Advocacy & Safety - Yelling Stuff at People (is lame)

OK, so I always tell people that I am a "reformed" bad cyclist. I used to do dumb stuff, I admit it, not adhering to traffic laws, etc.

But after years of riding, I'm now trying to be a conscious cyclist who uses his eyes and mind before his id and throat. I was nearly hit twice yesterday in a particuarly stupid intersection in town, and I admit I slipped up and yelled at the car. Still, it wasn't what I've done in the past, like following and giving the person a piece of my mind. Moreover, I blame the intersection in this case. I let things go.

So imagine how I feel later on in the day when I'm sitting at a light, waiting for it to change, when I start to hear someone shoaling up from behind me. This is one of my pet-peeves, particularly because I am an aggressive rider and don't necessarily like to be cut in front of and then slowed down at a light. So I let the shoal happen, not saying anything, and this woman rolls up to me in her fully commute'd Surly (helmet bag and all) and goes, "Hey man, I saw you burn through that light back there. Its people like you that make all of us bicyclists look like ********", then proceeds to start pedaling off rapidly, turning right on the red.

Apparently my clipping in and trackstanding on the previous yellow light elicited this response. And yes, I do take off as soon as the green hits so I can get in front of the car to the left of me. That is not blowing a light. Moreover, people here aren't great with their turn signals and I have often been nearly hooked by drivers sitting there dead straight, not indicating their turn until they cut across me.

I literally was so non-plussed when she said this to me I looked over to the right half expecting someone else sitting there.

Keep that **** to yourself. Particuarly when you are totally in the wrong. I keep a lid on my temper but when I'm mad I get loud. She's lucky I ignored it, but man did that piss me off the rest of the day.

For what its worth, when its not raining and its the middle of the day and sunny, wearing full "pouring rain" rain-gear and a helmet hat spouting off smug-comments makes you look like the a$$hole, lady.

Also do you think this same woman offers this speech to the myriad of Corvallis bike-riders who ride on the sidewalk, salmon in the bike lane, ride in the WRONG LANE (yes i've seen this), ride ninja, force "right of way" through crosswalks. Because seriously, if you take this as a personal mission you're going to be a very busy person.

Was she hot?

Was she hot?

Your knack for instinctively nailing the key issues is impressive, master. :D

Was she hot?
Couldn't have said it better myself.

I'm with the OP on this one. Publicly scolding someone isn't going to have any effect. I've tried scolding (no lights, riding against traffic), and I've been scolded (back in my bad old days). It doesn't work. The only thing that might work is legal enforcement by the police. So, if you want to be a traffic cop, go apply. Otherwise, keep your commentary to yourself and ride your own ride, or you're just wasting energy.

And obnoxiousness goes a long way in decreasing hotness.

The tone of voice was bad enough, I'll leave out all other details of physical attractiveness save for that she had a fuzzstache.

wow. you guys actually see other cyclists on the road. I'd be thrilled to hear anything from a rider who had even an opinion on the different approaches to cycling in traffic. we'd be happy to have her over here. plus, you can go right on red in CT. :)

Please leave the Surly out of this...bikes can't pick their owners.

Somebody has been reading too much of the bike snob!

P.s. yelling never works, haha, did it ever?

^ Damn, you beat me to it! I'm always non-plussed when smug people shoal me. At least she wasn't salmoning.

I'm with the OP on this one. Publicly scolding someone isn't going to have any effect. I've tried scolding (no lights, riding against traffic), and I've been scolded (back in my bad old days). It doesn't work. The only thing that might work is legal enforcement by the police. So, if you want to be a traffic cop, go apply. Otherwise, keep your commentary to yourself and ride your own ride, or you're just wasting energy.

And obnoxiousness goes a long way in decreasing hotness.

Scolding may not. But if one were to actually engage in a conversation with the person, and simply suggest a change, that might work. Sometimes planting the seed is far better than anything else you can do.

You should have considered catching her and pushing her off the bike.

All kidding aside, I had a similar incident a while back. As I was waiting at a red light in legal fashion, a rider pulled along side me and stopped a foot or so past the stop line. I calmly mentioned that vehicle code 3.112.a strictly prohibted this, and much to my surprise angry words ensued. Next thing I knew we were both wrestling on the ground.

