genec

Yup... I go through that same question and answer with my wife all too often... I then ask her... "who is driving... her or the car behind her." She still does not like the honking. (which BTW is rare... more often just tailgating from some idiot)

I think that part of this comes from folks being a passive driver... sitting on their rolling couch and not really participating in what is really happening on the road around them. And yet, all too often we also hear "but I like driving..." If that really is the case, then participate. Actually change speeds, lanes, and engage with the ebb and flow of traffic... Too much to ask for many drivers.

Troul 

Yet, those same driver's have no care that they rolled stopped the red light/stop sign while blabbing over the BT device.

Iride01

I use my middle finger. That makes me fell better too. However once after giving a digitus indignatus, a really big guy with Texas plates stopped and between the two of us acting very belligerent to each other, I'm very glad to have not had to duke it out. I will have lost that fight!

I've gotten better at keeping my finger put away since that incident! <grin>

genec

I stopped with the middle finger decades ago... never wanted to be confronted with that rolling weapon that some motorists might decide to use. "Oh, I didn't seem him officer..."

livedarklions

Unfortunately, my finger rising is now a Pavlovian response to the sound of a horn. My finger is up before I even realize it. I've stayed out of physical trouble only because I bluff a lot better than I can fight. If you can manage a good insane look, yelling "stay in your damn car" works pretty good. Only crazy people want to fight with a crazy person, and they think you're half-nuts just by virtue of being on a bike.

Iride01

Exactly the same with me, an almost Pavlovian response. And honking was the reason for my confrontation with the really big dude from Texas.

A beep I might can tolerate as that may be misguided attempts to just let me know they are there. But laying on the horn the whole time one passes can only be thought of as they don't like me being on the road.

genec

Turn it into a wave... wave like they are old friends you haven't seen in a long time... really confuses the *holes.

Yeah, difficult to not respond... just open your whole hand and wave.

Bearhawker

I went for another 20km ride yesterday.

On the way into town a car plays chicken with an on-coming propane truck


then on the way home a school bus forces on-coming traffic onto their shoulder and is in their lane. Not sure he gave me a meter of space either...

Iride01

Yeah, you need to keep pestering your local authorities and law enforcement about that. Maybe even send a video to the school board and whomever provides the school bus service.

Might get something done, might not. They might just think you a troublesome nutcase. But don't let that stop you. Try to find others there locally having the same experiences and get them to help for the cause too. Or at least document their cases so if anything ever happens to you, then your attorney will have plenty of ammunition that the local government knew but didn't do anything.

Bearhawker

That's absolutely the route I take. *Nothing* will get done without the documenting/pestering.

I let nothing stop me I ride amongst the bad drivers knowing they are there waiting to pounce at the worst possible time. And the crazy part is that there has been a *significant* improvement in the last couple of years. When I started commuting by bike in 2011/2012 it was insane - which is what prompted me to get a camera.

My video is already being used in a civil suit against the owner of the dog that took me out & caused 15 rib fractures and a collapsed lung. No way to prove any damage done from the lack of consciousness though. I might post that one up after the case is settled...

indyfabz

Heh. I was going to write the same. Sometimes I add a “Hey! How you doin’?”

Bearhawker

More fun from random rides:

Bearhawker

Bearhawker

Bearhawker

Bearhawker

THIS guy I don't mind making room for. Despite taking up more than the whole road, he really was trying to minimize his impact.

Sometimes it's better to just make way. lol

Bearhawker

I've never passed someone before. LMAO

Bearhawker

Bearhawker

Daniel4

Three-in-a-row. Happens all the time. Never occurs to the passing car to slow down just a but until there's room to pass safely. Even in parked car situations, sometime I anticipate and adjust my speed either slower or faster but it always ends up three-in-a-row.