FBinNY 

In considering the driver the Op described, think about drivers who race through puddles near a curb giving pedestrians a shower. A small number of people have a warped sense of humor and think this is fun. But the vast bulk simply aren't thinking. To ascribe some complicated intent directed at you is to give him too much credit.

dynodonn 

I've been a recipient of this type of asinine maneuver many times. As for having this motorist doing the same to the OP if they were driving a car, I have to disagree, since I've had way more of these incidents on a bicycle than I ever have had while driving a car. Motorist will either underestimate the cyclist's travel speed, or that they can use their vehicle to bully their way through traffic when it comes to cyclists.

B. Carfree

I've always fallen back on this:

FBinNY 

I agree with you, especially with regard to under estimating the speed. But it's still not directed at the cyclist as much as it's a matter of seizing a perceived opportunity. I see the same behavior with respect to buses and trucks. If a driver thinks he has the time to get across the front and save a second or two he'll do it even to his grandmother. I routinely have near miss left hook incidents, especially if there's a moderate amount of traffic and a driver feels he has to do it now, or the window will close and he'll have to wait another 5 seconds for the next opportunity.

We're still not looking at an intended anti-cyclist act as much as selfish behavior compounded by impatience and bad judgement.

BTW- I often notice that these jerks have passenger side broadside dents proving not only that they do this kind of crap routinely, but that they're not good at it either.

dynodonn 

Yeah, I don't read the OP's incident as an anti cyclist act either, just as you said, it reads more of impatience and bad judgment. My most notable impatient motorist incident was a close pass and having the motorist's mirror go over the top of my bar end mirror, upon reviewing my rear camera video, I was able to see the motorist's severely damaged right front fender and bumper from a previous collision. I was very happy that in this incident with this motorist, that they were "just" good enough.

gcottay

People's behavior and character both vary from the noble to actual evil. Coming to a conclusion about the human condition on the basis of a few drivers misses that wide variety of possibility.

Equinox

No

350htrr

For drivers of these type of trucks the black smoke coming from the tailpipe is on purpose... To gain an extra 5 HP, they crank up the fuel pressure and because they have a BIG-ASSED non-stock turbo, that takes a few seconds to spool up to actually pump enough air into the engine to use the fuel they get smoke, and they know it, but are sending a message to GTF out of my way, I deserve to be ahead of you...

dynodonn 

Oh they gain a bit more than 5 hp, try closer to 100 hp or more. Some do it for the hp, but others do it for the hp and to smoke out another road user for the fun of it.

Here in California, there's a potentially large fine for those that alter their diesel engines to smoke for the sake of more power, and the state even has a phone number to report offenders. 1-800-END-SMOG

dougmc

I'm surprised these videos (or ones like them) haven't appeared in this thread --

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IByCZSJUt8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JkvGS6sdKQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdDxjge5hmY

(and there's lots more, I just did some quick googling and gave the first few I found.)

At least it's clear that the first guy hates everybody -- not just cyclists.

eofelis 

I was on my bike stopped at a red light on my regular commute route. Urban street, 30-35mph zones, one lane each direction. At this stop light there was a dedicated left turn lane and a lane for either going right or going straight. I was going straight so I was positioned on the left side of that lane to allow a car behind me to turn right if they intended to. I was aware there was a vehicle waiting behind me, presumably going straight. When the light turned green I got rolling, clipping in to my pedal. The vehicle behind me gunned it past me, going straight, passing me on the right. It was a grey mini van. The driver, maybe a soccer mom, held her hand with only one digit displayed up to her closed window. Not sure what I did wrong. The mini van had the temp tags of a newly purchased vehicle. You'd think she'd be happy, she just got a new car! Maybe she was showing off for her kiddos. I dunno.

I've had a rash of cars improperly passing me in intersections lately. A week ago a car sped straight through a dedicated left turn lane to go around me on the left as I was starting to roll on a green light in an intersection like the one I described above. A month or so ago I had a vehicle pass me on the right going through that same intersection. It seemed like a clueless young driver in that case.

Is it me or is it them?

Fahrenheit531 

I have an identical intersection that I pass through whenever going for a ride, as it's the intersection leading from my neighborhood to everywhere else. I handle it the same way you do, so if it's you-not-them, take some consolation in knowing it's us-not-them.

