Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Road Rage - I seem to attract them...

I had a weird one today. I was on my 20 mile ride and literally in the middle of nowhere on a long farm road. As everyone's at work the road was completely empty and I was just chugging along and well over to my side of the road. I casually noticed a small truck towing a boat coming towards me in the opposite lane. As he gets closer, I can see he's drifting over the center line towards my side of the road. I now start to get a little uneasy as Im wondering if hes falling asleep at the wheel. All of a sudden, he floors the gas and whooshes over to the center of the road. He blasts past me (approx 2 feet away) and yells at me "Get the hell off the road" and accelerates away. At first I was a little dumb-struck as to what had just happened - then I turned around and "followed" him as I know there is a fishing boat launch about 3 miles away. My bet was he was heading there to launch his boat and my plan was to verify his truck was there and then call the cops and wait (I always carry my phone). Of course, the boat-launch area was empty and so he got away with it - for now.

I ride that area all the time and Im hoping I recognize the truck/boat combo in the near future - I would love to prosecute this ass for road rage. This all happened in a few seconds and so I didnt think to get a license plate, I was too busy avoiding him. Frustratingly, 50% of the time I HiDef video my rides - not today. :mad:

Keep em rolling.....

Drivers who swoop the center line at me get a free open water bottle of Accelerade to the windshield.

Drivers who swoop the center line at me get a free open water bottle of Accelerade to the windshield.
Exactly - I have zero issues with retaliating when provoked in such a situation. However, it was so out of the blue and unexpected. The guy was in the opposite lane!
How hateful of cyclists do you have to be to perform antics like that while TOWING a boat? Imagine if I would have taken evasive action and turned into his path? I wouldnt be here anymore. What's wrong with society? - it beats me.

Super-brave guy though, to yell at a cyclist and then power away like a lunatic - its his family I feel for. Imagine living with this idiot...

It just makes no sense to me why people are so hateful. Who cares if there's a bicyclist on the other side of the road? No sense.

How hateful of cyclists do you have to be to perform antics like that while TOWING a boat?

With the exception of rides that you drive to the start of, your hobby saves you gas money. His costs him extra money for the truck with the trailer weight of the boat, then more money for gas for the boat.
What he doesn't see is the money spent on tires, tubes, wheels, gloves, shorts, jackets, jerseys, sunglasses, helmets, new bikes, etc. Sure, it's not as much as he spends on his boat (unless you've got a garage full of Pinarello Dogmas), but it all adds up.

It just makes no sense to me why people are so hateful. Who cares if there's a bicyclist on the other side of the road? No sense.
+ 1

Drivers like that should have their license revoked and be forced to commute by bicycle wearing a big sign that says "I TRIED TO RUN OVER A CYCLIST WITH MY CAR":p

Drivers like that should have their license revoked and be forced to commute by bicycle wearing a big sign that says "I TRIED TO RUN OVER A CYCLIST WITH MY CAR":p

:)

BTW - freightrain: Thanks so much for pointing out that my garmin 705 will display hill % gradients. I added that to my displayed fields and I really get a kick out of it :)

:)

BTW - freightrain: Thanks so much for pointing out that my garmin 705 will display hill % gradients. I added that to my displayed fields and I really get a kick out of it :)
You're welcome:) That grade readout is my favorite feature:D

Just curious if you've measured the grade of that hill you climbed in your raw video? I don't know if you saw my response to you in the thread you posted it in, but you have nothing to worry about:) I had to turn the volume up to hear your breathing. Mine, on the other hand, is so loud I have to turn the volume down:p:D

It just makes no sense to me why people are so hateful. Who cares if there's a bicyclist on the other side of the road? No sense.

Sadly it's everywhere, drivers, cyclist, and people in general.:(

Sadly it's everywhere, drivers, cyclist, and people in general.:(
Yes it is. A neighbor was complaining about general selfishness among people lately. When I'm riding I try to make people happy. For example, yesterday near the end of my climbing ride I waved two drivers through. Drivers wave me through all the time, and they even stop for me when they have the right of way, so I return the favor all the time. Knock on wood, I haven't been having problems with motorists lately.

Of course, there will always be one out there who will cause problems for cyclists no matter how nice you are.

Drivers who swoop the center line at me get a free open water bottle of Accelerade to the windshield.

NOOOO! That Accelerade is worth more than those drivers! Don't waste it!

Yes it is. A neighbor was complaining about general selfishness among people lately. When I'm riding I try to make people happy. For example, yesterday near the end of my climbing ride I waved two drivers through. Drivers wave me through all the time, and they even stop for me when they have the right of way, so I return the favor all the time. Knock on wood, I haven't been having problems with motorists lately.

Of course, there will always be one out there who will cause problems for cyclists no matter how nice you are.

Same with me, I rarely have problems but I am polite to most people and obey the law. I can't count the times derivers way me through after a complete stop. ;)

But there are the 2 intentional idiots in my 15 years and it only takes one.:(

As I say, I seem to attract the idiots. Riding on the opposite side of a farm road (a pretty wide one) and having drivers crossing over the center-line to insult you surely deserves some kind of award :) I dont think I could intentionally spark that kind of reaction if I tried :)

As I say, I seem to attract the idiots. Riding on the opposite side of a farm road (a pretty wide one) and having drivers crossing over the center-line to insult you surely deserves some kind of award :) I dont think I could intentionally spark that kind of reaction if I tried :)
I'd say the aggressive driver deserves an award- a Darwin award:p Some day he's gonna do that to the wrong person.

Sometimes people just suck, I encounter my fair share of idiots. I am not sure where I read it on bf but someone put these people into perspective: Of all the people that have passed me today you win the a$$h*!# award. Not too bad if you think of the idiots statistically...but every now and then one makes me snap.

I'm working on that.

...a garage full of Pinarello Dogmas...

Never have I read a phrase on the forum that inspired in me such immediate and instense lust.

;)

Many years ago, I was riding on a nice spring Sunday morning on a deserted back road. Going around a curve, a car approached in the opposite lane. All of a sudden, just like the OP's experience, he vered over into my lane and ran me off the road. Fortunately, it was grassy and I didn't fall. He had his wife and two kids in the car and they were dressed to go to church. It was a good thing I didn't know which church he was attending, or I would have followed him to it and marched up to the pastor in my lycra tights and jersey and outed this guy. What a terrible example for his kids!

Recommendation: Notify the police that this happened to you. This person may already be known to them. Or at least they will know there are potential problems in your area.

Recommendation: Notify the police that this happened to you. This person may already be known to them. Or at least they will know there are potential problems in your area.

Good point !

I had a weird one today. I was on my 20 mile ride and literally in the middle of nowhere on a long farm road. As everyone's at work the road was completely empty and I was just chugging along and well over to my side of the road. I casually noticed a small truck towing a boat coming towards me in the opposite lane. As he gets closer, I can see he's drifting over the center line towards my side of the road. I now start to get a little uneasy as Im wondering if hes falling asleep at the wheel. All of a sudden, he floors the gas and whooshes over to the center of the road. He blasts past me (approx 2 feet away) and yells at me "Get the hell off the road" and accelerates away. At first I was a little dumb-struck as to what had just happened - then I turned around and "followed" him as I know there is a fishing boat launch about 3 miles away. My bet was he was heading there to launch his boat and my plan was to verify his truck was there and then call the cops and wait (I always carry my phone). Of course, the boat-launch area was empty and so he got away with it - for now.

I ride that area all the time and Im hoping I recognize the truck/boat combo in the near future - I would love to prosecute this ass for road rage. This all happened in a few seconds and so I didnt think to get a license plate, I was too busy avoiding him. Frustratingly, 50% of the time I HiDef video my rides - not today. :mad:

Keep em rolling.....

Hey, when someone yells "Get the **** off the road", the response should be, "You have a nice day too...." as you give a nice friendly wave. Forgive them for being a jerk, and enjoy the rest of your ride. Keeping such things in you, only serves to give the bullies that dish them out, power over you. If you simply release it, they end up frustrated and mad, because they couldn't lord it over you. Now if the bully turns around and comes gunning for you, then, with an exaggerated motion take out your phone, snap a picture of the car with the tag and driver visible, take a few if you need to, call the local emergency number and report them. The photo(s) of the car, driver and tag, have a special name, evidence.

Now if the bully turns around and comes gunning for you,

Sorry, if someone turns around and comes after me in a car, the first thing I will pull out will be my revolver. All taking pictures does is give him more reason to run me over so he can collect the evidence.

BTW, for those who do carry and you have to pull out your CCW, regardless of the outcome, call the police and wait for them to show up. The only legitimate reason it should leave your holster is you are in fear of your life, or the life of someone around you. That makes it a law enforcement matter.

Sorry, Wogsterca I just noticed you are from our neighbor to the north and don't have that ability. I suggest getting something like a tree between the two of you before you start snapping pictures.

Thanks all.
Unfortunately, I had zero time to react and do anything as the event was so unexpected and even after he had powered away I was thinking "did he mean me?" as his reaction was so forced. As for retaliation, of course the cowards never stop so its a mute point.
My main concern with jerks like this is that we just bought my daughter her first "real" bike (with gears) and she wants to ride with dad. I honestly dont think I could be responsible for my actions if he did the same again and she was with me and I found him someplace. I do know I would not need a gun (sometimes its a good thing to be 6 foot tall and 290lbs).