So this is my good morning rant:

Im not feeling to hot today but I still decided to ride to work and take in the morning sun- I have to go about 3.5 miles which isn't to bad at all the only problem is I have quite a few hills and congested traffic but all in all I get to work in about 15 flat- so this morning I was at the top of my last hill before I take my dip into the steep windy road to work, when this guy behind me honks (I am at a 4-way stop) I unsluggishly take my turn and he honks again- at this point I knew he couldn't be honking at me I hadn't done anything wrong- but just incase he was I decided to take the middle of the road and not let him pass me before the hill (I usually do this to cars to be nice, eventhough we end up going the same speed it makes them feel better that they passed me up--- go figure) anyways- he decides to honk again and agressively passes me on a 2 lane hill with blind oncomming traffic- so I gave him the bird (a few times). The best part is, is that I was right behind him at the bottom of the hill-

I just don't get it, why do people have to be so agro and horn happy, I mean I am sorry you're late, but dude you hit me and we will both be really late! I need to get myself a loud ass horn-

Honking at a cyclist is stupid. It's like when you're driving in the right lane and instead of passing, someone tailgates you when there's a clear lane to the left.

I'd like to look inside the brains of some of these people...no, wait, nevermind--I'd rather not!

;)

don't move to new york, then! we get honked at all the time.

the worst case was a few night ago in the rain. it didn't happen to me, but i saw this lady laying on the horn because she got stuck behind a bicycle food delivery guy. there was a red light only 50 feet away so she had to stop anyway. what the hell is the point? i'm tired of all this harrasment. :mad:

Here's what happened to me yesterday. I'm on a major street, five lanes in each direction. The rightmost lane is turn only, so I'm in the second lane, stopped at a red light. A cab comes up behind, chooses to get in line behind me, and then lays on the horn while the light is still red. Twice. He could see me from a quarter mile away, had four lanes to choose from, and still acts annoyed. It makes no sense.

For some reason, cars honking at me when I'm on my bike really pushes my buttons. One thing that helps me calm down is to pay more attention to it when I'm driving. I've realized that people honk all the time, but in your car it's a lot easier just to ignore it. I actually get honked at less when I'm cycling than when I'm driving, I just notice it more.

For some reason, cars honking at me when I'm on my bike really pushes my buttons. \

me too. it just instantly makes me furious. i try my best to ignore, but it's hard to keep level headed and pretend it doesn't bother me. to me, dealing with that is by far the hardest part of cycling. everything else, including leg burning climbs, is easy.

I'm convinced it's a psychological deficiency in some people -- they need something to irritate or enrage them so that they can act infantile about it.

In fact, about two weeks ago, I encountered yet another such person. I was riding up a modest grade in the right-most lane of two lanes available because there is a short section that is too narrow for both bike and car. Just after this, the bike lane resumes. EVERY SINGLE DAY, every car that passes me during this section, I overtake at the next two intersections because the traffic backs up tremendously at this point.

This particular morning, like every other morning, I anticipate the section by checking rearward, then merging from the bike lane, into the adjacent lane. No traffic to the rear, and sure enough, a build up after the short hill already visible in the distance. After about 40 seconds, I hear a horn blast, then a slew of obscenities -- some woman is furiously shouting at me through her car window from the next lane over as she passes. Unbelievable, because she is the only auto, so she didn't even have to compete for the space in the next lane over and I don't even think I was ever in her path to begin with -- what's her problem? Oh well, another raging lunatic on the road is hardly a surprise.

Anyway, I take note of her car and license number; I'll see her again, guaranteed! Then, as I approached the long line of waiting autos, I sought hers out and made sure to wave and shout, "Hi!" You KNOW that pissed her off beyond words!

Then, as I proceeded, I kept an eye out for her just in case she continued on in my same direction. Sure enough, about 5 minutes later, she passes by me -- silently this time. I made sure to wave again for good measure (you know she checked the rear-view). Good times for sure :)

Last week I was heading down a fairly steep and long hill with many stop signs. A BMW full of teenagers pulled up behind me and honked. Anyways, I was slightly annoyed and gave them the finger. Then a not so brilliant thought occured "I'm going to chase them". I ended up going the same speed limit as the car when they ran a stop sign to avoid me.
Two morals to this story: don't anger a cyclist on a steep downhill. They can catch up to you.
And: don't chase cars. It's utterly moronic and the cager could have caused an accident running the stop sign.

Stop and ask him why he honked. Explain that you appreciate his concern, but you knew he was there even before he honked. Try to get him arguing at length so he will be late for work. He'll get fired and he won't be able to keep up his car payments. Then you can honk at him and laugh when you drop him on his walmart mountain bike.

Here's a flip-flop:

I was first in line at the light. Motorist behind me honks twice, fairly loudly. After a moment of puzzling, I looked straight back at them with an irritated look.

:mad:

After the light changed, the motorist honked at me again and pulled alongside with her window rolled down.

"Hi, Pete!"

Oops, it was a neighbor!

:eek:

Overall, it's rare for me to get honked at. But if I do, I give a friendly wave or else ignore it. If it's someone who knows me and/or is trying to be courteous by alerting me, no harm done. But if it's a motor-vehicle supremacist, then it will surely irritate them that their horn is impotent as a weapon of alarm and fear.

Here's a flip-flop:

I was first in line at the light. Motorist behind me honks twice, fairly loudly. After a moment of puzzling, I looked straight back at them with an irritated look.

:mad:

After the light changed, the motorist honked at me again and pulled alongside with her window rolled down.

"Hi, Pete!"

Oops, it was a neighbor!

:eek:

At least you didn't flip them off. ;)

That's always my worry, that someone is going to honk at me on a bad day (one of those days where the finger flies before I can reel in the impulse), and it's gonna turn out to be a neighbor or coworker or something.

Occasionally I'll meet someone who will say something to the effect of "I've seen you around town on your bike.", and my response is usually something along the lines of, "Oh? I wasn't flipping you off was I?" ;)

So far no one has said yes.

-Trevor

For some reason, cars honking at me when I'm on my bike really pushes my buttons.

Me too... especially when there are other open lanes... I mean jeeze does it take a rocket scientist to figure out to use the other lane.

I had a woman go so far as to yell at me one day... I was in the lane, while to the right of me were nothing but parked cars... where the heck am I supposed to go... the thing that really torqued me of was that some other guy in the other lane joined her... what's up with that???

Jeeze, just move over and get on with life.

Stop and ask him why he honked. Explain that you appreciate his concern, but you knew he was there even before he honked. Try to get him arguing at length so he will be late for work.

Have done this and have heard the strangest arguments for why bikes do not belong on the roadway... and total denials for the laws that permit bikes on the road. I mean folks just make up the "laws" on the spot. For this crowd, I carry a business card sized copy of the California laws... present it right to them.

I am thinking of carrying a copy of the driver's handbook, just to see the reactions...
"Uh, bikes are not allowed on the road... "

"Well right here in the handbook it says that we are and this is how we should make that last turn... "

"Uh, well bikes are not what this section of the handbook calls for... this is uh, special..."

"Oh so this section on bicycles doesn't apply to me?"

"Uh, no... it doesn't actually apply to cars..."

Riiiiight!

I actually had a confontation with a driver the other day that ended in me asking exactly how I should make a left turn: "Well, that's your problem... "

Sigh....

I just want to mention that people are doing the same thing against other vehicles. I was driving home after my classes. The road I was in goes along a campus with students crossing a street quite frequently. This idiot started to drive meer inches from my rear bumper! I tapped the breaks lightly (just enough to light the break lights). Dumbass didn't get it. He passed me on a double yellow line, with a stop sign less then 50 feet ahead on three way intersection. I don't want to think what would have happened if some car was making a right turn, or a student was crossing a street. Ofcourse there were no cops when this happened. :(

The good thing is that if they honk... they see you! I had one recently. I have started to ignore them. You could get an Air Zound bike horn. I have a used one 4 $ale if your interested just PM me.

Keep Cycling,

Should hear the 'horning' here. It's horrible and constant. SOme times I think people use them purely for the 'look at me I'm making noise' factor. Lots of noise here.

Most of the honks that seem initially directed at me are in fact the guy in the next lane over honking at the car that's trying to squeeze past me and wandering into 'his' lane.

Have done this and have heard the strangest arguments for why bikes do not belong on the roadway... and total denials for the laws that permit bikes on the road. I mean folks just make up the "laws" on the spot. For this crowd, I carry a business card sized copy of the California laws... present it right to them.

I am thinking of carrying a copy of the driver's handbook, just to see the reactions...
"Uh, bikes are not allowed on the road... "

"Well right here in the handbook it says that we are and this is how we should make that last turn... "

"Uh, well bikes are not what this section of the handbook calls for... this is uh, special..."

"Oh so this section on bicycles doesn't apply to me?"

"Uh, no... it doesn't actually apply to cars..."

Riiiiight!

I actually had a confontation with a driver the other day that ended in me asking exactly how I should make a left turn: "Well, that's your problem... "

Sigh....I figure that if they've gone their whole lives without learning that bikes can use roads, they're just too damn stupid to argue with.

In the 80's we called it "getting horned" when a motorist would buzz past and lay on the horn for no apparent reason. A wide road, light traffic, plenty of room to pass safely, but no. They must drive by and lay on that horn. If the person doing the "horning" is a young male, and he is accompanied by his beer buddies, the horn will go hand-in-hand with the all-american middle finger salute.

My only guess is that they some feeling of power from it. This horn thing used to be done mostly by males, but females are right up there now. Oh, I know! They saw it on that show, "The O.C."!

A cab comes up behind....

Yar. Only thing worse than the cell phone yapping SUV drivers is the cabbies around here. :mad:

The worst honking I've gotten was combined with a "get off the road!" yell when the woman passed. On Beach Drive! Hello,there's signs that say to watch for bicycles. :rolleyes: Plus,if you're in such a big hurry,then don't pick the twisty,winding 25mph road to try to make time on.

man, though I don't ride in the city regularly from what I heard Beach Drive is the most "bicycle-oriented" road in DC

it's even closed to motor vehicle traffic on weekends

hopefully that lady was from out of town, I dont see how anyone who knows DC well enough could not expect bikers on that road

don't move to new york, then! we get honked at all the time.


in fairness, a little less than half the times I get honked at, it seems to me it's just a warning as they pass. while the horns in NYC are pretty annoying, not all of them are intended maliciously, I think.

I used to drive an old beater that would vibrate out of control over 55 mph so I put a sign in the back window that read "Can't go faster please go around." My freeway experience went from all the same hassles you all described to people actually changing lanes calmly and giving me the thumbs up as they passed.

in fairness, a little less than half the times I get honked at, it seems to me it's just a warning as they pass. while the horns in NYC are pretty annoying, not all of them are intended maliciously, I think.

I think so too. It depends on the type of honking. If someone gives me a quick "honk honk" and passes, I'm grateful for them giving me the heads up. But if it's "hhhhhhoooooonnnnnnnnnnkkkkkkkkk" then I know they're being malicious.