I need to retell my revenge story here to lighten this up:

I was riding one night about two years ago, traffic was light, and I was about 6' off the right curb. This ******* in a minivan pulled up next to me, straddling both lanes, and started yelling, "Get on the sidewalk! I'm tired of you mutha phucking bikers blocking the road!" I yelled back, "Truck up!" He then said, "What you'd say? I'll kick your......." He couldn't complete his sentence as he rammed the back of an empty pulp-wood hauler stopped at a red light at about 25mph. I rode on toward home, not wanting to hang around that scene.

Seems like CalTrain needs to revisit their implementation design. Has anyone written/complained to them about this?

Yep...I'm to make apresentation on this later next month, so they can fully understand this...time to show off my leet powerpoint skills.

Caltrain isn't the right person, it's VTA. Caltrain is even worse...you literaly just put up the kickstand and set them in teh back of the train....less chance of injury...but often you have the problem of getting your bike out before your stop (which is often 5 layers deep in other bikes). I have other gripes with VTA as well, part of it is only half the trains having camera, and drives who will scream at kids, but not do anything about the people drinking on the trains...that was another letter.

Nice! You will always have that memory to quell your emotions during further encounters. I'm jealous - I want one too!

Instant karma's gonna get you.

I need to retell my revenge story here to lighten this up:

I was riding one night about two years ago, traffic was light, and I was about 6' off the right curb. This ******* in a minivan pulled up next to me, straddling both lanes, and started yelling, "Get on the sidewalk! I'm tired of you mutha phucking bikers blocking the road!" I yelled back, "Truck up!" He then said, "What you'd say? I'll kick your......." He couldn't complete his sentence as he rammed the back of an empty pulp-wood hauler stopped at a red light at about 25mph. I rode on toward home, not wanting to hang around that scene.

That story doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not.

Could do this as a poll..How much abuse we take is related to how many miles we put in...I do 6,000 to 8,000 plus a year..I would say I take mild abuse at least once a week. More severe harrassment at least once a month.. Tired and cranky, maybe mild abuse can seem severe. Riding home from night shift..Easier to light a fuse.

I had someone peg me with a donut on Friday night. I believe it was a Boston creme. It got me off of my camelback while on km30 of my regular 60 k night ride. Bunch of punk ares teens in a silver honda civic. I attempted to catch up to them to no avail. Maybe if there was traffic, I might have been able too. Oh well, what are you gonna do? That was my first incident of projectile (donut or otherwise.)

Curious..How do you riders in the UK, Australia, New Zealand relate to all these reports of cycists being hassled in the US....Does it seem pretty common where you live..
I have completed probably 1500 miles in Europe..Can't recall one incident of harrassment...Do recall some citizens , even young people- cheering, with applause our group as we passed.
I know Aussies drink alot..? Seems couple Australian cyclists reported being harrassed.Maybe it is an additive in the Fosters and Budweiser brew.
Yes, being harrassed does try my patience at times.I have had incidents where I lost control. Try not to.

I think a lot of it also depends on where you're riding. Around my area there have been incidents but overall cycling is rather pleasant and there are many many cyclists about. Of course there was a case a couple of years ago where some teenagers actually pushed a cyclist (who was also a priest) off his bike and severely injuring him.

When I was in New York last week, my friends had picked us up from the airport and was driving us back to their place. Not too far from their home were a bunch of teenaged kids sitting on a street corner... halfway in the street. As we passed them, they actually threw a rock at us. Luckily there was no damage to the car (Saturn's damage resistant plastic body panels do in fact work). When we got back, my friend placed a phonecall and the police said they'd definately check it out. Another interesting thing I noted was that during my whole visit there (southest Long Island), I did not notice one cyclist on the roads even on the weekend days with beautiful weather.

Khuon..I recall riding the Amtrak train up the eastern corridor from Philly to New York..Traveling through Philly, I was wondering what the holes in the windows were about...Ocassionally, someone from local tenements takes a pot shot at passing train windows..So, I was told then.
ALso, reports.Some New York City subways go over train trestle on the bridges over the East River. .The trains are elevated. Also, a good location for rifles to take aim for target practice. Does that still go on.?
So there are worse things than rocks..

Khuon..I recall riding the Amtrak train up the eastern corridor from Philly to New York..Traveling through Philly, I was wondering what the holes in the windows were about...Ocassionally, someone from local tenements takes a pot shot at passing train windows..So, I was told then.
ALso, reports.Some New York City subways go over train trestle on the bridges over the East River. .The trains are elevated. Also, a good location for rifles to take aim for target practice. Does that still go on.?
So there are worse things than rocks..

