Commuting - Contractors and voting with my wallet

So today I had an "incident" with a contractors pickup truck full of five workers. They cut me off at a light (turning right while I was going straight). They were behind me, I had signalled with my left arm while standing stopped at the light, as the light turned green they gunned the engine and tried to go around me before I could get very far. We both stopped short at the very last moment. I flipped them the bird (not proud) and swore out loud (really not proud) and slapped the hood of their truck (I'm kind of okay with this one). Five guys opened the doors and climbed out of the pickup truck, so i took off.

This pushes contractors trucks above Luxury SUV's as the vehciles I have had the most altercations with. Usually its landscape contractors unaware that a trailer full of, well landscaping equipment, has attatched itself magically to their behind. But I've also had incidents with a couple of builders trucks.

Anyway the irony is, I'm taking bids for a home improvement project right now, and boy would I love to tell a contractor "gee I wish I could hire you, but your employees are not safe drivers and I am uncomfortable giving you my buisiness." What we need is a website for buisnesses like that one for cheating boyfriends, where we can keep a list of companies whose drivers are irresponsible.

Today I didn't get the name off the side (the truck was pretty beat up); so I guess it wouldn't do any good.

Be safe out there.

Hmm...Farmer's trucks are usually some of the nicest vehicles on the road around here (many have farm-specific plates and/or are hauling livestock trailers, so that's what I figure they are) my troubles are usually with those mid-level suv's (jeep wranglers seem to be fine, but the older model grand cherokee seems to be the chariot of the anti-bike-patrol around here, while things like navigators and lexus rx400's are so scared of the fact that there's something other than a car on the road they don't give me much trouble)

I'm not totally surprised that you've had more trouble with contractor-trucks than anything else: given the way modern housing construction goes, some (but not all, that would be profiling and profiling is wrong these people obviously didn't stay awake in physics class.

Go ahead and get a bid from 'em. When you look at the letterhead on the bid look at the sales guy and say: "Oh that was YOUR company. No business from me. You can leave now." I've actually done it. The look is priceless.

Funny you should bring contractors up. I totally agree with you. They seem to be the absolute worst drivers on the road. Plus they are usually impatient macho men as well. Inpatient macho man + wide load backhoe trailer = bad for cyclists. I would rather have 5 cell phone talking soccer moms behind me than a single contractor in a 1 ton pulling a wide trailer with a backhoe on it. Franklin building supply has the worst drivers here in Boise......they blow their backhoe trailers by me with only inches to spare and then act suprised when I confront them.

Last week I had a near run in w/ a delivery truck filled w/ 3 guys, heading up Clinton st in Brooklyn. They gunned it towards the bike lane w/ no warning so as to illegally park in the bike lane. Problem is, I was already there. I managed to lock up my brakes and come to a complete stop, and somehow managed to pull my bike to about halfway up the sidewalk before they stopped. They came to a stop w/ the drivers (open) window right next to me. I asked, still quite shaken up, "What are you doing?!?!? That was totally illegal". To which the driver responded .... "Next time I will run you over". Wonderful. Makes me wish I knew who they were delivering for.