• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

flip off - good or bad?

Flipping people off - Frisky or not good social behavior?

  • Frisky

    Votes: 32 34.0%

  • Dick

    Votes: 62 66.0%
  • Total voters
    94
  • Poll closed .
clutchslip

clutchslip

Not as fast as I look.
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Location
Corkscrew-me-Carousel
Moto(s)
Ones faster than I can ride them.
Name
Skippy Dog
BARF perks
AMA #: 400179
Uncharacteristic of me, I gave the finger to two drivers, today.

One, who parked his BMW sedan on every curve, but would go 65-70 on the straights on old San Jose Road. When I finally passed him, in my new modified sedate manner, I gave him the bird because he could have easily let me by, much, much sooner.

The second gentle person, changed lanes right in front of me, (moderate braking angst), even though he had no reason, and clearly looked at me in his left side mirror.

So, am I getting my riding charisma back, and being more frisky? Or am I just being a dick?
 
Eh, I have days where things piss me off more. Most days I ignore the idiots and some days I'm flipping people off. I try and refrain from it, as to not put our or reinforce negative stereotypes.

But, fuck it, sometimes people deserve it.
 
#1 sounded like a dick who deserved the bird.

#2 may well have been checking to see if he could safely change lanes and misjudged the speed differential.

50/50, I vote frisky.
 
The thing is that most people won't know why they were flipped off so you look like a dick I think. I was flipped off by some guy on a moto when I was driving a car recently for no apparent (to me) reason at all so I thought to myself that he was a duche.
 
Not that I haven't done it, so I can't throw stones, but. It really is inviting Seething Anger on the part of the flippee.


Ant said:
Yes, sometimes they deserve it but I prefer to just wag my finger at them like I'm scolding a child. The look on their faces make me laugh :laughing
Click to expand...


Probably the best response. :thumbup
 
I've used my horn instead, and occasionally wagged my finger in a 'naughty, naughty', but I don't flip folks off. No point in having a cager go from negligent to intentional homicide because I'm angry.

Let it go, leave them in your past. :teeth
 
My preferred method is to point at them, then my head and then point up. In my mind it equals a "hey you, heads up". To them, it probably means nothing. But i do it to ease frustration and for that, it's worth it.
 
Around here, a thumbs down is generally effective.

A middle finger is angry and confrontational.
A thumbs down is just disappointed in them.

In the northeast I'd be flipping off left and right, but not out here.
Sometimes I do offer one to people who try to spit game at me at stop lights or try to take pictures.
 
#1 Old San Jose road is a long open stretch and there are many turn off points... yet I still don't see why some drivers just want to keep on going even though they know we ARE right behind them waiting for them to pull into a turnover. Maybe they don't want to because they feel there isn't a need for them to pull over, but if I was in my cage and on that road, I'd definitely pull over for riders. Honestly, it's a buzz-kill when you're riding and you have to follow a car for a long time because there's blind corners after blind corners yet there are plenty of turn-off points for cars to let motorcyclists pass them by. Then again, for this person, I would have MAYBE/MAYBE NOT flipped them off. It really depends, but from your point of view, I think it was probably unnecessary.

#2 I think this one deserved it. If he/she changed right in front of you, knowing that you were there, then I would have been pissed off myself. Am I not going fast enough for you that you have to cut right in front of me?!

There are times on the freeway and streets that tend to get me pretty pissed off when I'm riding. Times such as when (although I am Asian myself) Asian drivers who do NOT look at all 3 mirrors when changing lanes. I mean COME ON, are you seriously that ignorant to not notice your surroundings when you are changing lanes?! Had it happen once on me on 85 while I was riding with a buddy and she definitely deserved the finger.

Anyway, ride safe, ride fast. :ride
 
I don't tend towards getting terribly angry when I'm driving or on the bike, but a good flip-off is a great way to communicate, "hey, you drive like an asshole". You know, in a friendly sort of way, just passing along some information.


It was until I flipped off a guy on the Great Highway one day for trying to change lanes into me. He used the rest of our time together acting like he was trying to kill me without actually doing it. There was also a lot of yelling (he was in a convertible) and abundant middle-finger action. It's was a weird slow-speed event as the lights along there are timed at 35mph...it was a very strange experience. I just ignored him the rest of the way but he was having a full-on temper tantrum :laughing

Anyway, I just motor on my merry way now. No need to invite the crazies. My vote is frisky, btw...but the interpretation of a frisky bird can be quite different.
 
Another rider recently told me he gives a :thumbdown to shitty drivers. I adopted his habit but occasionally a really, really bad driver gets the middle finger. :twofinger
 
I go old school L.A. freeway style and shoot at them.
 
Don't get me wrong, I've been known to throw the bird a few times here and there myself. At the end of the day though, it's how it is received that hurts all of us. That person just sees some "damn motorcyclist riding around being an asshole" rather then understanding the trouble/danger they put you in with their actions.

If not a :thumbdown, then I try and do the 'palm-up WTF shoulder shrug'.
 
Ant said:
Yes, sometimes they deserve it but I prefer to just wag my finger at them like I'm scolding a child. The look on their faces make me laugh :laughing
Click to expand...

I Think I heard about the finger wag from Click and Clack...haven't tried it, yet, but I heard that it does tend to disarm the recipient, somewhat

Xenophonii said:
#1 sounded like a dick who deserved the bird.

#2 may well have been checking to see if he could safely change lanes and misjudged the speed differential.

50/50, I vote frisky.
Click to expand...

I was going to say #1 sounded like a guy who did not really know how to drive properly (doesn't take that much skill to go fast in the straights) rather than someone being a dick.

As for #2, the test is: Did he give the courtesy wave after he saw that he cut you off? If no, then he's a dick.

Regardless, I'm giving a "frisky" vote.
 
Here in Stockton flagging the bird at a car full of young punk kids may get a shot in return:wtf

I wag the finger as it is not offensive like the bird. If time allows, blow the horn and give them the sign of the cross like you are blessing them, it make them wonder.

Bottom line most don't know what they were doing and think motorcycle riders are asses for flagging the bird.
 
russ69 said:
I don't do it. On a motorcycle it's best to keep your focus on the task at hand.
Click to expand...

:thumbup Exactly

And...factoring in, the flippee is an unknown, could be any short fused, road rage mental case....

This brings The flipping to, it is so stupid and childish...it is just off the chart stupid.

There was a guy, with his family in the car with him, driving on the freeway in the Oakland, area, shot dead, for being in the way of a car full of younger folk, and one of those younger's had to pee, and they were in a hurry.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top