Oh dear. I pissed off a couple of drivers today
#1
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Oh dear. I pissed off a couple of drivers today
I guess after a few years of being away from the commuting scene I forgotten that the road only belongs to Cagers. You know the ones that don't think I have the right to use a turning lane or hate the idea of sharing the road. Had two honkers tonight on the way home. I have a front light and a flashing red rear light and I still managed to piss 'em off. Nerds!
Despite that I still enjoyed cruising home with the night's cool crisp air stinging my cheeks filling my lungs. Wholesome!
Despite that I still enjoyed cruising home with the night's cool crisp air stinging my cheeks filling my lungs. Wholesome!
#2
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Sucks. No matter how in the right you are, it always sucks to be honked at.
I get the odd honker but I've got to say, drivers here are 99% fine with bikes using turn lanes and doing vehicular stuff like that. Gotta count myself lucky.
I get the odd honker but I've got to say, drivers here are 99% fine with bikes using turn lanes and doing vehicular stuff like that. Gotta count myself lucky.
#3
You gonna eat that?
#4
Not safe for work
+1 for smile and wave. I do reserve the joy of sticking my tongue out at taxi drivers who insist they are always safe and defensive drivers.
#6
aka Timi
Wrong lane position for left hand turn, me thinks
oh and just a note, the bent arm signals for right turn/slowing-stopping are afaik unknown in europe
... in england you can flap your outstretched right arm slowly up and down to indicate slowing/stopping
oh and just a note, the bent arm signals for right turn/slowing-stopping are afaik unknown in europe
... in england you can flap your outstretched right arm slowly up and down to indicate slowing/stopping
Last edited by imi; 12-16-10 at 04:29 AM.
#8
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Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Last edited by wahoonc; 12-16-10 at 07:26 AM.
#9
aka Timi
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+1, here in Argentina too. The drivers here seem to understand them. That doesn't mean that they don't get pissed off I use the left turn signal to indicate that i'm changing lanes to the left (usually when it's a not-prevented situation, like a stopping bus (lots of them down here).
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I'm familiar with the extended left arm for left turn, extended right arm for right turn. I've never seen the bent left arm as a right turn signal, and the signal I'd recognise as slowing in the sense of slowing to a pulled in stop is the right arm flapped slowly up and down.
When I learned our Highway Code (I'm in England) I never saw the bent arm signals listed as having any meaning at all. Maybe those signals are US specific?
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I'm familiar with the extended left arm for left turn, extended right arm for right turn. I've never seen the bent left arm as a right turn signal, and the signal I'd recognise as slowing in the sense of slowing to a pulled in stop is the right arm flapped slowly up and down.
When I learned our Highway Code (I'm in England) I never saw the bent arm signals listed as having any meaning at all. Maybe those signals are US specific?
When I learned our Highway Code (I'm in England) I never saw the bent arm signals listed as having any meaning at all. Maybe those signals are US specific?
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#14
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I guess after a few years of being away from the commuting scene I forgotten that the road only belongs to Cagers. You know the ones that don't think I have the right to use a turning lane or hate the idea of sharing the road. Had two honkers tonight on the way home. I have a front light and a flashing red rear light and I still managed to piss 'em off. Nerds!
Also, welcome back to the road. As others have already said, just smile and wave at 'em. It seems to piss 'em off as much as responding in anger, while simultaneously defusing your own (probably something about gaining the upper hand, morally; or perhaps a humorous appreciation of the irony inherent in someone becoming enraged at a well meaning and friendly gesture).
#15
Descends like a rock
Yeah, the honker are obnoxious. I had one guy slow down and get next to me, then peel out squealing his tires. I dont get what about a bicycle makes people so angry.
Just think of the hundreds of other cars that passed you on the road that same day and were polite, responsible drivers.
Just think of the hundreds of other cars that passed you on the road that same day and were polite, responsible drivers.
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#17
Descends like a rock
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A couple of weeks ago, on a two lane rural road, with Share The Road signs every quarter mile, I was passed by a pickup truck blaring it's horn from the moment he began the pass until he disappeared. Right behind him was a Prius, blaring its horn as it went by me as well. The pickup truck I understand - the vehicle of choice for rednecks - but a PRIUS?!?! Are you KIDDING ME? He's driving a friggin Prius and he's honking me? He should be ashamed of himself.
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Prius being hybrid electric vehicles are very quiet. In fact Toyota is considering putting simulated engine noise so that blind people will not walk right onto a oncoming Prius.
Perhaps the Prius driver is trying to alert you of his/her presence?
Maybe some cyclists are too sensitive to being honked at. Sometimes it likens to us cyclist ringing our bells or yell "On your left!" at pedestrians and slow riders. YMMV.
Perhaps the Prius driver is trying to alert you of his/her presence?
Maybe some cyclists are too sensitive to being honked at. Sometimes it likens to us cyclist ringing our bells or yell "On your left!" at pedestrians and slow riders. YMMV.
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I notice car drivers honking at each other, too, so I don't take it personally.
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That makes some sense, although I'm surprised not to see the equivalent (even if the other way around) surviving in England. From what I recall the hand signals given by a driver in situations where the indicators don't work (don't ask me why they leave that in the highway code) still don't look anything like your bent arm signals.
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To me the intended message behind the horn is obvious. The equivalent of "on your left" is a very short tap of the horn - "bip bip", hey, I'm here. when it goes "hooooooonk-honkhonk-hooooonk-hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!" the message is pretty clear: "get the f-ck off MY road!"
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^ That second one is when a driver is asking you to please slow down.
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Took me a second, but I got it.
Last week I had some lunatic honking and cursing at me for taking the lane in a left turn lane. He stopped honking after we got to a red light but continued to curse and utter phrases like "I should run you over". I considered calling the police but said nothing. After the light he proceeded to honk as he roared pass me only to stop a block up from me in a parking lot.
Last week I had some lunatic honking and cursing at me for taking the lane in a left turn lane. He stopped honking after we got to a red light but continued to curse and utter phrases like "I should run you over". I considered calling the police but said nothing. After the light he proceeded to honk as he roared pass me only to stop a block up from me in a parking lot.
#25
Descends like a rock
To me the intended message behind the horn is obvious. The equivalent of "on your left" is a very short tap of the horn - "bip bip", hey, I'm here. when it goes "hooooooonk-honkhonk-hooooonk-hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!" the message is pretty clear: "get the f-ck off MY road!"