Commuting - Got Really Mad Riding Home Today!!!

A US Postal Service truck cut me off today at a stop sign. The driver took off and parked up the road. I was glaring at the driver and shaking my head when I passed him. He honked his horn and that's when I made my mistake. I flipped him the "finger" when I was past him.

The US Postal Service driver took off after me and cut me off. He jumped out of his truck and started swearing at me. I tried to reason with him but he was mad and I was getting madder. Fortunately, we both backed down. I'm a pretty big guy so he probably didn't want to chance it. I'm smart enough not to hit a postal employee - I'm sure I'd end up in an orange suit on Guantanomo.

The bottomline is that I shouldn't have let my anger cause me to flip the guy off - that was just plain wrong. It's really hard for me to control my anger sometimes when I'm riding - what does everyone else do?

Report him to the postal authority. You were out of line with the gesture but he was more so with his driving and confrontation. They probably won't do anything much but maybe being reported will improve his driving slightly.

What I don't get is why flipping the bird at someone who almost killed you is a Bad Thing(TM). Think about it... In any case, the fact remains that it can get you in worse trouble.

Anyhow on my way back home from the NYC Century, with 114 miles of riding behind me, 7 blocks from home, someone zooms around me in her car and makes a right turn in front of me. Thank goodness for reflexes and the "quick turn" skill (and tired legs == slower speed!). I guess because I was exhausted, my reflexes almost got me in more trouble as I VERY loudly screamed something along the lines of "WTF are you doing?". Lucky for me, the car briefly slowed down but decided to move on.

The point is that sometimes it is impossible to control your reactions. I guess the best thing to do is remind yourself once in a while when you avoid a more minor incident not to say anything bad even to yourself. Maybe that way when it's worse you won't let it out.

Then again HE should not have taken any aggressive action towards you as he was in a marked work truck with his employer's name plastered all over the side of it. I always call into a company when I think their driver is driving like an idiot or does something absolutely asinine. And believe me, people call our company all the time with complaints against our drivers. We call them to the front office for inquiries into the matter. Usually we do not get one of our drivers called in twice. They learn the first time that they have no right to take any aggressive action against anybody on the road. Stand up to them man, call your Post Office and talk to the dispatcher or whoever.

Arguing with postal workers is a bad thing. Where do you think the term "going postal" comes from? However, you should definately report any bad driving habbits that postal workers have to their supervisors. Maybe a reprimand and a few days stuck sorting mail in the post office will teach them to be more curtious drivers. At any rate you should be far away from the assault weapons when they snap.

Actually, the facts are the Postal Service does not tolerate ANY bad driving and most likely the postal worker will be placed on unpaid leave while the incident is investigated. This is according to my wife who was once married to a postal worker.

Anyone that reacts that badly to a mere hand gesture is too mentally unbalanced to be on the road, or possibly even in public. Report him.

So what if you flip him the bird? It endangers no-one and certainly injures no-one. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together should realise this. This drivers reaction was completley out of line, and it's up to you to make sure his bosses point this out to him in no uncertain terms.

A US Postal Service truck cut me off today at a stop sign. The driver took off and parked up the road. I was glaring at the driver and shaking my head when I passed him. He honked his horn and that's when I made my mistake. I flipped him the "finger" when I was past him.

The US Postal Service driver took off after me and cut me off. He jumped out of his truck and started swearing at me. I tried to reason with him but he was mad and I was getting madder. Fortunately, we both backed down. I'm a pretty big guy so he probably didn't want to chance it. I'm smart enough not to hit a postal employee - I'm sure I'd end up in an orange suit on Guantanomo.

The bottomline is that I shouldn't have let my anger cause me to flip the guy off - that was just plain wrong. It's really hard for me to control my anger sometimes when I'm riding - what does everyone else do?

He was on the job and in this case has everything to lose. Report him to his supervisor and at least get it on his record. Regardless of what happens, he will end up in way worse shape than you. The ball is in your court. Kick him in the head with it.

Report him. It will be at least a small smudge on his record. Although I have sunk to using the finger, a friendly wave and a smile often has a better effect. The sarcasm is clear, and it defuses my anger.

