Road Cycling - I called a motorist a JACKASS today...

... and I'm not particularly proud of it, but it seemed right at the time. And the worst part was, it was a county deputy sheriff!
He came up behind me in his Cop Jeep with Cop Lights, on a 2-lane with very light traffic, and beeped his cop horn at me. Then went on around giving me a dirty look. I caught up with him at a light - I was pumped full of adrenaline, or testosterone, or whatever one gets pumped full of, and said, "Were you trying to get my attention back there, JACKASS?!?" His face went ashen, and he said, "Pull over!" I said, "Gladly." And we had a little discussion.
He told me I should have been on the right side of the fog line (where the space ranged between 3 and 12 inches to the edge of the pavement). I told him I had a legal right to occupy as much space as is needed to safely operate, and a cop should know the laws better. He spent 5 minutes looking in his rule book to find a law I was breaking, and didn't. He apologized for "startling" me (I saw him approaching with my helmet mirror, so I wasn't really startled except it's been a L-O-N-G time since I've been honked at.) I apologized to him for over-reacting. If he thinks twice before honking at the next law-abiding cyclist, it will have been worth my time and effort.
So, anybody else called a cop "Jackass" lately?

You know, I used to engage in that sort of slanging quite a bit myself, but the fact is that it's not the sort of thing that's going to make bad drivers want to correct their habits in a hurry. Seems to me there's bugger all you can do about them, so now I just ride with concerns about my own safety and following the road rules, and I don't care about getting honks or abuse from motorists

regards,
Chris

i've found the best reaction is no reaction. it keeps everyone alot calmer.

Originally posted by jonnie mon
i've found the best reaction is no reaction. it keeps everyone alot calmer.

The only problem with that reaction, is 95% of the time, the person in the car dosent know they did anything wrong, so they wont change the way they drive or act.

"The only problem with that reaction, is 95% of the time, the person in the car dosent know they did anything wrong, so they wont change the way they drive or act."
------------------

Roadrash is right, the problem is, abusing them won't necessarily make them realise or change anything either. After all, the motoring primate is a lesser species than the human being. The other problem is, car + lardbutt weighs a hell of a lot more than bike + rider. The moral? I lose everytime.

If it's really obnoxious, report it to the police. If not, it's probably best to let it go. If you feel you are being harassed by the cop, report him to a higher authority. There are some arguements you can just never win.

Chris

Originally posted by Chris L
If it's really obnoxious, report it to the police. If not, it's probably best to let it go. If you feel you are being harassed by the cop, report him to a higher authority. There are some arguements you can just never win.

Good advice, After I had a run in with some college kids who thought it would be fun to run me off the road with there truck, I asked a cop what I could do about it, he told me if I was ever in that situation again, to call 911, and they will fallow up with the call. As I understood, if I would have wrecked because of this truck, the driver could be punished with attempted vehicular homicide (I believe that's what it was, may be a bit off). I think if motorists even knew that much, alot of them would give alot more respect to all cyclists on the road.

I refuse to give into the drivers who feel they must have ALL of the road. In the past I have been quick with the tougne or hand... but this never really made the situation any better. The road rage factor has also given me more to ponder ??? Is it REALLY worth it? I say if you get hurt report, it if their being an moron drop it. great rides to you all vikeaz
P.S. You got lucky w/the police

Big Kudos for you knowing the law and being assertive enough to explain it to The Law. Now, he knows the laws and his job better.

If he apologized to you, then maybe he "gets it" and will behave himself better to future cyclists, or to you.

I had a run-in with a belligerent driver about a month ago. I had the same heart-pumping feeling as you when I confronted him. You know, nothing I said seemed to really sink in until I called him a "Fat-***" as he drove away. Despite the fact that he really was a fat-***, this seemed to really have a button-pushing effect. The result was not beneficial, in retrospect and I don't feel good about loweing myself to that level, but it was interesting to note that the driver was un-affected by his own stupid and dangerous driving, but upset by a childish verval assult.

Just another motorist trying to enforce imaginary laws!

"Motorist" ?

Really?


R u guys Amish or something???

Wow... I'm pretty sure I and many other people would not have had such a great experience calling a police officer a jackass. Pretty sure I would have been thrown to the pavement and maybe beat on then questioned.

P.S. You got lucky w/the police

Damn right! Cops have killed innocent people for much less. :(

How do you find a 9 year old thread? Do a search? What were the search keywords? Really curious how this came to be, didn't even know there were 9 year old threads.

I like to pull my phone out and note down their license plate and make/model in case I see them in public later.

How do you find a 9 year old thread? Do a search? What were the search keywords? Really curious how this came to be, didn't even know there were 9 year old threads.

I was 11 when this thread was made.... Scary:twitchy:

I was 8. Haha. Times have changed now. If an officer does this you could probably take him to court.

One time when I was about 14, someone ran through a red light at about 50 mph where the speed limit was 30mph. I saw a cop car sitting right past the light and went up to his window and said "Did you just see that guy almost hit me while he flew though the red light? What are you cops good for?"

His response... "Arresting kids with smart mouths"

What an *****!

You're not black, right?

I often over react whenever anybody tries to kill me.

I slapped one in the face once - well, not really but the Trooper was going 70 in a 65 when I passed him going 73, kind of a slap in the face.. As soon as I got by him he pulled me over. I told him "You guys always run 'em at 75" he said "That's when we're parked" He let me go.

Leave out the Jackass part and you did the right thing.

Isn't it hard to act tough with a helmet mirror?

nevermind

Don't be a gravedigger...please check the date on posts you reply to.

Sheesh...this one's nine years old!

Don't be a gravedigger...please check the date on posts you reply to.

Sheesh...this one's nine years old!

Wow, How did that happen?