Rude Driver...and I blow a fuse!
08-07-08 | 11:31 AM
#51
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,768
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From: Charleston, WV
Bikes: Trek Mountaineer modified with a NuVinci; Montegue Paratrooper folding mountain bike; Greenspeed recumbent; Surly Big Dummy with Stokemonkey
Something like this happened to me. I wrote a letter to the local paper describing the incident, and quoting the state law that lays out cyclists' right to us the road and the city ordinance that forbids bicycles on the sidewalks.
I then said that loudmouthed ignorant harridans should keep their pie-holes shut.
I then said that loudmouthed ignorant harridans should keep their pie-holes shut.
08-07-08 | 12:37 PM
#53
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08-07-08 | 12:52 PM
#54
SA[in]NE
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 576
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From: WNY
Bikes: Trek 7200
Just remind me to never show my wife this post, she's right too often enough 
But i have to admit the wave and smile is the best route to go as there is no sense debating or taking chances with an idiot (or a cage full of them).
But i have to admit the wave and smile is the best route to go as there is no sense debating or taking chances with an idiot (or a cage full of them).
08-07-08 | 12:55 PM
#55
Thread Starter
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I never said my actions were justified, because I just snapped.
I think it had a lot to do with having some personal stress and I was trying to get out on the bike to clear my head a bit. I had just taken my medication prior to this ride too, which two of the side effects listed are anxiety and irratibility. I'm sure it didn't help I got beaned by a big gulp cup (filled with ice( the day before. In retrospect I thought of more productive ways of dealing with this... such as carrying copies of bike law in my pocket and handing them out to the next SOB that does this.
But I do like the idea of writing down (or at least pretending to) vehicle description and not saying much about it. Might get the point across better.
Like I said originally, I'm normally very respectful and keep to the white line.
I think it had a lot to do with having some personal stress and I was trying to get out on the bike to clear my head a bit. I had just taken my medication prior to this ride too, which two of the side effects listed are anxiety and irratibility. I'm sure it didn't help I got beaned by a big gulp cup (filled with ice( the day before. In retrospect I thought of more productive ways of dealing with this... such as carrying copies of bike law in my pocket and handing them out to the next SOB that does this.
But I do like the idea of writing down (or at least pretending to) vehicle description and not saying much about it. Might get the point across better.
Like I said originally, I'm normally very respectful and keep to the white line.
08-07-08 | 01:02 PM
#57
peaced out
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 669
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Rock on OP. I did the same move a few weeks ago and then read the Drivers licence plate to them out loud and offered to call the police to have them explain the law to BOTH of us. She chose to leave rather than stick around and see if I called her bluff....which I did. And filed a police report.
Folks'll all tell you how blowing a fuse doesn't help, but sometimes you just gotta do what you're feeling.
...and besides if you have any family at all they'll make out nicely when your life insurance pays out
at least thats what I tell my beneficiary 
Folks'll all tell you how blowing a fuse doesn't help, but sometimes you just gotta do what you're feeling.
...and besides if you have any family at all they'll make out nicely when your life insurance pays out
at least thats what I tell my beneficiary
08-07-08 | 01:12 PM
#58
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 853
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I never said my actions were justified, because I just snapped.
I think it had a lot to do with having some personal stress and I was trying to get out on the bike to clear my head a bit. I had just taken my medication prior to this ride too, which two of the side effects listed are anxiety and irratibility. I'm sure it didn't help I got beaned by a big gulp cup (filled with ice( the day before. In retrospect I thought of more productive ways of dealing with this... such as carrying copies of bike law in my pocket and handing them out to the next SOB that does this.
But I do like the idea of writing down (or at least pretending to) vehicle description and not saying much about it. Might get the point across better.
Like I said originally, I'm normally very respectful and keep to the white line.
