N_C

I know I have the question why about a certain topic of A&S before. Here is another.

Why is it when a motorist, unprovoked by a cyclist, with the exception if just being there riding like he or she is supposed to, buzzes, harasses, honks, yells at, flips off, throws something at, swerves at, maybe even brushes, etc. is caught up with by the cyclists at a red light & is confronted by the cyclist will not do respond & just sit there looking straight ahead, etc? Even if the cyclist is not violent after what the motorist did, why do motorists not respond? You'd think they would want to, especially after doing what they did on purpose with their vehicle to the cyclist to prove what ever point they are trying to prove.

So why & what do you think?

Itsjustb

Psychologists and sociologists have done studies that show most drivers feel insulated from their actions while driving--that having the ability to move away from an event/person/whatever quickly, and the fact that the driver is enclosed (and removed) from everything makes it easier to behave differently than they would if forced to confront others "in person".

Take that to the logical conclusion, and you see the behavior you're describing. Now they're being confronted, and can't escape. They realize their behavior wasn't acceptable, polite, etc. Best response? Ignore the confrontation.

N_C

I am guessing you mean the best response for the motorist is to ignore the confrontation. If you are, that still doesn't make it go away, even when the light turns green & they are able to drive off ahead of the cyclist. Maybe the cyclist will catch up again at the next red light, if there is one & the confrontation will continue or even escalate into potential violence.

If not even though the motorist got away from it & ignored it hopefully it is the back of their mind the next time they see a cyclist.

Any idea if any studies have been done to show even if they ignore it, do not respond to the person confronting them the next time a motorist encounters a similar situation their behavior is differant? In other words is there anything that shows a motorist will remember the confrontation that though they ignored they would rather not take the chance of the same thing or worse happening again so they pass a cyclist safely?

banerjek

This is an interesting point. My normal policy is to ignore just about everything. However, a couple times, I was so cheesed off at being yelled at (beats me why -- I normally don't care) that I decided to confront the motorist directly. Not with f-bombs and verbal abuse, but rather "Why did you yell at me? What did I ever do to you? Don't you know that if you suddenly yell at people when you're passing, they could crash and really get hurt?" etc)

On the few occasions I've done this, I find it makes whoever yelled at me very uncomfortable. They slink in their seats and might even mutter an indecipherable apology.

slowandsteady

As someone else mentioned they feel insulated from the situation....just like people posting on an internet forum.

Ever notice those same JAMs after you catch up to them at the next light? The vast majority are hiding their faces, averting their eyes and generally look mortified.

Gee3

They're chicken *****s that didn't think you'd catch up with them. If they thought you'd catch up to them at the light (or even thought ahead and saw the light coming up) I bet you that they wouldn't have said a thing. So now they are trying to hide by ignoring you. Chumps!

pj7

cowardice
plain and simple
I don't need any kind of study to tell me this.

MasterHalco

In my angrier cycling days, I got in my fair share of confrontations. Only one guy ever got out of his car. He was a 6'2" 275 lb. black dude with attitude. He pushed my scrawny, drunk, white a** into a snow bank.

Trust me, it's best that they ignore you.