uke

Best part's the original link: https://www.citynoise.org/article/2770

In the comments, you hear from the courier herself (posting as Leah), and lots of discussion therein (including over the lady in the black vest, who helped tackle the road rager, and the one in the white vest, who was apparently his gf/wife).

Jonahhobbes

Most of the time abuse from cars sounds like "GRREYRRERARSRWERE" or something. I'm not an Ewok so I don't understand their language.


Gob****e car drivers are just part of our world like smallpox was a hundred years ago.

How do you get over those feelings of anger after abuse?


The best thing I have found is when you get to where you are going have a look at your bike. It does not matter if it's a cheap bike or a an expensive bike. Just look at it. Go up and play with the cables, have a squeeze of the tires. Pick up the bike and spin that front wheel, do the same with the rear wheel (hear that tick tick tick), and I guarantee within 20 seconds you will feel relaxed.

Mitchxout

First of all, it was a passenger so why take it out on the guy's car? If you damaged my car because my passenger yelled something stupid, you and I would have a serious problem.

Also, you need to take a chill pill. How are you ever going to cope when something truly disasterous happens?

Santaria

If they're running their mouths, who cares?

If they get out, I'm going to assert my right to burn off both canisters of mace in their face. The second one while holding their ****ing eyes open. Bottom line, I won't throw a punch, but I'll make sure they remember me.

Only time I've ever had a serious issue, I already was speaking with the 911 operator when the driver realized that by stopping to threaten me was a bad idea. They caught up with him 3 blocks down the road. Apparently he forgot about license plate numbers.

In the end, don't escalate something just to escalate it.

The Big Wheel

in my neighborhood people have been killed for a lot less

DataJunkie

as they have just about everywhere.

rumrunn6

just grab your crotch and yell back "bl*w me"

mds0725

Several years ago when I was living in Boston, I called a driver an a**hole after he ran a red light on Storrow Drive and almost ran me over. He actually made a complete U-turn in a busy intersection and started to chase me. When I rode the wrong way on a one-way street to try to lose him, he circled around and cut me off. He was about to beat the crap out of me when another driver pulled up. The second driver, who was over six feet tall and pretty beefy, said he was an off-duty cop, and was going to run us both in unless we stopped fighting. The angry driver took off, and then the second driver told me he wasn't really a cop but had judt gotten mugged in Central Park in NYC the week before and wished that someone had intervened when he was attacked. Now I just ignore angry drivers unless they do something life-threatening, in which case I would yell "help" at the top of my lungs.

mds0725

Sorry, this is like blaming the ER doctor for your injuries instead of the guy who ran you over.

Commando303

If you'd shouted back or flipped him off, that would have been fine. If you vandalized the car (which probably belonged to the driver, anyway, rather than to the person who actually offended you), it would have been (in my opinion) wrong, and you would have been liable for damages.

Walter Sobchak

These events always remind me of Night of the Living Rednecks

"...and he confiscated their club and my rock as further evidence."

AlmostTrick

He wanted to see you get pissed. If you ignore him he gets no satisfaction. Haha on him.

bragi

It's not worth it to let some idiot ruin your day. I used to get all aggressive and in-your-face when drivers (or passengers) gave me a hard time, but now I just give them a "you're an idiot" look, and continue on my way without saying anything at all. It's much healthier for you not to waste your energy on such people.

A couple of years ago, a passenger in a car behind me got irritated at me because I took the lane at a red light. He yelled, "What, you think you're a car?" I responded by riding up to his window, giving him the finger and telling him to f*ck off. He got out of the car, enraged, and tried to fight me. I threw my bike down, and was ready to go, but the driver intervened, gently slapped the back of his friend's head, and told him to get back in the car, which he meekly did, once he realized what a spectacle he was making of himself. I felt like an idiot myself; had I not been so confrontational over something as trivial as a taunt from a drunk guy in a car, I could have avoided a situation that made me look as stupid as the drunk guy.

aley

When I get yelled at, I usually look questioningly at the yeller and point to my ear, as though I didn't catch what they said. If they yell again, I do the same thing back. By the third time they have to repeat what they yelled at me, they usually just give up. Not only does it take the fun out of it for them (what fun is it to yell at me if I didn't hear?) but it's actively frustrating to them to have to repeat themselves.

IbikezLA

It's good to be tall because hardly anyone messes with you. Sometimes I get honked at when waiting at a red, all i have to do to shut them up is get off the bike, stand tall, walk up to them and tell them to stop. Some people get freaked out that I'm taller than their, oh so huge, SUV. Now if only I had the chest of a football player.

cyclezealot

Usually they are brats under 19.. Give them the italian salute and ride on.

bugly64

I'd wave and say "Hi". If they stopped and started to get out of their protective shelter, I'd U-lock'em.

jmonsw21

Whenever I'm being taunted I generally taunt back with a funny face and hand gestures. Not the finger but more like an italian dual handed "what do you want you stupid idiot?" type of thing. This is the face I make...

It will generally let them know you aren't taking them seriously and actually think they are the morons that they are. It usually gets them mad so it gives you a good laugh.

daven1986

r.e. the article about the woman in kensington. DAMN what a ***** for taking on a woman. Good on her for throwing the burger back in his car though

In response to the OP. Don't get physical it isn't worth it. Just flipping them off gets the message across. I usually yell at people or flip them off if they are being dumb, or I give them a long hard stare while stopped in traffic. But I wouldn't want it to escalate as I care about my safety! If they did get out of their car though and I had no way to go then I'd really go for it and try to take them down. If I can get away then I would be gone. One person isn't worth ruining your day over. I used to be like this but now I am calming down a bit, as I realise when they get all angry I just filter through the traffic and never see them again - 1:0 cyclist

flyboylr45

When people do this sort of stuff to me I usually just laugh. If they threaten me or anything I will stand my ground. They look at me with the funny spandex shorts and a helmet and think what a dork. They have no idea that in my little Aero Stash bag there is a fully loaded Glock!!!!!!!!

tbreen

I just flash them a big grin and ride on knowing their the ******** not me.

chipcom 

I just flash them

Cyclaholic

When someone yells at me I take it as a sign that my mp3 player isn't turned up loud enough.

thompsonpost

Something that an adolescent would figure is the right thing to do. This is a situation where thinking you are cool will get you dead or seriouslly injured and disfigured.

Bat22

I remember the talking dog that drove the son of sam crazy.
The typing hat wearing dog avatar caused a lot of devilment too.
Approaching a 4 way intersection I watch a mustang change lanes,
speed up and come up at me in my mirror.Squeals his brakes and
blast honks me yelling out his window.
I yell out a parade ground blast, calling him out,RIGHT FKN NOW!!!
He takes off ducking behind the wheel.
I notice that I had grabbed the attention of all cars in the 4-way.
They seemed stunned. I got on my bike and pedaled through
that 4 way. Button don't get pushed too often.
When it does, out comes the typing hat wearing dog avatar.