How close do you let motorists get to you before you bail?
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banerjek
Over the weekend, I was on a logging road -- narrow, curvy, no shoulder. As I was climbing a steep hill (spinning 34/27, but I can stand on higher gears), I hear a log truck approaching. He blasts the air horn a couple times and starts to pass me on a curve while holding his line.
In dangerous passing situations, I usually drift left to either hold the vehicle for a short time or to at least push them out further left so I have a bit more space. As he accelerates on me without drifting even the slightest amount to the left (i.e. I'm going to get hit square if I don't move, but he obviously knows I'm not that stupid), I wait until he's just a few feet behind and swerve right to the very edge of the lane. My mirror tells me I probably have a few inches to spare (certainly nowhere near a foot), I don't think he's trying to hit me, but I know he's going by me on a curve that we might encounter another vehicle on or one of us might make a mistake.
I bailed even though I thought I could probably stay on the road. No injury to myself or my bike, and I couldn't identify the log truck even though I did have the presence of mind to try my best to do so.
What do other people do in situations like these? On sufficiently curvy roads, dangerous passing is almost a necessity, so you have to let people squeeze you. How close do you let them get before you decide it's too close?
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
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Uh, logging truck? Those things give way to nobody...
rapidskies
Truck bigger than bike = you did the right thing
genec
Donno, never bailed.
joejack951
What do other people do in situations like these? On sufficiently curvy roads, dangerous passing is almost a necessity, so you have to let people squeeze you. How close do you let them get before you decide it's too close?
On sufficiently curvy roads where unsafe passing would be necessary if I stayed on the road, I'll pull over to allow faster traffic to pass. If I didn't know the road well, I'd wait a while to look for a wider section of road to use as a turnout or a driveway or cross road. If I knew there'd be no good passing or turnout areas any time soon, I might be inclined to just pull over right away unless traffic was really heavy (I have encountered the latter, but not the former). If someone was h e l l bent on passing me without clear sightlines, I'd do something along the lines of what you did (slow down, move right).
In situations where passing would be dangerous and I don't want the motorist to have to think for themselves (more and more often these days), I've been getting in the habit of addressing them with a look back and hand signals long before they have a chance to commit to passing. I realize that this isn't always possible to do especially if the motorist comes around the curve fast or if the steepness of the grade makes it difficult to hand signal at that moment.
bragi
I don't bail. I also try not to ride on curvy roads with no shoulder that are frequented by logging trucks, whose drivers, in the PNW at least, are well-known for their unwillingness to use brakes.
invisiblehand
It would have been better if you were able to identify the truck; but I think that in any practical sense, you did the right thing.
How long to wait before bailing? Depends on how sure you are that the driver is going through with the dangerous behavior.
chipcom
There ain't no rulebook that says when to bail and when not to...you gotta go with your gut...if you don't get tagged, it was the right decision.
AlmostTrick
If by bailed you mean actually leave the roadway then I've never bailed either, though I like to think I'm ready to do so if necessary.
Do logging trucks really have a higher rate of running down cyclists (or any thing else that dares to get in their way for that matter) than any other vehicle?
banerjek
If by bailed you mean actually leave the roadway then I've never bailed either, though I like to think I'm ready to do so if necessary.
Do logging trucks really have a higher rate of running down cyclists (or any thing else that dares to get in their way for that matter) than any other vehicle?
I don't know if they do, but even if that were statistically the case, it could be argued that's a function of the roads rather than the drivers/trucks.
My anecdotal experience is that log truck drivers are the fastest and craziest I encounter (loaded or unloaded). Even when I'm driving, these guys will be riding my tail when I'm whipping around curves over the posted speeds in a subcompact. As a group, they take curves much faster than other large trucks. They also seem more likely than other trucks to be running unmuffled exhaust and far more likely to not cut much space. I consider them to be significantly more dangerous than other vehicles on the road.
