You hardly need to leave the BF to find the same descriptions. The Auto Week forum might help you put some perspective on those cyclists' dreams that their "kit" gets them some sort of privleges or respect from motorists.


Quite true... however... the motorist DID see the "clowns in the muticolored suits," so whether they got "privledges" or not, the eye catching bit alone is an advantage.

I don't know about you, but anything I can do to catch drivers' attention while they zip past me at 45MPH + is good in my book... from wearing mulitcolored jerseys to lime green ugly vests to bright dayglow orange T shirts to clown suits... whatever it takes.

my kryptonite is not only security for the bike but personal security. i consider any idiot who steps out of his car at me to be fair game for a whacking. i have a climber's build, like jose rujano but smaller, and it's not likely any court will find me guilty of assault given the big fat apes that live around here.

Today's ride was fairly good, only one person really f***** with me.

Two lane street, intersection where I have right of way, intersecting traffic has a stop. Traffic is medium. As I approach the intersection, the car in front of me signals left, I move to the right to go around him.

There is a car to the right of me, stopped at the stop sign. He looks right at me, then just pulls right out in front of me, making me brake fairly hard and making me go around him. He just sits there, in the middle of traffic, because he can't get through the intersection because of traffic coming in the opposite direction as me.

So, typical cager behavior, he cuts me off because I'm smaller than he is, but he yields the right of way to other cars because they can hurt him. Coward.

Today's ride was fairly good, only one person really f***** with me.

Two lane street, intersection where I have right of way, intersecting traffic has a stop. Traffic is medium. As I approach the intersection, the car in front of me signals left, I move to the right to go around him.

There is a car to the right of me, stopped at the stop sign. He looks right at me, then just pulls right out in front of me, making me brake fairly hard and making me go around him. He just sits there, in the middle of traffic, because he can't get through the intersection because of traffic coming in the opposite direction as me.

So, typical cager behavior, he cuts me off because I'm smaller than he is, but he yields the right of way to other cars because they can hurt him. Coward.
Just because he looked right at you, doesn't mean he saw you and decided to cut in front of you. I wouldn't assume that's what happened, unless you have some other supporting evidence that that's what happened.

Since you were to the right of a left turner, it sounds like you were riding in space that is normally not occupied by through traffic. His brain could have easily been choosing to ignore that space, especially when it is not occupied by something that is threatening to him.

From what you describe, I find his behavior to be normal, acceptable and not even noteworthy, except as an example about why we need to be extra vigilant and careful when we unexpectedly go straight across an intersection from the right side (rather than from a more centerish lane position). Remember: trust, but verify. This is true even when driving a car, but especially true when on motorcycle or bicycle because of our additional visibility handicap.

Just rode home. On a 5 lane road gotta 'get off the road' from some teenagers and 200yrds later a screeching "Get off the f-ing street you btch." from a disgustingly overweight passenger in a car that passed me in adjacent lane at about 45mph in a 40mph zone when I was going 29mph with a fanstastic tailwind. Confrontation? No. Just ugly human behavior. Happens all the time, I'm not complaining here.

Al

Just because he looked right at you, doesn't mean he saw you and decided to cut in front of you. I wouldn't assume that's what happened, unless you have some other supporting evidence that that's what happened.

Since you were to the right of a left turner, it sounds like you were riding in space that is normally not occupied by through traffic. His brain could have easily been choosing to ignore that space, especially when it is not occupied by something that is threatening to him.

From what you describe, I find his behavior to be normal, acceptable and not even noteworthy, except as an example about why we need to be extra vigilant and careful when we unexpectedly go straight across an intersection from the right side (rather than from a more centerish lane position). Remember: trust, but verify. This is true even when driving a car, but especially true when on motorcycle or bicycle because of our additional visibility handicap.

Helmet Head-I can't help but notice that you invariably take the side of the driver and argue that the cyclist in a driver/cyclist interaction was in the wrong. You assume facts which may or may not be true and then come up on the side of the driver. Look over some of your recent posts and you will see what I mean.

In my situation, the driver turned his head and made eye contact with me, that in and of itself shows that he saw me. In addition, when I was braking to avoid him, I yelled very loudly that he had cut me off, from a distance of less than ten feet. Normally, when someone doesn't see me and I yell, they invariably startle. He did not startle, he just ignored me because he had seen me and didn't care.

Have you ever seen Monty Python's Argument Clinic. Well you could play John Cleese's part. It's really easy, just automatically and unthinkingly contradict what the other person says.

Well you could play John Cleese's part.
No I couldn't.

No I couldn't.

;)

I had two scares today, both with drivers giving poor signals. One woman scared the crap out of me by zooming towards a driveway I in the middle of as a pedestrian, and at the last second veering to pull over to the side of the road and pick someone up. Another guy talking on a cell phone while zooming through an intersection, cancelled his left turn signal at the last second to cross in front of my path in a crosswalk.

Is it just me, or do cagers drive more recklessly in bad weather? I swear they are so eager to get out of the elements (which they already are, ironically), that they take even more risks with your life than they do when the weather is fair.


On another note, please stop calling them cagers. It doesn't help the cyclist/motorist relationship, and I'm sure many of you are also motorists.

Dee-

Cars are funny expensive metal boxes that motorists use to isolate themselves as completely as possible from interaction with the outside world. Referring to people who choose to drive around in big metal cages as "cagers" is a statement of fact, and nobody should logically take offense to the term. Even though people's initial reaction will probably be to take offense, the term will still enter their consciousness, and if they hear it enough times it will start to affect how they think.

P.S. Many car drivers think people who ride bikes are completely ridiculous. What negative terms do they use for bikers? I can't think of anything to say about cyclists that is both damning and completely true. Maybe clowns because most of us wear garish clothing and clowns also ride bikes sometimes? In Spain they actually legislated that cyclists ~have to dress like clowns. My understanding is that no matter how bright your head and tail lights are, you're not riding legally in Spain unless you're wearing reflective clothing. I think that law should applied to cagers as well :)

Officer: Do you know why I pulled you over?
Cager: Because I was doing 50 in a bike lane in a school zone?
Officer: Actually I pulled you over because your shirt isn't hot pink or green. Please exit your weapon and put your hands behind your back. You have a right to remain silent...

Referring to people who choose to drive around in big metal cages as "cagers" is a statement of fact, and nobody should logically take offense to the term. Even though people's initial reaction will probably be to take offense, the term will still enter their consciousness, and if they hear it enough times it will start to affect how they think.
Yeah sure. Makes perfect sense. I'll remember that. Let's see, using the K-word when talking to or describing Jewish people, or the N-word when talking to or describing people with various shades of black skin, and the S-word when talking to or describing Hispanic people WILL make them think.

But not pleasant thoughts about the jack donkey who is so dang ignorant to ignore the negative intent of derogatory language.

Over a beer one day at the local Legion a member told me we shouldn't be allowed on the road. He said bikes are toys. He shouldn't have to be slowed down by a cyclist. He pays road taxes and insurance and blah blah blah blah.

I asked him how many cars does he own? "Two." I informed him that the wife and I (we're tandem riders) own 2 cars a piece, plus one motorcycle and one motor home (that costs more to license than a car or pickup) they are all licensed and insured and blah blah blah. In effect we pay far more in these fixed costs he is suffering horribly to pay. "So friend, by your argument (not mine) maybe you are obliged to slow down out of deference to our superior road support costs blah blah blah."

The look on his face was priceless.

People who want to rant and tell me to get off the road or some other silly thing are amazing. They might as well roll down their window and shout at cows to get out of the pasture.

Over a beer one day at the local Legion a member told me...
Over a lot of beers the talk (of all kinds) gets priceless; as in worthless. Who in their right mind takes seriously the rants of drunks or people who yell "advice" from car windows at strangers? Or the rants of "advocates" who preface their comments with stereotyped derisive terminology sure to cause offense?

