New motorcyclist, about to give it all up

[kevla]

Hello! newbie here...

My family have always been into bikes and I've always wanted one. Late last year I got my first 125 (Hyosung GT125R) because I'm quite tall, almost 30 and want to eventually get an R6 (after a Suzuki 400 SM) and this Hyosung is big and heavy. Ideal.

So there I am, riding home from work on a big roundabout, when some complete moron made eye contact, stopped, then pulled right out in front of me. I had to swerve to miss him, and the car in the other lane almost hit me and even the bracing for impact bit was dangerous. I really did feel like I was going to die and had even accepted it and was thinking of a live without legs, all in the space of about 5 seconds.

This is where it gets stupid. I managed to keep the bike upright, and came to a stop, then got off the bike, walked over to the matey and without even thinking I smashed his wing mirror off with the palm of my hand. Then got on the bike and sped off. Totally out of charachter and everyone I've told about it can't believe someone made me that way.

The worst part is now I feel guilty. To be fair he was lucky I didnt drag him out of his window and give him a shoeing. I just hope the police feel the same way when they come to speak with me.

I'm obviously happy to pay to get it fixed, but wanted to know, can I demand that this person goes for an eye test, to make sure he's fit to be on the road?
and can I also get him done for dangerous driving/driving without due care and attention?

I expect everyone to want to kill me, that much I've already come to terms with, but when they make eye contact then still pull out, well you know what happened.

Cheers guys

[Hetzer]

Feeling guilty? Get a grip dude, he deserved it 100%.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[MarJay]

He was an idiot you were an idiot.

Worst he'd get done for is driving without due care, however worst you'd get done for is criminal damage and making threats of violence or something.

At the end of the day you need to be aware that these things happen, and you need to know that people do look at you and then pull out anyway. Always have a backup plan and always assume they will pull out. This is the only safe way to ride. Also you need to learn the Anti Smidsy manuever or whatever its called, which is effectively weaving from left to right in your lane to provide a larger area of vision and to provide movement for the driver to notice. Otherwise bikes do tend to fade into the background if you're not used to looking for them.

Relax, put it down to experience and be aware that it CAN happen and it does happen.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[angryjonny]

When someone tries to kill you, seemingly aware of what they've done, it does funny things to you.

As a biker, if I pulled out on a bike and he walked over and smashed my wing-mirror off I'd feel that I got away with it lightly, learn something from the experience and get on with my life.

[TUG]

[yaigi]

I hope his wing mirror was one of those colour coded ones that are more expensive to replace

I hope you have learned your lesson that getting irate when you didn't actually come off and no harm was done is not worth it

Don't fret, the police probably won't even come knocking.
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What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?
Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[chris-red]

Deny all knowledge, if police do come and say X said you hit his wing mirror off deny it. He won't have witnesses and it won't go any further. Police have better things to do.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[Wave2k]

You never did anything
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Ariel Badger]

I have put a side window through before now when the idiot that almost killed me wound it up so I could not speak to him. Why feel guilty?
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Andy_Pagin]

The best thing to do in situations like that is to keep the lid on your temper and later on think through what you could have done to avoid the situation, survival on a bike is all about anticipation and avoidance, you simply cannot expect cagers to drive sensibly.
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[Tungtvann]

I've had a couple of head shake moments, but nothing too bad, the person who fucks up badly better kill me, because everything around them will burn if I'm still standing.

[Boxing]

OP, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqQBubilSXU

And do it on the road, it's saved my life a bunch of times! I've had people creeping out of side streets, I've done the SMIDSY weave and they've stopped and looked at me like a deer in headlights.

[Srengam]

What makes you think the Police will call?

I don't think you'll hear anything from it tbh.

Maybe your reaction wasn't the best reaction, but at least he'll be looking for bikers in the future when he's at junctions.

I wouldn't feel guilty either, he could have killed you.
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Suzuki GSX600F Katana (1997)

[Clanger]

Like everyone has said, there is sod all to feel guilty about. You reacted through adrenalin rushing round your body, you were expecting the worst...and you escaped...all that anger, fear and adrenalin...punching the inanimate object is probably the best way to have dealt with it...

Punching the car driver would have landed you in some serious doo-doo...

Chalk it down to experience, and just don't let it wind you up or push your guilt button anymore...and watch every vehicle out there like a hawk from now onwards...expect the worst and you should survive.

Well done for not punching the driver. I actually think the car driver will be thinking he got away lightly...!!
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Zen Dog]

A bike instructor in my local area recently had a similar incident. He got off the bike, intending to give the driver a piece of his mind. But the first thing the driver said on winding the window down was "What the fuck is your problem?"

So the instructor just punched him in the face. The guy's wife in the passenger seat was so surprised she dropped her phone. Then the instructor told him to stop driving like a twat and look where he was going, got on his bike and rode off.

In both cases (the OP and his), it's not a great thing to do, but its entirely understandable. When something like this happens, it feels, in many ways quite rightly, like someone has tried to kill you. You have no reason to feel guilty about it.

No names for obvious reasons.

Zen Dog
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Current - '94 VFR750FR (Dead), '00 VFR800FI, '11 600 Hornet - Previous - '11 CBF125, '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[fatboyaquila]

to be honest i can understand your reaction. maybe not wise but easy to do. i used to watch for eye contact but now i watch the wheels on vehicules at junctions, lights, roundabouts etc. it doen,t really matter where a driver looks, he won,t go anywhere, but if the wheels are moving expect the worst to happen and be ready to react
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live each day as if it were your last!

[P.addy]

Fuck him.

I had some wang pull out when on the TTR. You could see and hear me coming.. no way he couldn't have.

Just pulled out from a bus stop, lifted my foot and moved right to avoid the cretin, took his mirror with the foot, standard. Priced one up later... I wouldn't want to buy it. Fucking BMW 7 series

Out of character for me also.. but he was a complete tit. I wouldn't hate a biker for smashing my mirror off if I cut the guy up because I was too busy checking my emails.

I once did stop though and got off the bike as someone brushed my leg in their car (BMW again... hmm) and I bibbed, so they came in harder.

Pulled in front, stopped cuasing the longest jam ever, went to her window, gave her some abuse about me driving into her kids on their pushbikes, how would she like it. Told her it doesn't matter as I'm not under her wheels but try to watch where you are going etc. Total change from being in a rage at her to calm guy who got a handshake and a "have a good day"

[shorty]

[Rogerborg]

[Louise]

[Pigeon]

[Kradmelder]

I took a mirror once when some ou kept swerving to block me on a crowded motorway. Waited for a red light when he was stoppped, filtered past and took his mirror. He can't get my plate that way as in a split second its obscured by cars.

If on the remote chance someone does, sorry mate was coming through and the cars closed in on me. He can go claim from his insurance for not looking in his mirrors for legally filtering bikers. I was so damn lucky to stay on and not bash in his door when he closed in on me like that blah blah
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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

[pinkyfloyd]

Collecting wing mirrors is an integral part of riding a motorcycle and you are not a proper biker until you have collected one.

Welcome to the biking community, hold your head up high and remember. Bastard tried to kill you to death so losing a wing mirror is a light get off for him. I'd have either done the same or dragged him out of the car and kicked the living snot out of him.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[Lord Percy]