Haha, I had one driver say to me "what are you doing in my lane". I was stopped at the lights on the left side of the lane on Yonge st. Said lane ended for cars past the lights because of parked vehicles. He zoomed off and about 30 seconds later I caught him stuck in traffic for about the next 10 blocks. I went by him and gave him the thumbs up and laughed my ass off speeding off at 30+kph while he did 0.1kph.

Highlight of my day

the other day someone started lecturing me from their car & i surprised myself by reacting w/ a smile & wave & then stopped mid sentence they were so disarmed, but i really did surprise myself doing that, when you're riding hard & the adrenaline is flowing it's really, really difficult to be civil, & agreed w/ above posts, your taxes pay that guys salary, he's your b$tch & needs to a bit mo' pleasant.

Oh come on. His reaction, wrong and out of line to be sure, should be no supprise!

He is a U.S. POSTAL SERVICE employee. Your lucky he didn't take out a gun and kill you and everyone within range! :p

the other day someone started lecturing me from their car & i surprised myself by reacting w/ a smile & wave & then stopped mid sentence they were so disarmed, but i really did surprise myself doing that,

Sadly I'm still not there yet. My reaction would have been something more along the lines of the original post, the finger and a few choice words at my highest volume.

I'm workin' on it though. My latest tactic is to wave and say "F#$% you very much." with a smile on my face. They're generally out of earshot or can't hear me anyways, and all they see is a smile and a wave. Somehow I feel better, and it's not as confrontational ;).

Of course that only works with the yelling/honking/passing-too-close types. The ones that don't really scare you that badly, just piss you off. The just-about-frickin'-killed me-morons still get the obscenities and finger 'cause adrenalin is usually pumpin' pretty hard after the real close calls. Fortunately my idiot-radar is getting sharper so those happen less and less frequently as I'm able to better anticipate and avoid before the situation gets really hairy.

-Trevor

Hah, I'm not nearly so forgiving. I don't mind letting rip with a few choice words and the finger.

After having drivers stop mid-lane and get out their SUV to challenge me, another buzz me four times to tell me I shouldn't be on the road, another taking exception to me flipping the bird and pulling over into the gutter (I don't think his wife in the passenger seat was particulary impressed with him), another pulling a U-turn and driving back towards me over the centre line and... and... and...you get used to it.

First of all, at least they know I am there. Secondly, I usually end up passing them and saying "What's wrong with you?" (true). Thirdly, I've let off enough steam to go back to enjoying the ride. And fourthly, I hope I've spoiled their day like they tried to spoil mine.

And isn't USPS out of cycling from the end of the season? The driver in the original post probably thinks it's open season on riders again.

Hah, I'm not nearly so forgiving. I don't mind letting rip with a few choice words and the finger.

After having drivers stop mid-lane and get out their SUV to challenge me, another buzz me four times to tell me I shouldn't be on the road, another taking exception to me flipping the bird and pulling over into the gutter (I don't think his wife in the passenger seat was particulary impressed with him), another pulling a U-turn and driving back towards me over the centre line and... and... and...you get used to it.

On the other hand, does giving someone the finger really improve the situation? Whether it's right, wrong, or understandable isn't the issue here. I've had too many drivers deliberately aim their cars at me over the years to even bother getting involved in any of that rubbish. Let's be honest here, giving someone the "finger" is unlikely to spoil their day terribly, at least, no more than it already was. If anything, it will probably just make them feel better in themselves ("yeah, that guy on the bike has just showed me how much he deserved it").

One thing I've learned in my dealings with sub-intelligent morons in the decade I've been living in the city that doesn't know it's arse from it's elbow is this: Arrogance upsets people far more than aggression could ever dream of doing, and it leaves them with nothing they can do in return. So I just ignore people like this now. I just let them go. What I invariably find is that they stare in the mirror, looking for a reaction, then screw their face up into agonising positions when they don't get one.

Of course, the real sting in the tail is that as soon as they're out of sight, I just pay a nice little visit to the cops if they've bothered me at all (which is becoming increasingly rare these days, there's that arrogance again). About the only thing missing is that I'm not there to see that look on their face when they pick up the phone and there's a cop on the other end.

Hmmm... I would really really like to be like you and let it slide away, and I do try on occasions to be arrogant (yeah, like all the time). But for some of these drivers, it does disturb their day when their stupidity has been challenged. It doesn't hurt to show them that the guy on the bike is a human being, not a machine.

