fat biker

Hi Everybody,

Riding to work this am, woman driving a Toyota Highlander (man, those things are wiiiiiddde) passes me with maybe a foot to spare. Man, was I pissed!

Half a block from a red light. As I ride up behind her, I see that the thing is so wide and the lane is so narrow that it just fits inside the lane. It's not like she could not have moved over just a bit.

She's stopped in traffic, I ride up to her window and stop.
HEY! hold my hands three feet apart and YELL "IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK"
Then I glared at her for a good ten seconds and enjoyed the sheepish look on her face.

So, I guess the question for you all is did I do a good or a bad thing?
AND I have pretty much decided to just take the whole damn lane for this stretch at least.

Jeff, still fat, still a biker

jyossarian

Well, I can't blame your reaction, but yeah, you could've handled it better. Maybe next time just knock on her window and tell her she passed you so close you could've changed the radio for her.

bullethead

I rolled down my window the other day and screamed at another driver for pulling a u-turn in front of me on a wet road . I don't think I had ever done that to anyone in my life. After a few minutes I realized it was more stress than the stupid driver. I feel your pain with the SUV crowd, but as long as you didn't get hit or run off the road, try to look at the bright side. I know a lot of others would disagree, but if you take the lane when you don't have to, you're just going to piss off people who don't like cyclists anyway, and are probably already half pissed anyway.... pitiful earthlings

SingingSabre 

I think it was a good thing.

If she had a sheepish grin, it meant that she didn't get p.o.ed and perhaps absorbed what you said.

It takes a good bit of encouragement to make SUV drivers realize just what it actually means to drive one of those things.

banerjek

My experience is that asking quietly but politely works best -- i.e. motion to roll down the window and explain as coherently as you can that passing that close is very dangerous and that you'd appreciate it if they could give you a bit more space.

Don't worry about seeming too mousy. If you have lots of adrenaline going through you when you do this, your request will be very intense.

genec

Slight understatement.

Jarery

I had the letters 3 FEET embossed on my frame pump in reverse, so when i beat down someone who passes me too close, they have a 2 month reminder engraved into their forehead everytime they look in a mirror...

NuckingFuts

ragboy

Can't blame you for being po'd. I'd probably have given her at least the hands apart gesture. Mouthing off may just reinforce the stereotype that bikers are a-holes. But, again, can't say I wouldn't do the same -- unless the driver looks like an ax murderer.

kokomo61

I yelled at someone today, but I'm sure they didn't hear. The W&OD trail in Virginia is my main commute to work (80% of the trip is on the MUP). It crosses several streets, with the two biggest ones (Maple Street in Vienna, and Gallows Road) using a push-to-cross traffic light.

Coming home, I got to Maple Street with another cyclist, and I punched the button to get the signal, and waited. When it lit green (and the street had a red light), I looked both ways to cross, and saw a woman (in a Highlander, no less), blow right through the cross walk blathering on her cell phone. I was already starting through the walk, and yelled HEY! but I don't think she heard . After we went through the intersection (and the traffic still had the red light), I heard drivers honk to get the cars waiting at the crosswalk to push through the red light, and a bunch of them did......

I'm going to trust that intersection and signal a lot less from now on.....

bmclaughlin807

Funny... I had almost exactly the same conversation with a bus driver the other day. The bus operators rotate routes every few months, so I just lost my friend that always gave me lots of space and consideration.

I'm cruising down a hill at about 25 in a 30 mph zone, narrow lane ... the bus driver follows me for a couple hundred feet, then when I'm crossing an intersection, he moves out about 1 foot, and starts passing me, coming back in towards me as he gets to the other side and there's traffic coming. He was less than a foot to my left and there's a huge patch of snow and ice ahead of me... I had to slam both brakes and slide partially sideways to slow down enough let him pass before I hit the ice, then went left behind the bus.

I pulled up on his left at the stop light, and yelled nice 'n loud at him in his open window. He just kind of gave me a blank look.

I tend to end up next to that same bus about 3 times a week... we'll see how it goes.

Two Buck Chuck

Give the Fairfax County Police a call and let them know that people are running the light. They might not do anything, but it is worth a shot. Also, you may want to call the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority Phone: 703-352-5900 (who might get FCPD on the case). I know that intersection and I've always wondered if people will stop.

oboeguy

I've been cutting down on the yelling. It's never once been worth it, and my keen intellect tells me that from these historical data, I may conclude that it probably won't be at any time in the near or distant future.

Bikepacker67

It does no good to be polite or funny.
They either won't say anything (like this lady) or start swearing at you, no matter what you say, or how you say it.

SSP

Get the bus number, and report it to the bus company or school district. A phoned in complaint (especially if followed up in writing) will get the attention of the driver's supervisor. Be sure and emphasize the safety aspects, and the need for the bus drivers to give you sufficient space.

FWIW, bus drivers in general seem to be very poorly trained. I've had more close calls with them than any other class of vehicle (including a close shave very similar to yours just two days ago).

abertsch

Interesting that you bring this up. I ride with the same bus on the way home about 30-50% of the time. I'm not sure if it's the same driver, but we are often dead even all the way down the street (about 2 miles). His speed limit is 40 for the first bit, then 30. I'm usually at 20-25 on the slight down hill. I ride the bike lane, but there's enough junk along the curb that I'm in the left half (but still fully within the bike lane) and he's often within a foot of me. It's a bit scary. Then he pulls in front of me to stop and I blow by, repeat. It's a little bit frustrating. I don't believe it's intentional, just the size of the bus and the size of the lane. That's not to say that I like it, though.

-Adam

Bekologist

If I'm feeling ornery, I sometimes up and just point sternly at the oncoming bus drivers, even if they haven't done anything wrong. I figure most every bus driver has some residual guilt from harassing a bicyclist with his coach. Heck, its probably been me they're hassled!

When I point at them I hope they give pause and consider.

tokolosh

LOL! i do that to vehicles of all kinds, when the mood's upon me or i'm not sure i trust them.

Ms. Tude

Three feet???!!! Lucky to get that! I ride in the city -- and have had several 2 inch calls this year - snapped off two mirrors, etc. While I ride everywhere else, I'm holding off on the work commute somewhat till after Christmas ---- drivers are ultra nuts right now - so I take the bus. Last mirror snap off was two weeks ago in extremely heavy traffic on 4 lane city street. Saw the stupid woman come up on me from behind --- and noticed she was driving about 2 inches from the sidewalk - which meant I was totally going to get creamed, but she moved over just slightly at the last moment - enough to snap the mirror - she was less than two inches from my handlebars. Started to catch up with her as she was at a stop light when I realized someone was yelling at me --- I still had one lane of traffic going by me - close --- but this other jerk - held up his lane of traffic so he could pace me - and yell that I was an AHole.

We have no bike lanes in the city at all, and it is illegal (although not enforced) to ride on the sidewalks - which I never do anyway.

oboeguy

Funny I posted this today because I almost got creamed by a guy pulling out of a driveway today and I yelled pretty loudly. Doh!

SSP

On a 4-lane street with no bike lane, you shouldn't be riding that close to the sidewalk. Just take the lane, and drivers won't be able to give you the "close shave". Of course, you might also need to practice your steely glare and/or your one-fingered salute.

By riding more assertively, you'll be surprised at how much it enhances your safety. With more room to your right, if you do see someone about to come too close, you have room to dodge to the right.

SSP

A few weeks ago, I yelled at a pickup that tried to make a right turn into the street I was coming down at 22 mph. Thanks to some Taekwondo training years ago, I can yell really loud when the need arises..I guess it worked, because the truck slammed on his brakes and came to a complete stop in the middle of the intersection as I dodge around him to the left.

SwollenYak

I try to respond these days rather than react. There once was a time when I wouldn't hesitate to scrape my handle bars down the side of the car that didn't give me the room I thought I deserved. Not anymore, now I just wave and smile. Some people just don't understand that there is a world outside of themselves, you can't fault them for that. Less anger, more love, its part of my living a simpler life mantra. Damn you "Living Car Free" forum, you've made me soft!!!

Fixxxie

Hey
Don't feel bad, I dont really like yelling at people either but sometimes they are so stupid you have to.
I dont think you did anything wrong.

bmclaughlin807

Care to bet on that? I have drivers all the time that will only go half into the next lane to pass me, even if I'm left of the center of my lane. Or they'll change lanes, and then start coming back into my lane before they actually pass (Usually missing me with their back bumper by inches)

I'm getting better at just ignoring them. At least that way I don't give myself headaches.