Road Rage in New York

With more than 4 million hits on YouTube, a road rage accident in New York City is all over the news. I found out about this by ear, and could not believe it, so looked at it for myself. A group of bikers go around the United States in large groups of about 30-50 people, depending on the event, and they do tricks on roads. This is actually illegal, because it disrupts the flow of traffic. In order to do some of the tricks, they need a lot of space.

The bikers get in position to start their tricks on a main highway in New York City. Some of the bikers spread out to slow traffic down to get plenty of room. While doing this, one biker slowed down and upset a New-Yorker, which might be an understatement, because he ran the rider over! He drove off, and bikers started off for a chase to get this guy who ran over their “teammate.” Bikers surrounded the SUV that had hit the first biker. Bikers tried to stop the SUV, but he would not and ended up hitting another rider! A third rider was about to get hit at the same time, but jumped off just in time, but the bike was not quite as lucky. Two people ran over, three bikes demolished! A hit and run! Obviously, the bikers stayed on pursuit. The SUV ended up getting to some slow traffic and was surrounded by cars. The bikers got off of their bikes and one started to shatter a window with his helmet, another with his fists. They beat up the driver, who also had his wife in the passenger seat, and their three year old daughter in the back.

Beating up the driver in front of his family was tragic, and he got the police to charge the first biker, because he “caused the accident” by slowing down. The one who beat the windows of the SUV with his fists was charged for beating up the man, and had another charge because his family had to witness it. The rider with the helmet who beat the window is yet to be identified and charged. The two riders that got ran over are pronounced paralyzed, and one is struggling for his life! The driver on the other hand was not charged for a hit and run, damaging three motorcycles, and lastly, severely injuring two riders! This accident was all caught on tape by one of the riders who had a camera in his helmet!

This issue involves many off the riders, their families, anyone that has ever ridden a motorcycle, and finally, anyone who has ever had road rage. Whether you feel like the motorcyclists were wrong for retaliating for hurting the first rider, or think it was ridiculous for the driver of the SUV to not only run over nearly three bikers, but to do it with his family in the car, this is a popular event to discuss.

Personally, I think the driver needs to be punished for his wrong doings. It is unbelievable that he currently has no charges against him. Sure the first biker that got hit slowed down in front of the man, but he did not make the driver run him over! I think the accusation that the NYPD put on the bikers is ridiculous and should be on the driver. I hope that the police finally come to their senses and charge the driver with something because, if it was not for him, families would not have to worry about their dads coming home paralyzed and not be able to do what they would normally for their kids. One of the fathers had three children and if I remember correctly, none of them were older than thirteen years of age.

A tragic event occurred in New York, so who would you think the blame is on, the bikers, or driver of the SUV?

Works Cited

Dahler, Don. “New York road rage incident: Biker’s wife says SUV driver “paralyzed my husband”.” 3 October 2013. CBS News. 2 October 2013.