Commuting - I normally don't get pissed easily, but today...

I commute everyday and normally don't get pissed easily. Today however...

It's dark, I approach this intersection, there's this stupid jerk in his stupid lease car facing my direction. He doesn't indicate direction and slows down. I'm already on the left side of my lane, clearly implying that I'm going to turn left, and I slow down as well, just in case. He doesn't drive any faster so I turn left and what do you know? It is that moment that Mr. Jerk indicates direction and decides to hit the gas while turning into my lane while I'm still finishing the turn and he almost hit me from behind! Then, while passing me, he gives me that look like it was my fault. STUPID @SSHOLE! http://smile.smilies.nl/442.gif It's not like he couldn't see me cause' I had my white LED blinkie on and I just happened to put new batteries in it two hours before. Too bad I didn't have my Air-Zound with me. I'm really not a violent person (really, I'm not) but I felt like I wanted to give him some good ass-whooping. Mostly because of that look. The thing I get most angry about is that I could've get hurt damnit. Just because of some stupid irresponsible @sshole that claims the road. The stupid jerk! Idiot.

Glad to read that it was only a near thing, though I'm sure it scared the b'jaysus out of you.

On occasions where I've felt it necessary to make my displeasure known, I simply give the offending person a blank stare (bending forward to see into the windows for maximum effect, if needed) and slowly shaking my head. Expressing pity and disdain help me feel better than any overt gesture or profanity. Safer, too.

I commute everyday and normally don't get pissed easily. Today however...




I live in a university town which is very tolerant of bikes. But if I ride more than 15 miles out of town, pickup truck drivers sometimes swerve at me. I think this behavior is caused by jealousy. SUV slobs resent bikers for being so energetic. They think the biker bikes just to prove he's a better person than they are...

Well, we are better, aren't we?

I deal with idiots like this one on a daily basis. Really, if I may take this opportunity once again to quote the Manic Street Preachers, this best describes them:

"little people in little houses like maggots, small blind and worthless."

Really, it's best to treat them with the contempt they deserve and don't let them spoil your ride. If you felt it was really dangerous, take down their number and pay a visit to the cops.

I'm glad you didn't get hurt. So far I guess I've been forturnate where ever I've lived not to have been subjected to the kind of rude and dangerous behavior exhibited by some motor vehicle operators (while I've been on a bicycle that is ;) . Now, while driving in a motor vehicle is a totally different story...)

Reading about all these incidents in these forums has raised a question for me. For those people who have had similar encounters (yelled at, bottles thrown, etc.), were you wearing cycling clothing or street clothing? I'm curious whether those folks who wear cycling attire have been particularly targeted.

Reading about all these incidents in these forums has raised a question for me. For those people who have had similar encounters (yelled at, bottles thrown, etc.), were you wearing cycling clothing or street clothing? I'm curious whether those folks who wear cycling attire have been particularly targeted.

I pretty much wear cycling clothing exclusively now, however, in the past I've noticed that it didn't make a great deal of difference what I wore, unless it was red. Apparently Queenslanders have a problem with this.

I'm glad you didn't get hurt. So far I guess I've been forturnate where ever I've lived not to have been subjected to the kind of rude and dangerous behavior exhibited by some motor vehicle operators (while I've been on a bicycle that is ;) . Now, while driving in a motor vehicle is a totally different story...)

Reading about all these incidents in these forums has raised a question for me. For those people who have had similar encounters (yelled at, bottles thrown, etc.), were you wearing cycling clothing or street clothing? I'm curious whether those folks who wear cycling attire have been particularly targeted.


Oh believe me I have noticed this.

When I commutte to work on my old green beater wearing a t-shirt, shorts, sneakers and, of course helmet, I get no harrassement.

Head out on my road bike in full uniform (flashy jersey, spandex shorts, shoes, etc) I get harrassed big time.

I think I brought this up on a forum over a year ago......

Digger

Oh believe me I have noticed this.

When I commutte to work on my old green beater wearing a t-shirt, shorts, sneakers and, of course helmet, I get no harrassement.

Head out on my road bike in full uniform (flashy jersey, spandex shorts, shoes, etc) I get harrassed big time.

I think I brought this up on a forum over a year ago......

Digger

Off-topic, I know - and I apologize, but I have to ask: What's a DINK?

-chris

Oh believe me I have noticed this.

When I commutte to work on my old green beater wearing a t-shirt, shorts, sneakers and, of course helmet, I get no harrassement.

Head out on my road bike in full uniform (flashy jersey, spandex shorts, shoes, etc) I get harrassed big time.

I think I brought this up on a forum over a year ago......