Yeah sure. Makes perfect sense. I'll remember that. Let's see, using the K-word when talking to or describing Jewish people, or the N-word when talking to or describing people with various shades of black skin, and the S-word when talking to or describing Hispanic people WILL make them think.

But not pleasant thoughts about the jack donkey who is so dang ignorant to ignore the negative intent of derogatory language.

This is NOT a race issue. Driving a car is a decision motorists make multiple times every day that (for the most part) negatively impacts everyone's lives.

Please enlighten me. Why does socially stygmatizing destructive habbits constitute negative intent? What's a "jack donkey"?

This is NOT a race issue. Driving a car is a decision motorists make multiple times every day that (for the most part) negatively impacts everyone's lives.

Please enlighten me. Why does socially stygmatizing destructive habbits constitute negative intent? What's a "jack donkey"?
Someone from a minuscule fringe group who insists on deliberatly insulting everyone else, even while he would like to influence their behavior. Also someone too obtuse to recognize the effect of deliberatly insulting the majority group with derogatory stereotyped insults.

Over a lot of beers the talk (of all kinds) gets priceless; as in worthless. Who in their right mind takes seriously the rants of drunks...

Where in my post did it say anything about drunks or beers (plural)? You're not a moralistic meddler are you?

Where in my post did it say anything about drunks or beers (plural)? You're not a moralistic meddler are you?
Not me. Let's rephrase, "who takes seriously ANY barroom conversation?"

Not me. Let's rephrase, "who takes seriously ANY barroom conversation?"

:D I do if the conversation is between two or more sober people. A bar is just another place of socializing.

Late one evening I had just hooked up my lights and started riding when a motorist pulled along side of me at a stop and said, "Your bicycle is smoking." I looked down and so it was. I had plugged in on of the lights in reverse, shorting out the battery. I thanked him as I padded my hand and jerked the wires loose. The motorist had saved me from a potentially serious accident. They are not all bad.

Late one evening I had just hooked up my lights and started riding when a motorist pulled along side of me at a stop and said, "Your bicycle is smoking." I looked down and so it was. I had plugged in on of the lights in reverse, shorting out the battery. I thanked him as I padded my hand and jerked the wires loose. The motorist had saved me from a potentially serious accident. They are not all bad.

Agreed, there are many courteous, helpful car drivers out there. On today's ride, a guy actually gave me the thumbs up along the same route and almost at the same place that the lady that honked at me did, leading me to start this post.

Not me. Let's rephrase, "who takes seriously ANY barroom conversation?"


Depends on who and how many drinks were imbibed.

I've learned quite a few good things about the thermal properties of various waterblock designs and their effects on the thermal delta of a P4 Prescott with the IHS removed from one of these barroom conversations.

I'm not joking either. Just because of the locale, doesn't mean you should rule out everything there as crap. After all, the sanitarium isn't ran by the insane.

Someone from a minuscule fringe group who insists on deliberatly insulting everyone else, even while he would like to influence their behavior. Also someone too obtuse to recognize the effect of deliberatly insulting the majority group with derogatory stereotyped insults.

Hello "I-Like-To-Bike"

This is a thread for people to vent frustration about how cagers take risks with the lives of (and frequently verbally attack) cyclists on a daily basis, so I would be surprised if car adverse cyclists are really a miniscule fringe group in this thread.

As I already stated, the term "cager", at least when I use it, is not meant to be insulting, although for someone for whom car usage is a significant part of their personal identity, I can see how it might be, at least initially. It is meant to give negative connotations to a _behavior_ that is probably the most likely thing to kill me (or my family, or my friends, or complete strangers whom I still care about because I'm human) on a daily basis.

Thanks,
Drew Wagner

The term cager is quite descriptive. You can check out:

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/vehicles/safety-features/crush-zones.html

"The occupant compartment is a robust safety cage that diverts and dissipates crash energy and preserves the occupants' 'survival space' as much as possible."

A cager simply sits in a safety cage. You're not. You have no need to make them read into it any more than that.

Truckers refer to cagers as four wheelers. Just descriptive. The context in which truckers use the term "four wheeler" and the disgust they use it with may imply something more, but that's between them.

