Road Cycling - Got Lectured by a Driver

Things have been great lately on the roads of Dallas until the other day when I got lectured from a Driver of car.

Anyone else get any good lectures??

Most recent run in:

I was at my midpoint of my ride when I started up my usually route which is a 3 lane side road. As usual I am in the right lane a 2-3 feet of the curb heading up to a red light. Fairly light traffic at the time I was riding. As I get with in 400 yards of the light a few cars come zooming by fairly close, no biggie use to it. Getting closer to the light there is a good size hole approaching so I glance over my shoulder to check my backside and then gracefully slide over into the middle of the lane more. Out of the blue some guy comes hauling by in his convertable mustang and ends up swerving out of my lane into the other 2 wide open lanes and ends up getting stoped at the red light. As I catch up to him he gives me a good lecture on "how I need to ride else where and not on the roads if I am gonna swerve around on the road and how I am impeding traffice..yadda yadda". I went on to let him know how he had two lanes COMPLETELY WIDE open to pass me in and that he needs to be using those and start driving with a little more care. I ended the converstion with a few choice comments ( clean of course!). As I made my turn at the red light my New "FRIEND" sent me off on my way with the 1 finger salute.

It was one of those rides, but all was well. Just stayed under control and fairly calm. Man I wish I would have been packing a Super Soaker ... hehehe.

You were. You should've pissed in his backseat!

L8R

Wednesday morning, approaching the lights at Roslindale Square in Boston from the southwest on Washington Street, the traffic was backed up Bellevue Hill for about a tenth of a mile and at least two green light cycles, as is usual for a weekday. I moved by most of the stopped motorists, and as I approached the traffic light at Poplar Street, I looked back over my left shoulder, signaled, and merged into the lane behind a truck and three cars waiting at the red light.

That's my common practice -- to move up through traffic to the point where I'm sure I'll get through the intersection on the next green phase of the light cycle. (That's all I need.)

When the light turned green, I moved into the center of the lane, and went forward with the traffic to the next red light at Cummins Highway, a two-lane surface road that intersects Washington Street some 250 feet beyond Poplar. The right lane on Washington at Cummins is turn-only, so I stayed in the center lane and waited behind the same four motor vehicles at the red.

That's when a mid-sized American sedan moved up on my right side, and straddled the right-turn/ center lane line, blocking the right-turn lane for anyone driving anything other than a two-wheeled vehicle.

The window of the sedan came down, and the driver said to me, "You really expect people to follow behind you on a bike?".

I replied, "Sure, why not? I'm going as fast as anyone through this intersection -- faster, really.

"Same rules, so why not?", I repeated.

He smiled, and shook his head. As the light had changed to green, he pulled fully into the right-turn only lane, gunned his engine, and went straight down Washington from the right-turn lane to cut-off the truck at the front of the queue.

So what's interesting about this -- I mean, excepting the fact that I'm a better driver than this git?

It's not that he was abusive, because he wasn't; in fact, he couldn't have been more friendly.

And it's not that he could say I shouldn't do what I did because he had no response to me. I obeyed the law, and I followed the rules, which is more than he did. Plus, since I was as fast or faster than anyone else through this intersection, nobody could claim I inconvenienced them. (Not that this is really a problem -- nobody would complain about that slow truck driver inconveniencing the traffic behind him or her, and bicycles are easier to pass than trucks.)

This driver's problem was that he couldn't imagine a motorist -following- a bicyclist. To someone of his state-of-mind, what he observed -just wasn't right-. It doesn't fit into his world-view that someone with a motor vehicle would be relegated to driving behind a bike.

As I've gotten older and (ahem!) more experienced, I've seen demonstrations like this one that confirm for me the truth of Forester's cyclist inferiority phobia, the widespread and deeply-held belief that cyclists are -less than worthy- when they're on the roads.

When we wonder why some people who drive behave as they do around cyclists, therefore, at least part of the explanation is due to the fact that we're dealing with a culture that has left them -psychologically damaged-.

It sounds bizarre -- and it is -- and for a long time I rejected this explanation. But when I see again and again that no amount of logic or proper driving works to show many motorists, and sadly, many cyclists, that bicycles are just fine when they're operating according to standard traffic practices, I been forced conclude that these folks just can't hear the "same rights, same rules, same roads" message. To do so is to ask them to abandon a belief structure that can't support this idea when it's actually put into practice.