Well let me tell you... she was as strong as she was beautiful! After several minutes of struggling, we ended up falling into the most passionate kiss I have ever experienced. While the rest of the story is only appropriate for my "Dear Penthouse" letter, I can tell you that mouthing off in traffic paid off well for me!

Well let me tell you... she was as strong as she was beautiful!

you're gonna make me blush
http://web.me.com/awcg/iWeb/Springwood/Library_files/Chip-thomas.jpg

Sometimes planting the seed is far better than anything else you can do.

You should have considered catching her and pushing her off the bike.

...Next thing I knew we were both wrestling on the ground.

Well let me tell you... she was as strong as she was beautiful! After several minutes of struggling, we ended up falling into the most passionate kiss I have ever experienced. While the rest of the story is only appropriate for my "Dear Penthouse" letter, I can tell you that mouthing off in traffic paid off well for me!

Did you plant the seed in her?

Did you plant the seed in her?NO, he finally woke up from his far reaching fantasy.
Or nightmare after seeing the above pic.

NO, he finally woke up from his far reaching fantasy.
Or nightmare after seeing the above pic.
Dang! I was hoping for pictures. And not THAT picture.

When people say "non-plussed," they non-plus themselves.

-Kurt

Did you plant the seed in her?

Let's just say that among the neighborhood housewives who like to garden I'm quite well known for my green thumb. :D

... when I start to hear someone shoaling up from behind me. This is one of my pet-peeves, particularly because I am an aggressive rider and don't necessarily like to be cut in front of and then slowed down at a light. So I let the shoal happen, not saying anything ...

Pardon my ignorance, what is a shoal, or shoaling?

Speedo

I have no idea of what she looked like, but I'll imagine this:
http://pedalerclothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/pin-up-cyclist.jpg
Continue the discussion...

^I'd let her passionately scold me... and shoal at every light


(shoaling=to pull up in front of someone stopped at a light rather than stop behind them)
(multiple riders doing this will line up further and further into the intersection, much like
a sandbar [or shoal] building up at a bend in a creek)
((thank you bikesnobNYC))

(shoaling=to pull up in front of someone stopped at a light rather than stop behind them)
(multiple riders doing this will line up further and further into the intersection, much like
a sandbar [or shoal] building up at a bend in a creek)
((thank you bikesnobNYC))

Ah, thanks.

Speedo

Let's just say that among the neighborhood housewives who like to garden I'm quite well known for my green thumb. :DIt's Green!?

Methinks you need to see the doctor.

Yelling Stuff at People (is lame)

Unless your the guy who yelled at me, "DUDE! YOU ROCK!!", as I was towing my canoe down the highway one afternoon.

Or the fat woman who yelled, "FREAK!!", at me from the passenger side window of a passing car.
<"Why thank you fat woman. Compared to you ... I suppose I am.">

The funny thing about that last one was that there were two U.S. Marine stickers in the back window, and it was 2 yrs., 2 months, and almost 2 weeks after I retired.

Yelling Stuff at People (is lame)

Unless your the guy who yelled at me, "DUDE! YOU ROCK!!", as I was towing my canoe down the highway one afternoon.

Or the fat woman who yelled, "FREAK!!", at me from the passenger side window of a passing car.
<"Why thank you fat woman. Compared to you ... I suppose I am.">

The funny thing about that last one was that there were two U.S. Marine stickers in the back window, and it was 2 yrs., 2 months, and almost 2 weeks after I retired.

The other day when I was on my way to the library (by way of the Farm Store [not produce] for a Dr. Pepper) I had the passenger in the rear seat yell at me to get on the sidewalk.

The other day when I was on my way to the library (by way of the Farm Store [not produce] for a Dr. Pepper) I had the passenger in the rear seat yell at me to get on the sidewalk.

I was riding home from work one afternoon when someone from the passenger side of a passing car yelled, "YAD!!".
<"YAD!!? What the heck is a yad?">

Then I realized it was my car. When I got home I asked my 'teen son what he yelled.
I then had to explain that when the bike is doing 15 and the car is doing about 50 how "WAY TO GO, DAD!!" sounds like "YAD!!" :lol:

Ahhh the doppler effect. If only they knew!