More Rage Against The Cycle....

[FixxiT]

Might be 205..


Local Story:

A night before a driver pinned Igor Kruk's motorcycle to the back of a sport utility vehicle with his car, killing Kruk in what police are calling a fit of road rage, Kruk had a dream his bike was in pieces on the ground and that he was unable to put it together, his family said yesterday.

The dream was telling him to be careful, Kruk told his friends, and so he did not hesitate to go out on his 2004 Yamaha with a friend later Saturday afternoon. Kruk and his friend Victor Fras were headed east on Front Street when they were passed by a brown Honda Accord. Later, police said, they passed it in turn.
That sent the driver of the car, Patrick DeJean, 41, of Uniondale, into a flurry of road rage, police said. He chased the two motorcycles through the streets of Uniondale with witness reports of speeds going up to 70 mph, until DeJean hit the rear of Kruk's bike on Marvin Avenue, dragging him 150 feet until he was pinned to a parked Kia Sportage, police said.

Kruk's bike exploded into pieces, killing him on impact. DeJean got out of the car, his clothes covered in glass, and tried to run away, according to police. Kruk's friend Fras and several witnesses chased him about a quarter of a mile until they caught him and police arrived.
Kruk, 24, a Polish immigrant, lived with his mother in Uniondale, waking up at 6 a.m. each day to work as a house painter, and polishing and upgrading his motorcycle on the weekend.

This wasn't the first time DeJean hit someone with his car, police said. Four years before, in July 2001, DeJean ran over his then-girlfriend, Michelle Bond, with a car after she refused to lend him money, police said. He pleaded guilty to the charge. Police said he served jail time, but records were unavailable last night.

After the 2001 case, DeJean surrendered his New York driver's license but got a new one in Pennsylvania, police said. Yesterday, as police escorted him to his arraignment at First District Court in Hempstead on charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, he had few words.

"I'm sorry," said DeJean, in blue hospital pants and a white and blue gown. "I had an accident."

Relatives of DeJean said police incorrectly described the 2001 charges. Ralph DuVal, his younger brother, said Bond stepped in front of the car after DeJean caught her standing outside in another man's embrace and started to drive away. They said DeJean is also a motorcycle driver and described him as a soft-tempered father of three children who works as an accountant.

Bond could not be reached for comment.

"People who drive cars tend to dislike guys on the motorcycles to go past them," DuVal said outside his home. "But he rides also. That wouldn't occur."

In court, though, Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Bob Biancavilla described cars as DeJean's "weapon of choice." He was ordered held without bail on the current charges.

"This, pure and simple, is a case of road rage," said Det. Sgt. Dennis Barry of the Nassau Homicide Squad. "The scene looked like a war zone."

Shortly after the 4:14 p.m. crash Saturday, one of Kruk's friends showed up at his house and told his mother, Irena Kruk, there had been an accident. She said she rushed to the scene, where she saw a crumpled motorcycle and a crowd of police.

"Is my son still alive?" she asked one of the officers. They took her aside and apologized for the loss, she said, advising her not to look at what was left of her son's badly burned body.

"No body," Irena Kruk said yesterday, her face turning red and her blue eyes filling with tears.

Irena Kruk said her son was going to return today to Poland to visit with his father, who was going to give him some of his farmland in eastern Poland. He worked as a painter, she said, and had dreams of opening his own business. He had been riding different types of scooters and motorcycles since he was 11 years old, she said, calling the Yamaha bike "his girlfriend."

"Sleep more, you're young," she said she would often tell her hard-working son. "You see how it's a beautiful day," he would respond before heading out.

"Now he go to sleep," she said, tears dripping from her eyes at the recollection. "He won't see nothing."

LINK



Also....AAA is on the case with recommendations on how to avoid an incident..?


Avoiding a roadway confrontation

Here are rules of the road from AAA, traffic safety and law enforcement agencies that will help you avoid triggering -- or becoming a target of -- aggressive drivers:

• Yield to the right for any vehicle that wants to pass you. Never block a passing lane.
• Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you.
• Signal well before you switch lanes or turn. Take care not to cut anyone off, and make sure to turn your turn signal off when your maneuver is completed.
• Keep headlights on low beam; dim your lights for oncoming traffic. Never approach a vehicle from the rear with high beams.
• Don't talk on a cell phone while driving. But if you must, keep your eyes on the road at all times.(drive & phone is illegal in this state.... )
• Don't put decals, bumper stickers or vanity plates on your vehicle that might offend other motorists.
• Avoid eye contact with other motorists. Keep your hands on the wheel. Avoid gestures that can be misinterpreted as insults.
• Never exit your vehicle to confront an angry driver.
• Get out of the way of the aggressive driver as soon as possible. If a motorist pursues you, don't drive home. Drive to a police station or public place where you can get help. Call 911.
• Don't drive when you're tired, upset, angry or sick.

Sources: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety; National Highway Traffic Safety Commission; California Highway Patrol;National Motorists Association.