Digger


I was thinking of finding a supplier of bicycle jerseys with NASCAR logos on them, or maybe I could just design my own. I figure a number 3 or a number 8 ought to get me a pass with some of the people that harass me. Or perhaps one of those bumper stickers that says, "My kid beat up your honor roll student". I thought I could market the idea as camoflage for the rural cyclist.

I only picked the above examples because there has been at least one of those stickers on practically every pick up that has harassed me up here. I figure they would be less likely to harass me if I were emblazened with the logos of one of their heros. Just a thought (yeah I know it is a bit insensitive).

Off-topic, I know - and I apologize, but I have to ask: What's a DINK?

-chris

Oh my, are you ever in for it now :eek:

DINK=Double Income No Kids
PODWOG=Parents of Dinks WithOut Grandchildren

From a standup comedy routine. I forget who's.

dan

I deal with idiots like this one on a daily basis. Really, if I may take this opportunity once again to quote the Manic Street Preachers, this best describes them:

"little people in little houses like maggots, small blind and worthless."

Really, it's best to treat them with the contempt they deserve and don't let them spoil your ride. If you felt it was really dangerous, take down their number and pay a visit to the cops.

See this is what I dont get. If you take the attitude that others are worthless and somehow less deserving of basic human empathy then you are no better and perhaps worse than the A@@hole who swerves into a cyclist.

I have read that the reason for road rage is that, in our cars, we objectify others on the road (cars or bikes), and that objectification justifies our beligerant attitude towards them.

Quotes like that (if thats how you really feel) have a very "holier than thou" tone to them and really have been the basis for every major genocide in recorded history. (not the quote, but the premise that another clas of people are less 'human')

Then again - I am full of sh^t anyway and have proven to myself on more than one occasion my own stupidity. So take it for what its worth.

I just say treat the next moron like yourself with as much respect as you want and if it comes back to you in kind then great - of not, oh well - life is hard at least you tried.

ed

See this is what I dont get. If you take the attitude that others are worthless and somehow less deserving of basic human empathy then you are no better and perhaps worse than the A@@hole who swerves into a cyclist.

I have read that the reason for road rage is that, in our cars, we objectify others on the road (cars or bikes), and that objectification justifies our beligerant attitude towards them.

Please read my post again. I did not objectify the whole group. To suggest that I did is to objectify my own post the same way you seem to object to people objectifying motorists as a group. What I suggested was that the "people" who do the sort of things mentioned in this thread are not worth giving yourself additional stress. I did not, for one moment, suggest that every motorist behaved like that.


Quotes like that (if thats how you really feel) have a very "holier than thou" tone to them and really have been the basis for every major genocide in recorded history. (not the quote, but the premise that another clas of people are less 'human')

Umm, no they haven't actually. The statement that people like that are considered "less human" is in fact, a lie made up by certain groups to hide their fear. Fear of what, I do not know. I do know, however that this sort of genocide, and the bigotry that causes it, is motivated by a fear of the other person. Perhaps it's fear that they might try and take some of your "property", perhaps it's some other kind of paranioa. Either way, it has nothing to do with arrogance. Arrogant people are sufficently enlightened to realise that they have nothing to fear, and such genocide and bigotry really is an unnecessary waste of time and resources.



I just say treat the next moron like yourself with as much respect as you want and if it comes back to you in kind then great - of not, oh well - life is hard at least you tried.

That is, in fact, what I do. If you were to do a search of my posts you would find that whenever conflicts with drivers are mentioned, I invariably suggest rising above the behaviour that led to the conflict in the first place -- excepting my suggestions about "calling the cops", which generally arise in situations where having somebody arrested would to them some good (see my "targeted" thread for an example of this).

In anycase, holding someone in contempt is not a cause of roadrage. Roadrage (or "being a dickhead") is caused by allowing such emotions to be overridden by anger and fear.

I was thinking of finding a supplier of bicycle jerseys with NASCAR logos on them, or maybe I could just design my own. I figure a number 3 or a number 8 ought to get me a pass with some of the people that harass me. Or perhaps one of those bumper stickers that says, "My kid beat up your honor roll student". I thought I could market the idea as camoflage for the rural cyclist.

I only picked the above examples because there has been at least one of those stickers on practically every pick up that has harassed me up here. I figure they would be less likely to harass me if I were emblazened with the logos of one of their heros. Just a thought (yeah I know it is a bit insensitive).


Oh jeez funny you should mention the jersey thing!

I police officer I know, who attends the same cycling advocacy committee as me
showed up in his cycling uniform one day. His jersey was white and said POLICE accross the back.

I asked him if I could have one of those jerseys. He said if it was up to him EVERY cyclist would have one, but unfortunately we can't have several thousand people parading around as police.

Naaawwww, just give me one, I won't tell anyone.

He gave me a firm stare :D

Digger