Duel Thinking
I've pretty much lived on the road the last three years, and I've seen all too many of these acts. Unlike you, I can't outrun most of these people. My 20-year-old Beemer's getting a bit long in the tooth, even if I wasn't pulling a camper. And so I have to bite my tongue and show more restraint than normal.There's no excuse for the way the people in your article behaved on the road, but they outweigh any motorcycle. Ultimately, no matter how right or wrong-or idiotic-these people are, there's always someone bigger than us. We lose no matter what. So it's better to be safe than sorry.Stan HowesVia e-mail
Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, [What are you doing] mix'n it up with a minivan driver?
What's next, a Buick? Road rage is rampant. It's a given this stuff will be out there each time you ride or drive. I'm a big strong guy, but I refuse to let some idiot suck me into his or her problems of the day. I hereby sentence you to five episodes of Kung Fu.P.S. Enough Harley stuff, ok? Jeff MinnesotaVia e-mail
Sorry to hear about your rotten experiences. Some thoughts on the subject:
-People are getting crazier and there are more of them on the road-the most common variety being the "rageaholic" who is so out of control he puts his own life in jeopardy so he can stick it to you.
-At night the cover of darkness (especially for someone whose judgment is already impaired by booze or drugs) can make them feel invulnerable so they are more likely to go postal on you.
-There are people (I call them passive-aggressive with underlying rage) who set out in their cars and trucks with the intention of sticking it to other drivers by hogging a lane at low speeds, especially the passing lane, and refusing to move no matter what signal you give them (flashing lights, polite toot on the horn, sustained blasting of the horn, etc.).
-Good strategy if you are being pursued by a maniac is, if possible, head toward the center of town and pull into the nearest police station (or fire station if it is open and staffed).
-And my favorite fantasy option involves the deployment of a short-barreled Mossberg 12 gauge. (Oh, I forgot, we are trying to be more civilized here.)
Paul Wasserman
Rockport, MA
I'm afraid to say that because you indirectly caused two of those three instances, I've no pity for you. The drunk, well, there's nothing we can do about him. The other two, however, you could've avoided. As for the confrontation, if you keep that up there's going to come a time where neither your sex, your good looks, nor the fact that you're someone's mother, will keep someone from putting his foot up your ass.
Sam Fuentes
Via e-mail