pletcgm

Yesterday, I was coming across the dam at 32 mph in a 35 mph zone. Two hicks from Western Tennessee got pissed because I was on the road. The one sticks himself out the window and says "Get you f***ing a$$ off the road and get on the sidewalk." Now I mind to say they were driving a 70's model ford pickup truck. I responded by saying "I would get on the sidewalk if that piece of ***** you all are driving cost more than my bicycle!" That really pissed them both off. The funniest part of all was they hit the gas and he was still hanging out the window looking at me. What more would you expect from a dumb, stupid hick???

While on this subject, the only ones that have ever said anything to me, bad that is, are the "poor class", ones driving beatup cars and trucks. Middle and upper class have never been smart with me and are usually friendly. Granted, I have seen some of them talking about me within their car, but they never openly made a scene or said anything to me. Has anyone else noticed this?

Moonshot

Yeah, but. It seems like when I ride through the "rougher" neighborhoods the locals are courteous to me.

I thought your post was about something far nastier.

Arnie

I rode thru western TN from Land between the lakes all the way into
Mississippi and into Alabama, i had no problem at all, in fact everyone was
very nice...of course they probably recognized me as a "hick" from Kentucky

slvoid

I guess I'm lucky, living in the city, I get used to it. I don't even think anything when they lean their horns on me as I take the lane, I mean they do it to everyone. I've seen people yelling at cops, ambulances, the herse...
In situations like yours, I'd just keep going, let them stew in their own ignorance.

samundsen

Yesterday I would have agreed with you. Today, I don't.

I had a very positive experience waiting at a red light on my way home from work. This was at an intersection just before going underneath a freeway. 4 lanes, and I was in the second lane from the left, in one of the two left-turn-only lanes. This old, beat up van pulls up in the lane next to me, on the left, and I heard someone shouting. My imidiate reaction was 'great, here we go again'. I turned, and there he was, prototype redneck with his window rolled down (in mid-day Houston heat) talking to me.

Turns out, he was commenting on the storm clouds forming up ahead! He was very friendly, I told him rain doesn't bother me. He said it would interfere with his work, they would have to quit early (doing whatever they were doing). As the light turned green he waved a friendly goodbye and drove off, while I had learned my lesson. Don't judge people prematurely, and don't generalize.

Sverre

oaxacarider

what kind of bike do you ride?

Chris L

I'm still trying to figure out why people here worry so much about verbal motorist abuse.

uciflylow

I consider myself one of those West Tennessee hicks. It just so happens that I am also a cyclist. I can say that I do get some flack, but not much. I see the problem here, not where they are from, there driving a Ford! That would be enough to give any hick a complex. There also probably just frustrated trying to drive in Nashville.

I have ridden all over North West Tennessee, South West Kentucky, and East Missouri and have only had an occasional slur barked my way. Most often by teenagers, (not pointing a finger at the teens here) in there testesterone overloaded state. Most of the folk I encounter are great people, sorry you had an Ahole try and ruin your day.

madpogue 

When it reflects obvious lack of knowledge (or worse, "knowledge" of something that's not true) of the laws that govern ALL vehicles ("get...on the sidewalk..."), it's grounds to "worry".

pletcgm

I agree and I try not to generalize, but for me, the only ones that have made comments and slurs have been red necks

pletcgm

Cannondale Ironman 800 with aerowheel and cosmic carbone wheel on the front

supcom

I'm with Chis on this one. When you ride a lot, you are going to get the occaisonal insult yelled at you. Unfortunately, there's not a thing you can do about it. Fortunately, the idiots who shout in your ear have seen you and haven't run into you so there's a bright side to it.

People who shout at you are just looking for a reaction from you. I guarantee they are watching you in their rear view mirrors in hope you shake you fist at them or show some sign of being rattled. The best course of action is to just ignore them with the knowledge that you your life is not so shallow that you have to harrass some guy on a bike to get your jollies.

If you really must respond, blow them a kiss. The last thing some teenager in a pickup wants is for a guy in tight lycra blowing him a kiss.

