Chris516

350htrr

Nothing. But if he does ride past there again and something happens then he at least has some kind of back up that the guy has problems and was harassing other people too... Now the smart thing to do is just ride around, but I can see that it's sticking in the OPs craw, just like it would in mine, and I would ride past there just because... Probably cause I'm stooped but that is how it is sometimes with some people...

KonAaron Snake 

+1 - take the high road, ignore him completely. I agree that waving isn't likely to help and is passive aggressive.

If there was an easy way to avoid the guy, I would. I know it's the Internet and everyone here is Chuck Norris, willing to fight any battle if they're right, but if there's a quick and easy way to avoid confrontation, why bother. As a friend says - would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy? You can't fight every battle - and IF there's an easy way to avoid this one, I would. No one wins in a pissing match.

rydabent

With 300 million people in the country, there are bound to be quite a few loons. Just ignore him. You are doing nothing wrong!

bikecrate

Since you aren’t doing anything wrong, I would keep riding there as long as you enjoy it and ignore the guy. However, if he keeps causing problems that you have to deal with I personally would move on. I know some people would see that as caving in to a jerk, but cycling for me is about exercise and stress relief. Why spoil the satisfaction of riding by having to worry about a psycho. Loony people have a way of sucking you into their issues. It’s best not to get tangled up in that stuff.

Altair 4

Yelling today, waving a stick tomorrow, tacks on the trail the day after....waving a gun after that....it's a hop skip and jump to unpredictable violence. One thing I've learned is it is usually better not to mess with crazies, whether they be on the street, in a car, or one a bike. Blow your horn at the wrong guy while driving could get you shot in some places.

Astrozombie

Avoid avoid avoid, i know someone who loves confrontation/trolling/non-sensical people getting "butthurt" and would escalate.........but if something happens you will ask yourself why the heck you did that.

What if you keep riding and he decides to tell his grandson that some "guy has been bothering him" and twists the story?? "Sure Pap, we'll see what we can do about it"

KonAaron Snake 

My job is essentially confrontational, and in my group we have a saying - where's the win? We can fight all day long over terms, process, principle etc...but at the end of the day, the win comes with an agreement where everyone makes a little money responsibly and goes home to eat dinner. There is no win in a confrontation with this guy, or with crazy/difficult people in general. The above comments are absolutely right - if you argue with a monkey in the zoo, does it know, or care, if you won? However - it might throw feces at you. This isn't that different.

What's the win here? The win is having a nice ride and getting home to eat dinner. If you can ignore the guy and get the win, great...but if you can't, I suggest finding an alternate strategy that flows from going home after a pleasant ride to eat dinner. There are times where you have to fight it out and there are principles that require a stand...but is this one? It's some old loony guy.

Everyone's ultimate punishment or reward is having to wake up and be them. Whether you fight this out or not, he has to wake up and be him. That doesn't sound like he's really winning to me.

FrenchFit 

Knuckle under? Really? You really think using your brain and selecting a non-confrontational option makes you a wuss? Please. Maybe the guy is an old vet with PTSD or bi-polar, maybe his daily life is pure torture. You want to tease him into doing something violent? Why?

Go ride somewhere else, put this nonsense out of your mind.

Leebo

Take the high road, helmet cam for backup evidence.

aubiecat

Bike cam, don't leave home without it.

spivonious

I'd avoid him if I could. Next time the stick could be a gun, especially if he feels the cops aren't doing anything and decides to go vigilante.

Rootman

Having had more than a few close encounters with people like this (none on bikes so far thank goodness) all I can offer is that it seldom works out beneficially to anyone involved to get into a conflict of any sort with him. Even if you keep your action completely aboveboard it is bound to cause you some grief to take action against that guy. You have to decide if it's worth it or not and then decide what actions to take. I do sort of like the idea of getting several bikers to take the route and if they ALL experience the guy's actions then maybe the police will do something. Although that might just set him off more.

Can you extend the ride even MORE to another street? Or just avoid the MUP altogether and find a quiet set of streets elsewhere to ride? Would it be worth your while to ask the city to improve the narrow sidewalk section of the MUP so it is more useful and then cite your situation as respectfully as possible?

JerrySTL

Find a bike club and talk them into riding by. One rider every 5 minutes might be fun.

spare_wheel

Bring a camera, document his threats, and call the cops. Police in my city would cite for harassment in a heartbeat if what you describe is true.

350htrr

He, He... I would.

Equinox

I find this an interesting phenomenon. I've been told to "stay off my road" several times. Where does one get the audacity to think that a publiv thoroughfare is somehow "their road"? Two cases involved dogs. I told the owner to control their dogs, who were chasing me. They responded with "stay off my road".

dougmc

Personally, I'd ride there anyways. Don't go out of your way to ride past his house repeatedly, as that could be seen as harassment, but you're not breaking the law so I wouldn't bow to his wishes.

I would, however, make sure my video cameras are recording for these trips just in case he decides to act upon his issues and it turns into a "he said, she said" situation. And if he does confront you (without the police), just be calm, polite, point out that you have a right to be there and it's not up to him and then leave.

lostarchitect 

My God, do you really need help with this problem? Either ride the way you ride and just ignore the guy, or take the path like the cop suggested. Pull up your big boy pants and make a decision.

aubiecat

How to deal with angry forum posters who don't like people asking questions?

I-Like-To-Bike

For further bicycling "fun" in the same vein, you gents might take your "club" over to an old age home or a mental hospital and ride around blasting your Air Zounds horns once every five minutes or so and record the results on portable video cameras. Think of the jollies when you post the videos here and on Youtube.

JerrySTL

What? And disturb my in-laws?

Worknomore

I was thinking along these lines. When my mom yelled to turn down the music as a kid I would first turn it way up and wait for her to yell again then turn it back to where it was. Worked every time. Some idiot with issues getting pissed cause I ride by his house? Let the games begin.

350htrr

Woah, Are you that old dude that the OP is talking about? And yes, I'm stoopid and would probably just do that, if someone told me I am not allowed to ride my bike by their house because it's "their road"... Just like I didn't stop riding by this house with 3 dogs that come out and attack me every time I ride my bike past that house. If one of those dogs bites me I will have it/them put down, and sue the owner till he is living under a bridge flat broke... What can I say, what's right is right. Nobody should back down just because it's easyer/safer, but most people do... But I did say that I was stoopid didn't I?...

howsteepisit

Me, I just don't have the energy to fight every possible battle. More power to ya, 350htrr.