I really don't buy this theory. Otherwise, people would be driving their cars into other cars all the time, bumper car style. Those who hate cyclists are going to hate them no matter what. But, I doubt if someone is confront by a cyclist they'll therefore hate all cyclists. Just seems unlikely to me.

I read the hate on the FB all the time. I am going to go and make a cut and paste of some of the things I read. Have you ever seen some of the stuff I am talking about? Here is a clip after a person got hit "Michael Powers: One down.. too many to go... when cyclists stop thinking they are going to win the battle between a car and their light weight bicycle, maybe this wouldn't happen... " See? I am sure that Looney's indeed live amongst us.
V

I have confronted more bad cyclists than drivers...it never goes well. I have had a word or two with a few particularly offensive drivers, and that goes as well as you'd expect. I'm trying to just ignore it.

Reached out and dragged my hand along the passenger side of a minivan that was obstructing the bike lane. Dramatically shook my hand off and stared at it, as if the car was super dirty (it was shiny) and rolled on.

A few minutes later, maybe a mile down the road, i get buzzed by the van and an aggressive "touch my car again Saget!" (Cept not Bob Saget, a different word that rhymes) from the driver.

As I was considering sprinting to catch up, I saw the light a few hundreds yards away changing to red. I lined up behind him and was considering just how I wanted to touch his car again until he swerved over to close the gap between him and the other lane of same direction travel- drawing a look from the uninvolved driver of that car. Deciding it wasn't worth it, I swung very wide right and passed while blowing a kiss.

While I had fun, this dude coulda been more aggro and had he run the red light to run me down, things could've gotten more interesting. It made me question my relative recklessness and certainly made me think of this thread.

My problem is letting the perceived injustice go without saying anything. I feel better as an active participant rather than a bystander.

I've had some success politely noting that "Sorry, but you passed me way too close back there." Sure, I get the old "well, you have no right to be on the road!" To which I reply, "actually I do. Check out North Carolina General Statute § 20-4.01(49) ." I've actually a few motorists apologize.

This. Last time I did this the driver said he was a cop and had a pistol in a holster on his belt. And he was mad because I took the lane and kept him from breaking 2 laws.

Riding with a bright helmet light helps here too, it makes it really obvious that you're there to the drivers who get to close or start to pull out when they shouldn't. Cameras also get some drivers to pay attention too, nothing like knowing their actions are being recorded to make some people start to behave better.

The rule I follow is never, ever touch a car.

As for confrontations, I usually don't do more than mutter to myself. If a driver's actions are bad enough (i.e. dangerous), I may yell, "Nice move" or something along those lines. I want them to realize what they've done or at least to know that I don't appreciate it. I can't say if it's ever made a difference.

And generally speaking, since I'm out there every work day on the same route, I really don't want to make enemies of others.

I yelled some choice words into the window of a marked cruiser as it went past me on the bike path yesterday.

[MENTION=179204]scroca[/MENTION] You're right. I ride this route every day. Though this dude was out of state plates, it's a good idea to not make enemies on my daily route... And maybe touching cars is crossing a line.

Maybe I'll mature. Maybe I'll get hurt first. Maybe neither.

I don't but I did get confronted by a cyiciest once while driving my truck turns out it was a bicyclest cop. Now I'm a cyiciest I got pulled over I have straight pipes on my truck and rapped them off going by some ciyclest and wash on my phone needless to say I was givin a ton of fines and 30 impoundment. Had to buy bike to get around now I love bikeing I now buy carbon credits to.

I used to be very confrontational. A physical altercation, a couple of standoffs and a knife being pulled on me made me realize it just isn't worth it. I decided I could start carrying the extra weight of a pistol on my commutes or I could just keep my mouth shut and my finger down.

I had a woman cut in front of me to take a left hand turn into an apartment complex. I went after her when it was clear she was headed into a nearby carport. She apologized profusely. I told her if she had used her blinker I would have seen it and slowed down. And I was in the right hand lane where drivers aren't always looking for cyclists approaching from the rear. I cautioned her that using her blinker even even if she thought there was no one there; the other person can react to your blinker and avoid a bad situation.

I didn't yell, but I told her she scared the daylights out of me.

You probably scared the piss out of her by stalking her back to her place of residence. Last time I was stalked like that I got my handgun ready and called the cops...watch yourself in the future.

I had to signal a driver to stop this morning on my way to the train station. I was turning left from a non-dedicated turn lane onto the "main street." As I waited at the light, there were a couple of cars in front of me, and a bus was behind me 1-2 vehicles back which was also making the left turn. As I approached the intersection as the light turned green, I started to move up, I saw a car pacing me from the other lane hoping to get in. The car started off a few vehicle lengths behind me. When there was about a 1/2 car length in front of me, the car tried to do a speed up maneuver that would have led to hitting me as I made the turn. I looked over at the driver and motioned him to stop instead of speeding up to cut me off, as it wasn't safe with oncoming traffic. The car followed behind me then sped off like a crazy person! I couldn't believe he couldn't just wait as there was plenty of space behind me.

So irritating how many drivers do not just wait their turn.

I'm sorry you live in fear that someone will use deadly force against you. I try not to correct strangers often, but when I do, they don't seem to fear I'm going to shoot them.

[MENTION=392882]jimmie65[/MENTION], very well put!

The guy in the truck was stopped you knew he was up to no good . I would have been ready to lay the bike down and go defensive mode .
Last guy that tried to knock me off a bike pick the wrong time to do it . We have just lost our son in a car accident 3 weeks earlier and I had an argument with my wife. I got an my bike and rode I don't know if he was trying to steal the bike or what . I do know he smelled of alcohol It wasn't the right way to handle it . Considering the timing and my state of mind at the time it could have been worse. When I was young I would look for a reason to hit some one. now I try to be reasonable but am not above speaking my mind if some one is put in danger .

A couple of years ago my commute ride was an 80's Schwinn High Plains 30+lb tank.

A car with three (probably illegals) cut me off in a right turn lane so I just ran into the rear door and left a large crease in it.

no damage to me or the bike.

So I guess I'll have to plead guilty to confronting bad drivers.

She drove 10 seconds before pulling in to the carport. I didn't really follow her that far. But point taken. I know better than to invite a$$h0les to pull a stunt like that, but it was a close enough call and I was angry and full of adrenaline.

Fair enough, I am the same way.

Fear? If you lived in east Los Angeles and someone appeared from around a corner inside your gated property after sundown, in an area with 2 meth houses within 2 blocks, I can promise you wouldn't be a tough guy, you'd **** yourself. Especially when your 6 month old son and wife are also in the house. I've been shot at enough to know that **** gets real when people mean to harm you and are serious about it. Don't call someone else out for being fearful when you've probably never been the target of someone else's intent to kill. Go blow yourself; for the most part I enjoy your posts but not this particular one.

I was followed into my property by some weirdo in a sketchy part of town and my response to the situation was reasonable. I'm glad you know so much about this instance that you can judge that I live in fear, although I will admit that a healthy dose of fear for being maimed kept me alive and intact while conducting foot patrols with the Marines in Iraq many years ago. So let me correct you, a stranger to me as well: don't assume because when you do, you come off like a dick.

[MENTION=175367]jfowler85[/MENTION], I apologize. I must have expressed myself badly, because I wouldn't doubt anyone's descriptions of their own living conditions.

To be honest, I am unclear if you mean that facetiously.

I'm totally serious. It seems I belittled your situation, and I don't want to do that. I guess this is a wakeup call to me about how lucky my situation is. I used to live in fear of crime, as I grew up here in NYC in the bad old days. But things are much better here now.