LINKY

[Kingsqueak]

The guidelines at the end are typical.

Oh gee, I better not offend anyone as if they kill me, it must be my fault.

Making the predator the victim essentially, of course fitting with the entire mindset of our system these days.

Any money on that greaseball's family filing a suit against the biker's estate for causing them mental anguish? "If he hadn't been on that motorcycle, this wouldn't have happened."

Will be curious to see if the guy is actually convicted and sentenced as a murderer and not let off lightly as though it were a minor traffic offence as it generally plays out.

[SteveAZ]

Originally Posted by Kingsqueak

...Oh gee, I better not offend anyone as if they kill me, it must be my fault....

I just don't understand how someone can read that out of those suggestions. Nowhere in there does it say that a rager isn't to blame, they're just saying that these are things that are likely to set them off.

To ignore that these things might set someone off, is well, just ignorant.

If someone injures or kills you, whether or not they are to blame has *nothing* do with the simple fact you are now injured or dead.

[FixxiT]

[QUOTE=SteveAZ]

To ignore that these things might set someone off, is well, just ignorant.

QUOTE]

Who decides whats "offensive"
Everyone has different opinions...we casually give each other the "salute" , but what happens if an outsider....a passer-by, sees this and decides this is offensive....and acts on it.....
I always wanted a FYYFF license plate, but not enough to die for.....so I guess I'll just ride on the sidewalk and keep the power poles between me and the wackos
I'll paint my motorcycle flat black, to avoid offensive bling....get a big muffler to avoid offensive noise...only ride after dark to further lessen my visibility.....never pass anyone.....and if anyone stares at me at a stoplight, well I'll just get off my bike, make a humble submitting bow and walk it home...


Unfortunately.....there's a lot of nutcases out there ....dosnt take much to set them off.

Be Careful
Be Aware

[Reprobate]

Quoting Fixit here:
Avoiding a roadway confrontation

Here are rules of the road from AAA, traffic safety and law enforcement agencies that will help you avoid triggering -- or becoming a target of -- aggressive drivers:

• Yield to the right for any vehicle that wants to pass you. Never block a passing lane. What about one-lane roads?
• Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. What about traffic congestions?
• Signal well before you switch lanes or turn. Take care not to cut anyone off, and make sure to turn your turn signal off when your maneuver is completed. Still something that shouldn't get someone enraged.
• Keep headlights on low beam; dim your lights for oncoming traffic. Never approach a vehicle from the rear with high beams. What about all the riders here so fond of putting extra lights on their bikes or riding with high beam for 'visibility'? If you tell them that irritates other road users they shrug and tell others it's more important to be noticed.
• Don't talk on a cell phone while driving. But if you must, keep your eyes on the road at all times.(drive & phone is illegal in this state.... )
• Don't put decals, bumper stickers or vanity plates on your vehicle that might offend other motorists. Those Christian fishies really offend me...
• Avoid eye contact with other motorists. Keep your hands on the wheel. Avoid gestures that can be misinterpreted as insults. Motorcycling - Part One: Make eye contact with motorists to make sure they've seen you and will yield to you the right of way...
• Never exit your vehicle to confront an angry driver. But jump off your motorcycle if you're likely to be rear-ended?
• Get out of the way of the aggressive driver as soon as possible. If a motorist pursues you, don't drive home. Drive to a police station or public place where you can get help. Call 911. Or a petrol station where there are plenty of witnesses and cameras.
• Don't drive when you're tired, upset, angry or sick. And don't ride as a passenger with anyone who is tired, upset, angry or sick.

Sources: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety; National Highway Traffic Safety Commission; California Highway Patrol;National Motorists Association.

LINKY

My comments are in bold.

[priller]

i've read about it in our native newspaper. they wrote, they had been chasing each other and provoking. no matter what, i hope the driver will finish his poor being behind bars. my condolences for those touched by tragedy.

[BMWBard]

Who's kidding who? He hit the guy from behind and dragged him how far before smashing him into a huge freaking SUV? Accident, my behind. 2nd degree, my BUTT! That guy did premeditated murder and I for one hope they burn him for it.

Pardon me while I go calm down.

[PawnBroker]

I'm just trying to understand one minor detail in this story. How is it a guy on a sport bike like the R1 cannot outrun an old Honday Accord? We're talking about a motorcycle that has more horsepower and a quarter of the weight of this particular car and he still couldn't outrun him? I think it was a case of a young kid on a fast bike and he wanted to fuck around with the driver, but he picked the wrong driver to fuck around with. As sad as this story is and my deepest condolensces go out to Igor's family, but he does have 50% of the blame for this. Just my .02.

PB

[SeaBass]

I grew up and learned to ride in that area. The roads are so freaking congested and full of bozo's on cell phones now I had to leave as it wasn't fun anymore. Too bad he didn't have a dual sport instead of a crotch rocket. He would've left the guy in the dust by using alternative driving surfaces. I hope they hang this guy but through 12 years of my own experience in the NY Court system, He'll plead out to a lesser charge (manslaughter) and do a fraction of the time he deserves.