Honestly, I think the people around my neighbourhood in particular, are giving me more room and are less likely to overtake in stupid places because of a few words of abuse delivered at the appropriate time and place (ie, when I am not at risk, or have an escape route or have the cavalry behind me).

Giving the finger does nothing but escalate an already bad situation. Why bother?

Reporting bad driving is a better route. He'll get hassled by someone he can't bully with his vehicle.

Bad situation? For whom? I would much prefer a driver to look in the rear vision mirror and identify a reaction to them passing too close, cutting in, or overtaking dangerously, than let them think that sort of behaviour is acceptable.

And it's all OK to say report it to the police, but when the police simply aren't interested because (and you'll like this as it was put forward at a local government bike committee meeting) "We're too busy out catching crooks", what happens then?

I also must be missing something in my vast array of abilities here, because I'll be d@mned if I can even see a number plate, let alone memorise it in the instant it takes for a vehicle to pass on by and I'm concentrating on holding my line.

All said and done, I have around 100,000km of cycling under my belt in various cities and Australian States and in four European countries, and have yet to have a crash with a motor vehicle. And I've never been assaulted by a motorist.

Now having said that, watch it all fall apart on me.

Call the local post office and ask to speak to the Postmaster. I am sure there will be some sort of incident report. At the very least, ask the postmaster to give a safety talk to all the carriers about cyclists. I am a Postal employee and we have safety talks every week. (I work at a large processing plant, not a small post office.) I am sure there will be some sort of apology for the carrier's behavior toward a member of the general public.

It's all because of those right-handed cars man ...

Complain to Lance Armstrong and the team, they'll sort it out. :)

I can't talk, I flip people off all the time, usually preceeded by a finger pointed directly at them so they've got no doubt I mean THEM.

Cheers

One thing I've learned in my dealings with sub-intelligent morons in the decade I've been living in the city that doesn't know it's arse from it's elbow is this: Arrogance upsets people far more than aggression could ever dream of doing, and it leaves them with nothing they can do in return. So I just ignore people like this now. I just let them go. What I invariably find is that they stare in the mirror, looking for a reaction, then screw their face up into agonising positions when they don't get one.


Yep. Gotta agree with you on that one. Nothing like putting on your best poker face and acting like no matter what they do is going to phase you. Ride tall, ride strong. Its enough to keep most people off your back.

I ride every day during mail delivery time. At least once a week, sometimes more than once, I see a letter carrier will do something psychotically irresponsible with their vehicle. I learned early on to watch for them as they do not seem to be watching for anybody else.

Last week I had the right of way on a main street and a letter carrier pulled right out in my path from a side street so that he do a u-turn and head back down the other side of the street he was delivering. Fortunately I saw him coming and saw that he wasn't even looking up much less making eye contact. I panic stopped, unclipped and watched him pull straight out in front of me. In this situation I rode down to catch up with him. I let him know what he had just done and that he was really lucky that I was watching out for him. Clearly he agreed. I also took a minute to remind him of all the children who bike in the same area. I asked him if he thought that those kids would have been alert enough to see his mistake before he made it? I kept at him with polite but firm questions about what he had done. He was definitely aware of his mistake and error by the time that he apologized and promised to pay better attention to the road.

If he had given me the least bit of shiznit, I would have reported him in a heartbeat. There are ways to do that after the fact, with no need to get confrontational out on the road. Truth is that there are rules that he is supposed to be following when he is out making deliveries. When he isn't, there are supervisors back where he works who would want to know about it.

But yeah, as has been said, never give a postal employee a reason to go, well, postal. And I agree as well that ignoring guys who are just trying to mess with you is by far the best way to discourage them.

Giving the finger does nothing but escalate an already bad situation. Why bother?

Oh, becaues sometimes it just feels like a great thing to do.

When I can tell that cars are really upset with me for things like riding 2 feet from the parked cars (I do NOT want to get doored) or whatever, I often smile and wave.

I'm also getting better at sprinting, so when somebody is being a jerk and trying to blow past me, I can put in a little extra ooomph and lose their sorry asses.

I have been known to react in anger. One morning I was tooling up the break between the stopped and parked cars and a guy looked right at me and then pulled out, blocking my little two foot lane completely because there was nowhere for him to go. I yelled, because I nearly hit him, and when I went around the side of his car, I used my open flat hand to slap the rear quarter panel as hard as I could. Didn't leave a mark, but I'm sure it sounded interesting from inside the car. He was flipping me off furiously as I came around the front of the car, which was interesting since he's the one who got in MY way and nearly killed ME.