SSP
Log truck drivers are professional JAM's. While driving a pickup, I nearly got run off the side of a mountain by a log truck coming down a very narrow dirt road...a couple of minutes later, I heard the f*cker laughing on the CB radio, and bragging to his buddies how he almost ran a pickup into the trees.
I suggest looking for the company name and reporting it to them...but, since many of the log trucks are owned by little mom and pop companies, you might end up reporting the son to the mother, or the husband to the wife.
maddyfish
You need to carry a handful of roofing nails whenyou ride that road.
I'd have moved as well.
crazybikerchick
Big trucks, I always err on the side of caution. It is much harder for the driver to stop and maneouver. If the road has no shoulder and bailing means ditch diving I have not done this before though been scared a few times (usually by oncoming traffic overtaking another vehicle on a 2 lane road coming straight towards me) so I would want to feel fairly certain it was my only option (because its probably going to cause some injury)
For city riding I try to hold my ground most of the time, ie if I think its necessary to take a narrow lane and someone is honking, ignore. Yesterday I had to make a fast swerve because I think the driver was actually homicidal (accelerating, leaning on the horn) I caught up with the driver at the next light to ask if they always pass cyclists unsafely, and she replies do you always ride in the driving lane? I decided there education was going to be futile and just kept going. I think though I should have called the cops to at least make her life a bit annoying because I really did feel that she would have intentionally hit me had I not swerved and it was not because she couldn't avoid it either.
SSP
Yesterday I had to make a fast swerve because I think the driver was actually homicidal (accelerating, leaning on the horn) I caught up with the driver at the next light to ask if they always pass cyclists unsafely, and she replies do you always ride in the driving lane? I decided there education was going to be futile and just kept going. I think though I should have called the cops to at least make her life a bit annoying because I really did feel that she would have intentionally hit me had I not swerved and it was not because she couldn't avoid it either.
If it was me, that driver would either be looking for a body shop to straighten out her new door dent, or taking her clothing to the cleaners to remove the Gatorade.
Sledbikes
yeah log trucks are a lot harder to drive loaded up or downhill ive been told never to slow it down because its a lot worse, and the loudness you hear is constant engine braking which is a pita from experience logtrucking is fun but it makes for too much wear and tear on the drivetrain. dont ever cross a log truck,roadtrain,or CMFs at least he let you know he was coming up the road with the horns
GreenGrasshoppr
Do they have a "how's my driving" 1-800 number on the back?
ekitel
thanks for the warning! I've never encountered a logging truck on the road but when I do I know now to just hit the brakes and roll down into the ditch or between some trees or any place I can escape from them before the even get close to me
Carusoswi
So, you bailed by getting off the bike or what?
I see you ride a recumbent. Perhaps that gives you a slightly different perspective and makes corrections more or less difficult - I don't know - I have ridden only DF's. The closest a motorist has gotten to me? We collided and that caused me to bail. I've had idiots reach out (either with their hand or some object) and hit me on my left hip as they passed.
These incidents happened so quickly that there was no time to contemplate how close I would allow the vehicles to get before bailing. Unless you ride concentrating on the view to your rear, I don't see that you even have a choice to bail or not.
Obviously, if a slow moving long truck was passing and there appeared the possibility of an accident, I would take evasive steps, so, I guess you might call that bailing, but, in general, I just ride and trust that other vehicles will respect my space.
Caruso
Over the weekend, I was on a logging road -- narrow, curvy, no shoulder. As I was climbing a steep hill (spinning 34/27, but I can stand on higher gears), I hear a log truck approaching. He blasts the air horn a couple times and starts to pass me on a curve while holding his line.
In dangerous passing situations, I usually drift left to either hold the vehicle for a short time or to at least push them out further left so I have a bit more space. As he accelerates on me without drifting even the slightest amount to the left (i.e. I'm going to get hit square if I don't move, but he obviously knows I'm not that stupid), I wait until he's just a few feet behind and swerve right to the very edge of the lane. My mirror tells me I probably have a few inches to spare (certainly nowhere near a foot), I don't think he's trying to hit me, but I know he's going by me on a curve that we might encounter another vehicle on or one of us might make a mistake.
