degnaw

I'm cycling at approximately 25mph, the road's speed limit (and the same speed as the car next to me). The guy in the Nissan Sentra pulls up honking within ten feet of my rear wheel, so I pull into the right lane to let him by (I'm in the left lane because I was turning left after the intersection).

I'll also note that it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk in downtown State College.

kjmillig

What is it about cars that make some people such a-holes? I've found myself getting caught up in it in the past as well although age has mellowed me a lot when behind the wheel. I've even seen mild mannered fellow teachers and church members drive like rude, dangerous maniacs.
Maybe car manufacturers are secretly putting some chemical in car interiors that drives people insane.

genec

There is some interesting "magic" that goes on when a motorist sees a cyclist ahead... in some motorists minds, something shorts out. They deny that a bicycle can be in front of them, even if the cyclist is causing no delay, and is moving at the posted speed limit (and don't get me started on speed LIMIT). This was the same issue that got the whole Mandeville canyon Doctor thing going... cyclists moving at the proper speed and in a legal manner are confronted by an irate speeding motorist. That speeding motorist then goes on and fails to heed his responsibility as a road user...


Can anyone really explain this notion... this violation of rights, and deliberate irrational behavior to a fellow human along with the obvious abuse of "the rules of the road" that are so often touted as the whole key for cyclists to "fare best?" How do we "fare best" when following the rules of the road provokes irrational responses from some motorists in varying degrees?

And before anyone says "well this sort of thing doesn't happen all that often..." True, these specific responses from a motorist are rare, but a degree of similar enraged thinking and some action, DOES go on quite often, by some specific unknown number of motorists... enough so that we get close passes, taunts and other deliberate poor behavior all too often as a class; this mindset is also further exemplified in comments to cycling news reports.

So how do we "fare best" when this behavior et. al. is the response from some motorists?

Chris516

This made me jealous about not having a helmetcam.

Earlier this evening, I was on a sidewalk/bikepath(45mph big hill on major six-lane artery that runs through the county to DC). As I was crossing the T-section of the major artery road, it was getting dark early so I had my lights on. Crossing the T-section, I noticed an SUV approaching the major road. I waved my headlight back n' forth by moving my front tire, to get the driver's attention, but the driver didn't stop. I stopped midway through crossing the T-section, because of the SUV not stopping soon enough. I yelled "PAY ATTENTION!!!" at the driver. She had the audacity and the pomposity to say she didn't see me and tell me I shouldn't be riding in the dark(I didn't plan on it). So I started to continue to cross the rest of the way. As I did so, I memorized her license plate, then she gunned her pickup trucks' engine threatening to run me down.

I called the police and told them, if I had caught it on video, would it have been possible to get the driver charged for menacing behavior? They told me, it would be up to the States' Attorney for the county.

Hmmmm......

davehbuffalo

HE should get of the road because he's unqualified to drive.

degnaw

Did they say that you couldn't report it WITHOUT a video? It's probably much harder to get the driver charged, but if there's multiple reports or a later accident, it could work out.

AlmostTrick

The honks didn't sound aggressive to me, and he didn't look to be too close on your tail either. The pass seemed plenty safe also. (notice the time between your lane change and his passing you) I'm not saying it wouldn't be annoying, just that it didn't seem very unsafe.

It was funny how almost as soon as he passed he had to hit the brakes. I wouldn't have moved over, (I thought you were turning?) the bully got his way and will continue to do the same.

dynodonn 

IMO, the motorist was holding back at a reasonable distance, and I wouldn't have bothered calling the local authorities, even with the honking and yelling.

I only go after the aggressive motorist that will try and back up their actions with sheet metal, and the motorist in the video would have only been logged in my personal video library with their vehicle license number and description, in case of another future aggressive encounter.

Cyclaholic

You stayed remarkably calm... I'm sure I would have developed temporary tourette's syndrome about 1/4 inch away from the driver's face.

unterhausen

I have had problems with motorists on that street even though the traffic volumes are low enough that it's always trivial to pass. One of the problem with cycling here is that State College is too expensive to live in for many people that work at the college; they have to live miles away. This often means that they are in a state of road rage by the time they get here.

degnaw

I was at the next intersection (past the one shown)

I've only reported one incident thus far in 3~4 months of camera usage, and it's not this.

(It's this one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-UN_fRpQcI

unterhausen

I turn at Burroughs, and I usually find that it's not that hard to get over, particularly since the lights are so screwed up on Beaver

Chris516

I knew without a video, the police would easily chalk it up to a he said/she said. So I asked them, if I had the whole encounter on video, could they be charged following a review of the video. They said they couldn't make that decision, that the states' attorney for the county would have to be the one to do that.

Hmmm...

RaleighSport

mmm nissan sentra and anger.. that was kinda funny.

dynodonn 

Good job on getting the license number. Since I work a more urban environment, the fact I'm not so quick, and I like to keep my eyes on whats in front of me, I just rely on my front and rear frame mounted cams.

Was there any legal outcome on your reported incident?

fuji86

Seeing how you dusted the red truck, you'd think Sentra ******bag would pass you after that cleared on the right if he had to be in front of you and kept his mouth shut ?

degnaw

Nope (Not yet, that is, I hope).

I'd say Beaver is one of the best roads in town to ride on because traffic never really moves faster than I do.

Chris516

So, Dissin' the Nissin'(Nissan).....lol

K'Tesh

Perhaps it has something to do with "That NEW car smell"?

atbman

Not knowing the road or the traffic conditions usually on it, I have a question about the considerable length of time you were in the left turn lane. On the evidence of the video shown, traffic wasn't heavy enough to make it advisable to move into that lane fairly early.

So, why did you move into the left turn lane before the intersection previous to the one on which you were to turn left?

You also made reference to your speed being 25mph - is this the limit on that road? If it's 25 or below, then obviously he has no reason to be angry. If, however, it's more than 25, it's not too surprising that a driver, who doesn't realise you are going to turn left, would get annoyed at the length of time you were in front of him.

Had you signalled your intention to turn left? If not, see above. My own feeling is that, on the video evidence, a later move into that lane would have been better

unterhausen

yes, the speed limit is 25mph on that road. It's slightly downhill, generally with a bit of a tailwind. Guy had nothing to complain about. This is one of those situations where I think a little motorist education would help.

ZmanKC

It's their sense of entitlement. Motorized vehicles own the road. You, as a cyclist, have no business on their road.

RaleighSport

>.> my 4 wheeled transportation is a nissan actually! not a sentra though.

Chris516

True, true

It was just the way it was said, that gave me a chuckle.

leob1

You should have said nothing,just a one finger wave, or at most two words(or one compound word).