Originally Posted by
DunderXIII
And he got the finger
Also my got my first flat after more than a year of commute. On a rainy day.
The talk happened when I stopped .. get this.. behind another car at a red light. On a small street. I was stopped when I suddenly heard a horn getting louder and then see this guy in his Mazda screaming at me (windows up). I look away from him and he presses harder on the horn; at that point he got the finger. He wouldn't stop so I passed in front of the 1st car from the right to get in front. The moron passes the stopped car from the left, in the wrong lane! to get to me and gets out of his car. He proceeds to yell at me that I'm in "THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD YOU @#$" (on a red light mind you, oh boy) so I yelled back "I HAVE THE RIGHT, GO READ THE LAW". I didn't use profanity, I really didn't want this to continue. He got back in his car screaming.
What the hell? Got honked before but never some stupid sh*t like this. A nice quiet recovery ride completely ruined by the f*kr, now I feel angry and stressed
How do you deal with a situation like this? My inner male wants to smash this guys face but I know damn well that I'm no fighter. I'm probably fitter though
Offer to call the police for him... offer to let the police sort it all out. (be prepared yourself to quote the appropriate vehicle code numbers if the arriving cop is a bit dense).
I can't say it enough... and others have long held that I am wrong, but here again is another case of misinformed motorist. The general driving public really doesn't understand that cyclists have rights to the road, whereas they are allowed to drive on the roads due to an issued license and a granted privilege.
Sadly the American public is vastly misinformed about their "ownership" of the road... they often feel that registration fees, insurance and gas taxes make them "owners" of the road.
A few strong Public Service Announcements are all that is needed to set things straight.