I think I have now met the dumbest cager.

[N_C]

On my commute home tonight I had a cager is a big ass SUV yell get on the sidewalk as he passed me. He did not pass too close, or buzz me, this was on Hamilton Blvd, 4 lanes, he passed me in the left lane. I sounded my AirZound at him, smiled & waved. This was about 2 blocks from a stop light where I caught up with him, I was in the right turn lane to turn right he was in the lane to go straight. He yelled again that I should be on the side walk, I smiled & waved, this pissed him off, I can not understand why. He yelled again to get on the sidewalk, this time I yelled no, when he yelled again I sounded the AirZound & cupped my hand to my ear like I could not hear what he was saying & had a big **** eatin grin on my face. This enraged him even more, again I don't know why. I was not swearing at him, flipping him the bird or anything like that. At that point the light turned green & I turned & he peeled rubber up the road. I was about 2 blocks from home when I turned. I pull into my driveway, get off the bike I walk up & down the driveway to cool down & stretch. All of a sudden this moron come flying up my street, sees me in my driveway & honks his horn as he flies by my house. I still don't understand what I did to anger this jackass. Was it because I was on the road, he told me to get on the sidewalk & refused? I never even argued the fact cyclists have a right to the roadways. In fact the only word I said to him was no, the one time. I don't get it. So for this this guy gets my vote for the dumbest cager, at least in my community.

[mechBgon]

Next time he tells you to get on the sidewalk, ask him "or else what?" and see what he says to that. Is your camera helmet-mounted, btw? Audio + video?

[N_C]

Next time he tells you to get on the sidewalk, ask him "or else what?" and see what he says to that. Is your camera helmet-mounted, btw? Audio + video?

If it happens again I will. I was using the camera, but it is mounted on my handle bars. I am still trying to figure out a way to make it swivel left & right. I do not use the video, it eats up the memory & the battery power. But if it swiveled I could have at least taken a pic of his red face as he got more & more angry with me for disobeying him. I thought it was funny & had a smile on my face the whole time.

[unkchunk]

It just came to me, next time I hear the "get on the side walk" routine at a stop light I'll do some ASL hand discombobulations and see what reaction I get.

[Slow Train]

The exchange at the light is pretty funny! But the fact that he turned around and stalked you home shows he is disturbed. I'd report the incident to the police and keep a good eye out behind me for awhile. You might want to alter your route for a few days as well.

[Flamingmb]

you should have just explained to him the rules and that you are allowed to be where you were. And if he is still angry, ask him how much his last fill up at the gas station was, then laugh like an evil scientist.

[MrCjolsen]

I think my cager was dumber than your cager.

[N_C]

The exchange at the light is pretty funny! But the fact that he turned around and stalked you home shows he is disturbed. I'd report the incident to the police and keep a good eye out behind me for awhile. You might want to alter your route for a few days as well.

I'm not that worried about it.

[N_C]

you should have just explained to him the rules and that you are allowed to be where you were. And if he is still angry, ask him how much his last fill up at the gas station was, then laugh like an evil scientist.

There wasn't enough time to explain the rules of the road to him at the light.

[ZachS]

next time take his mirror off with your ulock

[N_C]

next time take his mirror off with your ulock

Don't carry one. Even if I did I wouldn't do anything to damage a car because someone yelled at me.

[flipped4bikes]

There wasn't enough time to explain the rules of the road to him at the light.

My experience is that when trying to explain the rules of the road, the road rage just escalates. Doesn't matter whether it's between a cyclist and cager, ped and cager or even between two cagers. The cager who ignored the rules refuses to admit the wrong. It's pathetic the sense of entitlement that people have when they get behind the wheel, and is just out of control...or am I getting old?

[maximusvt]

I never even argued the fact cyclists have a right to the roadways.

I would have, it only takes a second to say "Hell no, It's the law!". I never understood the "playing dumb" or "honk and smile" approach to drivers with road rage. Now he probably thinks that you were smiling with smug satisfaction at breaking (what he thinks) are the rules of the road.

[The Human Car]

If I happen to catch up with someone who yelled at me to ride on the sidewalk I say something like “Excuse me but if you think I am doing something illegal, call the police. If you continue to try and take the law into your own hands I will call the police which may result in jail time and/or drivers license suspension. Do I make myself clear [insert their license plate number]?”

If they want to argue a point I simply offer to call the police in to settle it. That confidence on my part to get the police involved I think is more powerful then any “I have a legal right to the road” argument anyone can make.

-=Barry=-

[genec]

I would have, it only takes a second to say "Hell no, It's the law!". I never understood the "playing dumb" or "honk and smile" approach to drivers with road rage. Now he probably thinks that you were smiling with smug satisfaction at breaking (what he thinks) are the rules of the road.

Sadly so many motorists are driving about with "their" rules in their heads... and there is nothing being done to dispel this crackpot thinking.

I honestly think cycling advocacy needs to get the word out that cyclists have full rights to the road.

Of course the cyclists riding on the sidewalk probably just confirm this guy's crackpot thinking.

Last night as I rode home, I couldn't help but notice that while I was in the street, taking a lane and motorists had to move around me, there were at least 3 other cyclists on the sidewalk. Who do you think the motorists belived was "doing it right?"

[genec]

If I happen to catch up with someone who yelled at me to ride on the sidewalk I say something like “Excuse me but if you think I am doing something illegal, call the police. If you continue to try and take the law into your own hands I will call the police which may result in jail time and/or drivers license suspension. Do I make myself clear [insert their license plate number]?”

If they want to argue a point I simply offer to call the police in to settle it. That confidence on my part to get the police involved I think is more powerful then any “I have a legal right to the road” argument anyone can make.

-=Barry=-

That's good... very good. +10

[Niten]

I like the response I read here recently:

MOTORIST: GET ON THE SIDEWALK, YOU HUMAN-POWERED, TWO-WHEELED MISCREANT!

CYCLIST: (Cups ear.) I beg your pardon?

M: I SAID, GET ON THE SIDEWALK!

C: I'm sorry. Get on the what?

M: SIDEWALK!

C: Sidewhat?

M: WALK...oh. (drives off)

[N_C]

If I happen to catch up with someone who yelled at me to ride on the sidewalk I say something like “Excuse me but if you think I am doing something illegal, call the police. If you continue to try and take the law into your own hands I will call the police which may result in jail time and/or drivers license suspension. Do I make myself clear [insert their license plate number]?”

If they want to argue a point I simply offer to call the police in to settle it. That confidence on my part to get the police involved I think is more powerful then any “I have a legal right to the road” argument anyone can make.

-=Barry=-

I have no problem getting the word out about cycling advocacy & our rights to the road. I do a lot of it. But in this case the way I handled it was a lot more fun, at least for me. It is not very often I can have fun at someone else's expense. This guy brought it upon himself. I did nothing to purposly make him angry. Like I said the only word I said to him was no. The only gesture I did was cup my hand to my ear & sound the horn.

I think to him I was a subordinate, he was in a position of authority & I was defying it. First by riding bike on the road. Second my acting the way I did when he confronted me. My guess is he thought his authority came from the size of the vehicle he was driving. He probably thought the larger the vehicle the more authority he thought he had. He did not like it when I challenged his authority to the roadway. My opinion in this case with this guy is the larger his vehicle the smaller his dick. :D

Or am I thinking too much into this?

[cudak888]

I have no problem getting the word out about cycling advocacy & our rights to the road. I do a lot of it. But in this case the way I handled it was a lot more fun, at least for me. It is not very often I can have fun at someone else's expense. This guy brought it upon himself. I did nothing to purposly make him angry. Like I said the only word I said to him was no. The only gesture I did was cup my hand to my ear & sound the horn.

I think to him I was a subordinate, he was in a position of authority & I was defying it. First by riding bike on the road. Second my acting the way I did when he confronted me. My guess is he thought his authority came from the size of the vehicle he was driving. He probably thought the larger the vehicle the more authority he thought he had. He did not like it when I challenged his authority to the roadway. My opinion in this case with this guy is the larger his vehicle the smaller his dick. :D

Or am I thinking too much into this?

Sic the police on him next time. His mannerisims were enough to consider him a threat, componunded with his stalking later on.

I recently called in a teenage idiot who was driving down the local streets at 40+ MPH. That wasn't the main issue though - he made it a point to U-turn around at the next intersection to give me the most god-awful sneer. Funny, as he never had to pass me - I had pulled out of my driveway after he had passed down the road. Guess he didn't care for my presense in his rear-view mirror.

Take care,

-Kurt

[ghettocruiser]

Last night as I rode home, I couldn't help but notice that while I was in the street, taking a lane and motorists had to move around me, there were at least 3 other cyclists on the sidewalk. Who do you think the motorists belived was "doing it right?"

Hmm. Yet it seems to me that in the unlikely event these same motorists were to be walking on the sidewalk, (making them pedestrians), they would NOT want us to on the sidewalk all of a sudden.


I once had a *discussion* on this point with a cranky old man, who eventually stated that he did not want bikes "anywhere near him" whether he was driving on the road or walking on the sidewalk.

[Lamplight]

I like the response I read here recently:

MOTORIST: GET ON THE SIDEWALK, YOU HUMAN-POWERED, TWO-WHEELED MISCREANT!

CYCLIST: (Cups ear.) I beg your pardon?

M: I SAID, GET ON THE SIDEWALK!

C: I'm sorry. Get on the what?

M: SIDEWALK!

C: Sidewhat?

M: WALK...oh. (drives off)

This would be great, except it assumes that your average person would even get what your point was in the first place. Personally I don't have that much confidence in the average person. :lol:

[socalrider]

You did exactly the opposite of what he wanted you to do.. The driver wanted you to flip him off and yell expletives.. This would then give him justifications for his honking and ranting at you..

I find that people who have this attitude usually have little or no power over their lives and we as cyclists on the roads are there opportunity to show who is in charge.. Kill them with kindness and it will make most of these drivers blow their tops.. Just don't give any of them the satisfaction..

[nova]

Sadly so many motorists are driving about with "their" rules in their heads... and there is nothing being done to dispel this crackpot thinking.

I honestly think cycling advocacy needs to get the word out that cyclists have full rights to the road.

Of course the cyclists riding on the sidewalk probably just confirm this guy's crackpot thinking.

Last night as I rode home, I couldn't help but notice that while I was in the street, taking a lane and motorists had to move around me, there were at least 3 other cyclists on the sidewalk. Who do you think the motorists belived was "doing it right?"


I see this same thing all the time. Ive started explaining to them that its safer to ride on the road as they dont need to worry about the car pulling out and that they have every legal right to ride on the road.

But their parents have driven the ride on the side wak because its the law nonsense in to their heads day in day out.

Same deal with the rideing agaisnt trafic. Some have just had this nonsense pounded in to them so much they just beleive this is how you should do it. I was ridign the other day and had some kid riding the wrong way on the street. Big wide outside lane so i tend to ride more towards the right (heck the lane is so wide its almost 2 full lanes width). I just held my lane he went down on to the side walk and rolled in to the grass. I stoped went back he was all ticked off some guy in his late teens 18 or 19 or early 20s. I said hey just be glade i wasnt a car doing 35 mph up this hill looks like your unhurt so next time ride on the right side of the street like the law dictates.

Id say its a painful leason just hope he learns the leason well.

[savage24]

It is not very often I can have fun at someone else's expense.

What are you talking about? You call the police on someone for your own enjoyment a couple times a week.:p

[marcm]

This debate has been had before, but in short, the sidewalk isn't necessarily more dangerous than the road. It depends. Driveways, alleys, crossing cars, and pedestrians, versus following cars, passing cars, turning cars, and parked cars. Sidewalk cracks and driveway humps versus pot holes and drainage grates. On the road: How fast are the cars going? How narrow are the lanes? How many parked cars are there? On the sidewalk: How many pedestrians are there? How many driveways and alleys are there? Either way: What is the visibility like? How well can you see, anticipate, and avoid any possible dangers? For the cyclist: How fast are you going? How comfortable are you riding in traffic? Can you ride in a straight line?

All of these things make a big difference. You can't reduce the safety of sidewalk vs. road riding to a single answer based on statistics. And even the relevant statistics can be challenged in many respects. What sort of injuries are we comparing? Do sidewalks have more injuries but fewer deaths? How many injuries go unreported? Et cetera.

Be aware of the various dangers, make others aware of these dangers if you wish, and then use your own best judgment when deciding where and how to ride.