My worst recent explosion is fairly embarrassing, but none of you actually know me...so here comes confession time!
I was riding in fairly adverse conditions...lots of rain, slippery roads, reduced visibility...you know the drill. This was downtown Philadelphia where I will typically move faster than traffic and cars. I was riding a little slower and more carefully than normal based on conditions, and because I was on a new and unfamilar bike. A guy behind me clearly didn't like my speed level and starts honking like mad. He scares the bejesus out of me in an agressive, dangerous pass. Naturally I overtake him 20 feet later and he starts doing it again. I figure screw this...I didn't want to get passed like that again and ride squarely in the middle of the road. Keep in mind this a traffic light every block kind of riding so that I'm really not slowing anyone down.
We come to a green light and I hear an emergency vehicle. I stop, just like the car to the left. The guy is behind me and going ballistic...laying into his horn...screaming...going NUTS. I look back and of course he's on his cell phone. He now starts driving at me aggressively and I lost it. I threw my helmet at his windshield, got off my bike and rushed his door....he had his window open to yell at me. I stick my head almost into his car telling him where he can shove his cell phone, maybe he should learn what a siren means...etc. I'm going nuts with anger...flailing my arms. People are now staring...it's downtown at rush hour. He's shrinking back faced with the large angry bald guy and I look around and realize maybe it's time to stop. I get back on my bike...he comes up to me a block later and threatens to hit me with his car...I turn around and kick the side of his car (extremely stupid) at which he point he tears off down a side street and I go the opposite way, get off my bike, wait half an hour...and proceed.
Not smart...but funny in retrospect. I easily could have been arrested, killed....over NOTHING. The smart move? The minute he starts behaving irrationally get off the bike and take another road.