JohnnyCyclist

We've all had encounters with ******* drivers, but I was surprised by what a pedestrian said to me last weekend.

There are no sidewalks on the rural roads I ride. Whenever I see a pedestrian ahead, I take the lane (or adjust otherwise according to traffic). Last weekend, the sides of the roads were snow covered in places, so I was being especially "nice", moving all the way to the left side of the lane, making it clear to the pedestrian that I saw them and they didn't have to step into the snow for me.

So, I'm coming up on a pedestrian. There is a car coming up behind me as well, but it's still quite a ways back, and the road is going downhill so I'm doing about 25mph in a 35mph zone - the car isn't going to catch up to me until I'm well past the pedestrian. The pedestrian happens to be walking in the snow, but whatever, that's their decision. I swing left anyway to give them room. As I approach/pass, the pedestrian shouts 'hey *******, there's a car behind you, get on the other side of the road!'. Proof that the car was far behind: I heard no engine, I heard the pedestrian clearly, and the car didn't catch up/pass me until about 100 yards beyond the pedestrian.

I can't count the number of nods, waves, etc. I've gotten from pedestrians. Oh well, I guess this proves there's one in every bunch...

spivonious

The proper response in that situation is "You're welcome!".

genec

Actually "You're welcome*******!" (of course using the same term they used.... on the assumption that it must be a local colloquialism.)

randomgear

Remember, a pedestrian is only a person who has left their car, they are bound to be a little cranky.

Dave Cutter

Obviously.... with this being the holiday season... the pedestrian merely mistook you to be a family member.

ModeratedUser150120149

Play like you are in Hawaii and in a very nice social voice say: "Thanks Cousin".

noglider 

He didn't know how fast you were going.

He may have thought cyclists are supposed to ride on the wrong side.

Chris516

Telling them 'Danka'(German) or 'Merci(French) is the response I would choose. But that is me. Because I don't want to engage them. I usually just keep going.

spare_wheel

Sorry but this post smacks of car head to me. Peds in the USA are treated like animals. We run them over and leave them to die. Human road kill.

Lone

he just got off the Internet on his phone anonymously telling someone off, and got carried away.

ModeratedUser150120149

Have to confess this thread and some similar ones mystify me. Should there be any question that we should be nice to one another? Especially on a bike shouldn't we be not only courteous but nice to one another? Yet, so many seem to be incapable of thinking in anything but warlike animosity terms with others.

You don't have to like them, or agree with them, but being nice not only is good PR, it completely disarms their animosity.

noglider 

You sound as if you've read the subject but not the content. I agree that title makes it sound bad, but I don't think anyone here is looking down on pedestrians in general.

kickstart

We're all pedestrians by default, its just good manners to be nice to everyone, giving them the benefit of doubt unless their behavior demands otherwise.

Then there's "those pedestrians", the feral youth who intentionally disrupt road users, street people who have no respect for themselves or others, and those who exist in their own distracted self important world.

I feel no obligation to be nice to those who choose to thrust their misery on to me.

Chris516

If not misery, plain bad decision-making.

I almost hit a jaywalker yesterday causing me to have to slam on my brakes. If there was no traffic light w/ a crosswalk, or just a crosswalk nearby, I would be more understanding. Because, They wouldn't have a choice. But they had a choice. Because there was a traffic light nearby w/ a crosswalk.

CliffordK

Some kids are taught to ride facing traffic... or heaven forbid, cross the road back and forth when cars come. Perhaps that is what the pedestrian intended.

Road bikes heading down the road at 25+ MPH should be riding in the same direction of the traffic. The pedestrian would have been WRONG.

spare_wheel

I have no real problem with feral pedestrians. Feral cagers on the other hand...

kickstart

They're probably "feral cagers" in the making that just don't have a licence yet. The joys of commuting past low income housing.

ModeratedUser150120149

Yes, I did read the literal content. I also correctly interpreted the tone from that content. That interpretation was reinforced by the language in following posts.

daihard 

Agreed mostly. I do try to be nice to those who aren't nice to me. It makes me feel good about myself.

Fargo Wolf

There's one in every lot. Unfortunately. I haven't had that happen to me for a few years.

kickstart

I too prefer turning the other cheek, have a fairly thick skin, and actively minimize my impact on others whenever possible to avoid conflict, but on those rare occasions when someone chooses to engage me physically or verbally, being a blue collar working guy, I'll give as good as I receive.
I'm not a tough guy, and I understand its a fault in my character, but it really bothers me when someone menaces another from a position of safety.

spare_wheel

And a pedestrian is the vulnerable party in any encounter with a motorist or cyclist. This is why I passionately believe pedestrians should always have the right of way...and I mean always.

Number400

I agree with that 100%.

Riding on a large and mostly deserted and traffic free school campus. I was climbing a curving hill and was looking down and I heard someone yell out. I looked up and there was a walker up ahead on the left side of road next to the fog line. I moved left and gave her plenty of room and smiled and said hello. She looked angry and I admit that I had not yet seen her but I still had about 20 feet and was not moving very quickly.


I hate to say it but my first thought was why is she not on the wide and wonderful path right next to the road? Then I chastised myself and said that she can walk where she pleases and that I often run in the road exactly where she was walking. I am sure that many a car driver has passed me while cycling on the road and thought the same thing. What sucks is that many have their own agenda and no-one wants to be impeded, even a walker. When I am on foot or bicycle, I am the first to alter my path in the name of safety.

In my car or on my bike, I try to be very cautious and sensitive to pedestrians. I was not always this way but was shone the light.

HBxRider

Ignore it and move on.

spare_wheel

Speak for yourself! About half my trips are by foot and far less than 1% of my trips are by car.