Hmmm... I don't know. I'll ask my New York friends.

Or a handful of pennies .... I'm sure you can all figure out what they're for ;)


Were you upset by Clearnet's DJs ???

Curious..How do you riders in the UK, Australia, New Zealand relate to all these reports of cycists being hassled in the US....Does it seem pretty common where you live.

As I related in another thread, it depends which part of Australia you're talking about. Here in Queensland it's basically to be expected. As I've said previously, I'm totally desensitised to it. About the only thing I find surprising about the types of abuse that apparently take place in the US is that anyone over there even gets excited about it anymore. However, this is not the case in the more civilised parts of this country. When I've ridden in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania or South Australia (both city and country), the abuse doesn't seem anywhere near as common. In fact, the worst drivers I saw the whole time I was in Tasmania had Queensland registration (and that is an honest fact).

Recall a bike incident in San Francisco a couple of years ago..It was near Fisherman's Wharf...Yelling resulted in a chase- car chasing bike...Shots rang out and the cyclist was dead..
Can't ever get unexcited about that.

It seems like every time I ride these days, at least someone has to ruin it by making idiotic comments or crazy driving skills. :mad:......

To minimize antagonism with motorists: I ride predictably, signal, don't hog any turning lanes, don't ride side to side with other riders, and DON'T ever take for granted that the driver closest to you CAN SEE YOU! :eek:

It used to be fun and an adrenaline rush to do "combat" with urban motorists during undergrad off-campus commuting. :D It REALLY helps to have good situation awareness and avoid dangerous routes and intersections. PLUS it always help to whip out the ol' U-lock and wield it like a weapon to confront obnoxious drivers. Ah....those were the days.... :fight:

Now most of my road riding is done in early morning (5-7AM) when most idiot drivers haven't gotten up yet.

Recall a bike incident in San Francisco a couple of years ago..It was near Fisherman's Wharf...Yelling resulted in a chase- car chasing bike...Shots rang out and the cyclist was dead..
Can't ever get unexcited about that.

I wasn't referring to that specifically. I was referring to the number of posts here that seem surprised to learn of the anti-cyclist bigotry that is apparently so common out there. Mind you, the whole "point the gun at the cyclist" thing has been done here before. Some jerk tried that one on Currumbin Creek Road a few years ago. On this occasion the cyclist just got off the road, then called the cops as soon as the driver was out of sight. Currumbin Creek Road just happens to be a dead end. Our "friend" with the gun was arrested.

I had a bunch of kids hit me with a foam rubber thing from a pool or something. Not sure exactly what it was, but about a 4" wide 6 or 8 foot long tube they had hanging out of the passenger side window to hit bikers. They laughed, I swore and flipped a bird.

Damn stupid kids.

Most of the drivers I see are OK - it's more likely that they get pissed when I don't realize that they DID see me and I hold them up because I think they didn't.

i wonder what's really going on in the minds of those people that throw things and shoots guns at cars and bikes and trains... i mean, seriously! are they getting anything out of it? they remind me of that episode of maximum exposure with the russian smoking monkey that throws it's crap at people. poeple are weeeeird!

apparently monkeys are wierd too.

I had someone peg me with a donut on Friday night. I believe it was a Boston creme. It got me off of my camelback while on km30 of my regular 60 k night ride. Bunch of punk ares teens in a silver honda civic. I attempted to catch up to them to no avail. Maybe if there was traffic, I might have been able too. Oh well, what are you gonna do? That was my first incident of projectile (donut or otherwise.)


Mmmmmm....donuts......

There are a couple of roads here where the bike path is really poorly designed. One is a one-way road that can get busy at rush hour. If you stick to the path,it may be safer- until l want to turn up my street. At that intersection there is no way to turn across the traffic because there is no stop sign. So I ride on the other side of the road. It's on that road where you're likely to get yelled at, and I just flip them the bird. Sometimes I'll gesture that I'm turning, but usually I just ignore them. I'll use that bike path when they make it safer. On that same road, there is another section where the bike path ends, and then starts up again at a major intersection. One moron honked and yelled at me, "There's a bike path there!" I pointed to the bike path and yelled back "ANd it ends right there!" I wasn't in her way and there wasn't much traffic, but of course she was in a huge SUV, so naturally it was my fault. IDIOT! It really annoys me that they design bike paths that stop and then start again, making cyclists risk their lives. If they're going to put bike paths on busy roads, at least make them a bit safer. I don't use bike paths all the time but sometimes you can't entirely avoid them or the motorists. However, most are okay. And sometimes people yell NICE things, like "Go girl!" or "Allez allez!" or "Go go go!"

