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Biker kicks a car and sets off a chain reaction

6K views 74 replies 47 participants last post by  Joen 
#1 ·
#4 ·
Biker caused this.
And I'm voting the other way.

My bet is that before all this happened, there was something going on between the Nissan and the biker.

The Nissan doesn't look to have more than the driver in the vehicle so that automatically excludes him from the HOV lane (Federal law permits motorcycles to use the HOV lanes in all states). And while the Nissan was excluded from the HOV lane, he/she crossed into the lane illegally (double-yellow lines). He/she (the Nissan) come over intentionally and squeezed the biker.

While the biker should have applied his brakes and let the car go (800lbs vs. 3000lbs is a no win situation), he chose to kick the car in anger/frustration (STUPID MOVE). After that, it was 100% the Nissan drivers fault and he should be charged with a long list a violations including attempted murder.

My $0.02
 
#5 ·
Biker may have caused it...don't know what happened before the video started rolling. But he was pretty darn skilled rider not to have lost it being forced against the barricade and taking a hard right evasive maneuver afterward to avoid the car. I'll bet he hauled butt out of there and put the bike up for a few days. I agree the 'Sclade driver was the completely innocent victim. Hope he was belted in and wasn't hurt badly.

J S
 
#8 ·
HOV lanes are time sensitive as to use by multi passenger use only So that argument may or may not fly.
Not in LA, ATL and many other major metropolitan areas. In those cities, the HOV is restricted 24/7. And this was during the morning commute, so if there were time limitations, they would have been in effect.

And I 100% agree on not enough video info. Something was going on prior.
 
#10 ·
The local news rag reprinted an article related to this video....my favorite part of it was:


Video shows a motorcyclist kicking the door of a sedan, causing it to slam into a truck that flipped several times before landing on its roof

Like...for serious??! CAUSED it to slam??? ROFL
 
#11 ·
The biker is an idiot. Doesn't matter whether or not the Nissan belonged in that lane. Doesn't matter if the Nissan crossed the double yellow. This stuff happens - especially in that disaster area called "Los Angeles". If you can't ride defensively and let this stuff go you should hang up your boots. From my view of the video he was in no danger and could have easily avoided the Nissan.

You don't go kicking cars...you never know WHO is behind the wheel, and this one was stupid. Get over it and move on...
 
#15 ·
Kicking a car? Really? The biker is an ass, cases like this I throttle up and disappear. This looks to be the fault of the Nissan, he tried to take out the biker intentionally, then overcorrected, lost it and took out the white Escalade. The bikers caused the chain of events but the Nissan will probably be held liable.

What was the burst of flames at impact with the concrete, you don't see that much.
 
#18 ·
Sucks for the Escalade driver but did anyone else but me chuckle at the instant karma revisited on the Nissan driver after he swerves and tries to hit the bike?

And yes...I agree the MC rider was an idiot and a coward as he caused the whole thing and then ran away.
 
#20 ·
I agree the biker is an idiot trying to take on a 3000lb car. I'm not sure if the nissan driver intentionally swerved to hit him or if he/she got startled and jerked the wheel. But the Nissan should've never crossed the double yellow line, plus it didn't look like he had a passenger.
 
#25 ·
Intent


I agree that it is not clear if the driver intentionally swerved to hit the biker or not. I can imagine the Nissan driver being surprised by the "Thump" from his rear door turning around to see what was going on and in the process swerving left. We all tend to drive where we look.

I have a real problem with what the biker did. He intentionally escalated the situation. He could have just backed off and gone on his way and none of this would have happened. I believe the right thing to do is to remove yourself from any tense highway situation whenever possible. The biker will probably be faced with a felony on his record.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Very start of the video. Did the Nissan go right in front of biker into the HOV lane or .....
was he in the HOV lane and was going to move over to the right and crossed the yellow, but changed his mind and went back into the HOV and slowed down to impede the bike?


There was no reason for the Nissan to be in the HOV lane to begin with. Traffic wasn't congested at all and no one to the right of the Nissan.
Lawyers will make big bucks on this one.

Biker had a brainfart that could have cost him his life or someone elses.
 
#22 ·
I feel that the driver of the car was every bit the douche bag the rider was. I think the rider was stupid for taking on a 4000 lb car, he should have just let it go and live to ride another day. The driver trying to boguard his way into the lane caused the carnage by attempting to pin the motorcyclist into the barrier and losing control of his vehicle. Two idiots on the highway who's day/ lives could be ruined by trying to get somewhere a few minutes earlier than someone else.
 
#23 ·
Car is more at fault than the driver. If a biker kicked my car, I do not have the right to potentially end his life. I would have tried to get his tag number, that's about it.
 
#24 ·
I'm wondering... did the car intentionally try to take out the motorcycle douche? Or was the driver startled by the kick and made a jerky reaction? It seems to me it was more of a startled reaction because he could have easily squeezed the motorcycle without piling right into the concrete barrier. I've seen lots of videos of cars doing that. Just a theory.
 
#27 ·
My .02 ....Right at the beginning of the video it looks like the car crosses over the double yellow restricted lane markings into the HOV lane almost cutting off the rider. Rider then does dumb thing and kicks the car (you almost always lose vs. a car). Car driver then intentionally swerves into rider causing his own demise and that of the Cadillac driver. Kudos to the rider who avoids being run over, then avoids the Nissan that hits the wall in front of him, then avoids the front bumper of the Nissan that has departed the car and avoids the remaining carnage from the Cadillac roll over. Getting your vehicle kicked does not give you the right to intentionally cause serious physical injury or death.
 
