Why all the hostility. . .
 

My am commute is about 6 miles and I'm out between 7:30 and 8am. I take pains to follow all the traffic laws-- I signal, I stop at lights, I try not to make any sudden moves that would freak an inexperienced driver out yet I constantly get honked at yelled at tailgated in bike/bus lanes (in alot of places in LA, during rush hour bikes can share lanes reserved for buses-- so these folks aren't even supposed to be in the lane).

Why are people so hostile to cyclists-- I'm just trying to get to class. Can anyone explain this to me? I'm a woman and I ride by myself most of the time so occasionally I get a little freaked out when people are aggressive. Can anyone explain the intense hostility people feel towards cyclists? Is it because we're slower than a car?-- It's not like they can't just pass me. Any thoughts?

Are you sure they're not just as hostile to fellow cagers? My friend who drives in LA a lot says she is always getting honked and cussed at.

People aren't hostile to cyclists. People are just hostile these days. I mean the don't treat their fellow cagers any better do they?

-D

Go to the drivers level. I've been riding bikes and living w/o a car for over 10 years now (24 years old) I have tons of experience with drivers. What I do probley pisses a lot of elders here off, but flock em too.

Run lights (if its clear), screw signaling (people dont know them anyhow), let them honk, let them yell.
Yell right back. Flip the bird. Do what you gotta do!

I don't run lights. Period. If I have to go up and hit the crosswalk button because the sensor is misadjusted, that's what I do.

I signal when I do anything that would affect motorists (mainly only left turns)

And yes, sometimes drivers are aggressive. Sometimes they're just stupid. The majority of the time, and the majority of the drivers are just trying to get from point A to point B just like I am, and give me the leeway and respect I deserve as a lawful user of the road.

The remainder generally wilt as soon as you confront them, though... unless you're slightly insane and suicidal like me, that's not usually the best answer. When you chase a car 2 miles and scream at the guy in a parking lot, generally you just get a sheepish 'Sorry' (Yes, I've done this. Recently.)

Threaten them with getting their nice, shiny SUV (that they really can't afford) impounded, and generally they can't wait to get as far away from you as possible.

Personally, if it was me they were tailgating in a lane they're not supposed to be in, I'd slow down and stop. But, like I said... I'm slightly insane and maybe a little suicidal.

Anyone wanna go for a ride?

I almost died laughing when I read your post-- just watched supertroppers for the millionth time a few nights ago. I dropped a Farva reference today that noone picked up.

Yeah, that's the kinda attitude i have now. I still obey the laws just so I know I'm in the right if something goes down but my feelings definitely don't get hurt anymore-- as some have pointed out, it may just be LA drivers in general. I've lived tons of places including Boston and LA drivers (not all of them, of course) are the worst-- not just fast--but don't handle their cars well-- a lot of immature drivers swerving fast through traffic to get to the next red light. the saddest part is when i get up to the light, look in the 3 series BMW and see it's a 55 year old guy. so sad. so sad for all of us.

I get honked at all the time, and I live on a military post, where the speed limit is always between 20 and 35. The Fed Ex man came really close to running over me yesterday.

Chicken ****er!

Where exactly do you commute? I use to live in Santa Monica, now in Palms/Culver City.

agreed!

Carry a bat in a visible place where you can easily get at. Every once in a while, grab it and swing (and miss) at a misbehaving cager's sideview mirror. Carry an air horn or Air Zounds and let 'er rip just for the hell of it. This won't stop the honking or hostility, but it'd be helluva lotta fun.

So true.

Before I retired from the USAF I commuted to work every day that I could. My commute was 14 miles each way, mostly flat. The first 12 miles were off base (Langley AFB, Virginia) the last two were on base where I routinely had more problems than off base.


One morning I had taken the lane behind a car, traffic was doing about 20 MPH in a 15 MPH zone. There was a line of vehicles in front of the guy I was following and a line of cars behind me. The jerk behind me (a Major) pulled up beside me (on my left) like he was going to muscle me over, I was in the LEFT part of the lane eight to ten feet behind the car in front of me. I glanced over at him and he was motioning me to move over. I shook my head no and motioned him to return to his position behind me. Surprisingly, he did. I think he realized he was being an idiot.

which installation do you live on, Im at Peterson AFB in Colorado. I actually find most of my close calls and hostility happen on base. Probably due to the all the retires and a lot of young 18/19 yr olds.

People don't like "different." And they don't like change in their routine. They also may feel their manhood/womanhood being challenged if you're making good time on your commute without help from a motor vehicle, and this goes quadruple if you're making 15mph while they're stuck in the single-occupancy-vehicle lane that's crawling at 3mph.

Sorry to hear that you're getting that much harrassment, because I know that stuff really bugs me too.

I seem to get more harrassment on the way home. Evidently people are more eager to get home and are more rude.

I'm all over West LA and Santa Monica-- you?

I usually spend a week or two once a year in Santa Monica with my aunt. Haven't been on a bike there since the one I kept there was stolen out of her garage 10 years ago, but I'm a ped 90% of my time there. Motorists are really nasty there. Even when I visited as a kid, I nearly got creamed on multiple occasions. I was a pretty car traffic-savvy 12 year old, too. There's something about that area that make even the most reasonable person nuts while driving a car.

I agree with the fact that people don't like "different."

90%+ of my bad encounters have to do with stupid rednecks in their stupid redneck trucks with their stupid redneck stickers. These same people seem to think that a "big engine" somehow makes them more "manly" when they pass me. (yeah...that's right, get out of your truck you lard @$$ and race me on a bike: an actual physical endeavor!) I watch the anger of these same rednecks grow inexplicably with each stoplight or traffic congestion I pass them at.