Curious..How do you riders in the UK, Australia, New Zealand relate to all these reports of cycists being hassled in the US....Does it seem pretty common where you live..

Here in Northern Europe this is extremely rare. I remember maybe one incident in my 10 years of commuting where a college kid shouted something to me from a passing car. I have to say I am astonished to read what kind of sh!t some of you have to put up with.

When I'm touring, with a fully loaded bike, people quite often come to ask questions or share their experiences of bike touring. No hassle there either, just friendly conversations and I expect that to increase when I start to tour with my kayak trailer.

--J

Juha..Think I have taken my bike to Europe four times..Biggest miles were put in,in France..
Only pleasant memories but one...So many cyclists on the roads on a Sunday...Was in Rousillon..A small road between St. Andre and Le Boulou...So many bikes on such a nice day...Cars just could not pass...Was like a bike parade..
No real harassment..But some noisy car horns..What could each do..When cycling is that popular, road improvement is desperately needed.

I live in So Floida where it seems the last things many drivers here were driving was a donkey cart down in the islands

So I ride as defensively as possible. Cab drivers and jacked up P/U truks are the worse in my view

I've had them come within inches of me then go back into the normal lane.

I carry a small wrench with me for minor adjustments and one time this cabdriver ran me off the road in the early AM, I caught up with him at a traffic lite, took out my wrench and let fly at his left side mirror as I passed him, it broke, pleasing me and had him screaming at me in Patois French
Maybe wasn't the smartest thing to do but there are times when the other cheek gets a bit overused

I've rode about 9,000 miles in the last three years, including 2,200 on a long-distance tour (Chicago-Atlanta), with 95% of the rest being commuting on public roads in the Chicago suburbs. In all that time, as far as I can remember, I've had one thing yelled at me, and one thing thrown at me (possibly).

I don't know why my experience has been so different from a lot of other people. Sure, I have drivers doing stupid and dangerous things around me all the time, but only twice has there been malice specifically directed towards me. I'm sure location has a lot to do with it; both incidents occured on the tour, though I had expected a LOT more than I got. But there must be more to it. At home, while Chicago-proper has a lot of cyclists, there are hardly any out in the suburbs, so it can't be that the drivers are used to seeing cyclists on "their" roads, or that people are significantly more friendly around here than they are in other places.

My current half-baked theory is that it's the shorts. :) I don't generate that furious rage that boils up in the minds of drivers when they see a well-toned rump in tight spandex shorts, because I just wear regular old baggy shorts and t-shirts. I know it's crazy, but that's all I can come up with!

Lately I havent seen too many prick drivers...I did see a few that weren't paying attention and got a wee bit too close for comfort, but a " 'cuse me sir!" later...they were back into their lane and outta mine....i was in the bike lane at the time...and many of you know how thin those lanes are out here.

It still trips me out how many folks keep checking out the "on road mtn bike"...it may not be the most eficient thing, but the way i see it, that means more calories burnt for me :)

...and today I wish i had a bottle of water thrown my way...preferably unopened...I ran out of water on my trip to work :(

Hmmm... not that I'm advocating violence or anything but it sounds like maybe Topeak who's known for feature enhancing/bloating their products could start marketting a new line of minipumps...

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/visual_tao_of_cycling/gunpump.jpg

Doesn't exactly slide into the old seat bag, tho'. And definitely not a frame-fit.

Doesn't exactly slide into the old seat bag, tho'. And definitely not a frame-fit.

I dunno about that... The buttstock folds giving the overall length of 21.5". I suppose a larger frame would be required with at least a 56cm top-tube. Add some special pegs and you're all set. I suppose it might be difficult to clear the downtube though. Maybe CamelBak could step up to the plate a provide special holder straps in their packs for those riding shorter frames. :)

there are an unusual number of crazies in my area.
some of the worst drivers I see are when I'm off the bike.
I try to ride in the morning when there's less traffic.
And I'm looking for other areas to ride, like quiet backcountry roads.
why can't some of these people just let others be?
most cyclists are not loud or rude in public...unlike some people.

My current half-baked theory is that it's the shorts. :) I don't generate that furious rage that boils up in the minds of drivers when they see a well-toned rump in tight spandex shorts, because I just wear regular old baggy shorts and t-shirts. I know it's crazy, but that's all I can come up with!
I don't think that's half-baked at all. I don't think I've ever taken intentional abuse (cross fingers) though I see my share of simple stupidity. I ride a hybrid with a plastic tool box bolted on the rack and ride in t-shirts and baggies or walking shorts. I think when people see me they see "guy on a bike going somewhere" -- when those same people see folks in full cycling gear they see "stupid wanna-be athletes training on my road and getting in my very important way for their own selfish pleasure."

