Advocacy & Safety - How do you deal with it?

So I'm getting REALLY fed up with **** drivers cutting me off, buzzing me, driving dangerously, and being generally ******** and I am getting very frustrated that there is NOTHING I can do to stop it.

So how would you all deal with this situation?

I want some ideas about how to just take it easy on my ride - maybe I'm in too much of a hurry...

Daven

Funny you should mention drivers... I had the opportunity to sail in a 3 day regatta last weekend... and each day I "hitched" a ride with a different team member on the boat. Every one drove like a maniac. I don't mean fast, I mean they would tailgate, speed up, suddenly brake, not use turn signals... it was outrageous. I couldn't believe it. Out of frustration, I simply closed my eyes for the 120 mile trip with the last driver.

What ever happened to the 2 second rule and the use of turn signals?

I can understand this behavior with one driver, but 3 different drivers across a 20 year age spectrum? One of these guys was constantly on the cell phone too.

I suppose this is what drivers feel they can do when behind the wheel... :eek:

I catch up to them at a stop light, throw my water bottle at their mirror, then stand in front of them. After I get my ankle broken I just blame the driver for starting the whole thing by not giving me 'ample space' while passing. This makes sense to most people..... ;)

If its more than 1 lane going the direction Im going, I take the entire lane. I ride just to the left of the center. Nobody gets in the lane at all because theres no false idea of having enough room to pass. If its only 1 lane going my way, I find another route.

I take the lane when I need to, sure it annoys people but hey! I guess I need to chill out a bit, but it really ****es me off when people have such little regard for my life.

I ride exclusively recreationally. I don't commute or run errands. As a consequence I can avoid heavily travelled roads. Still, on rare occasion I have someone do something dumb, dangerous or with disregard for my safety. Most often, I invite them to come back and discuss it with me. I had one guy come back. The encounter ended with him apologizing to me.

I ride exclusively recreationally. I don't commute or run errands. As a consequence I can avoid heavily travelled roads. Still, on rare occasion I have someone do something dumb, dangerous or with disregard for my safety. Most often, I invite them to come back and discuss it with me. I had one guy come back. The encounter ended with him apologizing to me.

TBH the areas through which I cycle I'd probably get shot/stabbed doing something like that!

I ignore them. Nothing I can do about it that I don't already. Sure it sucks to get buzzed.. but after an average of between 75-120 miles/wk, for a little over two years in L.A. traffic, I guess i've gotten used to it. I feel if I didn't get hit or have to take evasive measures, then life goes on..

Try going to CommuteOrlando blog and look for the videos and animations that talk about how to ride in traffic. It's very informative stuff. You can control how cars react, to an extent, based on how you maneuver your bike in traffic.

Very good site doohickie, thanks. I do most of the stuff already but I might try taking the lane even more tomorrow. The problem with being in the UK is most roads are 1 lane only and therefore there isn't much room to move around.

90% of the time, people seem to give me room. I wear bright clothing, an ICU-UCME jacket, a white helmet and a flashing light when I can. I ride mostly commuting or doing errands and in urban traffic.
The few times I had incidents with drivers, I've contacted the appropriate law enforcement agency and filed a complaint. The current one is due to a d*%$wad tossed his drink out of the car on to me and my bike. I have a simple assault and battery complaint on file now, since as soon as the guy's fluid hit me, I got his license number, vehicle and occupant description best as I could and wrote it down. Our police agencies have been supportive when I've filed complaints about motorists' behavior.

Don't get mad, get even!

I focus on factors under my control.

I think to calm myself, I remember that I ride for health and pleasure. Getting stressed or angry doesn't lead to health or pleasure, so I just don't get stressed. Like the previous poster said: Focus on factors under your control. Focus on your own bike control (including posture, down to focusing on specific muscles), legality, and safety. Don't just smash your way through traffic- flow with it (including the stupid people it it). Ignore the ******bags- they're just ******bags :)

I cant believe nobody is supporting the 'throw the water bottle at the window' idea. The other thread was full of people backing up a cyclist that did that.... Take the lane when you can, avoid single lane roads.

I just go home and watch gory movies. :innocent:

Thanks, some good advice. My ride home today was much calmer :) spoilt but a stupid woman, but never mind! I wasn't too wound up :) just enjoying the weather.

So I'm getting REALLY fed up with **** drivers cutting me off, buzzing me, driving dangerously, and being generally ******** and I am getting very frustrated that there is NOTHING I can do to stop it.
Daven

So how would you all deal with this situation?

I want some ideas about how to just take it easy on my ride - maybe I'm in too much of a hurry...

Unless you are in a particularly bad area, it's likely that you are, even tho' you're riding safely and within the law, making some minor errors of positioning and anticipation. This may make me sound a bit superior and po-faced, but if it's happening frequently, then you can reduce the frequency by adopting the habits of assertive, but not agressive, riding.

