[sumannandy]

I was traveling from Palakkad to Coimbatore yesterday around 3 pm. About 30 kms before Coimbatore, I overtook one sports bike being driven by two youth. And stopped for tender coconut water where they overtook us, stopped the bike and started asking why we overtook him. We did not strike any conversation and they drove off.

After we started driving, a few kms ahead, they were waiting at the left of the road with their friends on another bike (2 in sports bike and 3 in another bike, all without helmet), where they waved at us to stop. When we did not, they started chasing us, overtook us, asking to stop, doing sorties in front of the car. I slowed down the car and after some distance when they started coming in front of the car and blocked the highway, I stopped the car exactly in the middle of the highway blocking the path of all other cars. The highway was empty and they started demanding us to come down etc. Soon other cars came and stopped as the road was blocked. The drivers from other cars started inquiring what happened, and on knowing the details, they started abusing the youth, and finally they rode off. We informed the police in the next toll plaza. While the incident was happening, the police control room number 100 did not work.

Thinking about it, the previous day while going from Coimbatore to Palakkad in the morning, we saw a white sedan parked on the left surrounded by a few people on bike, possibly the same bike gang.

[NaXal]

We did not strike any conversation and they drove off.

Were they abusive from their first approach?

Personally I would have went ahead with the conversation by appreciating their sports bike & sharing my love about those machines & some technical issues to lighten up the mood.

But then again, that's only my thinking.

On a serious note, government must treat this non working of "100" with utmost urgency. This is simply unacceptable. Usually I take & save a picture of emergency numbers given on toll plaza since sadly faulty 100 is such a common occurrence.

[binoybnair]

There has been some criminal activity going on on the Coimbatore-Palakkad highway for a while now. It was a good move not to get out of the car. Also, Coimbatore city police has been advertising their app: Police E-eye to report activities like this. You simply have to take a photo from your mobile phone (the reg. no. of the bike must be visible) and upload. Challans will get issued in the owners name. At least we owe those hoodlums that much.

[ike]

Originally Posted by sumannandy

I was traveling from Palakkd to Coimbatore yesterday around 3pm. About 30 kms before Coimbatore, I overtook one sports bike being driven by two youth. And stopped for tender coconut water where they overtook us, stopped the bike and started asking why we overtook him. We did not strike any conversation and they drove off.

Is this on the L&T bypass road? I drive through that road fairly frequently & almost always by myself driving Chennai - Thrissur - Chennai. I hope swift action is taken by the authorities.

[Samba]

If you have a dash-cam, the footage will help the police to crack them faster. Plus you can share the video over here by adding/editing the sequences like- the overtake from your part, they abusing you while you take a break and later how they blocked your way.

If you do not have a dash-cam, or any evidence like a video clip/pic from your mobile phone, i hope you have given the registration number, the make & model of the bike to police.

These miscreants are always afraid of being featured in video's taken by the victims.

[GTO]

Glad you got out of it okay. They were clearly looking for trouble. A rowdy group surrounding one individual usually ends in physical abuse. Agreed with Samba = bring out your mobile phone and start shooting. That is usually enough to make them "watch themselves". They'd hate being featured like that on YouTube & that evidence can be used by the police to trace them too.

[locusjag]

I know this has been discussed before on this forum - but this makes me want to apply for a firearm license and buy a pistol for self-defence.

Of course, you know what they say about guns - once you pull out a gun, you'd best use it. Don't whip it out if you won't/can't shoot someone with it.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by locusjag

I know this has been discussed before on this forum - but this makes me want to apply for a firearm license and buy a pistol for self-defence.

I don't think it's that easy to get a license and a weapon, and thank god for that! If the government makes it easier for you to get a gun, then surely people like the bikers in the opening post will also be able to get guns. Not the ideal solution.

Pretty scary to read about such incidents. Clearly an attempt to intimidate and then extract money from an outside vehicle. Thankfully the OP got out without it getting uglier. Hope the cops crack down.

Agree with what most have posted, the mobile phone is a far more potent weapon in such cases. A couple of times, personally have seen the aggressive party back down when I've removed the phone and just pretended to start recording or taking pics. (Of course those situations were not as serious.)

A dash cam is beginning to look like a must have.

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by locusjag

I know this has been discussed before on this forum - but this makes me want to apply for a firearm license and buy a pistol for self-defence.

Of course, you know what they say about guns - once you pull out a gun, you'd best use it. Don't whip it out if you won't/can't shoot someone with it.

Exactly my thoughts when i had faced a similar incident 2 years back on the Bangalore-Mysore highway.

