009jim

I think you've overlooked the fact that our "flight response" is there for a reason. When you get a fright your adrenalin levels rise in anticipation of avoiding danger. If you've trained yourself not to respond to those instincts then you may one day be badly hurt. For example you are walking down the road and hear a gun-shot. Everyone dives for the ground but you have trained yourself not to be a "nancy" so you keep walking, real cool like, with a confident attitude. Next gun shot, you get wounded.

So now let me guess - you are thinking that if it was a gun shot that would be different and you'd react like everyone else. OK. However, what about the case where someone sneaks up behind you and makes a gun shot noise? How do you know what is real and what is not? You can't know, so either you ignore all real and imagined danger or you respond by getting a fright and potentially saving your butt.

dynodonn 

fify

rebel1916

I hope and pray, that in such a situation I would ensure that anyone I was with was accounted for, keep a cool
head, and make sure I/we were headed towards safety not danger. Been a firefighter, raced motorcycles, paddled whitewater that kills people etc. Surviving a dicey situation can depend on keeping a cool head. Panic almost always makes a situation worse.

Also, I just read where someone called the cops over being honked at. Really? You need to HTFU.

Edit - just realized the was in the safety forum. That's what I get for browsing "new posts". Holy simoleans.

dynodonn 

My biggest peeve when cyclists are told to suck it up at times when they shouldn't have to. Harassment takes many forms, and excessive use of a horn can be grounds for contacting law enforcement.

rebel1916

And my biggest peeve is when fools waste the time and resources of first responders with phony baloney BS.

BloodSweatNGear

hey playa<u baked or something?

BloodSweatNGear

[QUOTE=009jim;14905023]I think you've overlooked the fact that our "flight response" is there for a reason. When you get a fright your adrenalin levels rise in anticipation of avoiding danger. If you've trained yourself not to respond to those instincts then you may one day be badly hurt. For example you are walking down the road and hear a gun-shot. Everyone dives for the ground but you have trained yourself not to be a "nancy" so you keep walking, real cool like, with a confident attitude. Next gun shot, you get wounded.

So now let me guess - you are thinking that if it was a gun shot that would be different and you'd react like everyone else. OK. However, what about the case where someone sneaks up behind you and makes a gun shot noise? How do you know what is real and what is not? You can't know, so either you ignore all real and imagined danger or you respond by getting a fright and potentially saving your butt.[/QUOTE



lol.....nice scenario funny ish

BloodSweatNGear

what are you a modern gladiator?

dynodonn 

Nice response, who are you to say what is BS and what is not.

rebel1916

Well, I'm a first responder, so I know what a BS call, from a foolish citizen looks like.

dynodonn 

Well then, is contacting law enforcement over excessive use of a horn considered BS in your book?

rebel1916

Yep, although the OP didn't complain about excessive horn use, but rather one "startling" honk. Than a bunch of silly geese started yapping about involving law enforcement. Which would be ridiculous.

dynodonn 

I can tell that you do not first respond in our area, since your responses do not correspond with any of the attitudes of the first responders that have interacted with locally.

rebel1916

Yeah, showing excessive concern/politeness towards the local wackadoos is pretty much SOP.

dynodonn 

Something tells me that retirement is close for you, or at least another form of employment.

Chris516

Agreed, The propensity, when a motorist honks at cyclist, is certainly not one of courtesy.

krobinson103

I had one idiot do that for about 10 minutes on and off kept trying to pull along side and say something. Keep riding, thread through the traffic and ignored him.When he started yelling pointlessly I gave him the one finger salute and went on my way. No feed back and they get bored. There were two other lanes to pass in - and the traffic stream was going no faster than me either. Ignore them and they go away eventually. The dangerous passers are the ones that really don't like.

CB HI

Sounds like your in the wrong line of work. Although you might get a pay raise if you join NYPD, I understand they are looking for guys just like you.

Bekologist

personal insults are a sure way to advance the caliber of the discussion.



Most states regulate horn use for emergencies only, but good luck getting enforcement of this. there was that very egregious honking incident just a couple of weeks ago that the riders got on video and it led to the motorist being charged with a traffic offense,

so video might make a rider feel like they've got some chance. I think CBHI rides with cameras for this type of rider:motorist vindication.

isn't that right, CBHI?

video cameras on every ride, finding out where miscreant motorists live, getting accused of harassment, all in the name of a rider's fight for justice.


So, some riders use cameras. I think greater vulnerable user laws with education is the slower, surer fix.

jolly_ross

There are a lot of good people around, both on and off bikes. There are a few flawed ones too - like this guy. Here's the thing - this a-hole will honk at many bikes, not just you. One day he'll honk at the wrong one - someone else who is aggressive and violent - or worse yet armed - he'll get his from one of his own kind. Let it pass. You win by letting it pass.

dynodonn 

Normally I do, but the last motorist who laid on their horn while passing me, I did not. That particular motorist coupled their horn blast with a deliberate close pass.

For those who pan the use of cameras while riding a bike, my rear video clearly shows the motorist positioning their vehicle in the lane to pass me closely, then quickly accelerating and sounding their horn as they went by. Vehicle description, license plate numbers all clearly displayed upon my video review, which was basically a mental blur when it originally occurred.

ItsJustMe

I didn't ride on the roads very long before becoming able to continue without a hitch even if startled. I have had 18 wheelers lay on the air horn right next to me. In fact the same guy did it 3 days in a row to me a few years back. Eventually he stopped, either because he realized it wasn't bothering me or because I started seeing him coming and waving first.

My nephew came up behind me at a picnic on a hot day once while I was talking and slapped an ice cold can of soda on the back of my neck - I kept talking as though nothing had happened. He complained that I was no fun, I should have jumped. I told him that if I reacted when I was startled I wouldn't last long riding a bike on the roads.

I agree that the motorists are being a$$holes, but I also agree that cyclists really need to be able to put up with this (not that they SHOULD have to, but they DO have to).

ItsJustMe

Hell, if I ducked every time I heard a gunshot around here I'd be crawling around on the ground all fall. Either a neighbor is sighting in a rifle, or someone's in the woods behind the house taking shots at something, or somebody's getting some target practice in their back yard.

dynodonn 

Not everyone can react as calmly as you, I still flinch to a degree when startled, and I'm no Spring chicken and who's been riding for a number of years. Even our states driver's handbook has a section on not sounding in anger or casually, since it can startle other road users, making a situation possibly worse.

jfmckenna

No he's an: