Fifty Plus (50+) - Almost presented finger award to motorist......

Came really close to giving the finger to a motorist this afternoon......heading back home on Southport Road, two lanes with light traffic, when on oncoming car pulled out to pass the car in front of him in complete disregard of a double yellow line and oncoming traffic ----> me on a bike. He accelerated faster than needed, of course, and was mostly, but not entirely, back in his lane before passing by me. I, of course, was waving my arm, pointing at him, yelling and looking displeased. Oblivious, of course.

A few days ago while on the tandem, an oncoming motorcyclist was displeased by the two cars that passed our bike and swung much further than needed into the oncoming lane.
Obliviously hazardous motorists.

Puts me in mind of the Bruce Cockburn song "If I had a Rocket Launcher".

Presenting a driver in a car with the "finger award" is like poking a sleeping bear with a sharp stick. You never know how the bear will react, but you can be sure if there is a reaction, it's less likely it will turn out in your favor.

I have an unfortunate proclivity for using the finger too much while riding. "I just did 50 miles, and boy, is my finger tired." I shouldn't do that, but I do. Don't feel bad about reacting normally to almost getting killed.

A one finger salute doesn't convince a bad driver to avoid bad driving in the future or even returning and apologizing for his stupidity. Thus the gesture is useless. Instead, try waving and smiling at him. Then he will think, "I wonder if that is the neighbor's boy that I just cut off. I think he knows me." That will create more guilt in him.
When someone gives me the one finger salute, I respond with a smile and a friendly wave. There is nothing more disconcerting than to have one's insult misunderstood.

I often figure that if they didn't see my big old self brightly dressed on a funny looking really long bike with a 67.5 inch wheelbase with brightly glistening chrome bits and an orange flag wiggling in the breeze with flashing lights in front and back, then what are the odds of them seeing my finger?

Instead I just give them the old 'Evil Eye'. It hasn't worked yet that I know of, but I enjoy doing it anyway.

I just wouldn't do stuff like that. People are getting shot just for buying Chik Fil'A these days.

Agree that there is no solid body of evidence showing the effectiveness of flipping off motorists who are driving badly.

It's a good thing I read this thread before going out for my ride today, or I might very well have given the Trudeau salute (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Trudeau%20salute) to the woman who passed me up the right in the right turn lane as I proceeded through in the right hand through lane.
She screamed at me to watch where the #@&$ I was going, at which point I came close, but resisted. A trucker in the left turn lane, two lanes to my left had his right window open, shook his head and said, "no respect" Amen brother.

It is hard not to react at dangerous drivers--but sometimes you wonder what is between some drivers ears?

It is hard not to react at dangerous drivers--but sometimes you wonder what is between some drivers ears?
I can tell ya stories.

I am waithing for someone to make a cycling glove with a day-glo middle finger.

A one finger salute doesn't convince a bad driver to avoid bad driving in the future or even returning and apologizing for his stupidity. Thus the gesture is useless. Instead, try waving and smiling at him. Then he will think, "I wonder if that is the neighbor's boy that I just cut off. I think he knows me." That will create more guilt in him.
When someone gives me the one finger salute, I respond with a smile and a friendly wave. There is nothing more disconcerting than to have one's insult misunderstood.

I know you're right and I really admire your approach but I'm more likely to suggest(in a voice that can be heard in the next county) that if they want to kill me they ought to get out of the d**** car. When I calm a little bit I think I'm probably lucky some kid didn't get out of the car and kick my ancient butt:lol:

2 finger , palm away, not palm towards in a up swinging motion. :lol:

I'd say ride with a GoPro but I'm having enough problems with mine...ride with it anyway. If someone cuts you off, unclip the GoPro and throw it at them. Why didn't I think of this before?

Came really close to giving the finger to a motorist this afternoon......heading back home on Southport Road, two lanes with light traffic, when on oncoming car pulled out to pass the car in front of him in complete disregard of a double yellow line and oncoming traffic ----> me on a bike. He accelerated faster than needed, of course, and was mostly, but not entirely, back in his lane before passing by me. I, of course, was waving my arm, pointing at him, yelling and looking displeased. Oblivious, of course.

A few days ago while on the tandem, an oncoming motorcyclist was displeased by the two cars that passed our bike and swung much further than needed into the oncoming lane.
Obliviously hazardous motorists

Puts me in mind of the Bruce Cockburn song "If I had a Rocket Launcher".


It happens to the best of us. I think even Gandhi would be probably give someone the finger prize sooner or later, if he were to cycle in America today. Someone here, not sure who, had some excellent advice some time ago: Try to focus on the positive aspects of your ride.

Happened to me a few weeks ago. The setup: Suburban woman, driving SUV, Texting (but of course!) and buzzed me with about a foot to spare. Never mind that old song. I'd like to have the powers of "Q" from star trek. A snap of the fingers, and the damn cell phone turns in to a banana.

If she were doing that in my state, I'd take down her license plate, call the police and report her for texting while driving--illegal in VA.

I have an unfortunate proclivity for using the finger too much while riding. "I just did 50 miles, and boy, is my finger tired." I shouldn't do that, but I do. Don't feel bad about reacting normally to almost getting killed.

+1, sometimes you really can't do much else.

If she were doing that in my state, I'd take down her license plate, call the police and report her for texting while driving--illegal in VA.

Land what do you think would happen??

It happens to the best of us. I think even Gandhi would be probably give someone the finger prize sooner or later, if he were to cycle in America today. Someone here, not sure who, had some excellent advice some time ago: Try to focus on the positive aspects of your ride.

Happened to me a few weeks ago. The setup: Suburban woman, driving SUV, Texting (but of course!) and buzzed me with about a foot to spare. Never mind that old song. I'd like to have the powers of "Q" from star trek. A snap of the fingers, and the damn cell phone turns in to a banana.

...and exactly how does one identify a woman as "Suburban?" As a suburb-dwelling woman, I am quite curious as to how you determined she was "Suburban."

It's a good thing I read this thread before going out for my ride today, or I might very well have given the Trudeau salute (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Trudeau%20salute) .....

Thanks for that link. When I was in college, we had this photo on the fridge:

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll262/kurterle/images.jpg

Maybe we should call it the "Rockefeller salute."

We just need to implement Gallager's stupid stickers (an old routine of his, watch it and see). Sometimes I think I need a sticker gun that is belt fed and fully auto.

Mark Shuman

Land what do you think would happen??

I think you meant "And" not "Land."

I wouldn't know what would happen by reporting the offender until I tried. People have been cited for infractions from reports by citizens. I doubt it would be terribly hard to verify that she was texting at the time. Most likely nothing would occur, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't try.

Not that is makes it any better, but where I live we have had a rash of road deaths caused by motorists doing exactly what the OP described. Since the oncoming vehicle was a motor vehicle, the outcome involved death and injury. On the bright side, most of them lately are involving the death of the scofflaw, which will likely prevent a repeat offense. (Hopefully we won't have a rash of zombie driver caused mayhem in the near future.)

(Hopefully we won't have a rash of zombie driver caused mayhem in the near future.)
Sobering thought. :eek:

The problem with a cold winter's day is that when I am wearing mittens it is much harder to express myself.

To answer one of the respondent's points, A citizen's report/complaint can be valid for other than quantitative tickets. Speed limit cannot be quantified unless witnessed by an officer with tools(radar, vascar etc). A stop sign runner, harassment, cell phone suspicion, agression can all be presented to the authorities if you provide proof via license/description/pics/vid.

There are many times I feel like finger pointing, but in the end I smirk because they are on the camera log. The old "It's coming later" effect.

I ride daily all year round, I give the finger and yell f...off almost every day,,and am happy to do it.

if anyone wants to set me off while I'm driving a car, it would be flipping me the bird and adding a chuckle. the finger and a laugh, yep that sets me off. now that I'm over 50 I can let it go better, but I haven't been tested lately ...

My wife and I both felt tempted recently, but both thought 'blinged out Eldo with blacked out windows - this driver could easily be an armed psychopath' and thought better of it. Which we expressed to each other almost simultaneously when we reached the next corner. But fortunately it's rare for us to encounter a driver who raises that level of anger.

I did give a guy the finger today. Not that it did much good, but I couldn't contain myself. I came through a green light at the bottom of a modest descent doing about 25 MPH. Just before I enter the street on the far side of the intersection, a car stopped at the red light to my right decides it's time for him to make his right turn on red - as if I wasn't there! There was only one lane, but I managed to squeeze left between the car and the double yellow line, passing him. His window was open and I screamed, "You did NOT have the right of way!" A block on, the light was red so I stopped on the right hand side and he pulls up next to me. That's when I couldn't resist.

The thought crossed my mind on my ride this evening, when an Indianapolis cop cut me off at the roundabout at Clay Center and 131st. A cop!

This is a most entertaining thread, but the subject matter is highly serious (esp. stateside, right to bear and all!).... You're to be commended for the "almost" in the title!

Would it work in the States if you were to shake a raised fist, expressing anger, but not giving offence maybe? Also more visible maybe? I have had numerous incidents of drivers stopping abruptly to confront me for this tactic, it never seems to go well. The raised fist never caused that.

From a while back some of my own thoughts are written here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/819878-A-coping-strategy-that-seems-to-help-me), (Summary, file a report, especially effective should there be witness available - similar to BikeyMikey's idea).

Since then a couple of things happened to me and I think I am moving on from that. The first was when I managed to "catch" a passing driver with close clearance at speed, to discover he was the manager of our local velodrome, a teacher of cycling safety. We parted amicably although I still think I had a point he put his case and I could see why he had passed that way. The second is that I am running out of the time or patience to report on these, and there is a simple fact that they likely get buried, rather than result in a visit from the authorities (cops), which I think is the ONLY way short of an accident to make these drivers appreciate what they are doing.

Having said that I think my approach still has value and as I write am remembering the closeness and speed of my last near miss whan it was plain as day the driver simply did not see me, it really does behove me to report on that, problem is it was now maybe four months ago, increasing likelihood my report just gets filed and nothing more.

PS
...
A few days ago while on the tandem....
as a fellow tandem owner have to say stoker has the BEST evil eye and is not afraid to use it, but also gives thumbs ups and thankyou waves - I think if we balance any "finger karma" with appreciation of considerate driving is not a bad thing

Pittsburgh has had a number of recent bicycle / motorist problems this summer. The latest is that of a motorist who attacked a bicyclist with a knife, slashed his neck and cut him up pretty good -- and nobody seems to understand what triggered that level of road rage..

The story from the Pittsburgh PostGazette:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/s-side-bicyclist-stabbed-in-road-rage-incident-652272/

This is a most entertaining thread, but the subject matter is highly serious (esp. stateside, right to bear and all!).... You're to be commended for the "almost" in the title!

Would it work in the States if you were to shake a raised fist, expressing anger, but not giving offence maybe? Also more visible maybe? I have had numerous incidents of drivers stopping abruptly to confront me for this tactic, it never seems to go well. The raised fist never caused that.

From a while back some of my own thoughts are written here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/819878-A-coping-strategy-that-seems-to-help-me), (Summary, file a report, especially effective should there be witness available - similar to BikeyMikey's idea).

Since then a couple of things happened to me and I think I am moving on from that. The first was when I managed to "catch" a passing driver with close clearance at speed, to discover he was the manager of our local velodrome, a teacher of cycling safety. We parted amicably although I still think I had a point he put his case and I could see why he had passed that way. The second is that I am running out of the time or patience to report on these, and there is a simple fact that they likely get buried, rather than result in a visit from the authorities (cops), which I think is the ONLY way short of an accident to make these drivers appreciate what they are doing.

Having said that I think my approach still has value and as I write am remembering the closeness and speed of my last near miss whan it was plain as day the driver simply did not see me, it really does behove me to report on that, problem is it was now maybe four months ago, increasing likelihood my report just gets filed and nothing more.

PS
as a fellow tandem owner have to say stoker has the BEST evil eye and is not afraid to use it, but also gives thumbs ups and thankyou waves - I think if we balance any "finger karma" with appreciation of considerate driving is not a bad thing

Wouldn't have thought of a raised fist - not sure what kind of reaction that would get. You would think about the same as the finger but probably depends on local mores.
Not sure if I have ever given the finger to a motorist - I sometimes point to someone behaving badly on the road.

My stoker doesn't have an evil eye to share with wrongdoers. In a more positive direction, I/we try to acknowledge good behavior by waving, saluting, giving a thumbs up.

The last time I called the police was after an irate young woman pulled in front of me (yes I had given her the salute), stopped her car and started backing up over me. The car was full of guys yelling insults. There were witnesses. The officer refused to talk to them and asked me, 3 times, "What did you do to make them so mad?" And no, I didn't waste my time trying to find his superior to report him. For what?