Commuting - How do you deal with. . .

How do you seasoned commuters deal with aggressive drivers that chase after you? I have my first run in with one yesterday. It pulled out right in fornt of me and I yelled "watch out!" They promptly followed me honked and spit out a string of expletives.

I rode toward's the downtown in this particular community and the veered off and went the other way.

Just stop your bike and wait for them to drive away, and don't return their invective. They won't stop in traffic for any length of time to continue their tirade, because the guys in back of them will start blowing their horns. That's the best approach.

Wow I've never had that happen. I suppose I'd just stop off on the side of the road and let them pass. I wouldn't think it likely that they would stop too.

Pull out your gun and cap their tires. Gotta love bicycle rage!

I'm willing to bet that most of the time if you pull over and stop they will keep right on going. Most motorists like that little "bubble of protection" around them and won't want to get out to confront you. Although some will. Just be careful if anything.

I just stop and get off my bike and look at them. I'm not a small guy and quite frankly, I look mean.

I've never had it happen to me, but I thought about pulling over then waving them to pull over so I could talk to them. I doubt they'd stop, but if they did, I'd just ask what they're pissed off about, then tell them that I have a right to the lane, and if they didn't like that they could file a complaint with Mr. U-Lock. lol, not really, I'm not a fighter...I'd probably just say "Well, we disagree, maybe the police could shed some light on the situation."

Pull out your gun and cap their tires. Gotta love bicycle rage!

That'd make the 11:00 news! Hahaha!

The last few times it's happened I've asked the driver to pull his car over to the side of the road and get out so that we "might discuss traffic law." No one has ever taken me up on it.

I think most drivers are too chicken to get out of their cars too. One time on a ride some punk kids drove by me and yelled some cuss words at me. They stopped at a red light about a quarter mile ahead. Just as I was about to catch up to them they floored it and sped off. I've had other incidents were people have even thrown things at me. They'll pass you really quick but will never stick around.

When they do that, you just have to think, as my uncle would say..."A biker must have stole his girlfriend..." LOL!

How do you seasoned commuters deal with aggressive drivers that chase after you?
I'm not sure, it's never happened.

If I could get their license number and report them to police, I think that's what I'd do.

Ignore anyone who is neither needs your help nor is helpful to you. People who harrass you are not contributors to the advancement of human civilization. Leave them to their miserable existance and ride on secure in the knowledge that this pathetic soul is the last of 6 billion living humans with whom you would agree to exchange places.

I'd pull over and slow down or stop. That's the action that, in hindsight, I'd be most proud of, as opposed to humiliating myself and the reputation of other riders by yelling back or being confrontational. Although a blatent attempt on my life would probably draw a different response. Most people would likely tend to keep going as they'll have pressure from the cars behind them. Plus, I'm 6' 2" 255#-I don't get hasseled a lot.

I don't worry about simple verbal abuse...it's kinda tough on the beginning commuter thinking "Oh gosh I look like an idiot out here! I"m gonna get murdered!". But after awhile, you get past that, and I don't even notice it anymore.


But when they cross the line...literally...and take phsyical action against me with their twoton deathmachine...all bets are off. I take down license numbers and key "great driver, a$$hole" into their paint jobs if I ever catch the car stopped (Im sure this makes them love me), file police reports, and make LIBERAL use of my powers of acidic sarcasm, generally directed at what kind of inadequacy causes them to pick on a lone female on a vehicle barely a hundredth their weight.

Disclaimer, I also attend Redneck U. where anyone not driving a pickup truck could be lynched without warning, and the vernacular for 'biciclyst' is 'moving target'. My methods are probably too uncivilised for use in polite society.

Those Kryptonite locks are hard and heavy. Show an aggresive driver what one can do to a mirror or window, and they'll probably keep out of range after that.

Your reaction was the best. Pulling over and waiting for the driver to move on is also the other best reaction. There is no sense in escalating what is already an altered state. If you give the person reason to justify their action(s), then you may be in for more trouble (especially if that driver sees you again).

I agree with Tree Trunk. It is very tempting to return fire from someone who has put you at risk or threatened you, but you are pretty defenseless and escalating the situation only leads to something everyone involved will regret. Get out of the situation as quickly and efficiently as possible. If it was a real physical threat try to get the plate number of the vehicle and contact authorities later, when cooler heads prevail.