Saving Hawaii

I was about four blocks from my house when it started, a nice downhill with narrow lanes and I held the 30mph speed limit the entire time. But this car was riding my ass like Jesus was about to be born. We dropped into the brief flat and I pushed it a little bit to keep myself at 30mph. This guy didn't let up and got tighter and tighter. He couldn't pass but he was begging me to get onto the sidewalk and let him scream by. I didn't.

On the uphill my speed dropped quite a bit. He just about **** himself. Almost immediately he revved his engine and then immediately brake checked the car behind him. He blared his horn and everything else. When we got to the top of the hill 50 feet later he made a conscious decision to actually stop and scream/gesture towards me.

These are the folks we share the roads with. These are the folks who vote no against bike lanes.

**** them.

Chris0516

Yes, Motorists' like that are out there. They are the 'bane of existence'. For both cyclists', and motorists.

kickstart

I had someone blow their horn, flash their lights, and flip me off while passing me on the shoulder of an on ramp for going too slow.

I was driving a double trailer semi rig at the time. Some people have no sense, or respect, and don't belong behind the wheel.

BobbyG

"The better part of valor is discretion, in the which better part I have sav'd my life." -Falstaff, Henry The Fourth, Part 1 Act 5, scene 4, 115–121. Even when I drive, if I encounter an aggressive, belligerent raging adrenaline junkie, I pull over for 5 seconds and let them pass. The safest place to be is behind them.

slimyfrog

I feel the same way. Granted the OP's nemesis was undoubtedly being a jerk, but why not just let them go by? Standing in their way taught them nothing, only reinforced their demented rage. And certainly did not make the OP safer. As far as the jerk is concerned, their behavior will catch up to them.

wphamilton

Preferably, but unless you find a lane to move over,or a turn-out or stop, the punish pass often follows that behavior and that's a legitimate danger. I think sometimes they do learn, and chill out the next time they get behind you.

CrankyOne

Do you know what was going on in the drivers life? Was he passing a kidney stone and trying to get to the hospital? Just received a call that his child was in a crash, is on life support, and being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance? Had just been told by his wife that she was leaving him for his (now former) best friend whom she'd been having sex with for the past 5 years? Fired from his job for no good reason? Or a very long list of other stuff?

Very likely just a jerk. But do you know? Ever been in their shoes?

CrankyOne

How long was the uphill? Might this person have been stuck behind some jerk Bicycle Driver nut jobs previously and didn't want to be slowed to 7 mph going up a long hill with no opportunity to pass?

FBinNY 

I deal with nuts like that about once or twice a year. I consider it a reminder that life is normal, and ignore it otherwise.

AlmostTrick

Giving in to harassing behavior teaches the driver that it pays off. Makes it more likely that they will continue to bully other cyclists.

slimyfrog

I don't disagree, but not giving in puts you at risk and reinforces their belief that slow cyclists suck and get in the way. What's our point exactly? To teach neurotic people some moral lesson in a very strange setting or to ride and be safe?
I'm not saying they shouldn't learn to share the road. I just don't believe that method and location are the most effective way to do so.

unterhausen

+1

For some reason, these types of people always have the time to stop and make an ass of themselves. What happened to being in a hurry?

hooCycles

I got a good laugh out of your commentary. "Riding my ass like Jesus was about to be born" and "He just about **** himself."

Did you do anything after he yelled at you?

Also, with regards to 'giving in' to aggressive motorists: I won't give in unless I feel that my safety is at an immediate risk. I'd rather be alive and upset than dead and thoughtless.

kickstart

Or......reinforce their justification to act on their prejudices......feed their desire for conflict or drama......its a gamble at best.
We're dealing with someone who has control issues.

AlmostTrick

I look at it this way: If the road and conditions were such that I could safely share the lane or ride the shoulder, I'd already be doing that. (when faster same direction traffic approached from behind)

If conditions warrant that I control the lane, then that's what I'll be doing. The harassing driver may or may not learn a lesson, but it is extremely unlikely (s)he will run me over.

Tailgating, honking, yelling motorists are rare, but it has happened to me a couple of times. I respond by looking back/signaling, holding my line, and being extra careful not to fall or brake hard... which usually means I need to slow a bit. Funny thing is, if the motorist stayed back and wasn't making an ass of themselves, we both would be going a little faster.

Chris0516

Ditto!!!!
It doesn't matter if a cyclist is slow, or not. A motorist will still do that if they see a cyclist. My point when I am on the road. Is to let motorists' know to back off. They do that more and more, when they see me more. I do let them know. When it is perfectly fine for them to be near me i.e. At a traffic light where I am going straight, and they want to do a right-on-red. I will physically motion to them, to move forward in the right-turn lane. If their moving up to the line is not possible with my lane position, and I am in left-straight lane. I will get their attention by waving at them. Then telling them what direction I am headed.

KingCat

maybe he was rushing to the airport to go save Hawaii ?

jeichelberg87

Yes, never judge unless you have walked a mile in their shoes. That way, when they get angry, you have their shoes and you have a mile head start.

El Cid

It wa about ten years ago that I gave up my car for good and started relying mainly on a bike to get around town. In that time, I've encountered one motorist with this type of road rage. One. In ten years.

Granted, that one might be a threat to my life, but whatcha gonna do?

mozad655

Can you show a picture of the road with google map? Maybe there was enough room for him to pass in which case you should be riding on the far side so you don't block the faster traffic behind you.

bmthom.gis

That's my attitude...**** them. I have as much right to the road as they do, if they don't like it they can write their congress person. And that's what I say to anyone who gets upset at me. I try and be out of the way whenever possible, but I'll never stop for someone, especially on an uphill

slimyfrog

It's not a war. The biker/driver relationship will never improve as long as both sides treat roads as a battlefield.

JoeyBike

Sucks when this happens but goes with the territory. Perhaps just a good dose of "skin thickener" is all you need.

Indeed.

genec

Works for some of us, but not for all cyclists... and no amount of "skin thickener" is going to help if that driver is right next to you when they lay on the horn. Unless you happen to be deaf.

1983

Grow some skin, my friend. This crap happens all the time - posting here will net you two responses:

1) Rah rah, a/s for the win, how dare they

2) Another feel-sorry-for-me post about a non-incident, htfu bruh

Take your pick.