This doesn't mean I'll change what I do in Rozzie Square -- I'm not going to go straight from the right-turn-only lane, for example, even if some people believe that I must always cling to the right so as to stay out of the way of any straight-through motorists. And I am going to keep explaining why I do what I do using logic and good cycling skills, because some people can -get it- if they're shown enough times that traffic cycling is no stranger than traffic motoring.

But it does give me a perspective on why some people behave as though they're crazy.

To some degree it's because -- they are!

I got a good lecture the other day. At a red light, I was behind this car with a guy in his early 20's in the passengers side. He sticks his head out the window and said "You know, if the cops see you they will give you a ticket." I ignored him and than he said "It is illegal to ride in the rode you know?" I told him that it was not illegal. He kept insisting it was so I told him I had read the Michigan laws concerning bikes and that it wasn't. So now he is mad and telling me he knows it is illegal becuase he got a ticket for it once. I told him I was sorry about his luck but it isn't illegal. Then he said "Why don't you just ride on the bleeping sidewalk you bleeping bleep bleep". Then the light turned and they sped away.

I just can't ever figure out what makes people believe that their tirads are going to have any affect on whether I ride in the rode or not. :confused:


Steve

The thing that gets me is that they accuse us of slowing THEM down, but they waste all that time ranting and raving when they see us at lights and stuff, when they could just let it go, pass us up and keep on driving.

:confused:

Oh my. Those are pretty nice stories. I just cant understand some folks and trust me I dont bother to try to reason out why some people do what they do, oh well.

Just gotta keep on riding and enjoy yourself. Dealing with those wonderful motorists are one of the joys of cycling =).

Hmmm...I have thought bout bringing that super soaker still or maybe ride with brass knuckles. Kind of an intimidation thing. hehe.. Naw. Gotta keep it real

After nearly getting squeezed into the curb (while in a bikelane) by a woman in a SUV who claimed she couldn't be bothered to hold lane discipline because she was busy trying to keep her kids in the backseat from fighting, she said to me, "You know you shouldn't be riding in the street. It's much too dangerous."

I was riding on a small 1-lane 1-way street toward my house, behind a BMW. I was riding in the middle of the lane, since the street is really slow. (Stop signs every couple hundred feet.)

With cars parked on both sides and room for only one vehicle, the BMW in front of me slams on the brakes and stops in mid-road. I stopped behind the car and unclipped, waiting for him to go. The driver then turned up the music and him and the few other people in the car started talking and laughing casually... Obviously I didn't exist to them. So after about 30 seconds, i got on the bike and slowly went around the car, only to get a big fat door open right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and barely missed it. Got off the bike and walked it around the opened door, while the person in the car called me called me a b*tch and kept asking me what my ******** problem was.

heh.

I was heading down my long gravel driveway a few years ago to start my daily road ride, when my next door neighbor drove across his lawn between our places onto MY driveway and yelled at me because I was in his way and didnt have a lisence on my bike. I just stopped in the middle of the driveway and with a smile on my face politely told him to go F himself and that if he ever drove onto my driveway again I would take a baseball bat to his expensive SuV and then him. You know, I never had to talk to him again after that for some reason. I guess that makes me pretty lucky come to think of it.

Originally posted by MassBiker
Wednesday morning, approaching the lights at Roslindale Square in Boston from the southwest on Washington Street, the traffic was backed up Bellevue Hill for about a tenth of a mile and at least two green light cycles, as is usual for a weekday. I moved by most of the stopped motorists, and as I approached the traffic light at Poplar Street, I looked back over my left shoulder, signaled, and merged into the lane behind a truck and three cars waiting at the red light.

That's my common practice -- to move up through traffic to the point where I'm sure I'll get through the intersection on the next green phase of the light cycle. (That's all I need.)

When the light turned green, I moved into the center of the lane, and went forward with the traffic to the next red light at Cummins Highway, a two-lane surface road that intersects Washington Street some 250 feet beyond Poplar. The right lane on Washington at Cummins is turn-only, so I stayed in the center lane and waited behind the same four motor vehicles at the red.

That's when a mid-sized American sedan moved up on my right side, and straddled the right-turn/ center lane line, blocking the right-turn lane for anyone driving anything other than a two-wheeled vehicle.

The window of the sedan came down, and the driver said to me, "You really expect people to follow behind you on a bike?".

I replied, "Sure, why not? I'm going as fast as anyone through this intersection -- faster, really.

"Same rules, so why not?", I repeated.