One actually almost crawled up a sidewalk to block my ability to pass him for a third time one day.

For the military folks responding:

I was going to write the base paper about all the dicks on base. My commute is 9.5 miles, with 6 of those being on base. I thought when I first started that the on base portion would be the nicest, what with low and enforced speed limits, and general professional coutesy.

Good god was I wrong. Off base I generally get the courtesy, on base I get brushed off on the shoulder and end up taking the entire lane for my own safety.

I don't get it. Was that 10 extra seconds going to kill someone?

People are 360º-hostile; to everyone, everywhere. More so in their cars (like any caged ape or mammal). They are aggressive to bulldozers (slower than bikes) blocking their way, other cars overtaking, trucks, cyclists overtaking them, pedestrians crossing, anything in front of the windshield, even their own mothers. If you drink alcohol, you get tipsy, right? Well, if you drive, you get angry. Simple. There are many reasons for that: frustration, traffic congestion, instinctive fear or their car being damaged... Only a sober person can deal with a drunken one; and only a peaceful, calm rider can deal with an enraged cager. Let them fizz their frustration out. Only a non-cager can ease things out. Let's smile at them, wave at them, but don't shun your rights. And never respond to a threat.

My experience in Spain and Europe in general is that no one would dare telling off any cyclist of riding their bike. Some drivers may despise cycle commuting or whatever, and they may be reckless or rude, but no one would make it loud to a cyclist, let alone have it expressed in their behaviour on the road. It's a matter of deep ingrained respect for the other. Would then follow that US's drivers are quarrelsome and European ones are peaceful? Well, In Skokie, north of Chicago, where I spent some time several years ago, and touring around a Natl. Park in Kentucky which name I forgot, most drivers showed the most exquisite manners in their interaction with cyclists.

Just let's build up to a better way of relating on the road. Let's treat wrathful cagers well. They are sick. Don't we treat sick persons well? (Okay, a yell or two can be of benefit for them... and us too!) Our armour of indifference is the protection against their blunder and rubbish. It pays off.

I live and ride mostly in Maine, where there is a lot less trafic than in LA, and also ride and drive sometimes in Boston. I think that the hostility increases with population density - my daughter has made the observation that in Boston, many of the cars seem to have the horn connected to the brake pedal - anything that causes them to slow is worthy of a honk. For honks, I usually wave to them - with all fingers. When a driver doing something stupid gets close enough to me, I hit it, usually with a fist. Gets their attention. This last happened a week or so ago, I was riding down a road, one lane, approaching an intersection where the lane splits into a RTO lane and an LTO lane - I am preparing to turn left, and am in the center of the lane - long line of cars waiting to turn right, nobody in the LTO lane. I am in the center of the lane, when a black mercedes honks at me, and passes on my left, only to cut across my front to get to the stopped RTO lane. I thump the back of his car with my fist as he passes in front of me. Sadly many of these drivers value their pieces of steel more than they do the safety of cyclists or other drivers.

I find drivers to be extremely nice 99% of the time towards me. Seems to be a the 55-year old male in the BMW that falls in the 1% though. Surely locale has much to do with it but here's a couple of thoughts that may or may not be helpful.

Can people see you? I have honked at joggers and bikers before when it's dark and they are dressed in all black with no lights. My honk is not intended to say get off the road but rather get a light!!

Perhaps a honk ar two may be more of an informational thing than a threat - you know kinda like saying on your left when passing a fellow biker or ped. Might do something to let them know you're aware of them, wave 'em around or make a production out of looking back at them.

might help might not. :shrugs: Just keep the who cares attitude - that's a keeper.

Surprisingly, I've noticed all the motorist aggresion I encounter comes from the operators of vehicles that are pieces of rolling $$h!!t.
Whether it is a beat-up Datsun pickup, Toyota Supra, Honda CRX, or any other various hilarity of a vehicle, they're always driven by a group of overzealous young adults.
Since they're generally looked down as the peasants of the motor world, I guess anything without a motor is considered easy picking's for them.
Most they'll get from me is a scream or finger right back.
I was thinking of a baseball bat, or handheld paintball pistol, or hurling my U-Lock.
But, then it dawned on me that anyone of those weapons would probably make their vehicle explode.

Then I also try to put that thought through my head that I have a CDL-Class A and also have good, non-cycling friends with raised up off-road pick-ups.

Get a sign that says " STUDENT " and pin it to the back of your shirt....

That will most likely get some people to go around you without so much trouble... lol

I heard a funny quote...

People in Los Angeles say "Good Morning," but they really mean "F*** You!"
People in New York say "F*** You," but they really mean "Good Morning!"

:p

Based on personal experience, I find that most rude drivers fall into one of two categories: rude and obnoxious cager in an expensive car or SUV and rude and obnoxious cager in a tuner car. The first drives with a sense of entitlement that they own the road and everyone else is just in their way. The second drive like they're in the movie "The Fast & the Furious". The rest of the rude drivers that don't fall into either category normally would if they had the means.

I find that between 7:30 and 8:00am drivers are the most harried and intolerant of delays. I rode my bike in a little bit late yesterday and no only was there no traffic at all, people were not expressing so much frustration. I wonder if I could simply come to work each morning at a time that managed to skip that window of time if I'd enjoy stress-free commuting every day. You are lucky because there are probably good places to get coffee on campus and do some last minute studying.