Somehow, I've generally made the transition to where, like others here, being flipped the bird or having rude things yelled doesn't even bother me. I really couldn't care less.

However, intentionally bad driving that runs me or riding mates off the road is differrent. I live in a rural area of old oil-patch Oklahoma. Spandex is not the preferred manly wear. Last fall a jerk in an oil-field truck came by and almost clipped two or three of us while reving his muffler-less POS truck right in our ears. I thought he pulled off the road at the next nearby intersection to have a real confrontation. I was waiting to see that.

I'm too old to fight anymore, but I'm a 6' 200 lb triathloner who spent an early life in the oilfield as a roughneck and can still get reved up if need be. I'm the wimp of our riding group, all of who are tri-guys. Two are 6'1' and 6'2' cage full-contact fighters in the occasional "toughmen" bouts around here. One is 6'3' 215 lb. ex-footballer. Another is usually "packin'."

As it turned out, the idiot that nearly hit us was lucky enough to just keep going. I think the spandex "sissies" would have worn him out.

I'm glad it didn't come to pass, but to this day all of us laugh when we think of Jeremy jumping off his bike to "visit" with the guy had he made the mistake of stopping to continue his conversation with us.

TysonB
Cushing, Oklahoma