Surrounded by angry bikers. What would you do?

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geetarman

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The video says it all.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york...er-bender-west-side-highway-article-1.1471585

If you were in the SUV and found yourself in this situation, what would you do?

I ride bikes and I would not think of arguing with a car or SUV, but I don't live in New York.

The video was taken from a helmet cam on one of the bikes and is a little long. For some reason, one biker cut in front of the SUV and slowed suddenly causing the SUV to hit him from behind. The guy stopped and that is when the real trouble started with the bikers damaging the SUV. The driver takes off and runs over several bikes and the chase is on. It ends with the SUV driver being pulled out of his vehicle and suffering a beating that required stiches.

Would the SUV driver, at ANY point, been justified in defending himself?

I know there are severe restrictions on firearm possession in New York, but the idea of being the victim of mob violence is not attractive.

Truthfully, had I been armed, I think I would have been unloading thru the muzzle.

How say you?
 
You telling me that neither the driver or his wife had a working cell phone in NYC? Called 9-1-1, get license plates, stay inside with doors locked, especially since he had his wife and young baby inside
 
As someone who both rides (currently have two motorcycles) and drives the Dan Ryan daily, I can almost visualize the scene.

I have to say, though, were I in an SUV surrounded by violent bikers, a slashed tire wouldn't stop me from showing them the realities of kinetic energy and momentum in a thoroughly concrete manner. Folks don't realize what an *excellent* weapon a moving vehicle is, especially compared to something that depends on gyroscopic inertia for its remaining upright.


Larry
 
I would imagine they had cell phones. I don't know if they had the presence of mind to use them. That group of bikers was fairly large. I am guessing they were pretty intimidated by so many bikers who were riding aggressively.

If you took the time to view the video, you can see one biker dangerously close to the left side of the SUV. Why? I have no clue. Real bikers know they can stop much faster than a big SUV at the speeds they seemed to be riding.

A biker is begging for trouble to cut in front of a much larger vehicle and then brake to get some distance between vehicles.

There is no question, IMHO, the bikers were out to intimidate anyone on the road with them.

The issue is, did the SUV driver have a legitimate fear for his safety and the safety of his wife and child. I say he did.
 
I have to say, though, were I in an SUV surrounded by violent bikers, a slashed tire wouldn't stop me from showing them the realities of kinetic energy and momentum in a thoroughly concrete manner. Folks don't realize what an *excellent* weapon a moving vehicle is, especially compared to something that depends on gyroscopic inertia for its remaining upright.
Click to expand...

Yep, I hear that. I rode from Phoenix to Amarillo last week and back and I can imagine the outcome should I have tried to argue with a Kenworth.

The SUV driver could have bumped several of the bikers into the guardrail had he chosen to do so.

Had I been in that situation and had I been armed, the outcome would have changed as soon as the first helmet impacted my window.
 
Don't leave the vehicle. Outnumbered by an armed angry mob? Call the cops on the cell phone. Self defense comes to mind and if I had to use the car, I would.
 
Looks like "not leaving the vehicle" may not have been an option; the driver's window appears to have been smashed in.

Calling 911 and using the vehicle as necessary - absolutely. I can't imagine running down a vehicle that weighs (literally) 10 times what my bike does (375 lb bike vs ~3800 lb SUV)... and that's not even accounting for the dynamics of motion (balance) required.
 
^^^^^ Could you elaborate a little?

Are you meaning the SUV driver should have been prepared to run over or back up over any biker trying to hem him in?

I think that is one option I would have seriously considered.
 
Hence why I keep a loaded Glock Happy Stick in my truck.

Call 911? HAHAHAHA You'll be dead by the time the cops get through the traffic. They just bring the chalk.
 
As a motorcyclist I would not have stopped and rang the cops to say I was in fear of my life.
I would have stayed on the motorway and would have ran over anyone who tried to stop me. If I was armed I would not have thought twice to shoot if I needed too.

Those bikers should all be thrown in prison, as they were a danger to themselves and other road users and obviously have no respect for anyone.
 
Shadi,

There are two video links. They are toward the bottom. I can view them on an ipad but I don't know about a phone. Get to a laptop and you will see them.
 
Saw that video on the NEWS tonite..........frankly, if that happened in Florida there would be several justifiable homicides. Hope those NY bikers realize that when they make the Daytona run this year!
 
Many years ago before I even really had a mind towards self defense I found myself in a similar situation outside of Sturgis(during rally time) while driving back to college. Apparently the group of bikers were none too impressed with the speed and agility of my buick on a mountain road and passed making angry gestures, one of them going so far as to make the gun shape with their hand. Even then my first thought was if there were really an issue, buick trumps motorcycle in a collision every time.
 
I think you guys pretty much covered it. I would have been on the phone immediately and driven to the nearest police station I could find. I would have also shown them what a 4000+ lb. vehicle can do by side swiping them if they passed.

There is a major difference between self defense and vehicular homocide, but the bikers were totally driving like idiots. We have large groups that fly through traffic at very high rates of speed. If some idiot runs into me because he is closing at two to three times the speed limit, it would not be my fault. I am very careful of my surroundings and certainly do not want anyone to get injured or killed, but when people drive like jack (donkeys), they put their own life at risk.

I also think the driver running over the other bikers after the initial contact definately exacerbated the situation. It was pretty clear that the idiot that braked in front of the SUV was at fault, especially since SUV's have a lot more mass to try and stop. New York is really anti-gun so the chances of being armed are VERY low. Miami on the other hand, is quite the opposite so drive with respect!
 
Let's hear it for New York....

I knew when I first watched the news clip on Fox News Channel, I knew some TFLers would bring it up. :D

I go in/out of the metro NY area often & have some input;
The cell/text signals in some sections of the 5 boroughs can be spotty or out-of-order for a # of valid reasons. The tall buildings, the huge number of traffic/cell phone users, the weather, noise, etc.
I would not expect any cell phone or 911 call to work in any US metro area all the time.
Few people may realize the CONUS(contental USA) has the 6/7 rated web-cell phone network, worldwide. :mad:
Unless you have a $10,000 sat phone on you 24/07 or a full convoy like POTUS, you might be in a jammy-jam.
From the clip, Im honestly surprised no NYPD traffic or NY State Troopers didn't come by or at least see the large group.
On nearly every NY trip, I often see uniformed cops, CCTV systems or meter maids/parking enforcement on the streets all over.
FWIW; the bikers were in town for a large biker rally held in New York City every year, so the local cops might have been distracted.
What I would have done is swerve back & forth a few times to keep the bikers at bay then I'd drive up on the side(break-down lane) or empty side walk with my 4 ways on, honking my horn.
It was a dicey situation anyway you look at it. I bet the dad/SUV driver will be booking the next class at Bill Scott Raceway in WV. :D

Clyde
PS; This incident also re-enforces the reason(s) I pack my S&W MP45 compact .45acp & Hornady Critical Duty rounds, ;) . I often put the Glock tactical light on it too.
 
If you took the time to view the video, you can see one biker dangerously close to the left side of the SUV. Why? I have no clue. Real bikers know they can stop much faster than a big SUV at the speeds they seemed to be riding.
Click to expand...

If you watch closely, the bikers are attempting to slow all vehicle traffic, and form a rolling road block. It was one of those idiots, trying to force the SUV to slow down, that caused the initial collision.

Beyond that, however, the SUV driver made some really stupid decisions.
...like running over 3 (nonthreatening) guys that were still on their bikes, in order to get away from the initial attackers.
...or running over 2 bikes and one biker, to get away the second time.


There will be attempted murder and/or manslaughter charges on BOTH sides.
Stupid decisions + lynch mob = bad stuff, all around.
 
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