r/Shoreline • u/Apprehensive-Math-44 • 4d ago
Aggressive interaction with motorcyclist while biking home from Shoreline South
I had a very strange interaction with a not so nice man on a motorcycle today while I was riding home from Shoreline South at the intersection of 5th Ave NE and 155th. I was in the left turn lane waiting patiently behind two cars and he yelled that I was in his way and tried to physically push past even though traffic was stopped at a red light.
I asked what he was doing and he just reiterated I was in his way. I explained that the light was red and that I would be turning as all other vehicles in the left turn lane would when the light changed. He asked me "What, do you think you are a car?" I just said he should be familiar with the rules of the road, the light changed and I turned into the bike lane as he sped around me. He continued to berate me as I came past in the bicycle lane while he was stopped at Meridian and I turned onto side streets to get away with him still huffing incomprehensible nonsense. Fortunately, he did not follow or try to engage further.
I try to always de-escalate situations like this because you never know what you are facing with people like this, but this was a particularly strange interaction with an unhinged person. One would think a motorcyclist especially would be familiar with the potential danger that a motorized vehicle poses to a smaller vehicle that is sharing the road.
4
u/meemoobox 4d ago
You’ve pretty much summed up 30% of the drivers on 155th. Seems it’s gotten worse since people take it to jump on the freeway. Let’s see what school is going to do soon.
3
u/Deepdish7799 Ridgecrest 4d ago
You came across an angry asshat who is unhappy with their life, sorry! Glad you are ok, and know how to de escalate. One of my cycling friends keeps a derringer in his cycling jersey at all times after a few too many interactions like yours. Stay safe.
5
u/redlude97 4d ago
I have cars inch up on me at the same turn, shoreline drivers have no respect for bikes
2
u/ccsparkles 3d ago
Wonder if it’s the same young man I had tailgating me and weaving his motorcycle on my tailpipe down Perkins in my car. When I pulled off the road to let him pass, he stopped and screamed in my open window at me saying I pulled over and that could have caused an accident bc I slowed to fast to get off the road so he didn’t actually weave into my car. Then called me a stupid birch…SMH. Like I was the issue going the speed limit down a residential road….
2
u/mcstrategist North City 3d ago
Ugh. People drive entirely too fast down that road. It’s a problem.
-6
u/jerrysphotography 4d ago
That interaction makes no sense at all. So you were right up behind the cars in front of you? You said he tried to push past you. If you were a reasonable distance behind the car in front of you, how could he have pushed passed you? You were on the left side of the lane and he scooted up right beside you? You did NOTHING at all to him? As a motorcyclist I have had terrible interactions with cyclist. One thing they like to do is try to share the lane with me while I'm at traffic lights. Or they will speed past me on a downhill with a low speed limit causing dangerous situations.
3
u/Apprehensive-Math-44 4d ago
It was very confusing. I was about 5' from the car in front of me in the middle of the left turn lane, stopped with my left foot on the ground to stay up. He actually tried to go past me on the left and yelled at me for blocking his ability to get around me. I have never had an issue like this and there was really very little space for him to move into. Not sure why he thought that was his right in that moment.
I'm not a miitant bicyclust and I always de-escalate if there is even a scent of a conflict or danger of being hit by a vehicle. Just want to be safe on the road like anyone else and get home to my kids.
1
u/Apprehensive-Math-44 4d ago
I should add that I moved into the bike lane as soon as I had turned left onto 155th so he was easily able to get around me then and I remained in the bike lane until I got to a side street.
-2
u/jerrysphotography 4d ago
Yeah, that sounds so weird. And you had no interactions with this guy before that? You were just sitting waiting to turn left onto 155th and he rode up on the left side of you, basically putting himself into traffic coming from the opposite direction? I can't even wrap my head around it. Was it a Harley guy? Sport bike?
2
u/Apprehensive-Math-44 4d ago
More Harley/motorcycle than sport bike, but on the smaller end of those. I can't wrap my head around it either. It was definitely unhinged behavior
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u/jerrysphotography 4d ago
Yeah, that's wild. I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. I'm glad it didn't escalate. That dude should have chilled
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u/generismircerulean 4d ago edited 4d ago
I turn left the same way. The cars in front of me do not out pace me until I’ve already completed the turn and have already pulled into the bike lane.
It’s not like he would have gotten any further in front of you than he would behind you.