Fortunately I've experienced no behavior like you've described. Yet. I'm sure it will come sooner or later.

Best to remember it's not personal; it's generally someone not thinking, rather than thinking maliciously, about you.

ModeratedUser150120149

8
It seems the most likely explanations have nothing to do with bicycles and everything to do with the motorist's culture. Lesson? If a person wants to be an effective advocate they have to have their act together lest they be considered a paranoid whiner (not that you are, just an example).

jolly_ross

That's the middle east problem right there.

Forgiveness and tolerance has to start with one of the parties - the better one. That's you.

Be nice. Be polite. Be firm in your rights. Be careful.

Notgrownup

He might have not gave a second **** about you...Maybe he was just a Rdneck how likes to hear his mufflers and see the smoke coming out of his suped up 4WD....We have those a plenty around here....
People can be dickhead$ no matter what brand or type vehicles they drive, sometimes we take the situation personally when it has absolutely nothing to do with us...Same would go for a Motorcycle , scooter, cyclist or pedestrian....
As for the group of bikers blocking 2 lanes of traffic.. I would have to see that to believe it....If they actually took both lanes, that is a A$$hat move .....

Thrasymachus

@Notgrownup:
That is absolutely in all likelihood not true at all. Most people in the USA, even those who cycle, register and post here are motorists who use their car to get everywhere they need to get to in life. Thus even those who erroneously self identify as cyclists only cycle rarely, from time to time, when they feel like it, when and where conditions are optimal, but actually heavily identify as motorists in this country that feel the car should continue to dominate the apartheid hierarchy of transportation with everyone else adjusting themselves to the needs of resource hogging, life endangering motorists. So this weirdo kingsqueak for some reason made up some mularkey about club riders having the audacity to take up two lanes on a 50 mph highway, so he can advance the canard argument that bad cyclists make it hard for law abiding motorists like him.

I live in the same state as him, most of New Jersey is quite densely populated. If you go on our highways and dare cars blasting past at 60 mph or more to see you and slow down in time while taking a leisurely group ride taking up both available lanes, you will end up as human tomato paste.

delcrossv

Yes, and as traffic, you're required to keep to the right lane to allow faster vehicles to pass in the left lane (in almost all states IIRC). Sorry, being on a bike doesn't absolve one of being as a$$hole.

Notgrownup

So what are you actually saying is not true???

I am a Motorist first yes, that is my main mode of transport, i'm then a Cyclist and a Motorcyclist... Wether in my car, on my Harley or Bicycle, i try to be as courteous as possible but i have run across Cyclist who hog the rod, Bikers who hog the road and Motorists who hog the road... Doesn't make a difference wht you are driving, if you are hogging the road you are being disrespectful to others... Either way, Being a A__Hole is being a A__hole...
People that do that, more than likely won't quit and they are the ones that will get shot or run over when the other half of A__holes get enraged and pull out a piece and start shooting at you...

I hope never to hear about the latter.....

genec

two lanes of traffic? I have no problem with a peloton taking up a single lane, but just like a convoy of military trucks, they need to leave the other lane clear.

FBinNY 

Following this thread, it becomes evident that self-centered, me first and screw everyone else thinking isn't limited to motorists.

bikemig 

New word for the day: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=HillJack

I like it. Grew up in the South and now live in the Midwest so I clearly need to learn some new vocabulary!

skye

Whup, my bad. I didn't read that right.

I don't mind being a putz, but I prefer being a correct putz.

Equinox

I was told that south of the Mason-Dixon line they are "Hillbillies" and north of it, they are "Hilljacks".

Astrozombie

And you can "be traffic" all the way to the ER. Taking up both lanes of a two lane highway is rude and freakin stupid.

Thinking you are invisible to them is a good way of preparing for these things and probably a good way not to get angry and take it personally.
Forgot heathen!

dpeters11

Skye misread it, so I think at this point he's on the same page as most of us. Really the only time we'll go two abreast on our group ride is when going through a construction zone and we want to discourage cars from trying to pass us, as there isn't really enough room. That generally only lasts a few hundred feet. Every once in a while, a ride leader will ride along side someone giving them help and instruction (it's geared towards beginners), but they keep an eye behind them for traffic coming from behind.