Not saying that's right, of course, but I strongly suspect that that's the dynamic going on.

John

Well, I'm realising just how lucky I am in the Far East. I've been riding out here for 10 months and have never had a problem with a single car. The only person to heckle me was an incompetent cyclist who didn't realise that when you someone else coming, you pick a direction and stick to it. Driving off the pavement is wierdo behaviour here. There've been a couple of potentially serious mistakes by drivers and I've fallen off because of them a couple of times, but they've always been apologetic and never any nastiness. It really is a sickness isn't it, to believe that a machine you have to poison the planet to use, that you have to cover the earth with choking black tarmac for, is somehow morally superior to such an efficient, clean and healthy mode of transport?

People are the same everywhere. I got yelled at today by a couple of young people. You should have seen them when I pulled right up beside them at the stop light. They all looked scared to death. :) I gave them the mean and nasty look with my shades on. While deep down inside I was laughing my butt off.;) :D

I don't think that's half-baked at all. I don't think I've ever taken intentional abuse (cross fingers) though I see my share of simple stupidity. I ride a hybrid with a plastic tool box bolted on the rack and ride in t-shirts and baggies or walking shorts. I think when people see me they see "guy on a bike going somewhere" -- when those same people see folks in full cycling gear they see "stupid wanna-be athletes training on my road and getting in my very important way for their own selfish pleasure."

Not saying that's right, of course, but I strongly suspect that that's the dynamic going on.


Nope, I rode in the "T-Shirt and baggies" everyday for three years on my commute to University. It made not a whit of difference.

People are the same everywhere. I got yelled at today by a couple of young people. You should have seen them when I pulled right up beside them at the stop light. They all looked scared to death. :) I gave them the mean and nasty look with my shades on. While deep down inside I was laughing my butt off.;) :D

I think I posted about this earlier on the daily commute thread:

A couple of weeks ago I was riding home from work, hadn't bothered to change into cycling kit so I'm just toodling along with my tie loosened. The prototypical jerk in a p.o.s. pickup gunned his engine, swore at me to get off the f***ing road, and flipped me off. When I asked him to pull over so that we could discuss California traffic law, he flipped me off again and sped up to the light.

I knew it was a long light so I put it in the big ring and rode up right behind him. When I got to within shouting distance, I yelled at him to pull over and let's discuss this. I could see his eyes in the rearview mirror; they got really big. And before I could pull up to his window, he ran the light and crossed three lanes to get on freeway offramp.

Tough guy: Afraid of a middle-aged guy in a tie on a bike.

he was probably one of them damn crackheads.

Tweaker, actually. But yeah.

Then I had a couple close calls w/ some crazy drivers that I swear just try to see how close they can get to you while you are riding the white line as far to the curb as you can get at times w/o hitting pot holes. One I swear tried to force me into hitting a parked car, and I had to all but lay on the brakes big time...of course ruining my nice clip that I had been maintaining...

Anyone else get tired of idiot drivers?

This guy (in a car) was trying to catch up with me, I can see he (looking back quickly) was trying to get as close as possible to me (riding my road bike then), he wasn't paying enough attention to the road and there were a couple of cars that stopped ahead of him, too late for him to avoid hitting the first car, bang!! I might have said to myself "good for you" :)

It's all part of the fun. I make a particular point of nodding my thanks to the courteous drivers. Makes me feel a lot more positive in the long run. If you start thanking all the good ones, you start to notice the bad ones really are the minority.

Absolutely the best approach. When I am on a narrow road and there is no way for a car to safely pass me because of hills, curves, or oncoming traffic, I make it apoint to find a driveway or something paved so I can move out of the way and let them pass. I have had more nods, smiles, waves and kind words because of this.

When ever a driver passes me safely on narrow or busy roads, I always wave and say "Thank you."

In the past two years and one month in which I have been riding about every day, I have had very, very few bad experiences and only one that could have resulted in being hit had I not screamed loudly at the moron.

I do the same thing..Near intersection, I obstruct someone's pathway by cyclists being in a bike lane..I gladly reposition myself so they can pass. Go Cycists' diplomacy.
Be nice to see the same consideration on the part of many motorists..
In spite of many of our compaints about wacky motorists; I have often experienced considerate moves on the part motorists towards us. Just seems there are more jerks out there.