[Andrew]

Road Rage... I gave the finger to a solo motorist in the HOV lane before the Bay Bridge this morning. Not only was he driving slower than appropriate, he was alone in his sedan. But I didn't flip him the bird... just a gesture to let him know that I saw him, alone, in the lane. Simple gesture, and we even have a smilie for it

Anyway, the dork decides he doesn't like being caught out for slipping past the congestion, and so zooms up to catch me. But as traffic is bad, I'm already slipping between cages by the time he gets close. Funny thing was, he was wearing a fire department tee shirt - maybe on his way into work, or coming home off a shift, but I figure more likely he was counting on any highway patrol officer letting him off easy as a professional courtesy.

Bastards.

[bruno twip]

Originally Posted by PawnBroker

I'm just trying to understand one minor detail in this story. How is it a guy on a sport bike like the R1 cannot outrun an old Honday Accord? We're talking about a motorcycle that has more horsepower and a quarter of the weight of this particular car and he still couldn't outrun him? I think it was a case of a young kid on a fast bike and he wanted to fuck around with the driver, but he picked the wrong driver to fuck around with. As sad as this story is and my deepest condolensces go out to Igor's family, but he does have 50% of the blame for this. Just my .02.

PB

Don't talk

[PawnBroker]

Originally Posted by dzimbric

Don't talk

Why not? Does the truth hurt?

PB

[BMWBard]

Originally Posted by PawnBroker

I'm just trying to understand one minor detail in this story. How is it a guy on a sport bike like the R1 cannot outrun an old Honday Accord? We're talking about a motorcycle that has more horsepower and a quarter of the weight of this particular car and he still couldn't outrun him? I think it was a case of a young kid on a fast bike and he wanted to fuck around with the driver, but he picked the wrong driver to fuck around with. As sad as this story is and my deepest condolensces go out to Igor's family, but he does have 50% of the blame for this. Just my .02.

PB

okay, I am not familiar with the area myself, but we have something in here from a guy who is, so there's an answer to the question.

Another point could be put like this. Let's say you and I are stupidly playing the road rage game with a bike and a car. Let's say I happen to hit you first. It's 50% my fault, 50% yours, true, at that point. But now I shove you and your bike 150 feet into a nice solid surface and take you out. That's one 100% premeditated murder on my part.

I can't imagine doing that to anyone, no matter what kind of "road rage" thing was going on. You just DON'T take actions you KNOW WILL kill people...I mean, not just actions that are dangerous, and maybe someone will get killed. Actions in "road rage" that YOU KNOW definately WILL kill someone = 1st degree murder.

[Reprobate]

Originally Posted by PawnBroker

I'm just trying to understand one minor detail in this story. How is it a guy on a sport bike like the R1 cannot outrun an old Honday Accord? We're talking about a motorcycle that has more horsepower and a quarter of the weight of this particular car and he still couldn't outrun him? I think it was a case of a young kid on a fast bike and he wanted to fuck around with the driver, but he picked the wrong driver to fuck around with. As sad as this story is and my deepest condolensces go out to Igor's family, but he does have 50% of the blame for this. Just my .02.

PB

First of all, just because an R1 rider doesn't outrun an Accord driver doesn't say much about age or experience. So your assumption is just that, an assumption. And based on nothing more than a newspaper article, it's worth less than your two cents.
Second, the problem with road rage is that unchecked anger is a problem of the angered person, not of the victim - rage has no place in traffic, anyone who tries to 'settle a score' in traffic is a danger to society. Even without making victims, someone who cannot keep his emotions in check in traffic should have his license revoked.

[PawnBroker]

Originally Posted by Reprobate

First of all, just because an R1 rider doesn't outrun an Accord driver doesn't say much about age or experience. So your assumption is just that, an assumption. And based on nothing more than a newspaper article, it's worth less than your two cents.
Second, the problem with road rage is that unchecked anger is a problem of the angered person, not of the victim - rage has no place in traffic, anyone who tries to 'settle a score' in traffic is a danger to society. Even without making victims, someone who cannot keep his emotions in check in traffic should have his license revoked.

Sorry, but what I have is a first hand account, NOT an assumption. My friend rides with the victim's friend and he told me the story first hand. Igor was passing the guy on the Accord and the Accord driver was passing him. This was going on back and forth a few time, until the Accord driver snapped and became dangerous. My friend's friend was riding in the front and did not see what was happening, but as I see it there is no reason why any rider on a motorcycle can't just open up the throttle and take off to escape a dangerous situation from a cager. Just think about it, you white line it and you're our of harm's way. This was the case of a 21 year old kid on a fast bike who screwed with someone that was not in the right state of mind. As I said, the family has my depest condolenses and this should be a lesson for the rest of us, JUST GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE.

PB