#29 ·
Nope. Based on the video only, I disagree that he was cut off before he kicked the car. There was NO evasive action on the bikers part and NO brake lights until the Nissan turned into him. He just didn't like the idea of the Nissan crossing over into the lane HE wanted.

Two idiots.
 
#30 ·
I will concur, two idiots. However California law states you shall not cross a solid yellow line to enter the HOV lane, so the Nissan illegally entered the HOV lane. If you occupy a travel lane, then you are entitled to use that lane. Anyone merging into the lane (legally or illegally) is required to safely merge into the flow of traffic. You don't have to use the brakes to take evasive action and the rider is entitled to his space in the lane.
 
#32 ·
#34 ·
First let's assume that the car did something that offended the biker, so the biker may have had reason to be outraged, upset. We now know that they had words that's why the tape began to roll. 2nd we all on this sight should know that bike vs car or truck they will win all the time. They are both wrong and both responsible for what happened. Obviously we see what happens when our tempers and ego's get the best of us. Thankfully the 75 year old innocent bystander in the white truck didn't get seriously hurt. For those that says well the car started well maybe so but two wrongs will never make one wright. in the case two wrongs nearly killed someone.. just my humble opinion. Ride safe
 
#35 ·
No matter what happened prior, the motorcyclist was 100% wrong. This could have easily gone way bad for him...




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#36 ·
I watched it a few times. My opinion is evolving. Or rather I'm less certain.

First watch, I thought it was certainly a douchefest. The biker made a strong showing with his little kick, but then the sedan took the blue ribbon with a sharp, intentional assault with intent to kill/harm which put to shame the prior kick's little "assault" with intent to be a dick. And then immediately rolled that win into the Darwin competition. The biker tried to rally back with his hit & run (kick & run?) but the win was still to the sedan: super douche prize, most egregious assault, and cause of the accident (though not sole cause of the incident).

Seeing the comments here, the article 1096dad links to, and re-re-watching, I'll say that might still be right. But I can't dismiss the possibility that the sedan, though certainly making an illegal lane change, was simply clueless about the biker in his blind spot rather than a committed douche. And the swerve was a panic reaction to the thump of the kick rather than an intentional assault. I'm sure that's what the sedan driver's lawyer will say.

So as great as the video is, from the view through the soda straw (actions pre-video, did sedan note bike before kick), I dunno.

Ironically, the more there really was a back & forth in the road rage "words were exchanged" (see 1096dad's link), the more guilty the sedan driver is. Because blind spot / surprise / reaction goes away and we're left only with knowing intent to swerve in with sedan of whoopass.

Rider is still a douche and in lots of trouble for fleeing the scene. However, unless the driver is an octogenarian with bad hearing, my money is on the sedan for most culpability here.
 
#37 · (Edited)
I watched it a few times. My opinion is evolving. Or rather I'm less certain.

(snip)

Ironically, the more there really was a back & forth in the road rage "words were exchanged" (see 1096dad's link), the more guilty the sedan driver is. Because blind spot / surprise / reaction goes away and we're left only with knowing intent to swerve in with sedan of whoopass.

Rider is still a douche and in lots of trouble for fleeing the scene. However, unless the driver is an octogenarian with bad hearing, my money is on the sedan for most culpability here.
Well considered. I'd only add that the operative thing for me, since I wasn't there and won't be called to serve on a jury to hear full evidence, is that there is instructional content here.

The 1%, for example, which would be nigh 0% in groups like this, probably get a lot more than they bargain for more often than not. Once that highway turned into a bumper car ride the biker was at extreme risk. Cars are like Jurassic Park's velociraptors. The real danger is from the one you didn't even know was barreling down on you. You can avoid much of what you're aware of. As happens in cars, with their huge, often poorly respected blind spots, large four-wheeled things really can sneak up on a preoccupied motorcyclist. Target fixation isn't just what slams you into things, it gives you tunnel vision.

Solid lines, at least in Texas, are a mixed bag. The law says they are a traffic barrier not to be crossed. In cities like Dallas the drive-time radio stations talk about white line patrols ticketing cars who cross a solid white line to move ahead on the shoulder.

On the other hand, out in the country, it's a different deal. On my oldest son's first night drive on his learner's permit he was driving about 60 in a 70 on a farm to market road out in the country. I'd chosen the night for its clear skies and full moon, and he'd logged enough daytime miles I thought it was time to expose him to night time driving.

A car eased up behind us about a half mile from our turn. Just as my son was about to signal his intent to turn a second car stacked up, then sprinted around and ducked directly behind us.

That's when he hit his lights. Texas DPS.

He gave my son a warning ticket. He was nice, but critical of my son driving ten miles per hour under the speed limit and said he needed to move over to the shoulder any time another vehicle stacked up behind us.

Crossing, of course, the same solid line that inspires tickets in Dallas.

In Texas, central left turn lanes are guarded with solid in-your-lane stripes everywhere except at intersections. It would be silly not to use the left turn lane to enter businesses, but that's another case where a solid line, if a legal barrier, isn't a deterrent.

Of course, the reason the DPS Trooper stopped my son was because he looked hyper-cautious and could have been drunk. Guilty. Of being cautious. My son was nervous because of the night conditions.

Anyway, the takeaway from this video for me is there is a bleak future for acting like a 1%'er, yet they are out there, and don't trust signs or markers limiting traffic, especially cars. Most of them, even the ones nearly killing us, are driven by at least marginally nice folks. Being nice doesn't mitigate the threat.

The car culture has its 1%, too. Idiocy is bad enough. Add rage to idiocy and fatalities await, no matter the choice of vehicle.
 
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