Absolutely the best approach. When I am on a narrow road and there is no way for a car to safely pass me because of hills, curves, or oncoming traffic, I make it apoint to find a driveway or something paved so I can move out of the way and let them pass. I have had more nods, smiles, waves and kind words because of this.

Problem being, this is going to make me late for work, and around here at least, won't have any effect on the daily abuse that I get. More to the point, I'm still waiting for someone to give me a reason that their convenience is any more important than mine.

Having said that, I'm beginning to kind of enjoy being abused by drivers. The knowledge that these "people" have to resort to this crap as an outlet for their own futile inability to cope with their daily lives gives me a nice little feeling of superiority, allowing me an outlet for my own rampant arrogance.

Chris..I can understand your feelings about ticking off jerks..Don't loose sleep over it as long as they do not shoot me.. We need use courtesy to the many fair minded motorists. Most of us are just trying to get to where we want to go..But for the jerks who taunt us..I attempt to control my rages, but there is a small amount of visceral joy in being different from the maddening crowd, when they are Mad..

It seems like every time I ride these days, at least someone has to ruin it by making idiotic comments or crazy driving skills. :mad:

I was riding last nite and had pulled up to an intersection where I was in one lane and there was a turn lane next to me. As the light went green and I started to go, a woman in a car in the other turn lane yelled out "That's why they make sidewalks!!!" in a huff and proceeded to turn right. The thing that bugged me most was not her moronic comment, but the fact that she felt the need to say something even though I wasn't impeeding her in any way...she was in a totally different lane, heading the opposite direction! :(

Then I had a couple close calls w/ some crazy drivers that I swear just try to see how close they can get to you while you are riding the white line as far to the curb as you can get at times w/o hitting pot holes. One I swear tried to force me into hitting a parked car, and I had to all but lay on the brakes big time...of course ruining my nice clip that I had been maintaining...

Anyone else get tired of idiot drivers?



There was this idiot woman on the Napa, Ca Tour De Cure in a giant dualie pickup that was yelling at cyclists how we were making the roads unsafe. This was a sunday. Maybe she should have parked that gas sucker and relaxed, or just worked in her vineyard.
Then there was the car on a club ride last Sunday where I took off in front of the group, doing about 28 mph, and two girls yelled out of a car that I had a nice posterior. Then Mom, who was driving, said something to the front passenger, and she asked if I was single. Oh wait, that was a good heckling, sorry!!!:)

Then there was the car on a club ride last Sunday where I took off in front of the group, doing about 28 mph, and two girls yelled out of a car that I had a nice posterior. Then Mom, who was driving, said something to the front passenger, and she asked if I was single. Oh wait, that was a good heckling, sorry!!!:)

I think I got heckled at by a Duck (as in old Army amphib now being used for many tours) tour guide near Lake Union's here in Seattle. I was stopped at the side of the road near Gasworks Park waiting for my riding partner to catch up and the Duck was making a turn. I didn't here the whole comment but I did catch coming from the loadspeaker, "... see what I mean about the spandex." I'm not sure if the heckling was good or bad though. :)

Hehe, gotta love good heckling...

Today I got a few comments...but it was my bad, I didn't know that a certain street here in city becomes 280....which i noticed as soon as i saw the onramp...so turn around anad walk up....wrong way...at least I deserved a bit of it then...

Only reason why so much...I've rode around the city like made today....found the performance cycle in campbell....great shop. Found some other shop near meridian about halfway from that shop and san carlos...cool guys, we BSed about some of teh better restaurants downtown....then went on up the street....raced some BMXer, and got creamed...I never knew those things could go so freaking fast!!! Then made my way up to get some BR Daquiri ice cream (MMM!!!)...then get my tired self home...

Oh yeah about 15 mins before the haraasive motorist mentiond in another post...I was stopped by a couple who asked for a pen...well his drunken acquantance (a she) got all mad and started calling be a Bi*ch...somewhat uncalled for, so being the smartass I am , and being used to dealing with drunks i told her I do have apper though, and handed her some paper...that seemed to calm the aggro drunken banshee, so off I went :D

Then there was the car on a club ride last Sunday where I took off in front of the group, doing about 28 mph, and two girls yelled out of a car that I had a nice posterior.

I need to ride in Napa more...

There was this idiot woman on the Napa, Ca Tour De Cure in a giant dualie pickup that was yelling at cyclists how we were making the roads unsafe.
Wow, she's fast! She heckled me during our Tour de Cure ride in Colorado too! It went something like "Move the f**k over!" This when I was already mere inches from the edge of the road. Oh wait, you said dualie pickup? This one was in a huge Suburban - must've been her sister. :rolleyes: