alpinist

That is classic. I really have to remember it an use it.

nick95673

always have pepper spray. It works like none other. It causes eyes to slam shut, it chokes you, it burns. If you use it make sure you get to a safe location and call the police. If you dont call them then you are just a guy on a bike who sprayed a guy who thought you hit his car. When the police show up to talk to you express his aggression and your fear for your safety. Make sure his aggression was high enough before you spray(advancing towards you).

Cyclaholic

I don't care any more if they honk and carry on, I just ignore it.... in fact I like the confirmation that they've actually seen me. I feel completely detached, and find myself looking at them like one might observe the behavior of animals in the wild.

I think a distracted driver with no ill will that is oblivious to my precense is probably the biggest threat to my safety. Now, if someone gets out of their cage to continue ragin' on me then the gloves are off and only one of us will walk away from that ***** storm.

alpinist

No kidding - he'll be sizzling for hours, even days. Let him fry in his own personal hell.

alpinist

I have an icon of the Buddha on my hadlebar stem. I'm tempted to add a sticker that says "smile and wave" too, just to help keep me calm. Instead of flipping them off, which I am soooo often tempted to do, just wave instead. Pisses them off more anyway.

alpinist

What brand?

DataJunkie

I am curious as well. I ride through some .... interesting areas and am thinking about getting some eventually.

alpinist

Not meaning to threadjack, but have you actually used this before? Are all brands the same? I just googled "pepper spray", and there are a lot of them out there. I guess it depends on how many sprays per can, and what other contents you want, and how you want it packaged, among other things...

Seems less violent than buying a gun or even a tazer, that's for sure...!

Cyclaholic

Yeah, but pointing an aerosol can doesn't have quite the same impact as pointing a nickel plated .44 magnum

alpinist

You have to fill out less paperwork afterward, too!

kill.cactus

FACE

orange leader

Hi,

Here in Minnesota, it's illegal to use your horn for anything except to warn of an impending accident. So if someone is honking at you to get out of their way...call the cops on them. They'll get a ticket. I'm not sure what the laws are up there, but look it up.

Also,....I have been known to just drop the bike in the middle of the road, walk over to the car, and start kicking the bejeezus out of it. I wear cycling shoes, curl up your toes, and the nice stiff soles make nice dents in sheet metal, and also take out tail lights nicely.

I've only had to do it twice.

ok_commuter

Cyclaholic

The perfect metaphor for the cyclist that has been road raged once too often

Schwinnrider

https://www.defensedevices.com/mace-g...per-spray.html Mace brand.

But the Fox Labs pepper spray is excellent, as well.

Lot's Knife

This was mentioned earlier, and it is my newly discovered, favorite reaction to aggression: an exaggerated yawn. Move your palm in front of your mouth a couple of times as if trying to stifle the yawn. You are completely, utterly bored. Motorists go nuts!

thirdin77

I actually think you handled it pretty well if you didn't use profanity as that alone would've escalated the situation. Telling him to "read the law" implies that you're in the right which, legally, you are.

If I lost my temper, I probably would've said something to make him even more angry, which would've made the situation worse. I only hope I can keep it as clean as you did.

thirdin77

..I considered carrying pepper spray but I decided that if someone threw something at me or spit on me and I did get mad and caught up to them at the light, I'd probably spray it into their window. I don't want to do that or anything like it, for a whole list of reasons.

I know that this summer when temperatures rise, tempers rise and people drive around with their windows down, I'll be at least accosted, if not harassed. All that will matter will be to have some response to it that doesn't escalate or cause some repeat of the situation on the roads that I have to use to get in and out of my neighborhood.

Schwinnrider

And if you did that you would be guilty of assault. That's not what it's for. Pepper spray is only to be used for self defense----if some jerk gets out of his car and acts in a physically threatening manner. It's probably very wise that you didn't decide to carry it, but I hope you are never in a position where you wish you did.

I don't yell at motorists. I'm not confrontational. I won't start anything. But I will finish it. I will return home safely from my commute. I'm not fighting anybody in the street. I have pepper spray and a gun. One of those will work.

alpinist

Man, that looks brutal...

chephy

I think those signs are part of the problem. They consist of a big picture of bike in a red circle, crossed by a diagonal red line. And then in tiny print below it says "on sidewalk". Which part do you think the drivers would notice?

chephy

I never biked in Montreal, but when I visited it a few years ago I was nearly run down as a pedestrian when I naively assumed that Montreal drivers behave around peds the same way Toronto drivers do. Montreal drivers seem faster and more aggressive. Toronto ones are more passive-aggressive, though that's not necessarily much better.

huhenio

Grow some muscle.

Scream back and challenge them to fight.

You would never believe what people do to avoid a fight.

robertlinthicum

If necessary, it is OK to signal to the subject motorist that he is "number one" in your heart, but never get involved in a conversation in traffic, unless you're certain it will be a friendly (or at least a neutral).

If you choose to roll in the mud with pigs, you both get muddy & look a little dumb in the process. My recommendation is to keep your bearing, maintain your dignity, and ride your bike.

Semper Fidelis.

PunkMartyr

Best way to handle this situation for the safety of all parties involved would be one of the nonviolent options.

But...

If you are one of those people who has to get violent, this might not be a bad option. I say that as opposed to kicking their door, pulling out your u lock, flashing your piece, spraying pepper spray into their window, etc. You have to remember though that the car is a potentially lethal weapon. There are numerous stories of people intentionally using their car to kill someone. And we've all had our days when we just were not going to take it anymore.

You have to take whatever action allows you to leave this situation without letting it be something you mull over, something you regret. I've challenged people to a fight three times in my life. Once for being spit on, once for being hit with a rod rolled up in a newspaper, and once because the guy called my girlfriend a bad word in earshot. I don't regret any of these three altercations and in fact they are a point of pride in my mind. In all three instances the guy never spoke another word to me ever again. Some people need tough love to get the message. By standing up and saying "I won't take this" you may prevent them from doing this to another person. Just make sure you have really and truly been wronged like in my three examples, otherwise you could end up looking stupid.