b_twill

A couple noteworthy stories...At a light waiting to turn left, a van pulls up next to me and the driver leans out and asks what kind of gas mileage I get. I replied pretty good, especially after Taco Bell. They were still laughing as they took off.
Just a few weeks ago, had a guy on his riding lawn mower look angerly at me and pointed at me and then at the non-motorized MUP that he was driving on. I know the irony of the situation was totally missed on him.

Onyxaxe

Let's see.

I had a guy lay into his horn for half a block and ask me why I wasn't in the bike lane when I was turning left. This was a white guy in a black neighborhood where drunks and hobos cross wherever the hell they want. He'll probably run someone over next week

I had two fat college girls laugh at me when I couldn't get my bike going due to a dropped chain when the light turned green. I had to walk behind them for 2 blocks to get to the bike shop. Needless to say they stopped laughing the second I walked up behind them.

Daniel4

When your bike breaks down, you can still go somewhere. When your car breaks down, you're stuck.

Ubermich

This one didn't happen on the road, but it did make my day:

Last week I was on my way home. It was about 108*F and I had completed about 9 of my 11 mile trip. I could feel a little loopiness so I pulled in to the kwik-e-mart to enjoy some cold water and AC for a minute. Just as I was putting my helmet back on to finish up the trip another guy came in and gave the typical "Hot out there, huh!?" I usually try my best to keep my Mr. Snark safely caged away from these Captain Obvious types, so I just nodded and pretended to still be out of breath. Then he followed up,
"Yeah... but I bet you're having fun out there! Stay safe!"

Totally made my day and fueled me for the rest of the trip.

PatrickGSR94

A few months back I was on a road heading home that has 3 lanes with center turn lane, but it's still totally undeveloped along the entire stretch, with zero turns anywhere for over a mile. People readily pass me in the center turn lane without any problems.

This one day a couple old guys in a plumbing company beat up old work van paced me in the turn lane, while the driver yelled something about how I should be on the other side of the road, facing traffic; all the while holding up other traffic behind him who wanted to pass. I was flabbergasted that he would suggest such nonsense. I replied something between breaths about how that is illegal and highly dangerous. He went on up ahead.

When I came to the light I pulled up beside him and said "you need to review state laws, which say bicyclists must ride WITH traffic". He made some excuses about awww well in his day he was taught to ride a bike facing traffic! Seems BS because I've seen some of those 50's bicycle instructional videos that clearly say to always ride WITH traffic.

Anyway he took off with nothing further to say.

Another time at that same light, I went through the light and then shortly after, a pickup with a big trailer passes me in the left lane (road changes to 5 lanes after the light), with the passenger hanging out the window yelling "GET THE EFF OFFA THE ROAD!!!!" to which I shouted simply "HAVE A NICE DAY!!"

Walter S

Sounds like he is confused about biking vs walking.

yamsyamsyams

Was commuting to work one morning on a relatively quiet street in the commercial district, with bike lanes on either side of the road. Was riding in the bike lane, enjoying the quiet morning, when a white pickup blazes by and lays on the horn next to me. I look at the rear windshield and the dude is also waving me the finger.

Got in to work 5 minutes later and a coworker comes up to me and says, "hey did you see me? I gave you a friendly honk and a wave from my car."

Smh.

valleyrider

Gotta love coworkers...

scroca

I think a lot of mothers tell their children to ride facing traffic. I hope it's because they don't know better.

JoeyBike

I have this sticker on every bike. Have gotten many comments regarding it. Also have T-Shirts and patches with same. Works on my longboard and skates too as well as just walking.



It does make people THINK. Especially when I tell them I have not owned a car since 1989 and suggest they calculate how much one car costs them every decade.

PatrickGSR94

Yeah but according to that you're still paying nine-tenths of a cent for.... something.

I want a $0.00 0/10 sticker.

When I tell people I'm up to $700 annual fuel savings they seem pretty amazed.

Shiloh253

So I recently moved from a small town after finishing my AA to Laramie, WY where the university is, and jeebus the difference in bike infrastructure here is massive. It seems every street except for the main highway has a bike lane. Drivers are totally chill with cyclists, and they'll even let me pass if traffic's getting clogged up. Nobody's tried to intentionally hit me yet (something I encountered more than once in Riverton), the roads are smooth and easy to ride on, and it seems every single business has at least one bike rack.

AMAZING I SAY.

Kwert

I tend to look like this




when I'm travelling to and from gigs, so I get a lot of stares, some honks and the occasional dumb comment yelled at me from the street. Oftentimes I hear people I approach when I'm coming to a stop say things about a "big blue balloon" hanging over my head.