Ugh.

Hmmm... I would really really like to be like you and let it slide away, and I do try on occasions to be arrogant (yeah, like all the time). But for some of these drivers, it does disturb their day when their stupidity has been challenged. It doesn't hurt to show them that the guy on the bike is a human being, not a machine.

This, of course, relies on the drivers at least having the basic intelligence to realise that their stupidity has been challenged or even pointed out. After a decade of riding on the Gold Coast, I realise that such intelligence among drivers cannot be taken for granted, or even remotely expected.

The best thing I find now is smiling in reaction to anything. It really throws them off. Especially downtown where traffic is at a standstill more than half the time and they see you go by while they're stuck in their 2 ton piece of metal.

They'd be thinking "aw crap, I wish I was on a bike right now too".

TJ:

Good that you maintained (some) control. This morning, I (almost) got cut off by a truck...just raised my index finger (no, not THAT one) and gave the "naughty,naughty" gesture, (works in Europe too...<g>) and smiled. Got a smile & a shrug back...

Smiles work wonders.

Be careful out there.
Tom

I have developed a technique which confounds some, and really pisses off the more intelligent bad drivers(?)... I give them the thumbs up or an "ok" sign, and tell them "great job!" or "Great driving!" watch the reactions- it's great entertainment. My friend has this great way of incorporating the thumbs up with the bird and a smile, he rides a motorcycle.

I appreciate all the input and suggestions from everyone. I'm going to work on my anger management and arrogant non-reaction techniques.

Safe Riding to Everyone!

Anger management is a good idea. Try and put things in perspective, though it's difficult when cycling under stressful conditions. As a daily bike commuter on busy roads, situations arise quite often for me, but in retrospect few of the situations really warranted me getting furious with the drivers. I've yelled, gesticulated, slapped car roofs on my way past, kicked a door or two, but at the end of the day you are staying in the same town/city as these people. How do you know you won't run into them again when you don't have your bike around for a quick getaway? I've found I'll put up with a few bad drivers, then I'll vent my fury at the next poor driver who commits some minor error, even though they probably didn't deserve it. Frustration builds up over time... maybe you find the same.
Worst thing I had happen was a driver coming towards me who moved over onto my side of the road and gunned his engine. I had to dive off the bike (and the road). Now drivers like that deserve no mercy :)

Then there's the truckies who look you right in the eye & still pull out in front of you, they get the finger. If I catch up in the traffic I bang on their door , when he rolls down his window & shows me his (he thinks) muscular arm usualy attached to a big fat blob, I suggest to him he asks his boss if he has'nt possibly got a smaller truck that he could handle better, for him to drive or suggest in the interests of public saftey he returns to the dole.Then other days I just let it go, just depends on how close to taking me out it was :p

Then there's the truckies who look you right in the eye & still pull out in front of you,

Everyone does that around here. If I'd allowed it to upset me, I would have died of some stress-related cause five years ago. I just don't bother relying on eye-contact.

It is worth mentioning that on a typical commute you may see the same drivers day in and day out (route and schedule similarities). It is best that you let them know that what they have done is wrong, but not make an enemy at the same time. The best way to do that? Well, it depends on the situation.

Todd "Car-free commuter, who has slapped a few car roofs, but avoids the finger" Guess
in Columbia, MO

here's whatcha do:
1) call him in and report him.
2) next time you see him, flip him off again. after being repremanded, he will be afraid to do anything about it, and rubbing it in his face will make him *extra* mad!
you win!
3) go home and drink a beer. post a thread bragging about what you did.

you have my support. godspeed!

That's the worse advice you could possibly give eurotrash.

Bad situation? For whom? I would much prefer a driver to look in the rear vision mirror and identify a reaction to them passing too close, cutting in, or overtaking dangerously, than let them think that sort of behaviour is acceptable.

Drivers who are oblivious enough to do that sort of thing aren't going to be chastened by a dirty look. They won't even look in the mirror, and if they do they'll wonder 'What'd I do? What a pissy guy!'

