DunderXIII

And he got the finger Also my got my first flat after more than a year of commute. On a rainy day.

The talk happened when I stopped .. get this.. behind another car at a red light. On a small street. I was stopped when I suddenly heard a horn getting louder and then see this guy in his Mazda screaming at me (windows up). I look away from him and he presses harder on the horn; at that point he got the finger. He wouldn't stop so I passed in front of the 1st car from the right to get in front. The moron passes the stopped car from the left, in the wrong lane! to get to me and gets out of his car. He proceeds to yell at me that I'm in "THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD YOU @#$" (on a red light mind you, oh boy) so I yelled back "I HAVE THE RIGHT, GO READ THE LAW". I didn't use profanity, I really didn't want this to continue. He got back in his car screaming.

What the hell? Got honked before but never some stupid sh*t like this. A nice quiet recovery ride completely ruined by the f*kr, now I feel angry and stressed How do you deal with a situation like this? My inner male wants to smash this guys face but I know damn well that I'm no fighter. I'm probably fitter though

deez

Whip out your Cell and read his licence plate out loud to him. Tell him if he takes one more step towards you you're dialling 911.

As a dude that solution makes me feel like a real wuss, but its the only solution that's sure not to land you in any hot water when you're the one being harrassed. Just be prepared to call his bluff.


Personally I'm gonna put a few glass marbles in my bag for the a55holes who like to lean on the horn while passing you.

envane

U-lock to the face.

Some call it power.

AEO

You're in Montreal, that's the problem

I hear drivers in Montreal are terrible, but I think Toronto is worse.

There are signs in parts of the city that say "no bikes on sidewalks" and I still get honked at by some people who overtake me.

adebrunner

There's nothing you can do besides get pissed off. I'm a mild-mannered guy almost all of the time. Just reading about this, though, is enraging me. This guy has such disrespect for other people that I truly believe that getting off the bike, ripping open his door, slapping him in the face and giving him a wedgie would do him some good. It's easy to say, "You were the bigger man." (which you were, and it's commendable) but it's still doesn't help the "walked on" feeling that you get what that happens. The only thing that I can think is to tell you that he would be happy if he knew he ruined your day, so be happy and don't give him that. In the future, it's not a bad idea, or illegal (that I know of) to write down a license plate number (or remember it if possible) and file a complaint formally with the police. I read about a cyclist who can access names and addresses from license plates and he uses that information at his own discretion. I don't necessarily suggest this, but hey, do what you want. When I had a similar situation at a red light, I pulled in front of the offender and controlled the lane. Probably not a good idea, but I was pretty sure, though she was angry, she wasn't going to try to kill me with her car. Hope you can relax today.

gear

I had someone yell that at me once too; I informed him that he too was traveling in the middle of the road. He looked at me kind of puzzled and finally said: "but your riding a bike". I thanked him for the info and told him I didn't realize that till he mentioned it and then I proceeded to ride off from the intersection leaving him even more puzzled.

devildogmech

"A bike? Realy? I thought this was a Girraffe!"

toThinkistoBe

Sure, its easy to respond to anger and aggressiveness with the same, but these situations always make me feel sympathetic in a way for the angry/aggressive person. It must suck to get upset that easily. I bet that person leads a very stressful life.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world."
-Mahatma Ghandhi

JeffS

I usually taunt them. But I've never had someone set more than one foot outside the car.

I know it's not the "correct" thing to do, but if I couldn't turn it into a game and get a laugh out of it, I'd stay pissed for three days. I fully understand though that one day someone's going to come after me, and that day, one or both of us is getting hurt.

dr_bovine

I had a guy chew me out at a red light once because he thought I was in his way. I politely pointed out to him that it was a red light and there was no where for him to go. This went back and forth a couple of times ("get out of my way" ... "its a red light") before the predictable "get on the sidewalk", to which I politely replied, "sidewalks are for pedestrians". It was at that point that he suddenly stopped and I could see the gears grinding in his head as he tried to comprehend that point. Then he started to get out of his car. I should point out that this whole episode, which is getting louder and louder (its a long light), is taking place right in front of a police station and the whole time the guy is on his cell phone. As he starts to get out, a cop strolls up and says "gentlemen, its such a nice day, what seems to be the problem?". The driver lodges his complaint against me to which the cop calmly says "he (meaning me, the biker) has the right of way. Shut up. Put your seatbelt on. Hang up your cell phone. And be on your way".

littlewaywelt

It's a tough situation and very frustrating. After a few years of this stuff, I've mellowed quite a bit in my attitude towards those commuting in cars.

