WhiteRabbit

Quoted For Truth

Slow Train

Yes - what the chief says and what is actually put into effect are not the same thing. Fact of life is that it is so paramount to keep traffic moving that, short of a felony offense, police are hesitant to write a simple ticket and so hold up dozens of other cars. Last summer - right by the White House - I saw a car run 2 successive red lights at a very high rate of speed in full view of at least 6 - 8 police officers. They didn't make a move.


I think the fact that the street is plenty wide is why I need to establish myself in a lane. This is a one-way street wide enough for 4 lanes. Lane 1 is curb parking. Lane 2 is used by traffic to make the right hand turn to proceed South on 17th. Lane 3 is used by traffic to make the left hand turn (as I was doing) to proceed North on 17th. Lane 4 is additional curb side parking. I see no other place for me to safely be but in the lane I need in order to safely make the turn.

Also I was clearly moving at a speed that proved to be of no encumberance to normal, reasonable traffic. That fact is proved that I easily caught up with Mr Agressive Driver a few blocks later without much effort. And I am no Cipollini

Slow Train

Rats - I didn't have my U-Lock on me. I could see that pulling it out would have added extra emphasis to my words and wiped the smurk off his face. .

But in the end I couldn't trust myself to refrain from making a modification to his steel exo-skeleton.

TRaffic Jammer

then it's good you didn't have it on you

Allan Dunlop

Oh, do I ever know the desire to chase down a coward who uses a 2500 pound vehicle to intimidate (and possibly injure or kill someone)...and beat them senseless.

I've done it on occasion (chased them down, that is--haven't given into the beating senseless urge). As others have noted, it seldom results in a positive outcome. The smile and wave route seems to work well for me, too. Someone I teach with tells me that when someone honls at her, she smiles and waves as if she knows the person, and is returning their honk 'hello'. Works well, and it's fun.

This issue is something that cyclists discuss often, and a year or two ago I wrote an article on the subjest. Would be glad to hear your comments:

https://www.cyclingsolutions.ca/cycli...e_motorist.htm

Allan

Slow Train

Allan,

I agree 110% with your view point and my only defense is that I'm still human and thus less than perfect! I think my response to the incident that evening was the result of residual anger from the much more dangerous one that I encountered that morning.

Anyway - That night I went for a walk and tipped the wait staff at the corner take-out generously and helped some tourists find their hotel. I hoped that restocked some karma.

TeleJohn

"Go back to New Jersey!" is my response.

Crazy Cyclist

what do you think he should have done? I would have done the same thing, maybe a bit more. This jackoff needs to have his window busted or something

caloso

I've found that I've had better results since I got a cell phone with a camera. About a month ago, I was riding along in the bike lane along a street that was backed up at rush hour and a car started nosing into the bike lane ahead of me. I could tell that he was thinking of sneaking down the bike lane to pass all those people ahead of him on the right. When I got up past him, I gave him palm down and back so as to say "stay in your lane."

That pissed him off so he revved his engine and tried to sideswipe me. I caught up to him at the next light, like I knew I would. I swung behind him, took a picture of his license plate and rode up to his window and said "Say cheese!"

Oh, he was very apologetic then.

noisebeam

I had an incident many months ago where I was very close tailgated and honked at near continuously while in the right most very narrow lane of a three same direction lane arterial. We got stopped at the red light. I turned to look and she was both waving her arms and making the 'snowplow' motion with her hand. It (mostly the stupid snowplow symbol) unfortunately put me over the edge and my annoyance at all the other drivers who had done this came out and I went off on her verbally and with non-foul hand gestures (with me directly in front of her car). Shortly after the light she was able to pass (with a final honk) and get on her important way.

Anyway the reason for the story is that I totally regretted my actions and it made me feel bad. Because to all the other drivers, none of who witnessed the extent of the honking (with windows rolled up), I likely looked like a raving mad cyclist going off on some poor lady driver. It likely just helped solidify the motoist held stereotype of cyclists being raving self-centered lunatics.

Al

Kyle90

This is why man invented the Stiletto Switchblade my friend.

Diesel

If this driver rolled up on to your rear wheel why didn't you go straight to the officer on duty who was there at the intersection and report the driver instead of taking a huge risk to yourself? I would never get in front of a cager if they almost hit me. I dial the police number programmed in my cellphone. When drivers see you making a call relaying their license plate numbers to the police... that is a more effective tool of getting your point across! Glad your okay.

TeleJohn

How would that work against an armed 17 year old meth-head with nothing to lose?

noisebeam

Then he would be fighting himself, a fair battle.
Al

Andreasaway

I had a small anger problem once. I was finishing a 250k ride and coming back into the city, when a car almost hit me when merging. A block later she was passing me going maybe 5km/h faster than me, when she decides to finish the last swig of her water. She made a huge swerve in my direction, so going about 40km/h I bunny hopped up onto the curb, the car just barely missing me. So I chased her for a couple of kilometers, and when I " you almost killed me" she turned her head to the left and ignored me. So I got really pissed and pulled myself onto the roof of the car and repeated my self through the sunroof. Obviosly freaked out she gave me a good appology.
Never again

recursive

Stupendously badass.

Bad idea, but still, damn, that's intense.

fordfasterr

I had to chase down a driver of an old suburban on the way home...

I had to go as fast as I could, over and overpass, with 20 mph head-wind... I caught him on the other side... he was first in line at the red light.. so I got in front of him and went 5 mph all the way to the next light !!!! WOOT !

He gave me a blank stare as I decided to let him pass... =)








edit.. oops... almost forgot to say what he did... he buzzed me. as usual. People seem attracted to yellow spraypainted schwinns.... lol

dynaryder

I've pointed out yakkers to cops before with no results. I've also told people that yakking was illegal and gotten everything from dirty looks to death threats.

I would've gotten the cop's name and badge #. Then I would've called in to the next "Talk to the Chief" deal,and asked him on-air why his officer didn't do anything.

Slow Train

Like you I have, at times, tried to infrom motorists about the cell phone law. No success. Now, more and more, I'm seeing video ipods being used by drivers as well.

P.S. - I swear about 50% of the Police Cars I see are being driven by officers talking on a cell phone.

What I really could have done was inform the officer the real reason I was upset with the motorist. Maybe then he might have given a ticket as a small measure of justice. You live and you learn - keeping a cool head is paramount.