Near miss: avoided grime reaper on Tri-Boro Bridge today

[Effervescent]

Tri-Boro Bridge, commute into work. About 55 MPH (maybe 5MPH over limit). I'm in the left lane, no shoulder, big old scary metal divider. Mutardo Infinity SUV is drivin' very aggressively through traffic, zig-zagging, hesitating, then diving into lanes. I'm trying to keep away from him. Then he flies ahead, darts thru a few lanes and the eff'er is alongside me.

 

I know exactly what's gonna happened. He's directly next to me and trying too hard and is gonna try to occupy my space. I have nowhere to go. He's not gonna go slowly, but with a big old 55MPH dart. I'm covering the brakes with my finger on the horn, I'm boxed in. I'm ATGATT, big time: race boots/gloves/ tripled-up armor/kelvar suit/Arai helmet/chest protector. Totally overboard. He effin' goes for it. I stab the horn three times, and head to the left part of the land. I have modded my horn and it's very loud. I must say, the second he went for it, I was all over the horn. He jabbed back into his lane. After about 3 seconds, still boxed in, I starred at him, he looked at me (he had to realize he would have killed me) and I signal (by moving my open hand towards the ground) to slow down. He had a blank stare.

 

UGH!

 

In hindsight, re-reading this, I realize I totally saw what was gonna happen and was boxed in. There's no reason I shouldn't have laid hard on the horn the moment we were side by side. It totally would have prevented the near accident. I have to get over the concern about being polite while riding.

 

It really was close. I would have been really eff'ed up. Squeezed between an SUV and a large steel divider at highway speeds. Then, most likely, crashed into by other cars boxed in by small tight lanes and that divider. I am absolutely positive he would have driven off too. Positive!

 

And get this. After all that, he keeps drilling through traffic just to get on the long a$$ cash line to pay the toll, no EZ pass. Racing through traffic, nearly side-swiping motorcycles...for what!?! To sit in the effin' cash lane for 5 minutes!?!

 

He was exiting towards the South Bronx. I breezed through the EZ pass lane off to Manhattan.

 

Everyone is trying to kill us, Folks.

 

-Eff

[Tony_K]

Everyone is trying to kill us, Folks.

 

Remember that every time you throw a leg over.

It's the name of the game especially in the cities.

Never let it drift away from the front of your minds eye.

[Boffin]

In this situation, I think I would have rolled off the throttle, giving us both somewhere to go.

 

You do not know what was flowing through his mind or bloodstream. They may not have heard the horn over the voices in their head.

 

Andy

[Effervescent]

Interesting. Yeah, I find it's easy to assume everyone is in the right state of mind. God knows what is going on inside his body/mind.

 

I had a car behind me but they would have backed down had I slowly slowed-up. Good tip.

 

-Eff

[Woodie]

Glad to hear you're still bubbling along!

 

Too funny about the EZ-pass...seems a really easy way to knock off at least 5 minutes on EVERY commute! Heck, I'm considering getting one, and we have NO tolls in our whole state!

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Eff,

Gotta agree with Andy here. You knew this guy was coming and even knew he was gonna squeeze you. IMHO, it was your obligation to get yourself out of that situation before it developed into your needing your horn/brakes.

 

I still watch my 6 to be on guard against just this situation and plan on not being there when the idiot makes his next aggressive move. I realize it is hard to maintain a safe bubble in NYC traffic but, given the number of crazy drivers there, it is probably even more important.

[MattS]

I had a car behind me but they would have backed down had I slowly slowed-up. Good tip.

By the time you're worrying about what to do, you've already missed the opportunity to do what you need to do. Which in this case is, once you see the maniac coming and you get the intuition that he is going to continue playing stupid once he catches up with you, to start weaving in your lane -- manic-aggressively -- which will get everyone's attention and slow the traffic immediately behind you. You gotta kick the status quo square in the nuts simply to survive. Unfortunately, you're driving in an environment with an unusually high proportion of 100%+ a**holes, with whom you need to be proactive rather than reactive.

[T__]

Tri-Boro Bridge, commute into work. About 55 MPH (maybe 5MPH over limit). I'm in the left lane, no shoulder, big old scary metal divider. Mutardo Infinity SUV is drivin' very aggressively through traffic, zig-zagging, hesitating, then diving into lanes. I'm trying to keep away from him. Then he flies ahead, darts thru a few lanes and the eff'er is alongside me.

 

I know exactly what's gonna happened. He's directly next to me and trying too hard and is gonna try to occupy my space. I have nowhere to go. He's not gonna go slowly, but with a big old 55MPH dart. I'm covering the brakes with my finger on the horn, I'm boxed in. I'm ATGATT, big time: race boots/gloves/ tripled-up armor/kelvar suit/Arai helmet/chest protector. Totally overboard. He effin' goes for it. I stab the horn three times, and head to the left part of the land. I have modded my horn and it's very loud. I must say, the second he went for it, I was all over the horn. He jabbed back into his lane. After about 3 seconds, still boxed in, I starred at him, he looked at me (he had to realize he would have killed me) and I signal (by moving my open hand towards the ground) to slow down. He had a blank stare.

 

UGH!

 

In hindsight, re-reading this, I realize I totally saw what was gonna happen and was boxed in. There's no reason I shouldn't have laid hard on the horn the moment we were side by side. It totally would have prevented the near accident. I have to get over the concern about being polite while riding.

 

It really was close. I would have been really eff'ed up. Squeezed between an SUV and a large steel divider at highway speeds. Then, most likely, crashed into by other cars boxed in by small tight lanes and that divider. I am absolutely positive he would have driven off too. Positive!

 

And get this. After all that, he keeps drilling through traffic just to get on the long a$$ cash line to pay the toll, no EZ pass. Racing through traffic, nearly side-swiping motorcycles...for what!?! To sit in the effin' cash lane for 5 minutes!?!

 

He was exiting towards the South Bronx. I breezed through the EZ pass lane off to Manhattan.

 

Everyone is trying to kill us, Folks.

 

-Eff

 

Eff, obviously you aren’t from Michigan.. Not only is that the norm here but I doubt the situation would be as slow as 55 mph.. Big FAST SUV’s that don’t look, could care less about a motorcycle, in most cases could care less about even a car there (maybe another SUV but nothing smaller) & in a lot of cases on their cell phone of with the radio all the way up..

 

I have that happen at least once every time I travel to the city or even more in rush hour freeway traffic..

 

Very easy to handle if as you say you saw it coming.. Just back off a little leave a large gap & let the big sucker in.. You knew darn well he was coming over anyhow (somehow you always do).. Just let him in (he’s bigger anyhow & you know the saying MASS ALWAYS has the right of way) .. If you just ease off & let him in (I usually even motion to them with my hand to come on over) there will no need to brake sharply & chance getting run over from lame brain behind, or need to dodge left with the hopes he will see you & not come over.. Remember a motorcycle is not the correct instrument to block a SUV.. In most cases he will only be there in front of you for a few seconds anyhow as he will move on to another perceived piece of open road ..

 

Then if you want to get even just wait your time & when you catch up to him just motion for him to roll his window down then politely tell him you think one of his rear brakes is leaking fluid or he has a flat right rear tire.. That will cost him some of his precious time & maybe he will think of you when he see’s no flat tire (only do this if you don’t see him everyday)..

 

Twisty

[Effervescent]

Excellent. Keep it coming, Fellas.

 

 

Noticed today that the limit is actually 40 MPH, so I was 15 over D-oh! Though I would challenge any motorcyclist to do "safely" 15-under the flow of (fast moving) congestion on the Tri-Boro...as that wouldn't be a safe thing!

 

Yes, NYC bubble in very difficult to maintain. Creating a 2 sec gap and 3 cars will jump it. Requires a different stragety IMHO.

 

Also, noticed I was more "alert" today riding in. A car on the Southern State (L.I. highway) jumped two lanes over to exit. I nailed my brakes (no one behind me) and jabbed the horn 5-6 times. He waved a sorry but didn't slow or stop his actions. I realized I was likely in his blind spot. I need to work on that.

 

Learning,

-Eff

[Lineareagle]

Horns are nice BUT they are NOT the first thing you should reach for IMHO.

I hope you have effective flashing brake lights as well. In your situation I would have given him space early but that is where the rear brake lights come in.

I would never brake in freeway traffic without having a good idea the cage behind me would see me braking.

I read 'somewhere' the most bike fatalities are rear enders.

On the freeway it is just not the guy behind you but the guy behind him etc.

My wife was rear ended in a chain reaction that was 4 cars and one truck deep.

In traffic that is slowing I often fan the brakes a little early just to see their reaction, if they slow I know they are awake!

[Calvin (no socks)]

Eff, Commuting in Jacksonville is a breeze compared to NYC....I dress for "Battle". Each Battle I walk away from I win! Intimidation won't work, but be as large as you can, I flash my HID lamps at everyone that approaches an intersection from the side, it dosen't always work... They will still pull out and try to kill me, if I am prepared and I am ready, I win the battle...

You saw it coming, Next time be proactive and not aggressive and lay on the horn... It may have no effect.....but start a program of action rather than reaction...

[RevRay]

Glad to hear your OK. Tri-Boro can be a bitch especially during AM rush.

[pfb]

My daughter and I were in Manhattan yesterday and I was keeping my ears and eyes out for midtown riders. It would have been priceless to see what would have happened when I yelled "Hey you big yellow Effer!!"

Glad to hear you made it.

 

Peter

[ChrisNYC]

I probably wouldn't second-guess anybody's riding strategies for NYC traffic. I use many, sometimes in the same ride:

 

-Weave all over your lane and look newbie-like: cagers get nervous and stay clear.

 

-Go easy and flow like water: nothing surprises me, I am water, I knew that cager was gonna do that, I'm ready - Go ahead SUV-man, take your lane change, I'm sure you've got many important things to do today. Ho hum.

 

-Aggressive hand and arm signals: Motherf****** stay the f*** out of my lane. Be clear, direct the traffic around you. Surprise people with the authority that emanates from the rider of a 30-year old 400cc beater-bike

 

-Squid-ly: Get out of the traffic herd: all the danger is behind me because I'm riding faster than the traffic, I only need to focus on the front. beep beep, coming through, didn't mean to surprise you ...

 

So many possibilities ...

 

------------------

Chris (aka Tender Vittles )

Little '77 KZ400 in the Big Apple

Black '99 RT for Everywhere Else, such as ...

[AviP]

I know exactly what's gonna happened. He's directly next to me and trying too hard and is gonna try to occupy my space. I have nowhere to go.

 

I ride and lane split (hate it but can't help it) in this crappy traffic all the time. Since you saw it coming, IMHO you had 3 pro-active options:

 

1. Defend your space: you should have just moved over to the right side of your lane. That would give you a buffer on the left side for emergency action. It would also have prevented him from occupying your space. If I was in active defensive mode, this would be my preferred action.

 

2. Accelerate: you could have got out of the situation by accelerating away. Traffic was at 55mph so there would be an opening to do so. If I was in an aggressive mode, this would be my preferred action.

 

3. Decelerate: you could have slowed down ever so slightly and let the aggressor get ahead. Traffic behind should not be a concern if you are reducing your speed by 5mph. If I was in passive defensive mode (I'm almost never), this would be my preferred action.

 

By choosing to honk, you let the situation get to the point where it got dangerous. It's reactive not proactive and is only a last resort option. I think you should have chosen #1.

[BFish]

gawd eff glad you made it thru ok. the eff'n idiot in the eff'n cage was on a mission for sure, but you DID use your eff'n brain to avoid a seriously eff'n mishap.

 

have a great eff'n day!!!

[Francis]

Hey Eff,

 

You know they have been working on the Tri-Boro and the traffic is really messed up. Glad you read this guy all the way and were ready for him. Great call on your part.

 

I installed two Stebel air horns on my bike and would recommend this to you as well (see the Moshe Levy plans on this site). These two beauties would have blown this guy into another lane and left you by yourself.

 

I'll catch you later this season.

 

Francis

[RFW]

Is the "grime reaper" a really dirty grim reaper?

 

Whoever he is, I'm glad you avoided him.

[TyTass]

+1 - RFW beat me to it!

 

ChrisNYC (Tender Vittles) you have some great tactics there! You're correct (as many are), it's about being seen, not thought of as a good rider. I'm not on the road on a bike to impress - just enjoy it and stay alive ... (Not saying you're thinking otherwise, Eff. Glad you're safe!).