Another Reason to Wear Your Gear

[MHenry600]

So, my trip to HMR on Saturday came with one hell of a side show. Let me just preface with nothing got damaged/hurt. It's a long read...

CLIFFS: Certain people really don't like to be passed.


I left my place at 630 Sat morning to head for the Kanc, Bear Notch, then over to Hurricane Mtn, Evan's Notch, back through Hurricane Mtn again and back down the Maine border through Alton and home. I had to be home by about 2, so it would have been just enough time to make it.

Got up to Lincoln and started heading up the Kanc. Had a Ford Explorer pass me with "Atitash" plates and he was moving at a pretty good clip. Decided to use him as a rabbit and had a blast through there. Of course he turned up Bear Notch (heading to Attitash) and again I followed his lead. That was a fun road, the long left hand sweeper was great. Quick pee break at the corner of 16/302, and I was headed for Hurricane Mtn.


I turn onto the road and the stretch right before the gate is straight with just a slight rolling hill to it. Two cars are in front of me. A minivan and an older Pathfinder. The minivan turns off, and we are almost stopped. I decide this is the time to pass the Pathfinder before we get into the twisty stuff before I get stuck behind him. Ok, no problem.

Get a few turns past the gate and peek in my mirror. The guy is ON MY ASS. Ok, I guess this must have been a local and I didn't realize how quick he was going to move through there. I find the best spot to slow down and wave him by. Not what he wanted I guess. He slowed down, starts yelling out his passenger window at me that I'm a reckless idiot, yada, yada, yada. Ok, are you going or not? He's just sitting there yelling, so I decide he obviously doesn't want to go ahead, so he can stay behind me. At the top there were two cars and a pickup that all pulled over. I slow down and this guy comes flying up along side to yell some more. Down the hill I go, with this guy glued to my ass. I get to the T at the bottom, planning to go left to head to Evan's Notch. I stop at the corner, and that's when the fun starts.

The guy pulls up along my side yelling again. We exchange a few choice words as I try to explain that if he was in a hurry, I pulled over to let him by. He tells me I'm reckless, etc and I'm going to hurt someone (while he was chasing me through there in an SUV, but ok). I said something to piss him off, so he gets out and takes a swing (still got my helmet on). Ok, holy shit this guy is off his rocker. I drop into gear and take off figuring out what to do, as I wouldn't put it past him to run me over. Pull into the first driveway on the left of an old run down house hoping someone is home.

The guy basically parks his car in the middle of the road and we keep yelling at each other some more. Eventually two cars and a jogger show up. I'm thinking, ok, at least people are here now. Again I said something to push him over the edge I guess and he swings again. Mind you, I'm wearing my 1pc and still have boots, helmet, gloves, everything on. I'm by no means a fighter but I'm pretty sure I got in one good swing, then it's a wrastle. We eventually get stuck and agree we're done after a few flips. He heads back to his car eventually. Nothing was damaged or injured, so it was kind of a ok, time to move on thing. Meanwhile the jogger lady is yelling at me like I've done something wrong as well... ok. She heads on here way, both cars that had stopped drive one their way... ok, nice of them to ask if everyone's ok.

By now the old guy who lives in the house showed up. I take off my helmet and talk with him a while, a few people he knows from down the road show up not knowing what just happened. We start talking, and the guy in the car leaves. Ok, just let him go home or whatever. I talk with the old guy and friends for a while debating whether to file a report or not. After a while, a pickup shows up, and it was the one on top of the hill we had passed. They were all great people and we just chatted for some more about the crazy shit that just happened. Well that town doesn't have police (they do have a constable though, haha) or anything and after a while I decide to just let things be. No harm, no foul I guess. I'll just go on my own way home.

At that point, I'd wasted enough time I decided to not do Evan's took the back way down through Maine and headed home from there taken back by what had just transpired.

It was really a non-eventful way it ended at the end of the day, but holy crap you really never know what people are going to do. Mind you, this all started because I passed someone. I didn't run him off the road, no finger, nothing, just a nice, clean on my way have a nice day pass. Looking back, I should have pulled over at the top where the other cars were, but it was a split second decision, too late.

I still can't figure out why this guy thought it was a great idea to try fighting someone wearing full leathers, armor, and helmet.

What a day. Woke up Sunday morning feeling like a Mack truck ran me over, but just sore. Can't figure out if it was the tustling or just the long day on the bike. Now I'm just chuckling about more and more. I'm just glad I decided to throw my suit on as I was debating whether to just wear jeans or not that morning.

[xrocket21]

crazy story! That is messed up.

[JettaJayGLS]

Haha. Moral of the story...don't pass someone unless your intentions (and capabilities) are to leave him in the dust. I've ridden like an asshole plenty on the street, I just never looked back.

[Rada]

Quite the tale!!

[NPDCPA]

Obviously a local who knew there wasn't any law to come and put the kybosh on his fun. Sucks to have to worry about that stuff, but like JettaJay sez: don't pass unless you can ghost. He's lucky you weren't nearly as crazy as he was, or had a gun, or...

[SteveM]

Strapping a 12ga to the side fairing woulda prevented that.

Since this will probably turn into a gun/cops thread anyway, I figured I would move things along.

Seriously, scary shite. JettaJay said it best, pass on roads like this only when you can put a lot of distance on the other guy quickly. Otherwise, I wil sometime pull over instead of passing, stretch put for a few minutes and let them get way ahead of me. Either approach gets me what I want, open road to ride at my pace.

[MHenry600]

I understand the put distance thing, but its just something you never expect to happen. It wasn't a dangerous pass or anything, and I would have just been on my way if he hadn't taken chase.

I can laugh at it a bit now since nothing bad happened, but it certainly opened my eyes a bit.

[e30addict]

I understand the put distance thing, but its just something you never expect to happen. It wasn't a dangerous pass or anything, and I would have just been on my way if he hadn't taken chase.

I can laugh at it a bit now since nothing bad happened, but it certainly opened my eyes a bit.

People suck. I tend to rip by them regardless now, even if I could pass them more leisurely. I've found that even if they're going slow and you pass them in a wide open, marked passing zone some of them just flip out regardless.

Did I say people suck? I once was the only car on the road on a 50 mph two lane and someone pulled right out in front of me. It was in a legal passing zone so instead of hitting the brakes I just swung around them and kept going on my way. They leaned on the horn and started flashing the lights and were pissed at me after they cut ME off? WTF? There wasn't a physical fight, but suffice to say the situation was resolved in a way that will make them think twice about doing that to someone else in the future.

[nhbubba]

That's nuts.

Had something like that go down over on 153 couple weeks ago. Guy doing 5-10 under riding his brakes the whole way. After a couple miles and 4-5 cars behind us, I loose my patience and drop it a gear on a long straight and slide past. Next thing I know, he's up my ass and we're doing 10+ over. I slowed down to the limit just waiting for the impact. Guy was blowing a gasket behind the wheel. At one point he threw something across his hood at me. Fortunately a set of twists came up. 2 gears down, some well practiced body position and we were addadere!

People are nucking futz!

[e30addict]

That's nuts.

At one point he threw something across his hood at me.

People are nucking futz!

I had a lady throw a water bottle at me on the D.C. Beltway once. I hated that road with a passion.

[Garandman]

I still can't figure out why this guy thought it was a great idea to try fighting someone wearing full leathers, armor, and helmet:

No one in their right mind does this. So just assume that he's drunk, on drugs or has mental health problems.

In December 1995 I was hit head-on by a drunk driver on a Monday at 12:30pm in downtown Peabody. The guy was so drunk he could not stand up. His license had already been revoked, and the plates on his car were "borrowed" from a friend. I was in a large car and had no injuries whatsover, but his buddies insurance company paid $12,544 for repairs to my car.

This made me pay a lot more attention to the mental state of the drivers nearby, and removing myself (by turning off, by turning around, by pulling into a public place) from proximity of that person. Texters may be more numerous but they won't pursue you.

[loudbeard]

Am I the only one who noticed the OP got in a fight - WITH HIS GEAR ON - and didn't head butt the motherfucker?

That's my go to move, gear or not.

[Falko]

While the helmet is good protection, just keep in mind if someone is able to get a hand into your chin strap, you could be in a world of hurt.

[SRTie4k]

It seems like more and more people these days have this idea that they are the most important person on the road.

[butcher bergs]

I'm by no means a fighter...

Rules of engagement:

[reks95]

Wow, there's no helping crazy.

I see your Cobra Kai and raise you El Guapo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5fjmu4899c

[Garandman]

I keep a small pepper spray canister on my key chain. My days of hand-to-gland combat are long past.

[aldend123]

I keep a small pepper spray canister on my key chain. My days of hand-to-gland combat are long past.

Interesting given your background.

I don't like blasting past people. But unfortunately I figure its the safest way. Pass wide open, and only when you're sure you're going to disappear. Sometimes I'll hold my left hand up in the air, hoping they interpret it as a "thanks". Especially if they hug the edge of the road to give me room, and maybe let off their throttle.

Exchanging words back with him probably wasn't the best idea, but I probably would have done the same thing.

[butcher bergs]

How it should have went down:

[Garandman]

Interesting given your background.//

Just gave some thought to what kind of threat was most likely, and it was multiple assailants when I was still on the bike. Because a single attacker would most likely wind up with a couple of tire stripes and a headache. Even if you were carrying a concealed gun you can use one with gloves on. So the little spray canister gives you options.

The ones I have are like this. BTW with the new legislation in MA, you will no longer need a firearms license to carry spices....

[nhbubba]

Remember, you need a license to cary that stuff in MA.

[e30addict]

Remember, you need a license to cary that stuff in MA.

The ones I have are like this. BTW with the new legislation in MA, you will no longer need a firearms license to carry spices....

Not anymore

Not sure if that went into effect immediately or in Jan. 2015. I saw too many versions of the bill to keep straight anymore.

[nhbubba]

Are you telling me that common sense prevailed?! Weeeeird.

[jasnmar]

Actually, I expect this was in preparation for the effing that is the newly passed "may issue" FID regulations in MA.

Previously you had to have and FID to carry pepper spray (I *think*). Now that they've done away with that requirement, they were free to make FID's "may issue" rather than "shall issue" so you can still have your pepper spray.

[Garandman]

Previously you had to have and FID to carry pepper spray (I *think*). Now that they've done away with that requirement, they were free to make FID's "may issue" rather than "shall issue" so you can still have your pepper spray.

Not exactly. The legislation as passed requires the COP to "file a petition to the district court to request that an applicant be denied the issuance or renewal." This can be considered a victory or loss depending on your time frame. Some 2A activists were hoping the original house version would pass, so it and other MA laws could be challenged in court and declared unconstitutional. In fact, I actually called my legislators and encouraged them to pass the original version - and told them why. As passed, if a COP files a petition that seems arbitrary, it will still be challenged in court. I bet it's like the mandatory one year jail sentence for illegal guns: window-dressing almost never applied.

You can thank GOAL and Comm2A for fighting other onerous provisions of the legislation, by joining GOAL and making a contribution to Comm2A. This fight was totally different than the past and there are actually measures in the bill favorable to lawful gun owners in the state.