Commuting - Retaliate to Jerk Face Drivers

New commuter here, starting riding to the workplace and completing simple errands about 5 weeks ago. Everything is good so far, enjoying it much more than I anticipated actually...but one problem, drivers of cars suck!

Not to promote violence or suggest this is healthy behavior, but do you ever feel the need to respond to those that could careless of clipping you, running you over, or display their 'more privileged attitude' of using the roadway?

It seems like I need a sling shot or ninja stars to throw at these freaking cars. I feel bad enough when profanity controls my mouth...now I am getting road rage on my bike :eek:

Take some advice from a hot head who has been commuting by bike for decades...get over it.

Take some advice from a hot head who has been commuting by bike for decades...get over it.

+1

New commuter here, starting riding to the workplace and completing simple errands about 5 weeks ago. Everything is good so far, enjoying it much more than I anticipated actually...but one problem, drivers of cars suck!

Not to promote violence or suggest this is healthy behavior, but do you ever feel the need to respond to those that could careless of clipping you, running you over, or display their 'more privileged attitude' of using the roadway?

It seems like I need a sling shot or ninja stars to throw at these freaking cars. I feel bad enough when profanity controls my mouth...now I am getting road rage on my bike :eek:


Get used to it.

I was out on my bike at 10:00PM last night. Had two headlights, tailight, and safety-yellow jacket. I approached an intersection in the middle of my lane, for visibility to cars, and had a green light. Just as I entered the intersection, the car on the cross-street to my right gunned it, turned left into my lane ( i.e., through HIS red light ), and came within an inch of making me paste on the road.

As I'm sitting dumbfounded in the intersection, I see him turn his emergency lights on - it was a cop in an unmarked car. Didn't even slow down after he nearly whacked me.

Have to let it go. If you can't handle riding with traffic, you need to put away the bike now. It won't get better. Good news, it won't get any worse, either. Just be smart, be visible, and pay attention.

Stage one is anger. You'll get over it eventually reach acceptance.

I've found that if I don't get upset about it, I'll be fine in five minutes. If I let myself get worked up, it'll ruin my mood for the day. Sometimes I fail and get upset anyway, but I keep trying to ignore the idiots.

Yesterday on my commute home a woman pulled in front of me (into the bike lane) and stopped. I hit the brakes, there were cars coming in the other lane, so I was forced to stop. She was slowly backing into a parking spot. When traffic cleared, I carefully went around her. THEN she saw me. I was tempted to yell at her, but I'm glad I didn't. She wasn't being rude, she just didn't see me.

If I had yelled, I would have ruined my mood for the day. I also would have given her a bad impression of cyclists.

My name is Joe and I understand the process of handling the ignorance of drivers.

On a serious note, thanks for the advice and tips. I will continue to ride and learn along the way

My name is Joe and I understand the process of handling the ignorance of drivers.



Joe

It is frustrating, but what I find helps is just to smile and wave at the idiot motorists - pretend that they just told you how fabulous you look on your bike. You never get a satisfying reaction from shaking a fist, giving the finger, or shouting obscenities, but I often love the look of bewilderment that comes over some jackass when I smile at him and wave . I usually just think of how much happier I am riding my bike than the motorist is stuck in his car, thinking that saving 2 seconds will make a difference in his life.

Not to promote violence or suggest this is healthy behavior, but do you ever feel the need to respond to those that could careless of clipping you, running you over, or display their 'more privileged attitude' of using the roadway?

It seems like I need a sling shot or ninja stars to throw at these freaking cars. I feel bad enough when profanity controls my mouth...now I am getting road rage on my bike :eek:

Sometimes it depends on the situation. There have been plenty of times when I felt a car passed to close. But in actuality they really didn't. I simply got used to cars giving me a wide berth, and when a few didn't give me such a cushion I felt angry.

Like chipcom states "get over it". Don't let motorists deprive you of having a good day. Continue to ride predictably and visibly and enjoy the day.

Though if someone intentionally puts your life in danger, then do what you feel is necessary.

Not to promote violence or suggest this is healthy behavior, but do you ever feel the need to respond to those that could careless of clipping you, running you over, or display their 'more privileged attitude' of using the roadway?

Sometimes I feel a desire, but never a need... ;)

Having fun while you're commuting is the best revenge.

You'll get used to it..

Get used to it and ignore the jerks. Maybe try to find an alternative route. Don't never retaliate, because you will loose. Remember that you are on a bicycle and that jerk is inside a 3000 pound steel box, if there is a violent confrontation between you and a car the car will win and you will loose. Just make sure you ride with confidence, be visible, ride with traffic.

I agree with everyone else. Pissing someone off that is driving a 2+ ton piece of metal is inherently a BAD IDEA.

I also like to remember that, like it or not, I'm something of an ambassador for other cyclists. Something nasty that I do, could result in some driver taking it out on some teenager, college student, or someone new to riding that are riding to school or work one day.

Learn physics:

4,000 lb vehicle -vs- man on bike.

I have so little faith in drivers that I won't even use a bike lane if the speed limit is over 35mph on a road. Sidewalk for me if there is one...

Sidewalk's actually worse.

Chucking a sonic grenade into the dude's window if he rolls it down to say stupid crap usually causes a large amount of chaos. It's best if they hang around for a few seconds, so you can give a long stare of contempt to make them feel nervous/guilty first.

