“Reprinted courtesy of American Motorcyclist magazine, the American Motorcyclist Association, (800)AMA-JOIN” www.AMADirectlink.com
There was a time several years ago when the subject of road rage grabbed national headlines. Then came the War on Terror, tsunamis, hurricanes, spiraling gas prices, etc.
But while the headlines may have disappeared, the danger hasn’t. And as some of the most vulnerable road users, motorcyclists are often the victims.
Consider the recent case in Long Island, where a 24-year-old motorcyclist named Igor Kruk was killed because a driver apparently thought he and a friend were disrespectful.
Police reports indicate that Kruk and another rider were traveling together in September when they passed a car driven by Patrick DeJean. According to police, DeJean chased the motorcyclists at speeds of up to 70 mph. The riders turned onto a side road in an attempt to get away, but the driver followed.
Police say DeJean then smashed into the back of Kruk’s motorcycle, pinning Kruk between the car and the road. The car continued on for about 50 yards, according to reports, with the bike and Kruk still pinned to the front, then slammed into a parked SUV, which burst into flames.
Reports indicate that DeJean jumped out of the car and fled, but Kruk’s friend and some passersby chased him down and held him for police. He has been charged with second-degree murder.
It turns out that this isn’t the first time DeJean has been charged in a road-rage case. According to the New York Daily News, DeJean served six months in prison for trying to run down his girlfriend while she was making a telephone call at a pay phone about five years ago.
Meanwhile, a 16-year-old driver from Farmington, Utah, pleaded guilty to homicide by assault in the death of motorcyclist and firefighter David Scott Parsell of Layton.
Police said that the driver and a passenger in his car got involved in a road-rage incident with the driver of a van. At one point, the passenger in the car allegedly pulled the car’s emergency brake, forcing the car to slide into the oncoming lane, where it struck Parsell’s motorcycle.
The driver of the car was sentenced to 10 days detention, placed on probation until age 18, and had his drivers’ license revoked until age 18. His passenger and the van driver were both acquitted of charges.
In yet another case, in Carson City, Nevada, a motorcycling couple has charged that an off-duty Douglas County deputy pulled a gun on them in a road-rage incident. The couple say that the deputy was tailgating them, and when the rider asked the deputy about his driving after the two vehicles stopped at a stop light, the deputy pulled his gun on them.
The deputy in now being investigated.
Experts say that the potential for road rage exists within just about everyone. But the fact is that when road rage happens, riders are much more likely to come out on the wrong end of any confrontation with other vehicles.
Here are some tips for protecting yourself on the road.
1. Don’t provoke other drivers. Cutting someone off, blasting your horn or making obscene gestures could get you into a deadly game of bumper tag without a bumper.
2. Stay cool. When you run into an aggressive driver, don’t respond to provocation. That’s almost guaranteed to make a bad situation worse.
3. Back Off. If someone targets you, try to escape by changing lanes and slowing down. Accelerating can just lead to a high-speed chase.
4. Don’t stop. Many riders report that aggressive drivers clearly tried to force them to stop alongside the road. Don’t do it. This only makes you more vulnerable.
5. Change course. Figure that the aggressive driver may have some other reason for being on this road than harassing you. Take the next exit ramp, or turn onto a cross street. If the driver follows you, proceed immediately to someplace where you see people—a gas station or restaurant is good, or, if you know the area, ride directly to the nearest police station.