I bailed even though I thought I could probably stay on the road. No injury to myself or my bike, and I couldn't identify the log truck even though I did have the presence of mind to try my best to do so.
What do other people do in situations like these? On sufficiently curvy roads, dangerous passing is almost a necessity, so you have to let people squeeze you. How close do you let them get before you decide it's too close?
JeffB502
I only have about 820 miles of experience since I recently started commuting to work in late March. I have about a mile of 2-lane 55mph road where I have to take the lane. Usually I am dealing with refrigerated tractor/trailers picking up produce from nearby shipping facilities. They seem to be more polite than your logging trucks, but frequently the refer truck drivers have no idea where they're going and may be looking at maps/GPS and/or talking on cell phones/CB. There are unrideable dirt shoulders that I could swerve off onto...most likely I would fall in the process. I haven't had to do it yet, but I've come close...a couple examples:
1. Old woman in large car approaching and not slowing. I can see in my rear view mirror she's coming at me faster than she should be. As I was getting ready to swerve off the roadway I saw the front of her car drop as she jumped on the brakes...she was close enough I could see her eyes get big when she finally saw me. I was wearing a high-vis vest and it was the middle of the day by the way. In that situation I was attempting to judge the point where she wouldn't be able to slow in time to avoid hitting me, and it luckily didn't get to that point.
2. Tractor/trailer appeared to misjudge passing clearance and decided to go by me with an oncoming car getting pretty close. I saw this one coming ahead of time and moved over to the white line, prepared to go off the road if necessary. The right side of the trailer got pretty close but I wasn't forced off the road.
Usually when a vehicle is approaching from the rear and it's unsafe to pass I'll give a "stop/slow" signal and hope they get the point and hang back behind me. If there's no oncoming traffic I'll wave them past before they have to slow down too much. I've found things go alot easier when the drivers know you see them and are trying to help them get by in the safest manner possible.
Sounds like whatever law enforcement agency is in charge of the roads should start targeting the logging trucks for unsafe driving. Tickets on commercial vehicles can be pretty large. The California Highway Patrol has a division committed solely to commercial vehicle enforcement. Maybe Oregon has something similar?
AlmostTrick
Sounds like whatever law enforcement agency is in charge of the roads should start targeting the logging trucks for unsafe driving. Tickets on commercial vehicles can be pretty large. The California Highway Patrol has a division committed solely to commercial vehicle enforcement. Maybe Oregon has something similar?
That's a big 10-4. "The trucks are too hard to stop", or "it's the nature of the roads" etc. is nothing but poor excuses for dangerous behavior on the road. As drivers of vehicles, logging truck operators are responsible for the safe operation of their rigs, and in this case that means slowing down and adjusting for conditions.
nelson249
The big annoyances here are gravel/dump trucks. They are often on a tight schedule and it takes them a long time to get up to speed and are therefore reluctant to slow down for any reason. I was run off the road by one a few years back even though the road was straight and there was no oncoming traffic. I was postively homicidal for the rest of the ride home. I still flinch when I see those things when I am on my bike.
banerjek
So, you bailed by getting off the bike or what?
Actually, I was on a DF on the time -- I have several bikes, and when there is a lot of climbing or there are a lot of switchbacks, the racing bike is my favorite. I bailed by leaving the road. Since I was going pretty slowly, I was able to get out of my clips and ski a bit on my cleats in some gravel that went into a ditch. I somehow got off the bike without falling or dragging my bike. Beats me how.
This truck wasn't loaded -- he had the second segment loaded on top of the first and was obviously on his way to pick up another load since there were loaded log trucks coming the other way. I tried to read the plates, but as is often the case, the numbers were obscured. There was no business name prominently listed on the cab.
I have few problems with trucks, but in almost every single case where there is an issue, it's a truck where you can't identify the company and the plates are unreadable. Curiously enough, the outfits that run well marked trucks seem to hire drivers that act like professionals.
