Overly courteous/cautious is making me overly sensitive..
 

I sat back and took a look at what I consider to be a close pass today and found I'm a bit overly sensitive..The huge majority of drivers who pass me go WELL into the center turn lane (I'm in the bike lane) giving me lots of room but there are always a few who hold their line and pass without going into the center lane..Their pass will be legal but I find myself reacting with a usual under the breath "A**hole" and here recently a single finger salute that turned into a verbal confrontation..Thinking back the pass was certainly out of arms reach..Im thinking I need to HTFU and keep my finger to myself..

More to the point: "Ive allowed myself to become a whiney pu**y .. :o

did you have an accident recently?



when i began to commute i was a bit over cautious, but i got used to and now i don't care much for these close pass bys

It's the ultimate Fred accessory but I've been thinking about getting one of these to make sure people give me room as they pass.

http://www.nordicgroup.us/s78/flags.html

http://www.nordicgroup.us/s78/images/img_0277.jpg

I was going to do something like that, only I was going to get a styrofoam ball, and glue on paper cones, then paint it gun metal colour, so people will think it's a mace.

Here ya go...
http://www.bay-of-fundie.com/img/2009/whining.jpg
http://www.hudsonvalleyvelodrome.com..._htfu_wmid.jpg

I understand where you are coming from. When you are used to people giving you space and then someone just comes along closer than what you are used to, it kind of freaks you out.

It happened on my commute into work last night. I work at 10:30 pm so it is always dark out. I had a PB blinky 5 on steady and a NR CherryBomb on burst. People almost always give me more room than need be. Well this cop passed me a little more than an arms length away. At first I was like why is this person so close and then realized it was a cop car. I got a good chuckle thinking to myself about calling the police department to report that a cop gave me enough room.

OP ~ when you've been buzzed ~ you'll know it. if they out of arm's reach then they're OK. deep breaths as you move past the confrontation episode. I'm now using a strobe on my left bar end to help encourage courtesy from drivers as they pass me but a-holes will always be a-holes.

I shake my head at those that go completely on the other side of the double yellow line and accelerate! they obviously don't realized they are breaking the law and can quite possibly hit someone who is entering that lane and not expecting anyone in their lane so would most likely be looking the other way. sometimes I consider what I would do if I ever witnessed such an accident. I've thought about staying out to show the police my position and how that driver was so far out side of reasonable.

keep ridign ~ you'll get used to the traffic

I only get annoyed when they don't move out when they have plenty of room to. I.e. they are either being lazy or deliberately trying to "scare" me. I would get a flag but I often want to squeeze through gaps in traffic that are smaller!

Just keep riding and try not to let it phase you. Obviously if they blow past fast / close enough for you to feel the wave of wind push you a little then give them a finger - but always remember they may have a gun / knife / weapon or want to fight.

I'm trying to chill out while I ride as it is a good way to relax unless you get road rage!

The whole point of a well-designed bike lane is that a cyclist gets an adequate lane for him/herself. That implies that traffic in the adjacent lane can stay in that lane when passing the cyclist. Is it a well-designed bike lane? Or do you have to be right on the white line, to avoid the door zone, perhaps? Even so, since the car passed you out of arm's reach, it was still acceptable, in my view.

Not meaning to insult you, but do you have any issues with bike handling? Worrying that you might swerve just enough to get you a little too close to the car? It's just that I have a little difficulty imagining why else anyone would consider such a pass (in a separate lane, out of arm's reach) as close enough to merit the one-finger salute. The only other explanation I that comes to mind is extremely limited amount of riding in any sort of traffic, but from your post it appears that you do have experience riding in traffic. However, maybe it's just that you ride a limited number of really nice routes and the majority of drivers are even nicer than the law and safety considerations require them to be, so you're spoiled (in a good way :)).

Get a good mirror. Helps you see what is coming and how close (it takes most of the element of shock out of it). It will not be a total cure for the a-hole factor, but it should help your general awareness.

at least you have a bike lane. i get buzzed every 1/4 mile. it comes with the territory.

people here in central PA are generally very good about giving enough room. My standards for a safe pass may have expanded a little, but I do get the occasional close pass. Mostly by people that are too stupid to realize that they should cross the double lines rather than pass me with a foot of clearance.

Ha! Off to the 50's forum you go.

I don't mind. You get used to being buzzed. There are times though that I question the necessity of the closeness but as long as they're not breaking the law what are you going to do?

I have been riding in Providence ri for over 5 years now and traffic and being buzzed doesn't bother me that much any more. Riding in a city is a fine line of passive and aggressive techniques to stay safe. What does bother me is that when i'm out with my son in the Burley trailer and i get buzzed. Just makes me wonder if anyone looks at the road anymore.