I called a driver a bad name. Can I be forgiven?
 

On my ride home today.

One of those intersections that widens to two lanes plus a left turn lane before the intersection, but then narrows to a single lane after.

I moved to the left of the right lane to let cars turn right. As the light turned green I started to go and as I rode through the intersection I began to move slight right to the center of my lane. One car behind me turned right. The second car decided to pass me on my right in the intersection. If I'd been quicker moving right...I don't want to think about it.

I called him a bad name. His window was open but I don't think he heard me.

The result of that dangerous move? He gained three car lengths in the line and was second in line at the railroad crossing as I caught up at the same time the gates were rising.

By far, most drivers are safe and courteous on my commute, but every once in a while somebody does something dangerous.

Well I called one lots of bad names in the same situation although he honked and got to close. He did hear me though and almost turned into a fight. I'd say your forgiven could of been worse!

Did you see him coming, or was it a surprise?

This is another reason why I use a mirror. If I am surprised by any overtaking vehicle, I chastise myself for missing it.

Oh, and I will forgive you but you first have to tell me the bad name you used.

I've call both drivers and cyclist bad names most of them were justified so I don't worry about it . I did turn around and make sure they guy on foot knew it wasn't him I called a bad word , when the donkey went between us on the loveland trail a couple weeks ago. I was north bound, guy on foot with a dog under control was south bound guy on a carbon bike and dressed full kit passed between way to fast :notamused:
Roy

I think if someone endangers your life, you're allowed at least one epithet aimed in their general direction. ;)

- Andy

i've been right hooked twice - by cyclists! They got called a name and had no rolled up windows to hide behind.

+1 Then i try to ignore then

Aaah yes, the old "storage and zipper" intersection, built to accommodate more vehicles in a shorter timespan through an intersection. I use one of these everyday in my commute, and in my experience, drivers see the right lane (which eventually merges with the left, i.e. 'Zippering') as a 'passing lane', and speed along passing as many cars as possible before dangerously merging into the left lane. I always plant myself dead center in the right lane before approaching these intersections, and keep my eye on my rear view. Very rarely does another car follow me in the right lane for very long, as it is faster to pass a bicycle, and the drivers in the right lane are usually the ones in a hurry, and I have never been passed on the right. The driver you encountered sounds like either a real a$$hole, deserving of a tongue lashing, or a super inattentive driver, avoiding a collision with you. Either way, don't sweat it too much, and live to ride another day!

I'll need to know the exact curse used before I can forgive you. Standard policy designed to increase the color of my vocabulary, although my son is teaching me how to call people all sorts of wonderful things in Japanese.

Now go forth and sin some more.

I called a driver a bad name. Can I be forgiven?
 

Sticks and stones...

Probably not as bad a name as he called you. Don't worry about it. My calling cagers a bad name, under my breath usually, results in an adrenalin jolt that adds a few extra mph to my cruise.

An escaped exclamation after being scared $^!+less requires no apology. If you had held the driver by the throat while you explained what they did wrong...well, maybe.
I got "squeezed" a few weeks back. In that situation, take the lane.

I tend to mutter my epithets nowadays because people be crazy (and armed (US only)).

I don't left cars squeeze by to make a right on red for this reason and to avoid getting clipped by a truck mirror. I move to the middle of the lane and hold the cars back, they have to wait for the light to change to make their right turn.

Say 20 hail Coppis, after confession w Parish Priest.

When someone endangers another human being...civility is vastly overrated.

There are better ways, my son.

I think so.

A couple of weeks ago I was stopped at a stop light on a one lane road with no bike lane. I was over as far left as I could be and still feel safe. Some old dude in a huge SUV came up behind me and laid on his horn. I gestured for him to roll up beside me and roll down his window. I told him that the light was red and cars coming the other way were turning left across the intersection. Where was I supposed to go?

He called me an a**hole and said that the only reason he didn't run me over was because I would scratch the paint on his SUV.

I thought my "F*** you!" was actually a fairly reasonable response to a guy who thinks that turning right on a red immediately is more important than a fellow human being's life.

When I mentally de-humanize car drivers, that's my consolation that they won't intentionally hit me. That, and they would want to avoid the hassle of police and insurance reports.

Your confession speaks for itself. Go, be clean my son.

I do the same every time I play golf.

Better Than Curse
 

Rather than curse at someone, Yell. "I love you" and then blow them a kiss! (Play With their mind.) It would be a long time before they try that again.

Calling out an idiot for being one is not something that requires being forgiven, rather it is an observation.

I've heard they use "God bless you" in the South.

That goes beyond epithets...more car slap territory.