Remember: expression is in the eyes, not the mouth; mouth expression is a goofy mistake of western society (you can test this by glaring at small children with emphatic eye movements and watching how much faster and more appropriately they react; very young children will often giggle at funny angry faces, but narrowing your eyes makes them EXTREMELY uncomfortable).

I think I better
I think I better let it go
Alright
I think I better let it go
-Maysa

I don't let it bother me anymore. If you confront them, you just drive them harder into a contrary position, and raise everyone's blood pressure. I don't personally believe that any driver has ever been convinced that they were wrong by a confrontation unless they already believed it anyway, and if that's the case, no confrontation is necessary.

I have lately come to the point where I don't even let it bother me anymore. I just work around the stupid and get on with my day. I no more get upset with drivers for being stupid and ignorant than I do with rocks for falling to the ground when thrown. I can't make rocks fly, and I'll never be able to make drivers not stupid, so there's really no point in trying either unless I have a lot of time to waste.

I have so little faith in drivers that I won't even use a bike lane if the speed limit is over 35mph on a road. Sidewalk for me if there is one...

Come on over to my world. 50 MPH speed limit, 65 MPH drivers, 2 lanes, no shoulder, no sidewalks, rural area, contractor trucks at 6AM sucking coffee and on their phones. You don't want to ride in those conditions, then you don't ride at all. Honestly, I don't really have much trouble.

Just last month I punched a dent in the hood of a new Town Car because the guy was honking at me to get out of his way at a red light.

I have no problem retaliating to drivers. I'm not a small guy and I'm not your typical cyclist in that I'm not afraid to bash someone's face into their skull.

Treat them like children. Misguided, potentially lethal children.

Today I was driving in the car and 2 cyclist decided to ride side by side taking up the whole street in a business area around downtown. They had no clue for blocks I was right behind them. The way they were riding you would think they were on a pleasure ride down the MUP or something. When they finally realized a car was behind them they moved into the center lane and slowed down to let me pass which I didn't want to do because I was about to make a left hand turn into the store. Ok I vented now I'll move on. Keep in mind sometimes you will be the idiot on the bike because it happens to everyone. Don't be too timid, but as other said its best to just get over it. Thats not easy if you have a seriously close call though. Keep riding have fun and stay safe. Oh and also welcome to commuting!

I also like to remember that, like it or not, I'm something of an ambassador for other cyclists. Something nasty that I do, could result in some driver taking it out on some teenager, college student, or someone new to riding that are riding to school or work one day.


1+

I am disgustingly nerdy/nice/overly friendly to motorists, with waves and smiles and "thank you's" anytime I'm acknowledged. Maybe it's my imagination, but I believe that with each "wave and thanks" - I am imprinting in that person's mind that cyclists are not only out there, but that our primary goal is not to be in the way or otherwise annoy motorists.

Today, I got rather pissed at all the drivers moving into the bike lane for a right turn where the line was solid, before it turns dashed and it is legal for cars to be in the bike lane/right turn lane - I moved to the straight ahead lane - light was green, but turned red just before I got, there. I moved back over into the center of the bike/turn lane and stopped waiting for the light to turn green - about a 2½ minute cycle. A dozen plus cars waited silently behind me. :)

A minute or so later two very attractive women pulled up on bikes, and we rode the next four miles or so together :)

New commuter here, starting riding to the workplace and completing simple errands about 5 weeks ago... <snip>

When I re-entered bicycle commuting it seemed I encountered more "Jerk Face Drivers" than I do now. As I gained experience and continued to refine MY behavior it seemed the drivers improved and I had less issues with them. Many beginners are not assertive enough and some drivers will take advantage of this.

New commuter here, starting riding to the workplace and completing simple errands about 5 weeks ago. Everything is good so far, enjoying it much more than I anticipated actually...but one problem, drivers of cars suck!

Not to promote violence or suggest this is healthy behavior, but do you ever feel the need to respond to those that could careless of clipping you, running you over, or display their 'more privileged attitude' of using the roadway?

It seems like I need a sling shot or ninja stars to throw at these freaking cars. I feel bad enough when profanity controls my mouth...now I am getting road rage on my bike :eek:

I've been riding for decades too, I still get pissed, I haven't gotten used to it, but I've have become more selective on which motorists I wish to direct my collective energy towards.
My collective energy is now to record license numbers, vehicle/driver description of motorists who exhibit driving habits that I feel are a considerable threat to my safety, and in rewarding considerate motorists with waves, nods, and smiles.

As you will never/rarely alter or train a motorist by reacting to their actions, you'll most likely find the best solution is to find a way not to let it get to you. In my case it's been years and I still react with a waste of energy from time to time, but nothing like the first year where it was a weekly experience. So now, 25,000 miles later, it's more like a couple times a year and I'm still mad every time it happens, just because it has a bad effect on my day.

A minute or so later two very attractive women pulled up on bikes, and we rode the next four miles or so together :)

That would make my day regardless of how it was going up until then. Sadly I rarely see other cyclists, and the only people I've ever had riding alongside me were a college riding team that passed me like I was stopped, I've passed newbie commuters on MTBs a few times, I totally smoked a guy who I think was probably about 70 years old last week :) and an older lady who had just blown a stoplight and was really snotty about it.

When I re-entered bicycle commuting it seemed I encountered more "Jerk Face Drivers" than I do now. As I gained experience and continued to refine MY behavior it seemed the drivers improved and I had less issues with them. Many beginners are not assertive enough and some drivers will take advantage of this.


This is spot on (what I was trying to convey). If you don't "control" the situation, they will. And we don't want that, now do we?