Raiden

That happens to me constantly- the problem in my area is that when one car stops/slows for a left (or looks like they're making a left), the accepted behavior by following cars is to pass on the shoulder. Its a screwy situation.

Digital_Cowboy

That's a good question. When I go to the pet store to get crickets for my tarantula, as I am leaving and still sitting on the sidewalk. And that's only because I take my bike inside the store. I'll have drivers passing in front of the store wave me on my way. I return the favor and wave them on, as I would rather they pass so that I can have a better look at the driveway in both directions and make up my own mind.

Digital_Cowboy

Sounds like fun, I guess no one ever taught them that they should wait for it to be safe for them to proceed.

Brontide

You lost as soon as you decided to talk with her.

I had a guy tell me I shouldn't stop my bike over the sensor or I will trip the light. Of course I was trying to turn left. I said "thank you" and went about my ride.

BarracksSi

Sounds like filtering to the front would've helped...

:

nanter

Yeah, but I try to practice vehicular cycling as much as possible. The irony, of course, is that you're right that filtering would have solved the problem.

Standalone 

Hmmm... reminds me of the other week, when a cop wanted to arrest me after a similar confrontation led to the driver simply driving into my knee. Even though it was a motorist with a 3000# car versus just me, somehow my six-foot-four-ness made me an agressor and somehow deserving of what I got. And he wanted to add breach of peace to top it off.

Standalone 

It would drive me nuts as a driver if this practice were to stop. The roads are just too crowded here not to bend the rule about passing on the right.

filtersweep

That places cyclists in very dangerous situations. We can be in a blind zone on the "passing shoulder."

As for the OP--- never reason with motorists. I see no point in citing law. Either tell them to 'ef off if you need to blow off steam, or move on. The "my right to be here" argument is weak.

MrCjolsen

The bottom line is that the OP picked the dumbest person on the road that day with whom to have an argument.

Chris516

She is obviously devoted to her car n' doesn't give a hoot about the environment. She also persistently ignores the part in the drivers manual that classifies bikes as vehicles.

I have experienced the same thing. It doesn't even matter if there is no traffic. Motorists feel 'all-mighty', because they are in a car/truck and, they have to wait behind a bike.

I have thought about doing that. But, My beef would be with one motorist, not a whole bunch. By turning around and challenging the offending motorist, I could not only unintentionally upset other motorists. It could be like, asking to get run over en masse, should the light suddenly turn green.

I just shake my head without looking back and continue to 'take the lane'.

Understandable. When I have thought about reverting back to other forms of transportation, I quickly remind myself of the horrors of the other forms.

filtersweep

Has anyone EVER had a productive argument with a motorist?!? I was a pedestrian crossing a GREEN when a right on red turning vehicle very nearly ran me over. I slapped the SUV and the driver came back (actually made a u-turn) to argue with (and threaten) me. There was no question who had the right of way.

nanter

I was a pedestrian crossing with a green when a vehicle turning left from the main road (who also had a green), almost hit me. As I finished crossing the street, the passenger rolled down his window and yelled, "What the hell is the matter with you?"

Speechless.

njkayaker

I bet that would be a better surprise through an open window than an "airzounds"!

(If you want to make somebody mad, do it with a big hairy spider!)

Chris516

That depends on a 'productive argument' i.e. winning a verbal tet-a-tette and/or not capitulating to the motorist's 'me first/get out of my way' attitude.

Chris516

I have never had a driver tell me that.

OTOH, whenever I have told a driver to pull up since I know my bike won't trip the sensor, they refuse to do it.... go figure

Raiden

Actually, the maneuver is specifically allowed in MA law, and I'm not complaining about it when its used safely. I was just pointing it out regarding drivers that stop when they have the right-of-way mistakenly thinking they're doing us a favor.

dougmc

Perhaps, but it's a maneuver guaranteed to land you in jail. Besides, you'd lose your pet.

njkayaker

Details, details!

(The Airzounds through the window might be illegal also.)

nanter

How is that any worse than blasting a car horn at a bicycle sitting in front of you?

njkayaker

???

So, if somebody does something illegal, you can do something illegal? No doubt, that would be a great defense strategy!

I'm not saying people should not do it, but they should realize what they are doing (ie, whether or not it is illegal).

nanter

yep!

But seriously, what would be illegal about that? Unless there is a local statute that says that you can't use your horn except in an emergency. I am not sure how universal those laws are.

chandltp

Yea, I bounced off some guys fender last summer that thought that way. He was stopped, and when I was beside him, he got impatient and started moving.. right into my leg. I had to wipe black tired marks off when I got home.

FWIW, It's illegal to pass in the shoulder in PA. I was also on a designated bike route. It's not a bike lane so much as an extra wide shoulder that makes it easier for bikes to travel off the road (and cars to pass on the right, apparently).

njkayaker

I doubt there would be much sympathy for somebody setting off an Airzounds through an open window into a closed space when there clearly was no emergency. I'd guess that there is some general law that would apply. It might end-up being some form of assault.

Oh, there almost certainly a state law that restricts the use of horns!

The NJ example

https://lis.njleg.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=12187690&Depth=2&depth=2&expandheadings=on&headingswithhits=on&hitsperheading= on&infobase=statutes.nfo&record={E2D5}&softpage=Doc_Frame_PG42

dougmc

I believe the maneuver I was referring to was throwing a tarantula into the open window of a car. Police would take that seriously.

Yes, but it would likely fall under the category of "using your horn excessively" -- a traffic violation. Throwing a tarantula into somebody's lap would likely be assault at the very least, and land you in jail -- even if the tarantula isn't really that dangerous.

And it would likely be killed by the person flailing around.