hard to get out while riding with a car up my butt and I for sure didn't feel safe stopping.

Pete In Az

Oh heavens, that's nothing. The only places you can't carry a gun here are airports and the state capital, and it's kind of iffy at the capital.

Can you say: "Concealed weapons in a bar"?

Monster Pete

I'd do the same thing I do when I get tailgated in a car- reduce speed. Aside from the safety aspect of ensuring you won't get run over if you have to stop suddenly or fall off, it leaves the impatient moron seething away behind you. If/when they get the message, speed up again.

GriddleCakes

Probably he would've gotten bored eventually. Or so riled up that he'd squeal away in an engine-revving, penis-waving display of frustration and fury. Depends on whether he was actually angry, or just messing with you. I've never been tailgated for more than the distance required for the tailgater to turn or to pass, but I would've done the same thing you did: ignore him and find a place that he can't follow.

We have concealed carry up here, but you can't carry on school grounds, airports, or state and federal buildings. I used to see people openly packing all the time at the supermarket when I lived in Wasilla (to be fair, it was the same few people over and over again), but I assume that'll change as more people move out there.

Berg417448

Considering that fact that he's driving a Dodge, he already has more problems in life than many of the rest of us.

Loose Chain

It has been a few years since we left Phoenix but I think Arizona allows open carry as opposed to concealed carry. I am to lazy to Google the latest laws right now. I have a CCL and I am packing. I would consider tailgating me at 6 inches while underway a threat on my life. Stopped, no, underway yes. If he were to misjudge the six inches or I were to fall he would run over me. That is a threat on my life and I would respond especially if he continued to pursue me and give me no safe distance to escape.

Mr. Beanz

This never happens to me because I am a very considerate rider.

If I'm in front, knowing cars are faster and at the same time avoiding risks and nut baskets, I veer right in the intersection (plenty of room between cars and the crosswalks) allowing cars to make their way through. Yeah, I lost 15 seconds of high speed ride time on my average but I don't have to deal with the stupidity.

Most times I get a nod or thumbs up.

david58

Considerate cyclist or not, some folks are simply bullies.

Mr. Beanz

Yes, there are bullies but if you remove yourself from their path, you would never know if they were bullies or not.

People are funny. I worked at a steel mill running overhead cranes carrying 40,000 steel coils years back. Ton of safety rules, like never place yourself in a pinch point. Removing the 2,000 hook from a coil in a coil filed (warehouse wih narrow corridors), you don't place yourself in a position that would allow the hook to pinch you between itself and a steel coil.

Guess what! People still did it and people got hurt. Those that were smart enough to avoid the pinch point s didn't. To each his own but I prefer to avoid placing myself in pinch points with bullies while on the road.

Machka 

I would have let the car go. No point blocking traffic.


Probably trying to let you know that the sleeve of the jacket you had rolled up on your rack was falling into your rear wheel.

nathan.johnson

I wasn't blocking traffic. I was right behind the car in front of me. If I was unable to keep up with traffic, I would gladly have pulled off to the side and let him pass, but there was no where for him to go. And on this section of road, there really isn't a good place to pull over and let someone pass.

Northwestrider

Of course I've had motorists yell at me while on my bike, but nothing approaching the level you've just experienced. Glad you are ok. If it happens to me, I hope I can remain calm enough to remember the cell phone camera idea.

clydeosaur

Bad attitudes because of little penises and large car payments make baby Jesus cry......