Having a handlebar camera running, I found, helps me maintain my cool. When you maintain the high ground and someone else looks the fool, there's no doubt later about it if it escalates. I think taking a picture (or pretending to) of their license plate with a cell phone is a good thing to do, too; most irritated drivers become pacified when their anonymity is gone.

Unless they endanger me, I'm not going to go beyond sticking a copy of the state vehicular code as it pertains to bicycles (free booklet from my state) underneath their passenger window wiper, which I assume drives them nuts for the remainder of their commute. When they have to stare through their windshield at an orange state publication that says The Maryland Vehicular Law Pertaining to Bicycles with Definitions it's fair to assume that they are going to know that you are right/abiding by the law even if they throw it out at their first opportunity.

chumbolly

This brings to mind one what I see as one of the biggest drawbacks to car commuting. Driving can be incredibly frustrating. I see people come into the office ready to kick a wall because of traffic. The very few times I've driven to work in the last 15 years I've just about flipped out. And then add to that the isolation and sense of protection people have in their car, and I think it makes people act in a more base, ugly manner than they would if they weren't protected in their metal box. This is similar to how people can be completely unfiltered and rude on internet bulletin boards--there is very little consequence to their actions and they feel safe. That says something about human nature, I guess. I see people that otherwise look normal screaming and leaning on their horns, and I always think to myself that they wouldn't yell at me if we were standing next to each other on the subway or on bikes stopped next to each other. Not just because they would be creating a threatening situation for themselves, but because it would be incredibly uncivil, and virtually all of us have been raised better than that. I'm stretching things here, but I believe that car culture and suburban lifestyles are inherently bad for civilization. When I ride the subway or my bike, I actually interact with the people that live in my city. I see the homeless up close, I ride the train with rich and poor alike. In all my years riding public transportation, I've never been yelled at by a fellow commuter. I think it's changed my outlook. Perhaps it's just made me preachy and long-winded.

I bet the guy was as surprised as you were that he got out of his car. That happened to me once (well, the guy tried to jump out after he cut me off but I held his door mostly shut). While I held his door, I said in the calmest and toughest sounding voice I could muster "you're about to make a big mistake." He drove off, hollering like crazy.

bac

That sort of thing happens to me about once/week. Just let it slide off your back. You're not going to change the mind of the mindless.

... Brad

lil brown bat

I doubt I'd go that far. How many times have you actually done this, and what was the reaction?

e0richt

there was a thread that had a similar exchange that I really liked...

"but you are riding a bike"

"Nope, Im riding a motorcycle"

"wheres your engine?"

"you are talking to it."

BroadSTPhilly

+100 Awesome I am imagining Clint Eastwood on a bike.

Just remember that you are cycling so that you don't turn into an enraged cager. Serenity now

littlewaywelt

In the last two years I've carried it with me I can think of at least five times I've used it. Twice tossing it in an open passenger window during the exchange, twice sticking it under a wiper and once just pulling it out. ...that was my favorite- on one occasion a guy and I got in an argument about the legality and he pulled out a cell phone saying he was going to call the cops. I pulled out the pamphlet showed it to him and said go ahead. He just gave me the finger and rolled up his window. On the other occasions, I just road off as they were stuck in traffic. One guy I could still hear yelling as I road off. The other times it ended the exchange and their hostility.

Having a state document of the code literally has ended the argument immediately in every case. I keep a copy in the top flap compartment of my messenger bag so it's easy to pull out in five seconds while they're yelling that I can't be on the road "say really? because I happen to have a copy." Fortunately the way the lights are timed and with traffic, I can catch the jerk in 7/10 days on the street where 95% of my negative motorist interactions take place.

bikecopp

The same thing happend to me a few years ago. I was riding two abreast with a friend of mine in the right hand lane. We were keeping up with the inner city traffic pretty well and there were three lanes going in our direction. This guy started honking about 100 yards to the rear of us and came up quickly and then laid about 35 feet of skidmarks when he applied his brakes. At the same time I could see him cussing and yelling on the inside of his car and waving his hand telling us to get out of his way. I stopped my bike in the middle of the lane and got off and it was at about that time that he noticed my gun, badge, and full bike patrol uniform. My how his manner changed. He was all apologetic and sorry and said he wouldn't have done that if he knew I was a cop. I politely explained to him the rules of the road and that cyclist have a right to be there just like him and that he shouldn't do that to anyone. Needless to say he didn't have too much to say when i gave him some traffic tickets to ponder over.

caloso

The best experience I had with a JAM under these circumstances was when I pulled out my phone, held it up like I was going to take a photo, and said "Smile! I'm sending this to Sac PD and your insurer."

(At the time, my phone didn't actually have a camera, but he didn't know that.)

dingster1

Where can get one get these nifty pamphlets? MVA?

devildogmech

SWEET!!!! I just heard that Hammond IN just put a half dozen officers on bicycles! I wonder if it has more to do with the price of gas than anything else......

littlewaywelt

You can see a list of the materials available at the State Highway Administration's website


https://www.sha.state.md.us/exploremd...icyclists1.asp

send an email to the state bike & pedestrian coordinator bikes AT sha.state.md.us

They'll send you multiple copies of things if you ask.
The booklet I keep is The Maryland Vehicular Law Pertaining to Bicycles with Definitions
It's older and missing the 6th item in lane position about being able to take the lane if it's too narrow to share (21-1205), so I pulled that bit of code from the state code on line, printed out and stapled it into the book. It's probably the most relevant thing. In any event I doubt anyone I've given it to has read it. It's the fact that it has a state seal on the cover and says the words "bicycle" and "vehicular law" which gives you instant credibility.

DunderXIII

Wooa thanks for the support guys! Seeing these responses make me feel better. My co-worker/friend told me "well.. I can kind of understand him.. you know when I get behind a bike and I must slow down and can't change lane because the other lane is full I just want to pass over the bike and crush it!". He has a SUV of course. He's not a dork, I like the guy a lot so it makes me feel alone.

"You know, I have a CAR, bicycles shouldn't be on the road.". I conceded that some city-streets are pretty tight for cyclists and that I wouldn't bike on them but still there is no reason to think that way IMO (a feeling is a feeling ...). I think people are too focused on the arrival and not enough on the travel.

I actually dreamed of being a police officer and do exactly what bikecopp did: get out slowly with a stern stance, advance towards the car, explain calmly and give a ticket.

littlewaywelt

I agree. I think it also comes down to the fact that everyone is so busy now, that no one seems willing to accept that in life you're going to be inconvenienced from time to time, that losing 30 seconds out of your day while you pass a slower moving vehicle/bicycle isn't actually a catastrophe or an attempt by the cyclist to delay you or show you that he has more rights than you do.

genec

Offer to call the police for him... offer to let the police sort it all out. (be prepared yourself to quote the appropriate vehicle code numbers if the arriving cop is a bit dense).

I can't say it enough... and others have long held that I am wrong, but here again is another case of misinformed motorist. The general driving public really doesn't understand that cyclists have rights to the road, whereas they are allowed to drive on the roads due to an issued license and a granted privilege.

Sadly the American public is vastly misinformed about their "ownership" of the road... they often feel that registration fees, insurance and gas taxes make them "owners" of the road.

A few strong Public Service Announcements are all that is needed to set things straight.