Mars

When I ride my bike, I try to adopt a zen like attitude towards drivers and their actions. Most of the time, when they do something aggressive or stupid, I just ignore them. But every now and then, some one will just totally overload my fusebox and I go nova. I yell, shake my fist, and even have taken my lock out of my bag. Afterwards, I feel bad about myself, that I had been weak.

But reading these threads, and the one about embarrassing my wife below, I got to thinking that I may not be alone in my sometimes incidents of roadside justice. Take my poll, where do you stand?

bluejack

Always is pretty absolute. I don't think I have ever "confronted" a driver simply because the times I was most ready to, they left me in the dust. I have -- very rarely -- given a finger. Ordinarily, I'm with you. Zenlike on the road, all the way.

pablo27

i usually don't bother... but i've "lost it" a couple of times

i'm doing better riding the trainer indoors... the cars don't get as close to me now

wonder how that first close pass will affect me when it warms up?
oh, i hope it's not a big H2 with a gastric bypass patient smoking and talking on a cell phone... then i might lose it

nycm'er

[QUOTE]

I can't say always, but I think I would check, "I too often confront them" and usually feel as you aptly described above.

N_C

I chose I usually ignore them. The reason is there are some instances where, as a cyclists you have to confront an aggresive or stupid driver. I pick my battles accordingly when I ride. The same goes for the way I live my life as well.

Bekologist

I think there's a difference between a stupid and an aggressive driver. I don't get mad at little old ladies with bad eyesight making tentative moves into traffic like I encountered tonight, nor do I often get steamed at drivers making sudden lane changes or generally acting stupid at intersections. bikers need to read traffic and anticipate problems to the best of their ability.

Aggressive drivers that tailgate, shout out windows, honk their horns like impatient crybabies, try to cut me off, etc, get a full dose of agressive verbal abuse as well as liberal middle finger treatment. And I don't feel bad about it at all.

andygates

I usually let it slide: confrontation isn't worth the hassle. I'll give a yell or a slap to the side of a vehicle if need be, but then get on with my journey. I'm on the road to get somewhere, after all.

The exception is if I get taken off, or if the driver's actions are grossly dangerous, or he's just an outrageous ass. Then, if my blood gets up, I'll stop them, give 'em an earful and go into full confrontation mode. But it's very rare.

Juha

I voted "I usually ignore them". I may slap their precious vehicle (yelling does little if their windows are closed) or gesture. I try not to use the middle finger. Main idea is to make them notice that something went wrong there. In my book that's a wake-up call, not confronting.

--J

'nother

I usually ignore them and aim to increase the frequency of doing so, especially if it's already a bad situation (honking or other aggresive actions), that's only going to ge worse. If someone's just ignorant (e.g. parking in a no parking zone), sometimes I'll say something as I pass (if their window is open . . . and just speak, not yell at the top of my lungs), maybe they'll figure it out next time. But I'd rather just get on with my ride in most cases.

Paul L.

I did go back and scare the crap out of some gang bangers that yelled at me as I cruised by them one time (they were walking on the sidewalk, they didn't hear me turn around and didn't even hear me until I was on top of them). They threw a rock at me but were too slow. Anyway, I later thought about how dumb that was. Luckily I transferred to a new facility shortly after that and haven't had to worry about it. I almost always don't confront. Mutter under my breath, curse their childrens children, Swear a pox upon them and their family, yes. Confront, no.

genec

I usually ignore them... or at best I get a kick out of giving them a wave like a long lost friend... It depends on the situation.

If it is some redneck type that just gunned their F-350 pickup and then swooped close by... I try to ignore them as I know it is a no win situation. But if it is someone else and they are just honking... they get the "long lost friend" wave.

On a few rare occasions I have confronted drivers that took the time to yell at me... I.E. they seemed to want conversation. For these folks I used to carry a copy of the Vehicle Code section on bikes in my panniers... a simple one sheet handout... just so they could further their education.

becnal

Cars are too close, I whack them. Idiot walks in the bike lane, I brush by them as close as possible to scare the **** out of them, or ring my bell and shout real loud just as I get close to them, also to scare them.