<rant>Threatening someone's life because they slow you down by a few seconds is horsesh*t. I seriously doubt the driver would have rendered any assistance had I been hurt. I am not fearful of vehicles and expect to get passed close on roads like these. There is a difference between carefully squeezing by and running someone off the road. </rant>
Am I to understand he wouldn't stop or slow for a car turning left, someone towing an RV, or a mail carrier? I don't have too much sympathy for the driver and I would have called the cops and personally tracked down the manager had I been able to identify the truck. If I would have slipped, there's no way he would have been able to avoid going over me.
noisebeam
What kind of financial or other benefits are the logging truck drivers getting for delivering faster?
Are they paid for a days work on a route? Per load delivered? If a delivery (or set) is done faster do they get more break time? Or maybe there is no incentive, but merely a race game to dull the boredom?
Al
sbhikes
Yesterday I had to make a fast swerve because I think the driver was actually homicidal (accelerating, leaning on the horn) I caught up with the driver at the next light to ask if they always pass cyclists unsafely, and she replies do you always ride in the driving lane? I decided there education was going to be futile and just kept going. I think though I should have called the cops to at least make her life a bit annoying because I really did feel that she would have intentionally hit me had I not swerved and it was not because she couldn't avoid it either.
I had this happen to me so I emailed the license plate and description to the police and they paid him a house call.
sbhikes
Oh, and to answer the question, I don't wait. As soon as I feel I should bail I do it. And I have done it. And for lesser beasts than logging trucks.
littlewaywelt
never bailed. then again I've never had a close call with a logging truck. I suspect nearly anyone will bail automatically when faced with no other way to get out of the way of a large object.
banerjek
never bailed. then again I've never had a close call with a logging truck. I suspect nearly anyone will bail automatically when faced with no other way to get out of the way of a large object.
It's actually very easy and natural -- people seem programmed to choose the path of least pain.
I have bailed 3 times over the years including this one. One of the other times, I may have been OK like in this situation, but it was too close to call and I chose not to risk it.
The third time I definitely would have been hit because I was dodging a car that had skidded out of control that went sliding sideways through the space I was using. That time I wiped out, but my bike and I sustained only minor scrapes/bruising. The driver was OK, but very shaken.
benda18
if you don't mind me asking, how fast was the truck going, and what was your lane position when the truck initially spotted you, and how far to the left did you move to defend your space?
i've always ridden with the attitude that (with a few exceptions - DUI or distracted driver), a bully driver will never intentionally hit a cyclist, as long as you're visible and controlling the lane to prevent unsafe passes. i guess i might be wrong.
banerjek
if you don't mind me asking, how fast was the truck going, and what was your lane position when the truck initially spotted you, and how far to the left did you move to defend your space?
i've always ridden with the attitude that (with a few exceptions - DUI or distracted driver), a bully driver will never intentionally hit a cyclist, as long as you're visible and controlling the lane to prevent unsafe passes. i guess i might be wrong.
Truck was going about 30mph. At the time, we were in the middle of an extended stretch filled with 20 and 25mph curves so he was going fast for conditions. I was only doing 9, maybe 10mph despite standing on the pedals (very steep). Lane position was right smack in the middle. When I saw he wasn't letting up after seeing me, I drifted towards the left tire track because I've found that usually slows people down and/or gets them to drift left. At that point, I normally drift right and the motorist gets by giving me a more reasonable buffer.
He just held his line as if I wasn't there at all, gave the horn a couple blasts, and hit the accelerator which made plenty of racket since the engine was unmuffled. I didn't move right until he was close enough behind me that I thought that if I waited any longer I wouldn't be able to get over. It is true that bully drivers don't typically hit cyclists (in fact they are afraid of doing so), but some people are insane or on drugs so I don't count on others to be logical.
