closetbiker

I was riding down the street yesterday and encountered an interesting sub-species of motorist.

I've noticed them before, but I haven't really asked opinions of everyone here on their thoughts of these unusual types, so here goes.

Mostly, a large majority of drivers have been good to me. They overtake properly. There are those few yahoos that pass far too close and far too fast. There are probably just as many who give me way too much clearance. They're kind of odd to me, but at least they're not as bad as the too close overtakers.

This other type of overtaker is one who doesn't pass too fast (although they can be fast) or too close (although I have had more than a few pass too close) but is distinguished by the drivers looks of concern (portrayed by his repeated looking) for yours truly on my bike with repeated glances in the side view mirror and rear veiw mirror as they pass at me to see (I'm assuming) if they've run me over or knocked me down. They're certainly fixed on my progress after they've passed me.

I encountered this yesterday as a driver passed me too close for comfort, and I thought, if you're so concerned with my well being after you passed me (perhaps thinking I might have been knocked over on the pass) why didn't you take a little more care and give me more room as you passed? You did pass a little too close. If I did go down would you pull over to help, or take off to avoid the consequences?

I watched the head bob of the driver yesterday looking at the side view mirror at me as I left his blind spot. I figuered his glance would move to the rear view mirror as he moved on up further past me so I thought I would see what he would do if I mouthed an uncomplementary comment to his eyes (no need to actually say anything, he couldn't hear it anyhow).

Sure enough, a few meters up, I saw his eyes move to the rear view mirror so I mouthed to him, "F**k-wad".

Immediately, a scowl came over his face and up came the bird. I repeated the mouthing one more time and he flipped it 2 more times in rapid succession. He moved on, made his turn and I continued on my way thinking, if he was concerned enough about the way he passed me to see if he may have hit me, why should he be offended to see I had something nasty to convey to him because of the way he pased me?

I know one shouldn't make a bad situation worse and I could've done something different, but I was just interested in what reaction I was going to get. I guess it was a ******** reaction after a ******** move.

Anyone else encounter these "concerned" but ultimately, unsafe sub-species of over takers?

vincenzosi

Yep.

All the time.

They're a very popular subspecies in Manhattan and usually they drive yellow cars with the word Taxi on the roof.

genec

Wow, haven't seen these yet... But speaking of species, I just did a whole list in another thread and then realized they could be classified like bird species...

Such as the "silver coated harried cell phone caller..." not too rare in these parts; and the "multicolored furious thumper..."

keayne

hey closetbiker,
lived in van, now in vic..yep seen this sub-species, 'overtaker F**k-wad'. usually a result of inbreeding with other closely related sub-species of motorists.

Made 'contact' with vehicles 3 times in one month (since then, no hits). All were in van - spring time i think in all cases, like yours the word 'he' seems to be a common factor..yikes.

LittleBigMan

CB, you made me think of funny story.

I was riding along a nice, 40-mph., wide, four-lane w/grass median and loving it. Everybody's behaving perfectly.

Next thing I know, a small white Toyota slips slowly past me close enough to touch. You know how that feels, when you almost wish they were going faster?

Just as I was about to morph into road rage from amazement, the car moved fully into my view. My daughter waved at me from the back seat.

I know my wife sometimes wants to kill me, but this is over the top.

closetbiker

I've had that happen to me a couple of times with co-workers.

I'm just about to let go with some verbal abuse, then I see it's "Fred" trying to be nice and say, Hello!

I'm real popular at work.

LittleBigMan

"Hi! Yes, I'd love to have you run me over! See ya!"

Yikes!

Dchiefransom

Sounds like a Doctoral Thesis in the making.

Dchiefransom

Check around for new, very large life insurance policies with your name on them.

catatonic

Heh...one of my co-workers does that to me all the time, he honks his horn to say hello as he passes, and everytime it freaks the hell out of me since hehas a effing airhorn in his civic (I still have no clue why....but I want to burn that freaking horn so bad...)

Nice guy, just drive me nuts.

Oh, and I get tons of those guys....I usually mouth "look forward, dammit". I'll accept them being fwads, but at least pay attention to what's ahead and not me...I can get by fine on my own....I've been through worse than some a-hole drivers.

H23

Dude, thats not another species of driver--- thats a cyclist who happened to be driving.

He was simply checking out your gear.

77Univega

- - Well said.

closetbiker

Well now, that's a good perspective. Maybe I'm just too jaded, cynical and defensive.

I'd feel much better if it was an attractive woman at the wheel instead of a well groomed young man though.

Bekologist

No, I think it's the look of 'what the f*** are you doing in the road?' as they drive by. I've seen it quite often, they don't want your bike to be in the road. It's a look of displeasure, not concern.

sbhikes

That seals it then. He was checking out your gear.

closetbiker

Yeah, I don't know. Maybe it's like, I see some space there. Maybe I can make it.

After the move it's like, "Gee, I didn't think it would be that close."

scarry

Get that all the time, but I ride a Bacchetta Aero recumbent.
Usually the kids have their faces plastered to the windows, pointing and screaming,"look at that cool bike".

caloso

I think some of these folks consider themselves good drivers and are so law-abiding that they'd never dream of putting a tire over that yellow line. Because that's what they were taught in driver's ed. back when they were sophomores 40 years ago.

Then they squeeze past you and think to themselves, Look at that idiot on a bike. Doesn't he know how dangerous it is to ride in the street?

closetbiker

I see drivers squeeze between cars parked in the curb lane and traffic moving in the left lane (2 lane traffic) too.

What is so compelling that makes these guys need to get past now and why is it they feel their need to get by me is more important than my need for reasonable safety?

Who are these guys? Veruca Salt?

scarry

I think they believe the DOT-BOTs are land mines.

Alphie

I don't usually pay much attention to the drivers expression in his rear-view mirror, unless he gave me a "toot toot" while passing, and I know it's a coworker acknowledging me. There is not really anything I can do of a positive nature if someone passes me too closely.

catatonic

the funny part is the driver is what makes it "dangerous to be on the street".

speeding, and unsafe passing are the primary two issues I have with drivers...

And yes I get cut-off plenty...and nearly t-boned (idiots doing u-turns really piss me off), as well as people who don't realize how long their own car is when passing me....sometimes I really think some people are too stupid to be allowed near anything more complex than a ballpoint pen....maybe they are just that way behind a wheel, I dunno....I need more Mtn Dew....

ephemeron

I, um, err, have done that. It was a consequence of worrying that I didn't slow down enough or move over far enough and wanting to be sure that I hadn't ruined someone's day (or life) -- and ultimately, I suppose, of my lack of experience interacting with bike traffic while driving.

royalflash

I remember reading an article. I can´t remember the author but they identified is a certain type of driver who is determined to prove that cycling is inherently dangerous and that cyclists should therefore not be allowed on the road. Hence, in order to prove their position they make a big deal of overtaking. Often too close and despite taking every apparent possible care to avoid an accident even hit the cyclist. "Now look what you made me do- I told you bikes shouldn´t be on the road".

closetbiker

So, in retrospect, would you think you might do this again, or would you wait to pass with enough room from the cyclist so you wouldn't need to check your mirrors to see if you may have hit the cyclist as you passed?