Maybe they'll hate me, but they will be more attentive they are crossing a bike lane or crowding some other bicyclist. I do it for YOU guys!

billh

I usually "confront" them if I think their action was unwarranted. But my "confrontation" is along the lines of pulling up next to them and asking in a controled tone of voice, "Was there something you wanted to say to me", eg. in the case they yelled something unintelligible or "You beeped me?" in the case I have no idea why they beeped. My commute is nice in that there are plenty of stop lights and long lines of traffic so chances are good I will catch them. Then they are trapped and are forced to give a reason for their behavior. I also try to memorize their license plate as I approach. I think this somewhat humanizes me as a cyclist. Eg. a young woman in one vehicle yelled something as they passed. I distinctly heard the word "sidewalk". I followed them to soccer practice and asked the driver, ie "soccer mom" why they had yelled. The woman was said that I was being very inconsiderate by blocking traffic. I asked her how long she was delayed (in fact this was a 4-lane street, and she had passed me with perhaps 10 sec delay). She seemed flustered and all she could say was that I was being very inconsiderate. I continued with the rules of the road, etc, and that I was perfectly within the law. The last thing she huffed out was, "Well, just go out and obey the law then". I responded, "OK, I will, thank you ma'am."

Roody

I don't understand it, but the more I ride the fewer aggressive drivers I encounter. So it's getting easie to ignore them.

norton

Paralyzed hands help me be non-confrontational.....

becnal

Now, see, you're a much better person than me. I would have gone right out, stolen a gun, came back and put a F"@$#ing bullet between her eyes. But maybe I have anger management issues.

Noif666

Generally I ignore the cages (and in some cases pedestrians that yell nasty comments) and their superiority issues. Occassionally I'll give them the birdy but that's only if they come cm's from my handlebars.
One warm, sunny afternoon riding home I was squirted by a mega-water gun from a passenger in a car. I caught up to the culprits at a Service station down the road and asked them why they did it, after some flustered ahh, errmm's they replied "it's a hot day, we thought you'd need a cool down". So I asked them to squirt me again, and boy did they look shocked! They did as I asked and bolted. I saw them again about 5 minutes down the road and smiled and waved and they did the same back. I guess my point is I could've got peeved at them but then the situation could have gotten worse, and besides, it WAS kinda funny watching them struggle for a response.

norton

66]Generally I ignore the cages (and in some cases pedestrians that yell nasty comments) and their superiority issues. Occassionally I'll give them the birdy but that's only if they come cm's from my handlebars.
One warm, sunny afternoon riding home I was squirted by a mega-water gun from a passenger in a car. I caught up to the culprits at a Service station down the road and asked them why they did it, after some flustered ahh, errmm's they replied "it's a hot day, we thought you'd need a cool down". So I asked them to squirt me again, and boy did they look shocked! They did as I asked and bolted. I saw them again about 5 minutes down the road and smiled and waved and they did the same back. I guess my point is I could've got peeved at them but then the situation could have gotten worse, and besides, it WAS kinda funny watching them struggle for a response. [/QUOTE]


.....You've got the touch!.....

Frank B

I don't ignore them at all... They are generally the first thing on my mind at that time. However I rarely ever confront them if at all. The "I'm hauling 2 tons of weight fast then you and can easily crush you if I wish" argument does play in my mind a lot if I ever want to get aggressive.... but I was tailgated once on my mountain bike while I was around 30mph(about top speed for that crank set) and got the hell out of his way ASAP. I wanted to live.

The fun one I have had though was near a college around where I bike the back routes(different bike)... A college woman cut me off and almost forced me off the side of the road into the raised shoulder. Not because I wan't going the speed of traffic, which I was, but becase I was a bike and bikes of course are slow.

100 feet from where she cut me off the was a bike lane...

200 feet later I whizzed by her and remained so, even once the speed limit changed to 45, for about half a mile or so. Afterwards... I was too tired and winded to be mad anymore.

my58vw

I have learn that ignoring them is trouble... got me hit by a vehicle.

I always acknowledge them and then keep and going. Not worth getting hit and sent to the hospital over a few seconds...

Machka 

You've forgotten an option:

"None of the above"

I don't ignore them or confront them. I take a completely different tactic which I've found to be VERY effective ...


... are you ready for this ...

... I wave happily at them, with a huge smile on my face, as though their aggression (usually in the form of honking loudly) is their way of showing support and encouragement to me, a cyclist.

I have had two reactions to my happy wave and smile:

1. The driver tries some other form of aggression (usually the finger), which just prompts more happy waving and smiling from me. Then the driver, now purple in the face, his day ruined because he was not able to deter my enjoyment of cycling, drives off.

2. The driver waves back - usually slowly and hesitantly - as though it just dawned on him that perhaps I belong out there and am enjoying myself. I LOVE that reaction.

Juha

I have also used the "blow a kiss" -gesture a couple of times with great success. Works even better if you're wearing tight bike shorts.

--J

norton

Ride on!.....Baby!!.......

billh

Well, I was having a good day.

billh

I've used "blow a kiss" gesture followed by the "slap my spandex covered butt" gesture . . .