On the return journey a guy on a pulsar starts abusing verbally and tries to come in front, making me stop. Happened 2 to 3 times and every time he used to come walking towards me, i would drive away. Fortunately the cars behind kept observing this and when i pulled into a restaurant parking spot, a few cars pulled up and stayed with us for a few minutes as the guy had 7 to 8 other guys on bikes with him. Seeing us, they turned tail and rode away.

Coming to think of it, instead of trying to drive away and make it look like i made a mistake, i should have just halted bang in the middle of the higway and let other cars pull up. I was with my parents, so just thought stopping would be a bad idea.

[NaXal]

Originally Posted by locusjag

I know this has been discussed before on this forum - but this makes me want to apply for a firearm license and buy a pistol for self-defence.

Of course, you know what they say about guns - once you pull out a gun, you'd best use it. Don't whip it out if you won't/can't shoot someone with it.

God forbid if you ever have to use it.

Present legal system of India will make you repent the decision. Getting out from a self defence court case may take life time.

I have done my share of long distance touring & few basic things that I have learnt.

1. There is road rage
2. There is scam.

First thing is to differentiate between those. Easiest way is to stop in toll plaza or major junction or such public places.

Now if that is road rage, usually the other party wants to win the argument. So let it be. Apologise, make wired & emotional excuses. Grow a thick skin to hear few harsh words.

That's it. Few simple points solve majority of the cases by letting the other party win their argument.

Just the other day on a narrow junction I was waiting behind queue of traffic for signal. There was a taxi honking & flashing lights. There wasn't any place for me to go other than breaking the lane marking to move myself into opposite on coming lane. This place is notoriously famous for police challan. So I didn't budge.

Later once the traffic move a bit forward, that taxi took itself on footpath & pulled along side my passenger side window for argument.

I asked where would I have gone? His excuse was to let him just enough space for getting on to the footpath so that he could move all the way to the front. He was getting violent with his temper & to him it's justified for others to break the centre line to move out into on coming lane for a taxi to reach the signal first, even by driving via a footpath.

Just to defuse the situation I apologized & started giving excuse like I am a new driver & couldn't judge my cars dimensions to make that move & so on. Sure he threw some abusive words for my driving skill & what not but the matter ended then & there.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by NaXal

God forbid if you ever have to use it.

Present legal system of India will make you repent the decision. Getting out from a self defence court case may take life time.

I have done my share of long distance touring & few basic things that I have learnt.

1. There is road rage
2. There is scam.

First thing is to differentiate between those. Easiest way is to stop in toll plaza or major junction or such public places.

Now if that is road rage, usually the other party wants to win the argument. So let it be. Apologise, make wired & emotional excuses. Grow a thick skin to hear few harsh words.

I'm 100% in agreement with you. But I'm just tired of eating humble pie every single time road rage is inflicted upon me.

As for knowing whether an incident in progress is a scam or not - I doubt most of us would realize which is which in the heat of the moment. All we would recognize and react to is the violence or threat of imminent violence. It's just my ego and nothing else, in wanting to win every battle out there.

I'd in fact do much better by signing up for self-defence classes and getting punched in the head a few times...that way I'd know what it's like to get my bell rung and hence, I'd be wise not to seek escalation of violence!

[govigov]

@sumannandy, good that sense prevailed and you acted accordingly. Good for you.

These biker gangs would indeed be a menace to society. Do you recollect any more about the bikes or the people on the bikes? What make / model identifying stickers etc? That would help fellow bhpians be on the lookout for these bikers while on this stretch.

30 kms from coimbatore would mean right around the border. Do you remember if you crossed over to TN or was the incident wholly inside KL?

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by sumannandy

I was traveling from Palakkd to Coimbatore yesterday around 3pm. About 30 kms before Coimbatore, I overtook one sports bike being driven by two youth. And stopped for tender coconut water where they overtook us, stopped the bike and started asking why we overtook him.

Just curious, please ignore if it is not relevant. Was the car being driven by a woman?
If left by herself, my wife can be a spirited driver. She usually drives a Ritz stick shift. If she ever overtakes a sport bike, especially after a speed bump, it is simply indigestible for a lot of them. With their ego hurt, they have to check her out 4 times. They also look at the man/husband like he is out of his mind to let her drive. My wife's commentary is usually funny, but there have been several times where we see words being mouthed at us, they usually slow down and overtake her couple times, or swerve violently as if to prove a point.

[sumannandy]

The car was being driven by me. And a lady sitting next to me. The car was XUV500 Karnataka registration.

[jkrishnakj]

Suman - If you're saying it was 30 km before Coimbatore , that highway surely has cameras on poles every KM or so. If you want to pursue the case it'll be easy to identify the gang. I'm not sure what sort of closure you're looking for , but for sure those cameras on the highways would have captured details.