In the military the boys use the term "civilian". Purely descriptive. Once again, how they use the term, jokes etc., is their own issue and is between them.

The term "cager" is between us ;). I'm sorry some don't agree we're elite just like truckers feel they're elite and the army boys think they're superior. It's just how it is; embrace your eliteness.

Hello "I-Like-To-Bike"

This is a thread for people to vent frustration about how cagers take risks with the lives of (and frequently verbally attack) cyclists on a daily basis, so I would be surprised if car adverse cyclists are really a miniscule fringe group in this thread.

As I already stated, the term "cager", at least when I use it, is not meant to be insulting, although for someone for whom car usage is a significant part of their personal identity, I can see how it might be, at least initially. It is meant to give negative connotations to a _behavior_ that is probably the most likely thing to kill me (or my family, or my friends, or complete strangers whom I still care about because I'm human) on a daily basis.

Thanks,
Drew Wagner
Hello Drew,

Your response indicates you are sincere in not intending to deliberatly insult people however I'd suggest you consider the following hypothetical (but quite credible)scenario:

A BF poster finds that he continually has cycling problems with drivers who can be identified as members of a minority group; he chooses to post a new thread titled "Your daily confrontation with N-ers". Lots of other posters apparantly also have similar confrontations (for whatever reasons which could include the neighborhoods they cycle in). All the posters feel free to use the "N-word" since after all this is a thread meant for discussing issues and why should ANYONE get the idea that the use of the "N-word" would offend anyone since only people who aren't "N's" are doing the posting?

The term "cager" is used freely by some (most?) posters on BF in a similar fashion to specifically belittle and mock those who don't share the same profile as those who use the term. The use of belittling terminology with prejudicial connotations is counterproductive for bicycling advocacy though it may be useful/fun in barroom discussions with your pals.

Hello Drew,

Your response indicates you are sincere in not intending to deliberatly insult people however I'd suggest you consider the following hypothetical (but quite credible)scenario:

A BF poster finds that he continually has cycling problems with drivers who can be identified as members of a minority group; he chooses to post a new thread titled "Your daily confrontation with N-ers".



This is NOT a race issue. Blanket statements about people based on skin color, nationality, etc. are demonstrably false, and their negative impact on society is obvious.

ALL people who choose to drive cars do measurable dammage to themselves and everyone around them by doing so. This IS a sterotype, and it is perfectly justified.

Thanks,
Drew

This is NOT a race issue. Blanket statements about people based on skin color, nationality, etc. are demonstrably false, and their negative impact on society is obvious.

ALL people who choose to drive cars do measurable dammage to themselves and everyone around them by doing so. This IS a sterotype, and it is perfectly justified.

Thanks,
Drew
Your avatar statement describes your obtuse excuses for justifying your justified stereotypes vis-à-vis others unjustified stereotypes.

When I seriously think of the interchanges I have had over the years with "motorists", I can honestly attest to the vast majority of them as giving me room, and nothing more or less.

The confrontational interfaces are far fewer, but far more lingering in my mind. The plumber who cuts me off on a four lane (no traffic) commute. Or the city bus that inconsiderately right-hooks me with a zeal that really causes my blood to boil.

Yet, there is another interaction that is far more desired, happens about as often as confrontational interchanges, but unfortunately is practically forgotten. These are the instances when a motorist will roll down a window and ask about my bike, or my route. One that passes me with room, lightly toots their horn and gives the thumbs-up as they pass. The motorist who is stopped at the same red light that I am and engages in positive conversation over how nice it is that I can take advantage of the weather, or the number of times we have shared the road together every day and evening, and how they have finally been able to say "Hey!"

So, I guess, when I commuted, there were far more instances of non-confrontation as a whole. Goes to show... "One bad apple...."

Yeah sure. Makes perfect sense. I'll remember that. Let's see, using the K-word when talking to or describing Jewish people, or the N-word when talking to or describing people with various shades of black skin, and the S-word when talking to or describing Hispanic people WILL make them think.

But not pleasant thoughts about the jack donkey who is so dang ignorant to ignore the negative intent of derogatory language.


Bad analogy.

Word origins may have formed as a way to separate things, so yes in that way they are alike...but cagers can be of any race, creed, culture, sex, etc. To me a Cager is a Driver that has forgotten how to be safe...thus they are relying on their "cage" to save their butts, rather than themselves. Traction control, Limited Slip Differentials, all wheel drive.....they don't matter if the driver isn't able to utilize them properly in an emergency.

Hello Drew,

Your response indicates you are sincere in not intending to deliberatly insult people however I'd suggest you consider the following hypothetical (but quite credible)scenario:

A BF poster finds that he continually has cycling problems with drivers who can be identified as members of a minority group; he chooses to post a new thread titled "Your daily confrontation with N-ers". Lots of other posters apparantly also have similar confrontations (for whatever reasons which could include the neighborhoods they cycle in). All the posters feel free to use the "N-word" since after all this is a thread meant for discussing issues and why should ANYONE get the idea that the use of the "N-word" would offend anyone since only people who aren't "N's" are doing the posting?

The term "cager" is used freely by some (most?) posters on BF in a similar fashion to specifically belittle and mock those who don't share the same profile as those who use the term. The use of belittling terminology with prejudicial connotations is counterproductive for bicycling advocacy though it may be useful/fun in barroom discussions with your pals.

Blacks can use the N word, Hispanics can use the S word, and no one would criticise them for using it. I drive a car also, so I can use the cager word. Just like the N word does not refer to all blacks, cager does not refer to all drivers. Cager is a term for the morons out there that drive in way that threatens and harrasses cyclists.

I was out training yesterday evening. Left the house at 5 PM for a 1.5 hour loop through the reservoir and up some of my favorite steep climbs. I am cruising along Loch Raven Drive (basically a park). There are intermittent parked cars along the side of the road so I am holding a strait line about 4-5' left of the cars. Traffic is very light but there is a car behind me waiting to pass. I get to the last parked car and quickly swerve right to let the car pass. So I am thinking to myself what a great afternoon for a ride when the vehicle - a silver Toyota 4runner - behind the vehicle that just passed pulls along side me and blows the friggin horn! Not behind me..but right friggin next to me!!! Startled the crap out of me! I give the bird when they go by so the ****nut pulls over up ahead! I stop and get out my camera phone. I am too far back to get a good photo so I start to roll up... the driver see me coming and pulls off...then stops..I get closer...then the driver pulls off again..then stops... Finally the driver leaves and takes a right at Morgan Mill - the next road - and pulls in and parks. I stop on the side of the road and have my phone out and the guy sees I am taking his photo so he pulls out and comes back towards me. It's an old guy about 65 and as I am snapping his pic he starts ranting about the fact that I was in the middle of the lane and why wasn't I over to the right and the car behind me could not pass. I just said 'why don't you go home and die you old sack of ****'... and asked him if he wanted to get out of the vehicle and discuss the issue... at which point he took off.

I give the bird when they go by so the ****nut pulls over up ahead! I stop and get out my camera phone...I stop on the side of the road and have my phone out and the guy sees I am taking his photo so he pulls out and comes back towards me. It's an old guy about 65 and as I am snapping his pic he starts ranting about the fact that I was in the middle of the lane and why wasn't I over to the right and the car behind me could not pass. I just said 'why don't you go home and die you old sack of ****'... and asked him if he wanted to get out of the vehicle and discuss the issue... at which point he took off.

Do you feel real proud of yourself?
Be sure to report back to BF and boast when you try your macho BS on someone more likely to take you up on your tough guy challenge. Maybe there is a soccer mom somewhere who will be turned on to such a tough talking stud muffin when given the same sort of hot-headed rash of poop. Just think of the possibilities!

Keep up the good work. And what is it you are training for - how to win friends for bicycling?

I just said 'why don't you go home and die you old sack of ****'....

That was pretty messed up galen_52657. As a matter of fact, fxck you. You were in the wrong, whether you believe it or not. And by disrespecting someone to whom you didn't bother listening just shows what an ass you are.

My dad's 65, and if anyone ever said that to him after what he's been through in his life, I'd be more than happy to end theirs.

Do me a favor and get off your bike. Sell it. And pray that nothing bad...like age...happens to you.

If he parks, you ride away a winner.....a blast O the horn, OH NOT THE HORN!!!!
****.:roflmao:

That was pretty messed up galen_52657. As a matter of fact, fxck you. You were in the wrong, whether you believe it or not. And by disrespecting someone to whom you didn't bother listening just shows what an ass you are.

My dad's 65, and if anyone ever said that to him after what he's been through in his life, I'd be more than happy to end theirs.

Do me a favor and get off your bike. Sell it. And pray that nothing bad...like age...happens to you.


Obviously, you don't know your pie hole for your butthole. The driver harassed me while I was riding in a safe and legal manor. His age really had nothing to do with it, other than that was the first insult I could come up with. I reserve the right to flip the bird to anybody and everybody who harasses me, regardless of the situation.

And if you want to get yourself over here and take it up with me man-to-man, be my guest!

He blasted the horn at you in the park basically.... you need to learn the difference between a cager sounding off and actually being treatening, you were making the situation worse..... with an old guy you could have popped into cardiac arrest just for getting him so excited. Wishing he would die? If he pulled over, ride on Samson.

He blasted the horn at you in the park basically.... you need to learn the difference between a cager sounding off and actually being treatening, you were making the situation worse..... with an old guy you could have popped into cardiac arrest just for getting him so excited. Wishing he would die? If he pulled over, ride on Samson.


Oh, you were there? I you must have been hiding behind a tree. Let's see how you react next time you are riding in a safe, predictable and legal manor and some guy who has been stewing behind you for...maybe 30 seconds rolls up next to you...about 18" away and sounds the horn at you. It's an act of intimidation meant to startle the rider which may cause an accident. If the old guy had had croaked, at least that would be one less moron out on the road. As for stopping, It's far safer to keep a hostile motorist in front of you than behind you. Way harder for them to run you off the road.

I don't screw around with these people. I get their tag number, take a photo and call the cops, which was what I was doing. If they jaw at me, I am going to jaw back at them. If they get out of the car and approach me, I consider that an act of aggression and will defend myself.

And if you want to get yourself over here and take it up with me man-to-man, be my guest!
Whoo-Wee! A real MachoMan Cyclist. Look out, Tough Guy on Wheels!
http://deephousepage.com/smilies/jerkit5.gif

All us wimp cyclists better scurry on to the sidewalk, on the other side of the street when this Hombre comes moseying down the road.:rolleyes:

Motorists: Better be prepared for when this mean MF cuts loose.
http://deephousepage.com/smilies/box.gif

Whoo-Wee! A real MachoMan Cyclist. Look out, Tough Guy on Wheels!



You are jealous because you have nothing to do but sneak up on sheep.

Whoo-Wee! A real MachoMan Cyclist. Look out, Tough Guy on Wheels!
You are jealous because you have nothing to do but sneak up on sheep.

Wow! A training bicylist who is not only Hell on Wheels, but a raconteur with a subtle response for every occasion to "cagers" and bicyclists alike. Do such witty responses to those who throw cold water on your BS fall under bicycling safety or bicycling advocacy?

Wow! A training bicylist who is not only Hell on Wheels, but a raconteur with a subtle response for every occasion to "cagers" and bicyclists alike. Do such witty responses to those who throw cold water on your BS fall under bicycling safety or bicycling advocacy?

Wow! a semi-literate hayseed who's most likely unemployed and sits around all day posting on various special-interest internet boards pretending to be something he's not.

I don't have confrontations with cagers. My experience road cycling has almost always been a pleasant one. My suspicion is that the folks who complain constantly about getting bumped off the road by 'cagers'---by the way a ridiculous, carping, pansy-assed way to refer to drivers of automobiles and trucks---go out looking for trouble and as usual, have no problem finding it.

