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Road rage against motorcyclists ‘on rise’

road rage tailgate tailgating rear-ender motorcycles BMW S 1000 RR lane filtering lane splitting gap

The father of a young rider who was rammed from behind by a driver who had previously tried to block him from legally lane filtering says road rage against riders is on the rise.

Daniel Lee of Brisbane says his 23-year-old son, Lucas, was “rammed up the butt” by the driver who had “earlier and deliberately tried to block my son from filtering”.

“My son told him that it was legal but was met with a tirade of expletives,” Daniel says.road rage tailgate tailgating rear-ender motorcycles BMW S 1000 RR lane filtering lane splitting

“This driver drove up my son’s back twice.

“My son walked away with just a scratch. His bike (BMW S 1000 RR) was totalled.road rage tailgate tailgating rear-ender motorcycles BMW S 1000 RR lane filtering lane splitting

“The driver was charged for malicious driving and got three months’ suspended licence.”

Rage on the rise

road rage tailgate tailgating rear-ender motorcycles BMW S 1000 RR lane filtering lane splitting
ACT police are seeking to charge this driver with road rage on legally filtering riders 

Daniel says road rage against motorcyclists is on the rise.

“Me and my two sons commute almost daily on our bikes through city traffic where you will tend to encounter frustrated drivers,” he says.

Daniel claims he was recently chased by a “clown in a ute because I lane filtered to the front”.

“I got off the line but he tried to keep abreast of me to intimidate,” he says.

“I moved off to allow him to overtake. At the next set of lights he kept watching and waiting for me to start filtering up to his side but my spidey sense told me he was up to something and I deliberately slowed down and about to filter when he suddenly closed the gap real tight by turning into the median.

“I flicked off to the left side and entered a bicycle green box. When the light turned he tried chasing me but failed.

“Instead he tailgated me as I deliberately kept abreast with a car to my left.

“Eventually I had to move ahead so as not to hold up traffic. He sped up to the lights and as I took the right lane and he on the left, he wound down his window and spat at me.”

road rage tailgate tailgating rear-ender motorcycles BMW S 1000 RR lane filtering lane splitting
Daniel and riding friends

Good Samaritan

Not all drivers are intimidating toward riders, Daniel says.

“Another ute came and wedged himself between me and him to protect me from the wanker trying to run me off the road when the lights turned green,” he says.

“The Good Samaritan told the wanker to stop his cursing and grow up.

“Wanker took a left and I went straight. Samaritan gave me a wave and a thumbs up for which I am really grateful.” 

Daniel says some drivers become road ragers because they have a negative attitude towards bikers.

“No amount of reasoning and explanation would ever convince them to be patient and be more accommodating,” he says.

“Half a second after the lights turn green and a bike can easily get ahead and not hold drivers up, but ragers will push their cars to intimidate. Nothing will stop them from getting even.”

Road rage strategiesroad rage tailgate tailgating rear-ender motorcycles BMW S 1000 RR lane filtering lane splitting

Daniel asks what is the best strategy for dealing with road ragers. Click here for our recommendations.

“I prefer to slip between traffic and move off as I once had a rager actually try to run me over,” he says.

“A camera is a great option to record the misdemeanour for the police to intervene.”

Do you agree road rage towards riders is on the rise? What can be done? Leave your comments below.

  1. I’ve noticed more drivers moving over to provide room for me to pass, though there are ‘some’ who move closer to the vehicle beside them when they see you coming. Fortunately I Haven’t experienced this riders horrific experience.
    ‘Malicious driving and got three months’ suspended license.” He should have received a custodial sentence!

    1. Totally agree.. custodial sentence! What if he had deliberately rammed another person twice … unprotected by a metal cage. say a pedestrian, a slap on the wrist just doesnt act as a deterrent for others.

  2. I have had drivers move over on me to stop me fitting through, drivers yell abuse at me along the lines of “you are f##king pushing in, wait your F##king turn!” Yes it is getting worse.

  3. Stickers saying “Lane Filtering Is Legal” would be a handy way of educating drivers. Maybe even, god forbid, some sort of regular driver education program adverts on TV, including handy tips to reduce motorist stress and increase traffic flow, like “Painted lines mean you can drive over them, so move left before turning left. Don’t hold up traffic just because you want to turn.” and “Don’t be a courteous cretin, give way to who you have to, don’t confuse people by stopping at random.” or my personal favourite, “Use your head and turn your steering wheel, not hit your brakes unnecessarily to manoeuvre around traffic.” By increasing the skill levels of the driving population, vastly better traffic flow would occur. Half the drivers on the road should be removed for their shockingly bad display of driving. The government won’t do that, as it’d loose too much in vehicle related revenue income. But how about finally educating people to correct common faults that create driver frustration and therefore reduce incidents of road rage.

  4. I’ve not noticed any outward negativity when I filter, touch wood.
    I’m a firm believer in having a camera running at all times though, because if it does happen, these people need real consequences.
    I wonder if these people are angry because they’ve had a mirror clipped previously?

  5. Since the filtering law was introduced, I have noticed an increase in aggression from drivers when ‘filtering’. Prior to this, most drivers just seemed to expect motorcyclist to move to the front. I have even noticed at road works drivers blocking my flow.
    I think there are 2 main factors responsible for this:
    1. Some motorcyclist are being really stupid with their filtering manoeuvres. I have observed this when driving and riding, speeding between the traffic lines, groups filtering and using the breakdown lane as well .
    2. I think motorcyclist are receiving a lot of the frustration and aggression that we are all feeling as a result of the Governments apparent obsession with giving in to the Bicycle Brigade.
    Instead of lane filtering, I think legalising motorcyclists using the ‘breakdown lanes’ for the same purpose would be a far safer option.

  6. Nothing illegal about lane filtering unfortunately some people just can’t accept it and I thank those who try to protect bike riders

  7. I get that the average Joe cant grasp the benefit to everyone of lane filtering.

    I am about to retire, roundabouts have been in place for as long as I can remember yet people still cant follow them.

    Equally challenging for most road users is merging onto a motorway or where a lane ends.
    Most will be polite and let others in and that’s nice, but some drivers believe its a God given right to force their way in.

    In my local area many years ago the council decided to install a intelligence tester. At a one lane underpass section of road they placed a Stop Sign for one direction and a Give Way sign in the other.

    People are just to up them self to be bothered reviewing the road rules, thinking their license proves they all ready know it all.

  8. On the most part my experience has been good here in Canberra. We have our dickhead brigade which have made news headlines too. Our vulnerable road user laws for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and wheelchair users are a great idea, but the judges go soft on the law. A motorist who deliberately hit a motorcyclist protecting cyclists racing the Oceania Road event only got a driving disqualification for 4mths. This was using a vehicle as a weapon…it should be treated for what it is attempted murder using your vehicle as a weapon and sentenced as such. Not the slap on the wrist. Our judges need to be told to apply the sentences as such. Get this filth of our roads and ensure safety for all. Get tough n make examples of the rager cager.

  9. Simples make it a very high fine for blocking filtering on any aggression against motorcyclists.
    Problems go away.
    The guy who deliberately rammed the RR should have been jailed. He hot off way too lightly. What he did is assault with a motor vehicle. Must have criminal consequences to deter that behaviour.

  10. If this is the way this driver reacts when angry.He needs his license cancelled as well as a custodial sentence.What was the judge thinking?..He’s a danger to everyone Who intentionally rams someone for gods sake?..I dont think there would be many of us ,cyclists or pedestrians who has not had a run in with some’ tin-top warrior’. When identified they should have the book thrown at them. and taken off the road before they kill

  11. Penalty far too light for the offence… it should have been a minimum 6 months custodial sentence and minimum 5 year loss of licence. A visible camera and an approaching blip of the Vance + Hines pipes sees most drivers maintain position or move over as I approach. However, I have also had incidents with both male and female drivers with Personality Disorders who just hate that motorcycles and scooters can filter.

    I’ve had a licence for close on 48 years and I have never seen the standard of driving as bad as it has been in Adelaide in the last few months. During that time I have been involved in or witnessed 3 potentially serious incidents. People changing lanes without looking. People deliberately pulling out into traffic forcing emergency braking. The worst, a very late red light runner turning in front of traffic.

    The MAC is running a series of ads featuring Mick Doohan saying that if he’d rode on the road like he did on the race-track he’d probably be dead because there’s usually no obstacle free run-offs on public roads. I think it’s a good point but I think the government would get better bang for OUR bucks by EDUCATING road users on the road laws and getting the police to ENFORCE THE LAW EQUALLY.

    How about an educational MAC ad campaign to advise drivers that filtering is legal and penalties apply for non-compliance. How about educating the public that No U-Turn means no u-turn etc, etc. Then there are the lycra clad bozos who often ride in packs hogging the whole road and believe that just because they’re wearing lycra the road rules do not apply to them…

    The reality… the chances of commonsense EDUCATION and LAW ENFORCEMENT to protect motorcyclists are just about zip. In the words of Daryl Kerrigan: ‘Tell him he’s dreamin’

  12. Education is the answer, it should include road users edicate and attitudes, starting with politeness, just lettting someone in, ,keeping a safe buffer zone, stop people tail gating, Getting people to question, why the vehicle in front driving slow, are they carrying a heavy load, engine problem, elderly.
    I would like to see all pushbike road users registered, this would encourage them to use the thousands of klms of bicycle paths, that councils have put in. Equally I have seen a lot of motorcycle riders P & L plates mostly not observing the rules for lane filtering, and should know they are prohibited from doing the maneuver, at least in the ACT, this may be different in other states.

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