corysold

There seems to be a lot of threads that relate to people getting things thrown at them, honked at, ran off the road etc. What types of cars/trucks seem to be doing this the most. Where I ride, if something happens, I can count on it being a beater pickup with oversize wheels, a "pimped out" low riding car with a spoiler, or an SUV who makes claims to the road. Never seem to have any trouble with any other kind of car. Everyone else?

powers2b

Camaro, It's always a Camaro.
With some mullet headed punk behind the wheel trying to impress his boyfriend.

Enjoy

H23

I usually don't like to stereotype drivers but what the hell, I'm cranky today... Here's my list... (I've had the pleasure of dealing with all of them in the last 10 years)


* a-holes: New beamers, high end audi's. They all think they are Mister "precision driver" as they pass too close and too fast.

* Drunks and crack smokers: cheap chrysler or olds 4 door w/body damage, old bungie keeps trunk closed, most likely to leave the scene of an accident.

* oblivious suburbians: super clean stock SUV's, perfect to right hook our invisible asses.

martin_j001

I always say watch out for the really nice cars, and the really ****ty cars. Those are the ones you'll have a problem with. It seems to be true around here.

How bout this: 98% of people in cars suck while you are riding?? They either get too close, or they're so far away they almost cause accidents, they slow down too much, or don't slow down enough, they throw stuff, they yell stuff....they're just always doing the wrong thing damnit!!!! LOL

UmneyDurak

Drivers that do stupid stuff, always suck. That should cover all the bases.
In general I have more problems with SUV's, and those overpriced shopping carts H2's.

ckleps

Yeah its always SUVs for me. I don't think the majority of the drivers even realize how big they are. I'd saw the people that I watch out for are suvs of vans with 4 teens in them. They just got their license and waste time driving around annoying people. I also watch out for the guy in the suv who I can best describe as, the guy in high school who everyone thought was cool because he always managed to get beer, he never went to college and still works at his high school summer job but despite this he still thinks he is the coolest guy around. Yeah that guy always runs me off the road with his SUV. Hows that for a back story of a guy I know nothing about?

ImprezaDrvr

There are *******s behind the wheel of cars, there are *******s on bicycles. The problem isn't the cars, it's the *******s.

corysold

I agree, a-holes are the problem, I just happen to find that a-holes around me typically drive certain cars.

ckleps

The problem is the combo of cars and um jerks, a jerk on a bike doesn't run into you at 35 and kill you, a jerk in a car does. Just like a jerk with a box of bullets who drives by throwing them doesn't do as much damage as the guy who has bullets and a gun. The jerks are the same, but the threat they pose is not.

brokenrobot

You can always count on the guy with "driver" in his name to defend cyclists...

This thread is OBVIOUSLY not designed to be fair - look at the title, for god's sake!

ImprezaDrvr

Well, it does make sense. I'm an *******, ride a bike and drive a sport compact.

konageezer

I think it's a bit unrealistic to just blame the asterisks.

ckleps

its 10:20 and a bike forum post finally elicited a chuckle from me

DXchulo

Let's not forget....It's almost always males.

Then again, I've never had anything thrown at me, but I've been yelled at, honked at, and given the finger plenty of times.

TheOtherGuy

"* a-holes: New beamers, high end audi's. They all think they are Mister "precision driver" as they pass too close and too fast."

These are the clowns I have the most problems with. Most often driven by cluless foreigners with too much money. Seems they think riding a bicycle is something only "street people" do out of necessity.... Probably have never ridden a bike, and they're always smoking like chimneys.

Another catagory, a little different from the above...

* street ricers: these are the guys driving the hot-rodded Hondas & the like. They're aspiring to be like the a-holes above, but can't afford the flashy cars. They probably used to ride bikes as kids, but now have cars, so they're all grown up.

They drive pretty much the same way; always in a hurry, and not caring about anyone else.

Whatever happened to the nice people who'd move over to give the cyclist extra room as they pass...? Shouldn't the cyclist be given the extra respect 'cause he's the one creating the least pollution? Instead, too many worship the smoking buffoon driving the Beemer...

ImprezaDrvr

Leave it to someone on a bike board to prove their arrogance and ignorance so early in the AM. Or have you never run into an ******* on a bike?

Dr. Moto

The worst drivers around me are either males in large pickup trucks, often landscapers and roofers and the like rushing to and from jobsites who resent my expensive wheels and apparent wealth of leisure time to engage in a hobby like cycling; that, or middle-aged women in expensive euro luxury sedans who resent having to slow down their 300-hp 4000-lb. luxo-rockets to get around a plebe on two wheels.

Doid23

That's the only generalization I've agreed with so far.

As for cars, I've never found a particular type to be more or less antagonistic, for me just as randome as anything else.

Brillig

I've only found two consistencies. Those extra wide (usually white) bulbous Oldsmobuicks, generally driven by someone over 70, do not move over an inch.

The other problem vehicle is the white delivery/repair van.

ImprezaDrvr

Cyclists are rare in these parts, though we do get our fair share of taunting. Given that the vast majority of autos on the road are beat up pickups, it's easy to assume that they're the ones giving us the most crap. The biggest problem on the Reservation isn't malice, it's a complete lack of knowledge of how to behave when you're passing a rider. People cut me off pretty frequently, but it's usually due to not realizing how fast a rider can go or not being aware of us to begin with. Not much less excuseable, but at least it's not out of spite most of the time. Around Gallup, though, see the first bit about beater trucks and *******s.

velocity

[QUOTE=Dr. Moto]The worst drivers around me are either males in large pickup trucks QUOTE]

Yep you have him in your neighbor hood too? Its the red neck dually driver that hits the marbles 20 feet in front of you and pelts you with road debre as he spins his wheels and shoots away. The problem with him is he's just P O'd that he had to marry his sister. I believe that the gene pool will cleanse itself.
Velocity

TheKillerPenguin

I avoid cars that look like this

suntreader

Affluent women in large SUV's on mobile phones. They're oblivious to the world around them.

suntreader

Actually, I'm a male in a large pickup truck... but I'm always super-careful around other cyclists. The truck is really helpful when I spot a fellow roadie on the side of the road with a blown tire. I haven't had anyone turn down a free ride home yet.

But I understand what you're saying about large trucks.

TheKillerPenguin

I've had some great experiences with most pickup trucks. They give a lot more room most of the time than SUVs do, and the drivers are pretty friendly. I meet a lot of em at gas stations, and have only gotten compliments from them. No making fun of the lycra or anything like that. One guy almost looked ready to give me a ride back to New Paltz since I was 20 miles out. Another guy in a pickup stopped to give me a flier about a race coming up in his town. Another pickup drivers have complimented my bike. and my girlfriend is buying a pickup. Nice people!