Interestingly enough, today I had a very good experience with a log truck. On my way into work, I was crossing a bridge with a very narrow shoulder. Traffic on that road normally moves at least 65mph. I could see the log truck was going to pass me in the middle of the bridge at the exact same time that we encountered a semi going the other direction. He slowed down to about 40 and squeezed the oncoming truck. It was nice. Later, I had two trucks towing prefab homes (these stick way over the shoulder) pull way out to dodge me. One of the reasons I ride with mirrors is to track oversized loads, but some of the biggest trucks have the most considerate drivers.
Sledbikes
Truck was going about 30mph. At the time, we were in the middle of an extended stretch filled with 20 and 25mph curves so he was going fast for conditions. I was only doing 9, maybe 10mph despite standing on the pedals (very steep). Lane position was right smack in the middle. When I saw he wasn't letting up after seeing me, I drifted towards the left tire track because I've found that usually slows people down and/or gets them to drift left. At that point, I normally drift right and the motorist gets by giving me a more reasonable buffer.
He just held his line as if I wasn't there at all, gave the horn a couple blasts, and hit the accelerator which made plenty of racket since the engine was unmuffled. I didn't move right until he was close enough behind me that I thought that if I waited any longer I wouldn't be able to get over. It is true that bully drivers don't typically hit cyclists (in fact they are afraid of doing so), but some people are insane or on drugs so I don't count on others to be logical.
Interestingly enough, today I had a very good experience with a log truck. On my way into work, I was crossing a bridge with a very narrow shoulder. Traffic on that road normally moves at least 65mph. I could see the log truck was going to pass me in the middle of the bridge at the exact same time that we encountered a semi going the other direction. He slowed down to about 40 and squeezed the oncoming truck. It was nice. Later, I had two trucks towing prefab homes (these stick way over the shoulder) pull way out to dodge me. One of the reasons I ride with mirrors is to track oversized loads, but some of the biggest trucks have the most considerate drivers.
you should ride in my truck ill show you how dangerous it is to slow down going uphill
banerjek
you should ride in my truck ill show you how dangerous it is to slow down going uphill
If a truck can't slow down or stop, it can't be operated safely. If the truck cannot be operated safely, it doesn't belong on public roads. This particular road is marked with permanent warning signs indicating that cyclists are on the road -- this is a popular training area.
Besides, cyclists aren't the only things out there. Disabled vehicles, accidents, felled trees, landslides (common in such steep areas), etc.
It takes an impressive level of irresponsibility to operate such a large vehicle well over the speed limit without the ability to slow down properly for clearly indicated hazards, let alone unexpected ones. One of the few advantages of our litigious society is that it can get companies and operators who threaten the lives of others to make a buck off the roads.
I regularly encounter trucks carrying things bigger and heavier than logs -- oversized loads carrying earthmoving equipment, concrete girders, etc. Some stuff isn't particularly heavy like prefab houses, stacks of trusses, or some of the things carried in triple tandems on some roads, but it's still a lot to handle and I never have problems with these guys. Big loaded trucks crawl going up hills. The logging trucks are the only exception, so I'm wondering what makes them so special.
LittleBigMan
Over the weekend, I was on a logging road -- narrow, curvy, no shoulder. As I was climbing a steep hill (spinning 34/27, but I can stand on higher gears), I hear a log truck approaching. He blasts the air horn a couple times and starts to pass me on a curve while holding his line.
In dangerous passing situations, I usually drift left to either hold the vehicle for a short time or to at least push them out further left so I have a bit more space. As he accelerates on me without drifting even the slightest amount to the left (i.e. I'm going to get hit square if I don't move, but he obviously knows I'm not that stupid), I wait until he's just a few feet behind and swerve right to the very edge of the lane. My mirror tells me I probably have a few inches to spare (certainly nowhere near a foot), I don't think he's trying to hit me, but I know he's going by me on a curve that we might encounter another vehicle on or one of us might make a mistake.
I bailed even though I thought I could probably stay on the road. No injury to myself or my bike, and I couldn't identify the log truck even though I did have the presence of mind to try my best to do so.
What do other people do in situations like these? On sufficiently curvy roads, dangerous passing is almost a necessity, so you have to let people squeeze you. How close do you let them get before you decide it's too close?
Generally, I hog the hell out of the lane and make everyone eat cake.
Trucks? Some are idiots, and some of those are on speed. Follow your intuition, and report that ******* to the cops, pronto.
Andy Dyson
For those of you who can bear to watch a Critical Mass, his is how close I let it get on Friday's CM in Philadelphia PA, USA... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRtWi1Du-NU (around 30 seconds into the clip) I knew I'd make it but I was waiting for the hit from any bike rider on my left... Lucky for me there was nobody there. Of course, as has been noted, with this kind of situation I can't imagine it's ever better to bail. FYI, most CM's in Philly are more fun than this...
banerjek
For those of you who can bear to watch a Critical Mass, his is how close I let it get on Friday's CM in Philadelphia PA, USA... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRtWi1Du-NU (around 30 seconds into the clip) I knew I'd make it but I was waiting for the hit from any bike rider on my left... Lucky for me there was nobody there. Of course, as has been noted, with this kind of situation I can't imagine it's ever better to bail. FYI, most CM's in Philly are more fun than this...
In town at low speeds around cars, I don't mind getting cut very little space. The problem with big trucks is that they have so much ground clearance that if you go down, it would be easy to go under the rear wheels. Also, the wheels on trucks are bigger and more exposed than on cars so I think it's easier to get caught in them.
I think most people are afraid of hitting cyclists. Even if there is a bike lane or shoulder, I ride pretty far left. Motorists tell me it makes them uncomfortable. That's what I want since if I'm watching them and they're paying extra attention, problems are very unlikely.
benda18
sounds like there wasn't much more you could do except get hit. i could only imagine how much more intimidating the situation would've been if conditions permitted the trucker to drive at 55mph +.
fordfasterr
on a few occasions, cagers have been so close to me that I could touch the car without moving my line...
So that is what I do. If they are close enough for me to touch their car, then I touch it - with my fist - really hard - over and over - until they move to a safer distance from me.
darkwing7
If it was me, that driver would either be looking for a body shop to straighten out her new door dent, or taking her clothing to the cleaners to remove the Gatorade.
You really shouldnt have this kind of vengeful mentality as a cyclist, because sure you may feel mighty throwing your gatorade at her today, but god knows what she'll do to you when she catches up to you later, or meets some other innocent cyclist tomorrow while she's mad. Plus violence just begets violence anyway. I'm also totally against doing any sort of hand signalling after a driver passes you unsafely :
1) IT's not like that's going to make them change or feel bad about themselves.
2) You may cause them to have an excuse to hurt you as some court cases have shown.
3)why not keep your hands on the brakes in case they stop in front of you just to get back at you?
SSP
You really shouldnt have this kind of vengeful mentality as a cyclist, because sure you may feel mighty throwing your gatorade at her today, but god knows what she'll do to you when she catches up to you later, or meets some other innocent cyclist tomorrow while she's mad. Plus violence just begets violence anyway. I'm also totally against doing any sort of hand signalling after a driver passes you unsafely :
1) IT's not like that's going to make them change or feel bad about themselves.Possibly...but it will demonstrate to them that they can't just assume we're all a bunch of candy-*sses that won't fight back when intentionally provoked and harassed. In economic parlance, this demonstrates to them that the "cost:benefit ratio" of harassing a cyclist has a higher cost than they previously had assumed.
2) You may cause them to have an excuse to hurt you as some court cases have shown.That's a possibility that I have to assess on a case by case basis.
3)why not keep your hands on the brakes in case they stop in front of you just to get back at you?In the scenario described above, both vehicles were stopped at a light.
For the record, I rarely resort to hitting somebody's car, or dumping Gatorade on them...but, I will get in their face and very forcefully assert and defend my rights. IMO, that's better than the "smile and wave" approach.
darkwing7
Well, they could just as easily change your payoff matrix as well. I always like to keep in mind that car beats flesh any day. My main point of consideration was that your display of non-pansy-ness could cause retaliation against your fellow cyclists, whom I'm assuming you have consideration for. Just think, maybe the cager harassing you just had some JAB punch his car yesterday, and you look just like him in your helmet, sunglasses, and spandex.
Baroque
In my vocabulary, bail = "self-preservation maneuver"
Given the choice between possibly getting into an accident, or taking pre-emptive action to avoid the possibility of accident, I'm gone! One of the reasons my new bike has fat tires. If I've gotta try jumping a ditch to avoid a truck, I'm there, and hopefully without damage to self or bike.
On a side note, I've seen aggressive roadies push the buttons of aggressive drivers to ridiculous length. It's like those aggressive roadies need someone to sit them down and carefully explain in words of one syllable: "Bike...small. Car....big. Car hit bike......bike roadkill"! :eek:
Baroque
Just one additional note: I'm trying to learn to count to 10 before reacting when I think a driver or another rider is being rude or aggressive. Sometimes they don't even realize their behavior is being perceived as unacceptable by someone else.
Case in point: There was a local story about a cyclist who so totally lost their temper when they didn't like what they thought a driver was doing, they actually attacked the driver and the car without warning, causing damage to both. The driver turned out to be a very mild-mannered person who didn't have any idea why they were so viciously attacked. A few minutes of displaced rage subsequently cost the cyclist dearly and made them a social pariah in the community. I figure for every time someone's nice to me when I'm being cranky, I should try to be nice to someone else in return! At least that's the goal. When someone's passing me way too fast, and way too close, on a narrow road with no shoulders, it's hard to feel generous, but I try.....:o
banerjek
.....There was a local story about a cyclist who so totally lost their temper when they didn't like what they thought a driver was doing, they actually attacked the driver and the car without warning, causing damage to both. The driver turned out to be a very mild-mannered person who didn't have any idea why they were so viciously attacked.....
Also, drivers just make mistakes sometimes. About 10 years ago a van drifted into me while I was going down a city street. It was a glancing blow that didn't hurt me or my bike, but I was knocked off the road.
Furious, I chased the van down and caught it when it pulled into a mall parking lot. I ripped open the driver side door ready to pound the guy into dog food. His eyes showed sheer terror and I could tell by his look that he had no idea why this wacko was about to pull him out of his van.
As soon as I realized he hadn't seen me and had no idea he'd hit me, I cooled off, explained what happened and calmly asked him to be more careful in future. For my own part, I started wearing brighter clothing after that.
SSP
Just one additional note: I'm trying to learn to count to 10 before reacting when I think a driver or another rider is being rude or aggressive. Sometimes they don't even realize their behavior is being perceived as unacceptable by someone else.
Case in point: There was a local story about a cyclist who so totally lost their temper when they didn't like what they thought a driver was doing, they actually attacked the driver and the car without warning, causing damage to both. The driver turned out to be a very mild-mannered person who didn't have any idea why they were so viciously attacked. A few minutes of displaced rage subsequently cost the cyclist dearly and made them a social pariah in the community. I figure for every time someone's nice to me when I'm being cranky, I should try to be nice to someone else in return! At least that's the goal. When someone's passing me way too fast, and way too close, on a narrow road with no shoulders, it's hard to feel generous, but I try.....:o
Well, there's a big difference between confronting someone who may or may not be clueless, and getting in their face to tell them very assertively that their actions endangered your life, and losing your cool and attacking them.
I've confronted a number of drivers...and even though I can get pretty wound up when I've been endangered, I try to be respectful but very firm and let them know in no uncertain terms that they screwed up.
Sometimes it goes well and I get an apology...sometimes they're in denial but ultimately "hear me".
Sometimes they fail the attitude test and give me lip about "get off the road"...in that case, it's game on. It's then, and only then, that the F-bombs fly and I consider retaliatory action. So far, it's been nothing more than F-bombs, but I've been nose to nose and toe to toe in the middle of the road on several occasions. Maybe not too smart, but I won't back down...especially with some peckerwood who thinks it's OK to "teach me a lesson" with his truck (it's almost always a truck around here).