Ryan

I'd be mad, you were prolly soaked..

glenghillie

Although this is an amusing thought. I would not do this to someone that has just harrassed you. I could since I am a female. Although on second thought that many seem as just as much an invitation and is probably just as bad an idea.

You never know who may decide to stop and tke action against a "blown kiss"

franklen

I also think it is not a slight thing when motorists throw verbal and horn abuse at you. It constitutes aggression on thier part, and road rage is a serious issue these days. That said I think still the best way to handle it is to ignore it as much as possible, and don't give them the satisfaction of your stress.

I must pass on a recent story. I was cycling down a one lane road, with sidewalk on one side, and diagonal parked cars on the other (same way I take home everyday) when an SUV driver lays on the horn and revs up fast behind me. At the stop and turn onto the next one-way road (the only way to go) he continued to lay on the horn for what is like 20 full seconds while I wait for traffic, and he yells out the window (Wheres your ****ing license plate?) while his wife sits in horrorific embarrassment in the passnger seat.

So big deal, but what gets me is the arrogance that this fellow had to stop a police officer about 1/2 mile down the road and have him lookout for and stop me. I was incensed at this and immediately waved to the officer and rode up to him to tell the story. He immediately said he was sorry for the incident, he understands that people don't all understand that I have the right to the road too, and that he will talk to the idiot and set him straight. He then asks which way I am going, asks me to be careful and allows me on my way while the idiot driver has to sit and stew in the sun while the cop goes back and talks to him. That must have really pissed him off to see me on my way again as if nothing happened after sharing my 30 second story with the cop, and then having to sit there and be lectured at by the police!

operator

Good one franklen.

I have my own story to share. Coming home from a trip downtown, just pulled into a two lane small road. A guy in a pickup towing a boat does a U-Turn just behind me onto my lane. I speed up a bit but he passes me anyways (very very closely I might add). So instead of trying to pass him on the right i slow down a bit behind him and move into the lane, at this point he was going fairly slowly. I had the temptation to pass him on the left but didn't.

It became clear why about 3 seconds later when he turned left into a residence driveway. The funny thing is he starts turning then checks his mirror, I slow to a stop and he yells something incomprehensible. I had the biggest urge to go up to him and ask what the F#*$ his problem was, but I didn't. It was VERY hot outisde yesterday coupled with the humidity.

supcom

Poor guy was out of beer and probably didn't catch any fish...

operator

Nice try with the thread derailment there MERTON.

RandyMcD

I drive a '76 Ford F250 just because I like tinkering with engines and I love a big 'ol carburated V8 (I also hunt and fish), but I'd hardly call myself a hick (city apartment, tech job, 'net junkie). However, I've also never shouted at cyclists...or urinated from a moving vehicle...

Anywho - book, cover, judging, etc.

greaper007

Thats true about the female thing. I have to deal with *******s while I'm running or biking, it's usually just something stupid like having someone yell at me trying to scare me. My girlfriend has to put up with guys whistling and cat calling all the time though. It bothers me because she's my girlfriend, but it also bothers me from a sociological level. It really sucks that we live in a society where women can't walk down the street without being called out. Also, as far as the redneck thing goes It does seem more prevelant I say that hesitantly though. The only reason I say that is because I would always get yelled at while I was running at my school. This was in a small university town in the middle of no where. However, now that I'm back in a middle to upper class suburb of Cleveland I haven't had an incident all summer, and neither has my girlfriend, even when she runs/bikes alone.

operator

Does that mean we shouldn't get our girlfriends into biking?

Ryan

Why do you twist what people say all the time?

Chris L

There are different levels of aggression, and compared to some of the things I've recieved, horn or verbal abuse is pretty minor. After all, verbal abuse is just that, there are no lasting effects if you treat it with the contempt it deserves. And my own experience has shown that there is no correlation between verbal and physical abuse.

operator

It was a JOKE.
What a troll.

Chris L

If you find that post was a troll, just use the ignore feature. Insults are not warranted, nor will they change the situation.