A good start would be to get hold of Cyclecraft, by John Franklin, pub. The Stationery Office - about £12.99. or cheaper on http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=cyclecraft+john+franklin&sprefix=Cyclecraft


I won't pretend that riding according to the ideas in that book will remove all possiblities that buzzing, hooking, etc., but it would go a long way towards it. Broadly speaking, take the lane when necessary, i.e. to prevent drivers overtaking you when there isn't enough room, ride in the nearside wheel track position and please learn to read drivers' intentions by their facial expressions, where visible, by their position on the road, vis-a-vis the layout of the road in the immediate vicinity. etc.

The new national standard bikeability programme can also be useful. It's not just for kids, so if you want to read about it and the availability of courses in your neck of the woods, go to http://www.bikeability.org.uk/what_is_bikeability__/bikeability_near_you.php

Try analysing the circumstances in which you have had problems with drivers behaviour and see if there are any common denominators.

But, seriously, get hold of Cyclecraft - it should provide answers for pretty much all your questions. Good luck and safe cycling

Since the OP is in the UK he should wear a yellow reflective vest, like the Police use. By the time the drivers realize he wont be able to give them a ticket, it will be too late to drive agressively. In Montreal I have plenty of trouble with aggressive drivers when I am driving a car, but I am only bothered by this behaviour about once a year when riding the bike. I think most drivers also ride a bike occasionaly, so they have some sympathy for cyclists.

So I'm getting REALLY fed up with **** drivers cutting me off, buzzing me, driving dangerously, and being generally ******** and I am getting very frustrated that there is NOTHING I can do to stop it.

So how would you all deal with this situation?

I want some ideas about how to just take it easy on my ride - maybe I'm in too much of a hurry...

Daven

What is going to happen is you either stop taking it so personally or you go slowly insane. You probably don't get to choose, the reaction is based off your personality.

Funny you should mention drivers... I had the opportunity to sail in a 3 day regatta last weekend... and each day I "hitched" a ride with a different team member on the boat. Every one drove like a maniac. I don't mean fast, I mean they would tailgate, speed up, suddenly brake, not use turn signals... it was outrageous. I couldn't believe it. Out of frustration, I simply closed my eyes for the 120 mile trip with the last driver.

What ever happened to the 2 second rule and the use of turn signals?

I can understand this behavior with one driver, but 3 different drivers across a 20 year age spectrum? One of these guys was constantly on the cell phone too.

I suppose this is what drivers feel they can do when behind the wheel... :eek:Simply answer, ALL a bunch of sail boaters, that Think they always have right of way.:rolleyes: I know some even think they have right of way in restricted channels.:eek::notamused:

Very good site doohickie, thanks. I do most of the stuff already but I might try taking the lane even more tomorrow. The problem with being in the UK is most roads are 1 lane only and therefore there isn't much room to move around.

Where do you live in the UK? I've done a lot of commuting in various parts of the country from London to Newcastle and I find that "taking the lane" is almost invariably the answer. It makes you visible and something that has to be gone round rather than squeezed past. And do you overtake on the right? (we drive on the left here, for the benefit of our American friends) If you don't, you are contributing to your own problems by making it easy for drivers to fail to notice you and giving them an excuse to cut you up. Much of the time at UK city speeds the middle of the road is safer than the gutter because you can see and be seen. Most commuter fatalities here involve cyclists being caught on the inside of large vehicles making left turns.

London. I ride at a decent speed (18-24mph on big roads, 14-18mph on smaller roads) and cars don't really get that far ahead of me in the long run due to traffic. I take the lane when necessary and it does help. I overtake on the right when it is safer (i.e. no bus lane on the left). I never go on the inside of large vehicle unless they are stopped and I can see the traffic in front isn't moving.

I find my rides on my fixed gear a more relaxing that on my road bike - will try riding that more often :)

Thanks all

London. I ride at a decent speed (18-24mph on big roads, 14-18mph on smaller roads) and cars don't really get that far ahead of me in the long run due to traffic. I take the lane when necessary and it does help. I overtake on the right when it is safer (i.e. no bus lane on the left). I never go on the inside of large vehicle unless they are stopped and I can see the traffic in front isn't moving.

I find my rides on my fixed gear a more relaxing that on my road bike - will try riding that more often :)

Thanks all

I used to commute from Walthamstow to Whitehall for several years, along the Lea Bridge Road, through Hackney, Farringdon, Holborn, Trafalgar Square. The only quibble have with what you say is that it is almost always safer to pass on the right, whether or not there is no bus lane. You can see better, others can see you better, you are not vulnerable to pedestrians, sudden stops/doors etc etc. It takes a bit more nerve to start with, but you'll quickly notice that you don't get cut up so often.

Simply answer, ALL a bunch of sail boaters, that Think they always have right of way.:rolleyes: I know some even think they have right of way in restricted channels.:eek::notamused:

Or simply modern drivers. I see loads of similar driving all over the roadways.

I am a sailor and I certainly don't drive that way. (and I fully understand rule 9)

I don't ride on major high speed roads. I take the side streets, and sidewalks when available, unoccupied, and legal.... I know that's not possible for some, but it's served me well.