General Cycling Discussion - Took off and made driver mad

I was riding in downtown Nashville, minding my own business and not even riding out in the middle of traffic. I was riding in the parking lane, since there were no cars parked. I took off at a stop light, when it turned green, and just smoked the cars, not meaning to. Actually, I didn't even realize it until, all of a sudden, I hear tires spinning behind me.

Long story short, the driver of a cadillac got mad at me because I left all the cars sitting behind. He tears off at the light and comes up beside me and starts asking me what the f*** I thought I was doing, racing the cars? I just ignored him. Actually, I have to admit, internally, I was laughing my a$$ off!!!! :lol: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:


Has anything like this happened to anyone else?

Has anything like this happened to anyone else?

All the time. Just about everytime I ride in traffic. The great thing is there is absolutely bugger all they can do about it!

Happens sometimes to me too. It's like riding around you is a big inconvenience. As if you should wait in the gutter until they go around you then you may proceed through the traffic light which is, of course, there for the motoring public!

Once when I was ridding in a bike lane in North Seattle I was passing a line of cars stuck in a traffic jam, when a lady rolled her window down and said "Hey thats not fair" and she was serious. I almost fell of my bike laughuing.

Why do cars when they pass you have to speed up so fast, just to slow down again when they get by you?
Do they realize that not only is it unsafe and stupid, but it is ruining their engine?

...Why do cars when they pass you have to speed up so fast, just to slow down again when they get by you?
Do they realize that not only is it unsafe and stupid, but it is ruining their engine?

And only to have to lay on the brakes for the next stop light. Not good for wear and tear on them either. If they proceeded in a sane manner they might not have to slow/stop for the next light. This could improve their fuel mileage as well.

What gets me is I can be coming from a side street, a car approaching, I'll time my intersection, adjusting my speed so the car will pass, and I'll come around the back and we'll all be happy. It never ceases to amaze me that this yokel will slow down, some even stop, and wave me through, I won't buy it. So I get out of the pedals, and we'll have a Mexican stand off. But this same yokel, when coming up on me from behind will speed up, as if agrivated that I am on the side of the road.
There is so much humor out there...

Once when I was ridding in a bike lane in North Seattle I was passing a line of cars stuck in a traffic jam, when a lady rolled her window down and said "Hey thats not fair" and she was serious. I almost fell of my bike laughuing.

Why do cars when they pass you have to speed up so fast, just to slow down again when they get by you?
Do they realize that not only is it unsafe and stupid, but it is ruining their engine?
Nate. Cars do that very same thing to other cars. Often with a degree of danger. WHy should it be any different with bikes. The offense that really gets me is on a double yellow. THose people are nuts.

A couple of years ago I was nearing an intersection where this guy in a Ferrari was stopped. Fortunately for me I didn't have to unclip before the light changed and I beat him off the line pretty good. I was feeling pretty darn proud of myself until --- as he was passing me by --- he mashed the gears! Kinda' took away the sense of accomplishment.

I grew up in a beach/tourist town with only a four lane bridge to get on and off the island. During the height of season I took great joy in passing cars at the top of the bridge and not seeing them until 8 or 9 miles later. The downside was thrown cans, slurpee cups and such. I actually had one guy drive over a curb trying to shove me off the rode. A buddy of mine wound up with a broken collarbone and bike when a car blew past him and then turned into a shopping center. He was doing about 25 at the time and broke the passenger's door window.

Just this past weekend I became highly annoyed when a group of motorcycles thought it was funny to throttle blast our paceline. We were on a paved shoulder with plenty of room and these _______ rolled over to the line and blew exhaust all over us. I find it particularly irritating since motorcyclist complain about visibility and courtesy. Oh well, I just waved and sad have a nice day. They obviously have bigger problems than me.

Just this past weekend I became highly annoyed when a group of motorcycles thought it was funny to throttle blast our paceline. We were on a paved shoulder with plenty of room and these _______ rolled over to the line and blew exhaust all over us. I find it particularly irritating since motorcyclist complain about visibility and courtesy. Oh well, I just waved and sad have a nice day. They obviously have bigger problems than me.

Here in Nashville, the motorcyclists are 50/50. About half are nice and will talk, but the other half are just as you described above. The ones riding the crotch-rockets are the ah's. Last summer, I was climbing a steep hill in downtown and was climbed it very fast. A motorcyclist pulled up beside me at the top of the hill and made the statement "I see you out riding all the time and you go pretty fast. I guess you think you're all bad or something?" I responded by saying, "ya, I am bad!!!" I said "how about we switch bikes? You know, it takes a real man to ride one of these. Huh, a woman can even ride one of those!" He wasn't amused and then tore off. I haven't seen him since.

NOTE: I am not sexist. I new by making that statement, it would really piss him off.

What's great 'round here is dodgin' the rednecks and hillbillies in the big ass trucks...most of em' have nowhere to be or nowhere to go and nothing to haul, but they still buy the extended-crew-cab-long-bed-duallies with smoke-belching diesels...and get pissed if you ride 1-2 feet past the shoulder...

I've been buzzed about four or five times since I've been riding (@ 8 months)...

However, for the most part, 95% of the people around here are great...they slow down and wait if traffic is thick or they swing REALLY wide...if they only knew how much I appreciate that...

I've been buzzed about four or five times since I've been riding (@ 8 months)...


Geez, it must be pretty good over there. I get more than that in an average week.

hmmm

riding in downtown nashville

brave man