There's plenty of stupid vehicle operators to go 'round, on two wheels or four. At least in my area, it's a lot less common for a car to cross me on my bike than it is for an idiot cyclist to dart in front of me in my car, or run a stop sign. And I readily admit that when it happens, I roll down my window and tell 'em to "Get their stupid toy off the street!" :p

Remember its a felony (if they are on duty and in uniform) otherwise its self defense.

tom o.

I yelled, because I nearly hit him, and when I went around the side of his car, I used my open flat hand to slap the rear quarter panel as hard as I could. Didn't leave a mark, but I'm sure it sounded interesting from inside the car. He was flipping me off furiously as I came around the front of the car, which was interesting since he's the one who got in MY way and nearly killed ME.

Ugh.

Hey Emily-be carefull! Americans get really psychotic about folks touching there cars! I once slapped the front hood of a land yacht (caddy, lincoln-whatever) that was dropping someone off around a dangerous blind corner(i had to emergency evade it). The fellow proceeded to chase me and yell obscenities and such next to me. He threatened physical assault(along with the verbal assault). We both stopped, he got out of his car-I placed both of my hands forward palms up(and kept them that way). I explained why I slapped his car, that I was wrong for doing so-but had lost my temper. I calmy stated that he should not attempt to physically assault me (as in my opinion he would really get hurt-he was an older, way out of shape fellow). Still he "tried" to kick my bike, while threatening me both verbaly and with a closed fist.

I think the guy was going to have a stroke/coronary or something. Finaly as he calmed down and realized what an ars he was being, he realized his mistake(s) and appologized as well.

My point-were he armed, I may have been screwed.

Now I either ignore, wave, laugh (and sometimes point and laugh), smile and sometimes yell "thank you" to folks I would have previously flipped off or sworn at(depends upon the situation). Works wonders (for both my temper, as well as getting my point across safely).

The most dangerous place that I pass on my bike or in my car is the USPS Credit Union office on Western Ave. in Chicago. Cars double park as a rule and do not look when stopping or when pulling into traffic.

It is worse than the pre-schools at parent drop-off and pick-up times.

tom o.

Drivers who are oblivious enough to do that sort of thing aren't going to be chastened by a dirty look. They won't even look in the mirror, and if they do they'll wonder 'What'd I do? What a pissy guy!'

You know, the odd part about it here is that invariably a driver will look in the rear view mirror just to make sure s/he hasn't hit you or you have had to take evasive action. That's how I know they get to see my gesticulation. And, as I have said, I have had a few stop and take issue with me. Maybe we are a bit more civilised over here.

I wonder, though, whether they look back just so they can plan an escape if something did happen.

Postal truck or other marked vehicle, if I can ID the company I give them a call. Hey I even call a local police unit after IDing one of their Officers in an unmarked car (he almost had me go into his front pasanger window making a right turn in front of me doing the 20mph speed limit.) I had to go faster then 20mph to catch him and see that sheild patch on his white shirt. I asked to talk to the chif after to operator blew me off on this issue, *itch didn't know the law very well. The oficer was one of their "saftey team" that talks to school kids ect in the area. If the police don't know/understand/comprehend the law who the H3!! does. This summer alone I have had to call half a dozen empolers about their divers.

a US Postal Service truck pulled out in front of me in april and I was Knotted out and broke my arm. Couldn’t remember where I was or what year it was. I didn’t get mad, I couldn’t, I just laid on the payment until He came back and picked me up. It doesn't pay to get mad unless you're willing to take it to the limit and I do mean all the way. anger is one way we express fear.

I wonder, though, whether they look back just so they can plan an escape if something did happen.

I think they look back just so they can see if the 1st attempt was succesful.

--J

Sorry you were hurt. I hope you are back on the road and ok now.

Yes, fear and anger are linked. They are not always the same but we confuse them sometimes. Sort of like the love experts suggesting horror movies and roller coasters for dates. Your date will confuse the excitement of the ride/movie for an emotional attachment to you.

tom o.

"a US Postal Service truck pulled out in front of me in april and I was Knotted out and broke my arm. Couldn’t remember where I was or what year it was. I didn’t get mad, I couldn’t, I just laid on the payment until He came back and picked me up. It doesn't pay to get mad unless you're willing to take it to the limit and I do mean all the way. anger is one way we express fear."

I think they look back just so they can see if the 1st attempt was succesful.

--J
:roflmao: :roflmao: