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Who’s to blame in rider-driver rage?

Blame road rage helmet cameras dash cam
Road rage against these riders was caught on dash cam

This road rage video of two motorcyclists and a driver has attracted more than a quarter of a million views with viewers divided on who is to blame.

It seems the male rider initiates the rage near Berowra north of Sydney by dividing in front of the Nissan SUV driver.

However, the person who posted the video on Dash Cam Owners Australia says that before the video starts, the car nearly hit one of the bikes taking off from the light.

However, he says it appears accidental.

So who is to blame?

Clearly there can be no fight without two participants.

Video evidence

The best option is to pull over, take down the number plate of the car and report it to the police, preferably with some video evidence from your helmet camera.

However, we have reported on two occasions last year of riders who did this.

In one case, a driver tried to stop a rider from legally filtering. Although it took some time, police eventually fined the driver based on the rider’s helmet camera video evidence.

On another occasion, an Adelaide rider provided police with video of drivers cutting him off in traffic. Police gave the rider an official warning for wearing an “illegal” camera!

(Riders have been fined in South Australia, NSW and Victorian for using helmet cameras. Helmet cameras and Bluetooth units that are stuck or clamped on are legal in Western Australia, Queensland and the ACT.)

Avoid the blame game

It can be difficult to not blame drivers for their stupid behaviour and become enraged.

But we should do all that we can to avoid being lured into road rage as riders can come off second-best to a one-tonne (or bigger) car, truck or the police!

Meanwhile, Queensland Police Senior Sergeant Ian Park who created the #ridesafely4me Facebook site, says he’s not sure if it’s perception or reality, but “our roads appear to be becoming angrier places”.

“Unfortunately, it seems to involve individuals from all road user groups as both the victims and the perpetrators. Motorcyclists and bicyclists are of course the most vulnerable due to the lack of physical protection around them. But the fundamentals of personal safety of the roads are no different to anywhere else,” he says.

Queensland Police Senior Sergeant Ian Park a social media sensation reason
Sgt Park and a group of riders

IAN’S TIPS TO AVOID ROAD RAGE

If you find yourself feeling unsafe as a result of the actions of another road user, the first priority is to remove yourself from the situation as safely as possible. Unfortunately far too often incidents of poor behaviour by one road user to another are only exacerbated when the ‘victim’ retaliates. If another party chooses to yell at you, beep their horn or flash their lights – so what? Let them get it out of their system and get on their way. Inflaming the situation by ‘biting back’ rarely assists, and often only makes the situation more unsafe for everyone.

However if the other party continues to behave in a manner that makes you feel unsafe, then consider your environment. Perhaps pull into a service station, licensed premises or shopping centre that is likely to be fitted with external CCTV. This will often discourage the aggressor from taking the matter further if they know their actions (and registration details) are going to be recorded.

If no such place is available continue to drive without reacting to the aggressor until a place of safety is available, avoid making eye contact and attempt to disengage from the situation as best and safely as you can.

If you feel that you are in imminent danger, pull over and call triple zero (000). Don’t forget that ‘000’ from a mobile phone doesn’t necessarily go to your nearest operator, so always be ready to say ‘I need police in (name of City/town or nearest regional centre)’.

When speaking with a 000 operator, pass on relevant information that could assist police to investigate the matter, for example, registration details, descriptions of the person/s in the vehicle, time, date, correct location (in case there are traffic monitoring cameras located nearby etc.), descriptions about any features of the vehicle that are not standard (i.e. post factory fitted wheels, decorations, accessories, damage).

Emergency first-aid apps reason

If you carry any kind of video recording device, ensure the footage is set aside so that it doesn’t get recorded over before being provided to police. Make sure you don’t just secure the footage of the incident – also keep footage leading up to and beyond the incident to help clarify any potential counter claims by the other party that it was actually you that was the aggressor.

If the situation is over, but you are still of the belief that the matter warrants investigation with a view to action by police, you always have the right to report it. You can either attend your nearest open police station to speak to someone, contact the non-urgent police reporting number which is now 131 444 in almost all Australian Police Jurisdictions. Similarly most policing services across Australia also provide on-line reporting services. Just search the police service in your State or Territory to find their websites and follow the prompts.

Be mindful, however that any complaint of an incident involving one person upon another without any supporting evidence is often difficult to successfully prosecute. A successful prosecution requires sufficient evidence being presented to a court to determine that an offence was committed beyond reasonable doubt.

However, this should not prevent you from reporting the matter, but is something to keep in mind if police determine there is not sufficient evidence for a matter to proceed. It doesn’t necessarily mean police don’t believe you! If you provide police with a video recording you must be willing and able to give evidence.

  1. Why did the Motorcycle feel the need to pull in front of the Nissan? If you are riding with a partner stay in the same lane particularly if there is traffic.

    Both rider and driver were as dumb as horseshit in the way they acted.

      1. Typical vain hog rider. Hogging th road and “look at me”. All those CCs and noise but no hurry and oblivious to anybody else. Gives other motorbike riders a bad name.

        1. The only sensible person in that video was the dashcam driver who calmed things down, although he too was breaking the law by driving without any shoes.
          Losers all-round.
          The mean streets of Sydney.

  2. Not everyone on the road has all their marbles.
    Sometimes it’s only temporary (girlfriend breakup, work stress, death in family)
    & sometimes it’s permanent.
    After all, if they had half a brain they’d be on a bike not in a car.

    We all have to live together, we have to give others a bit of leeway, sometimes a lot.
    Remember, we ask cars to give us leeway
    so just ride off.

    Otherwise you’re as bad as them.

  3. Props to the camer for intervening!
    Not having the full video of what led to the rager going off it is hard not to simpaphise with the rider for going off at an idiot. Slapping a mirror (not to break it) and shaking a finger or fist is something most riders have done and normally it gets the desired oh shit sorry response from the oblivious idiot at the wheel except it seem when it comes to those suffering small dick syndrome, they are usually identified by either the vehicle or their actions or both. The vehicle is either a suv or some kind of poser mobile like a bmw merc or ricer or even worse an oversized suv with huge chrome mirrors etc. the actions that identify them are not the Sorry I didn’t see you type but the “get out of my way pesan” type.
    This guy was one of the worst small dicks I’ve ever seen.

    1. I have reported road rage to the police when I was frightened for my safety. Some idiot was driving erratically and unsafely and had almost run someone else off the road. I shook my head, and continued on my way – he took offence and followed me, then when I turned right into a supermarket car park, he swerved at my bike almost clipped my back wheel. Another guy that saw all of this asked if I was ok! The arsehole took off, but came back and got out of his car and started walking toward me, I was on the phone reporting the incident by then. What was I supposed to do? Let him assault me? As it was I waited in the car park for ten minutes before I headed to the cop station to make a formal complaint.

  4. “, Queensland Police Senior Sergeant Ian Park who created the #ridesafely4me Facebook site, says he’s not sure if it’s perception or reality, but “our roads appear to be becoming angrier places”.

    Queensland drivers live in a constant state of road rage – they are without doubt the most intolerant drivers I have ever experienced and I have been riding over 40 years.

  5. If you ride a sport motorcycle you would never engage in road rage.
    Here is why; you will always be invisible so there for you calculate all your moves.
    Even if they’re looking at you doesn’t mean they’re seeing you. If you run into an accident or road rage it’s your fault 100%. Well this is how I ride. When I am in slow traffic that they can actually notice me, to them I am an automatic bad guy so I am always aware. When the light changes I disappear right in front of their eyes. If you ride a cruiser you can’t disappear so be nice and humble and respectful to others. They all have a heavier vehicle and can go faster than you. In other words beeing tough and not being able to back it up is retarded. Ride safe according to your abilities. God bless!

    1. Funny thing is when it is a clearly marked police bike, drivers do see them!
      If not i question their right to hold a license.
      This SMIDSY. is incompetence.

  6. Why are the roads angrier?

    Because even when your life is threatened and you report it with video, no action is taken. Because police focus on the easy infractions like speed. Instead of say drivers not giving way which leads to overconfidence and riders being taken out. Phone use while driving (though they are starting to focus on that). Keep left unless overtaking, after over 5,000kms over the Xmas break could not tell you how many drivers I saw sitting in right lanes for no apparent reason except maybe to overtake a vehicle about 500 metres up the road, or the vehicle they passed a kilometre ago. Honest safe road users of all kinds, are just tired of being targeted while scofflaw road users get away with literally killing people on the roads.

  7. As I’ve gotten older, I’m learning to “let it go and move on’. Hard to do sometimes, but better than risking some jerk hurting my precious ride or me.

  8. From watching this a couple of times, the guy on the cruiser changes into the right lane for the sole purpose of blocking the car from passing… Why any sane person would do that is questionable, even if something occurred before this footage starts. It is clearly intended to piss the car driver off – mission accomplished. Harley’s may be big, but not compared to a car. A little more thought needs to be applied… I hope all involved learned something here.

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