He smiled, and shook his head. As the light had changed to green, he pulled fully into the right-turn only lane, gunned his engine, and went straight down Washington from the right-turn lane to cut-off the truck at the front of the queue.

So what's interesting about this -- I mean, excepting the fact that I'm a better driver than this git?

It's not that he was abusive, because he wasn't; in fact, he couldn't have been more friendly.

And it's not that he could say I shouldn't do what I did because he had no response to me. I obeyed the law, and I followed the rules, which is more than he did. Plus, since I was as fast or faster than anyone else through this intersection, nobody could claim I inconvenienced them. (Not that this is really a problem -- nobody would complain about that slow truck driver inconveniencing the traffic behind him or her, and bicycles are easier to pass than trucks.)

This driver's problem was that he couldn't imagine a motorist -following- a bicyclist. To someone of his state-of-mind, what he observed -just wasn't right-. It doesn't fit into his world-view that someone with a motor vehicle would be relegated to driving behind a bike.

As I've gotten older and (ahem!) more experienced, I've seen demonstrations like this one that confirm for me the truth of Forester's cyclist inferiority phobia, the widespread and deeply-held belief that cyclists are -less than worthy- when they're on the roads.

When we wonder why some people who drive behave as they do around cyclists, therefore, at least part of the explanation is due to the fact that we're dealing with a culture that has left them -psychologically damaged-.

It sounds bizarre -- and it is -- and for a long time I rejected this explanation. But when I see again and again that no amount of logic or proper driving works to show many motorists, and sadly, many cyclists, that bicycles are just fine when they're operating according to standard traffic practices, I been forced conclude that these folks just can't hear the "same rights, same rules, same roads" message. To do so is to ask them to abandon a belief structure that can't support this idea when it's actually put into practice.

This doesn't mean I'll change what I do in Rozzie Square -- I'm not going to go straight from the right-turn-only lane, for example, even if some people believe that I must always cling to the right so as to stay out of the way of any straight-through motorists. And I am going to keep explaining why I do what I do using logic and good cycling skills, because some people can -get it- if they're shown enough times that traffic cycling is no stranger than traffic motoring.

But it does give me a perspective on why some people behave as though they're crazy.

To some degree it's because -- they are! In this situation I would wait my turn in line, instead of trying to take advantage of my maneuverability to take cuts in line. Think about it... he did exactly what you did. He passed on the right and then cut back into the through lane. Eh?

I know it's tough to wait in a crawling line of autos, but it's only fair. You, and they, are human beings waiting in line to go through a stoplight.

I was stopped at a light the other day, a rather long wait to cross a four lane. I was in no man's land - between the straight lane and the right turn yield. A van behind me rolled up next to me and powered down the window. The elderly lady driver then said God Bless You and have a safe and wonderful ride. I thanked her and wished her the same. I really enjoyed that ride.

Originally posted by shrimpx
I was riding on a small 1-lane 1-way street toward my house, behind a BMW. I was riding in the middle of the lane, since the street is really slow. (Stop signs every couple hundred feet.)

With cars parked on both sides and room for only one vehicle, the BMW in front of me slams on the brakes and stops in mid-road. I stopped behind the car and unclipped, waiting for him to go. The driver then turned up the music and him and the few other people in the car started talking and laughing casually... Obviously I didn't exist to them. So after about 30 seconds, i got on the bike and slowly went around the car, only to get a big fat door open right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and barely missed it. Got off the bike and walked it around the opened door, while the person in the car called me called me a b*tch and kept asking me what my ******** problem was.

heh.

TRhis fella needed a nice pedal cleat scratch on the side of his beemer. What a moron. Just goes to show that if your in a nice expensive vehicle it does not mean you are intelligent.

I got a lecture the other day too. On a four lane road, riding on the right. A guy in the left lane going in the other direction comes to a stop and gave me a 10 second stream of f-u's! He was going the other way and came to a complete stop to do it. I'll never understand what motivated that. I'm glad I was there so he could get that out of his system.

Just smile and wave at them, "F-U too! OK, bye!" Smiling and laughing at bad drivers always makes them feel like the assses they are.
I usually just do that. If they want to talk, I'll say "OK thanks! Drive safe so your girlfriend gets her little car back in one piece, ok Mary? Have a good day!"

This, or something like it has happened to me many times. If the person and I are stopped I will offer them the chance to get out of the car and discuss it old school and yet they always refuse. I don't understand it. If you are mad enough to yell at someone about some percieved transgression then why not get out of your cage and do something about it.