I think it had a lot to do with having some personal stress and I was trying to get out on the bike to clear my head a bit. I had just taken my medication prior to this ride too, which two of the side effects listed are anxiety and irratibility. I'm sure it didn't help I got beaned by a big gulp cup (filled with ice( the day before. In retrospect I thought of more productive ways of dealing with this... such as carrying copies of bike law in my pocket and handing them out to the next SOB that does this.
But I do like the idea of writing down (or at least pretending to) vehicle description and not saying much about it. Might get the point across better.
Like I said originally, I'm normally very respectful and keep to the white line.
08-07-08 | 01:12 PM
#59
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 147
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From: Oregon Coast
Bikes: '07 Surly LHT
As a Brit living in the Boston, MA, here's my take on the issues:
1. Trivial driving tests, especially in the past. Most people just don't have an idea what the driving laws are. Just ask someone who has the right of way on an unmarked intersection... About 20% know, yet I encounter them on a regular basis. There are many other examples.
2. Ill-thought out rules and road layouts. A lot of driving laws are pointless exercises in following rules, and are therefore broken as a matter of course. There are endless stop signs where no stop is needed (there's about a 95:5 ratio of stop to yield signs, which should be inverted). Stop signs 15ft before the junction, so you are expected to stop twice. Traffic lights typically operate simply on a timer, so you are supposed to sit there on red watching an empty intersection (when was the last time you saw one of those in the UK? early '80s I think)... Everywhere there are road layouts and practices which are just ill thought out. I have a hard time believing there is a US equivalent to the old UK Roads Research Laboratory, coming up with best practices for road structure.
Bad laws, bad road layouts and ignorance lead to disrespect for the law. Nobody expects to fully obey the laws because the laws are stupid. Thugs claim the right of way when they don't have it, and come to expect it, and timid people give up their right of way when they do have it. It's all because nobody expects the law to really matter, and they aren't really sure what it is anyway.
I'm talking Boston here - I have also lived in Seattle, where there is just as much incompetence and ignorance, but people are much more polite and less aggressive. There it's a little infuriating, but much more tolerable. I'm sure the situation varies all over the US.
1. Trivial driving tests, especially in the past. Most people just don't have an idea what the driving laws are. Just ask someone who has the right of way on an unmarked intersection... About 20% know, yet I encounter them on a regular basis. There are many other examples.
2. Ill-thought out rules and road layouts. A lot of driving laws are pointless exercises in following rules, and are therefore broken as a matter of course. There are endless stop signs where no stop is needed (there's about a 95:5 ratio of stop to yield signs, which should be inverted). Stop signs 15ft before the junction, so you are expected to stop twice. Traffic lights typically operate simply on a timer, so you are supposed to sit there on red watching an empty intersection (when was the last time you saw one of those in the UK? early '80s I think)... Everywhere there are road layouts and practices which are just ill thought out. I have a hard time believing there is a US equivalent to the old UK Roads Research Laboratory, coming up with best practices for road structure.
Bad laws, bad road layouts and ignorance lead to disrespect for the law. Nobody expects to fully obey the laws because the laws are stupid. Thugs claim the right of way when they don't have it, and come to expect it, and timid people give up their right of way when they do have it. It's all because nobody expects the law to really matter, and they aren't really sure what it is anyway.
I'm talking Boston here - I have also lived in Seattle, where there is just as much incompetence and ignorance, but people are much more polite and less aggressive. There it's a little infuriating, but much more tolerable. I'm sure the situation varies all over the US.
Absolutely agree with this! So much of the problem seems to be the underlying infrastructure in this country. Much of it doesn't seem to make sense, yet everyone's trapped in it, so it creates a lot of tension. It's like they decided how it was going to be in the 50s, and haven't bothered to make it progressively better since then...especially for bikes! At times (like the last eight years, for instance), this country seems to be at it's heart completely irrational. I'm in the Northwest, and drivers seem to be more respectful than in CA, where I grew up. Be safe out there...