Hopefully surviival of the fittest will take care of the latter.

roughstuff

Wow! a semi-literate hayseed who's most likely unemployed and sits around all day posting on various special-interest internet boards pretending to be something he's not.
I certainly do not pretend to be a tough guy who don't stand no poop in frequent confrontations with all those evil "cagers". I'll let you make like the bicycling terminator - Spike himself - come to life on a hair trigger, ready to read the riot act to all - at least as long as those "punks" are unlikely to reciprocate/escalate.

What a Donkey! Great advocacy, Jack!

Why not chill out and take some chill pills with green beer? Instead of yapping and howling like such a foolish jerk.

On another note, please stop calling them cagers. It doesn't help the cyclist/motorist relationship, and I'm sure many of you are also motorists.

If it quacks like a duck. I don't mind it at all, because when I drive that's exactly how I feel, CAGED.

CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS CAGERS

I certainly do not pretend to be a tough guy who don't stand no poop in frequent confrontations with all those evil "cagers". I'll let you make like the bicycling terminator - Spike himself - come to life on a hair trigger, ready to read the riot act to all - at least as long as those "punks" are unlikely to reciprocate/escalate.

What a Donkey! Great advocacy, Jack!

Why not chill out and take some chill pills with green beer? Instead of yapping and howling like such a foolish jerk.

If you don't like the premise of the thread, nobody is making you participate! I voiced my story relevant to the thread's title. Most 'cagers' are not 'evil' and the term 'cager' is no more pejorative than the term 'biker' is. But, there are a few aggressive motorists. Like I said before, you don't have much going for you, so you snipe from the sidelines for the sake of sniping.

AND theeeeen......

Okay, it's my time to stop lurking. Had many mild confrontations, but the worst yet was about half an hour ago on my way home from work.
I was on a small (15mph) road spinning 14 (don't like speeding). I had taken the lane - no shoulder. A yellow jeep merges and pulls up behind me, following way too close. The top was off, and the passenger began shouting at me. He explained quite aggressively how he was going to "knock [my] teeth out," while the driver tailgated me. He implored me to "get off the ****ing road." About ten seconds later, I turned off the road to my final stretch home, and as they whizzed by, the passenger stressed that he would "****ing kill [me] next time."

Anyway, I was pretty shaken up. I did my best to ignore them and hold my lane steady (instead of running into the curb or the oncoming lane).
What would you do in this case? What is the proper response? Unclip and hop on the curb to give them room? Put the hammer down and speed away? Ignore? slam on the brake and smash his windshield with a U-Lock?
And what should I have done to prevent this?
I realize now that I should have used my cell phone camera to record their plates immediately, but I was doing my best to stay calm, and I certainly didn't have my head on straight. I expected him to kill me, to be honest.

If you live in the Rochester area, avoid the yellow Jeep (looked like a Wrangler), please! I don't know what kind of tags, but it's the only yellow Jeep I've seen here in the three years I've been around.

Did you bookmark this thread a year and a half ago and finally decide to post now?

Anyways, best thing to do is to try and get the plates and call the police immediately. A yellow jeep wrangler is pretty easy to spot anyways.

I think I'm more confused than annoyed with the title of this thread. I've had two bad occurances with drivers, and thankfully they were both just verbal blasts. If it went higher than that do what stevo9er said.

...
Apparently the problem with stopping a bicycle is the fact that there is so little contact area with the road, assuming narrow tires, and that one contact area easily becomes ineffective (the rear wheel) during a panic stop as the weight of the rider shifts forward and tends to lift the rear wheel.


This is why in a panic stop(really Any stop) you use the front brake Only.
The shifting of weight gives the front increased traction, while the rear will skid possibly letting the bike slip out from under you.
Only time I ever use the rear brake is on gravel and other unstable surfaces...

I get plenty of abuse from cagers when I am driving my own cage, when I slow to 20 MPH for school zones, or drive 30 MPH, the speed limit, where everyone else wants to drive 40-50 MPH.