I have been commuting basically the same route for the last 11 years. I rarely am harassed by anyone -- maybe once a year. Maybe it's the bike I ride -- an "old" hybrid with rack and pannier bag. Maybe it's the fact that people are used to seeing me and realize it's a guy plugging it out with the rest of the other people going to work.

Twice in the past week I have come across groups of roadies out for a morning ride. They let me join their paceline -- a nice turbo charge to my usual commute. They get a charge out of this commuter guy keeping pace with them and I get a charge out of showing them I can (as a matter of fact, I and the guy who was pulling dropped the other two this morning!!).

ANYWAY, this morning while riding with the roadies, an old lady screamed at us and flipped us the bird, then two people honked and flipped us. This was all in the space of a 1/4 mile. We were riding single and staying close to the curb. Considering the infrequency of harassment I normally (don't) receive, this seems very bizarre to me!

Thanks for letting me share this little vignette with you!

It's the full moon. Brings out all kinds of crazies.

Actually, no one mooned me

One out of ten drivers has a mental disorder(actual fact). this includes everything from bad depression to scitso. I think a psyc exam should be part of a drivers licence test, personally. (It's horribly easy to get a license in WA- no drivers ed if over 18, 25 Q multi choice, and how many ways can you park on residential side streets)

My wife and I were mooned once (by adolescents in a pickup truck - go figure). She looked at me with a straight face and said "That kid has the ugliest face I've ever seen." I laughed so hard I had to stop riding.

I am rarely harrassed either, probably for exactly those reasons. People see me same time, same place, day after day and gain respect for me.


That has never happened to me. It sounds like a really cool experience!


I wonder if driver prejudice is more pronounced towards roadies. It's like, "they think they're so great," or something. Jealousy. (They should be more jealous of ME, but... )

I can't speak openly about it, but let's just say, I come from "Stone Mountain."

From where I come from, if you own a car, you are well looked upon. If you only have two-wheels, good luck to you.

This afternoon, I was turning from a main road into an estate, and it was my first day of going clipless (installed my new SPDs only a few hours ago). So I thought I just go a bit slower (but of course I wasn't).

So upon turning in, I just managed to clip in my second foot, when a Mercedes Benz S-Class suddenly showed up behind me, and gave me a horn and overtook me.
Upon turning into the estate, I kept on the left of the road and there was ample space for the big wheelbase car to pass but she had to horn at me when I wasn't doing anything wrong.

I had half a mind to give her the finger but I didn't. :-/

*sigh* I hate impatient drivers.

I see the rude drivers a problem everywhere. I have found out something interesting though. When I was on my road bike I was forever getting honked at (not a quick warniong toot to say "I'm behind you", but a racous blast), flipped off, crowded, or flat run off the road for no apparent reason. Since I've switched to a 'bent the traffic seems friendlier now, some even wave as they pass with a wide berth. They even give me space in line waiting for a traffic light. that is something ythey would never do when I was on the road bike. Go figure.

'bent Brian

I thought about packin' and using an oldwest style holster so it was real obvious just to see if its presence reduced 4 wheeled-boldness. I ride a motorcycle to and still get 'tude from time to time. Of course I'd probably end up shooting out some tires and going to the clink for discharging in the city or within 500 yards of a residence or some dumbass thing.