08-07-08 | 01:43 PM
#60
Barbieri Telefonico
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,522
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From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Bikes: Crappy but operational secondhand Motobecane Messenger
The person was ignorant of the law and instead of politely correcting her, you gave her this line. This automatically makes you an a--hole, and lowering yourself to below their standards. Therefore, at that moment, your character is no better than the people shouting rude remarks at you.
he is riding a 2 pound vehicle vs 2 ppl on a 3k pound vehicle.
op was minding his own business
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08-07-08 | 01:44 PM
#61
Barbieri Telefonico
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Bikes: Crappy but operational secondhand Motobecane Messenger
08-07-08 | 01:56 PM
#62
Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 40
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From: Back in Santa Monica
What's that got to do with the OP's choice of words? Yes, I understand we are all human, but insulting strangers is just asking for trouble. And I'd like to see this 2 pound bike.
08-07-08 | 02:20 PM
#64
dabbler
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 108
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From: Somerville, MA, USA
Absolutely agree with this! So much of the problem seems to be the underlying infrastructure in this country. Much of it doesn't seem to make sense, yet everyone's trapped in it, so it creates a lot of tension. It's like they decided how it was going to be in the 50s, and haven't bothered to make it progressively better since then...especially for bikes!
...the popular and self-fulfilling concept of "Government is Bad", which serves corrupt politicians very well, lowering expectations through the floor. Nobody believes in improving things through regulation, control, or public works. How many actually contemplate a government job because they want to improve the world? I think many fewer than 40 years ago.
All people want is lower taxes, and will deliberately vote for a less effective government, imagining, in a great act of faith, that the invisible hand will magically improve things.
I could rant all day...
.
08-07-08 | 03:30 PM
#65
it's easy if you let it.
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,124
Likes: 2
From: indoors and out.
I have a theory on what is at the root of this...
...the popular and self-fulfilling concept of "Government is Bad", which serves corrupt politicians very well, lowering expectations through the floor. Nobody believes in improving things through regulation, control, or public works. How many actually contemplate a government job because they want to improve the world? I think many fewer than 40 years ago.
All people want is lower taxes, and will deliberately vote for a less effective government, imagining, in a great act of faith, that the invisible hand will magically improve things.
I could rant all day....
...the popular and self-fulfilling concept of "Government is Bad", which serves corrupt politicians very well, lowering expectations through the floor. Nobody believes in improving things through regulation, control, or public works. How many actually contemplate a government job because they want to improve the world? I think many fewer than 40 years ago.
All people want is lower taxes, and will deliberately vote for a less effective government, imagining, in a great act of faith, that the invisible hand will magically improve things.
I could rant all day...
.But despite year after year of, say, Exxon reporting billions upon billions of dollars in profit, people never make the connection between deregulated moneymaking empires and a lower standard of living in the population.
We keep clinging to the belief that rich people are rich because they work hard, and that if we work hard too, we can be rich, that the poor are poor because they're too lazy to work, that survival of the fittest should be applied toward healthcare and education and job support and social security, etc, and that delusional individualism is killing us slowly each day.
We laugh at people in European countries and look down on their "socialized government", mocking their universal healthcare and guaranteed college educations and shared risk management but through it all, things keep getting worse under our system. Yet we're still fundamentally opposed to any kind of regulation. We still want to believe in the monomyth of self-sufficiency, while the rest of the world is increasingly realizing that people need to support each other to thrive. It's nuts.
Ah well. We reap what we sow, eh? :O)
Last edited by uke; 08-07-08 at 03:34 PM.
08-07-08 | 05:31 PM
#66
Drops small screws
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,608
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From: NYC Metro Area
Bikes: Soma Grand Randonneur, modified Xootr Swift, Trek 1000SL with broken brifter from running it into a hotel porte-cochère
Yes, that's your biggest problem.
Last edited by noteon; 08-07-08 at 06:33 PM.
08-07-08 | 06:29 PM
#67
Barbieri Telefonico
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,522
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From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Bikes: Crappy but operational secondhand Motobecane Messenger
08-07-08 | 06:49 PM
#68
Everyone screws up. Learn from it and move on.
However, just realize that posting this on BF brings all the mightier than thou posters out of the woodwork.
Then again I make the same mistakes over and over due to my temper so take what you will from my post.
However, just realize that posting this on BF brings all the mightier than thou posters out of the woodwork.
Then again I make the same mistakes over and over due to my temper so take what you will from my post.
08-07-08 | 08:51 PM
#69
Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 37
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From: KCMO
The OP should be ashamed of their actions. You are giving other cyclist a bad name, you just ticked off another 20 or so cars being held up at a traffic light (there's already enough people who hate us), not too mention it's road rage, plain and simple. A bike is a vehicle therefore it can be termed road rage. We get the rights and responsibilties of all vehicles; not just the rights.
Somebody eluded to it's not road rage because its a bike versus a car. But road rage is not limited too vehicle to vehicle contact. In fact that's the minority of it. Most cases involve people getting out of their vehicles to fight and assualt each other. The OP even mentioned the other driver was to chicken **** to get out of their car. So the thought was there.
They may have been stupid, but last time I checked that's not illegal. Pulling up the right hand side, cutting someone off, holding up traffic at a green in a fit of road rage is.
Somebody eluded to it's not road rage because its a bike versus a car. But road rage is not limited too vehicle to vehicle contact. In fact that's the minority of it. Most cases involve people getting out of their vehicles to fight and assualt each other. The OP even mentioned the other driver was to chicken **** to get out of their car. So the thought was there.
They may have been stupid, but last time I checked that's not illegal. Pulling up the right hand side, cutting someone off, holding up traffic at a green in a fit of road rage is.
08-07-08 | 09:06 PM
#70
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Joined: Jul 2004
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I learned to never talk to them because they are in fact insane. However, I agree that taking their picture sends them over the edge. They become very, very concerned. Besides, it is evidence if you get mowed down sometime.
08-07-08 | 09:49 PM
#73
Devilmaycare Cycling Fool
Joined: Aug 2001
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The person was ignorant of the law and instead of politely correcting her, you gave her this line. This automatically makes you an a--hole, and lowering yourself to below their standards. Therefore, at that moment, your character is no better than the people shouting rude remarks at you.
As for parking the bike sideways in the traffic, I have been tempted to do that sooooo many times. I kinda admire the OP for actually doing it, even if it probably wasn't the best solution.
08-08-08 | 05:02 AM
#74
Thread Starter
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Just to be as specific as possible..
What happened was they originally passed me, slowing down to say "use the sidewalk." I just ignored them.
I caught up to them at the next light, where they again said "use the sidewalk" I ignored them. I never came to a complete stop as the light turned green.
There's another light about 500 feet later. Which is where I caught up to them, still telling me to use the sidewalk.. then she started saying "Hello! Are you listening to me?"
So I didn't just snap at them, they asked for it.
Now I'd like to get back to minding my own business.
What happened was they originally passed me, slowing down to say "use the sidewalk." I just ignored them.
I caught up to them at the next light, where they again said "use the sidewalk" I ignored them. I never came to a complete stop as the light turned green.
There's another light about 500 feet later. Which is where I caught up to them, still telling me to use the sidewalk.. then she started saying "Hello! Are you listening to me?"
So I didn't just snap at them, they asked for it.
Now I'd like to get back to minding my own business.
08-08-08 | 05:16 AM
#75
pedalphile
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,034
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From: ellington, ct
Bikes: trek 1200, 520, Giant ATX 970, Raleigh Talon
You were doing fine....until you pulled in front of the guy. Now he hates cyclists worse and you may have recruited a few more haytas with the roadblock stunt.
Nice going.
Nice going.