In every state mentioned, does the law state, 'You can use what you need.' That ends the argument.. At times I have carried zeroxed copies of the law to hand out. In case of arguments. Motorists should remember the motorists handbook they are required to be tested on every third year. !

Thats funny that you mentioned that about the state laws. I was very tempted to print a few copies to hand out to the next bung hole who lectures me.

And how often do you set at a light waiting for green and a driver at the corner next to you not wanting to make a left on the red and as soon as it goes green and you start to go as you should,the driver goes around in front of you like they have the right of way.Sometimes they slam on the brakes and look at you like,what the hell are you doing.

This reminds me of a moron in one of those import rods. I was in the right lane of a four lane road, light traffic, and at night. This guy rolls up next to me in the left lane cursing at me and telling me to get on the sidewalk. I started yelling back, when he threatened to run me over with his car.

Truck up!

He rear ended a tow truck, stopped at a light, at 25mph or so.

Ha, poetic justice can be a beautiful thing. I would've fallen off my bike laughing at the guy.

I got a tooted at by a woman in a car behind me when I moved out to pass a bus which was pulling into a stop (after checking it was clear). We had been moving along in slow moving traffic and I had "taken the lane" as I was actually having to brake to keep behind the bus.

I caught the car up at the next traffic hold up (a renowned traffic jam spot in Aberdeen) and asked why she'd tooted the horn.

" You shouldn't have passed the bus"

"Why not?"

She says "A car is faster than a bike"

I explained that, taking that logic, my car (at that time a Jaguar XJS) being faster than hers (an Astra) she would have to get out of my way anytime I was behind her, and she could never overtake me

She just kept repeating the "Car is faster...." mantra.

Eventually i snapped.

"Tell me. If your car is so f****** fast, why will I be at home with my feet up in front of the TV, while you are still stuck behind all this traffic waiting for the jam to clear?" I then rode off.

I guess this is one time I'm lucky that I have a significant hearing loss. If I've ever received a "lecture" from a driver I sure haven't heard it.

I have found that laughing at them and/or being very polite just enrages them even further. For example: "You blankety blank, you don't belong on the road!" "Ok, thank you. Have nice day!" "YOU MOTHER BALNKETY BLANK BLANK!!" "Thank you for your kind words!" Squealing tires as they speed off.

As a daily commuter I have the opportunity to witness the actions of "Oscar Grope" (an old motorcyle term) every day. More often than naught, the transgressor (individual trying to strike your vehicle) is totally oblivious to his/her actions. A friendly/unfriendly shrug, palms wide open ,generally gets their attention. In most situations they wave, whatever, assuming , you are alive and they won't end up in court. I have learned one thing. It is useless being "dead" right!!!

I guess I have been lucky. No lectures here in Buffalo yet. I usually pull off to the side a little when I am waiting at a light. If for some reason I miss clipping in I don't hold anyone up. People always seem to stay back and let me have my place in line. I am usually waiting for traffic to speed up anyways. I love this section of road close to my house. The speed limit is 35mph and I have no problem sprinting up to speed and maintaining for about 1 mile. People have to really accelerate to pass me and then they slow down and I pace them. HE HE.

Come on. Try a little harder I know we can get Buffalo on the board. hehehe.

Well thats good to hear =).

My latest run in was today while out of town working. I was riding the stationary bike and almost had a lady fall off the eliptical machine on to me.

Go figure.

I think I get a comment from someon on more rides than i don't. The other day though, these kids pull up past me coming up to a stop sign and one of them leans out the window and says "hey, man. Your wheels are rolling!" It was hilarious.

I try to just ignore the comments, but I'll be honest with you, I've chased down more than my fair share of cars. They ride by and make some rude comment and then get stopped at a red light. It's beautiful. I just pull up next to them and sit as close to the culprit as possible and stare them down. They usually won't even look at you until the light turns green again. Wusses.

Thats pretty funny stuff. I had something else happen like that too. Had some kids throw a damn coke bottle at me from there moms Jeep Cherokee. What do you know. I took a shortcut through a parking and lot and guess whose car I ended up seeing boxed in at a red light. I drove up to them and noticed in the side mirrors they rolled up there windows and locked the doors.

I gave a swift boot to the side of the car and helped disassemble (remove in a rush) the rear windshield wiper. Oh well stupid teenagers. I will say thats the only time I got aggressive on a ride. Oh well that was a while ago