Mainly referring to incidents on your commute that don't involve anything more than a few words back and fourth.

I usually don't, but I did go online and file a report today.
Long short...
He honked, buzzed and yelled to get on the f'ing sidewalk. I yelled "FU" and he slowed down. I then rode up on his drivers side, asked if he would like to stop. He said I was an f'ing idiot for riding that far out in the street (apx 2ft from the curb on a residential side street) I mentioned my rights and said we could ask the police their opinion.
He speeds up slams the brakes again and then takes off.
A bit more heated than written, but that is the short.

So do you usually file a report, let it go, think "I'll see them again"...

You should have just let it go. Yelling "FU" back at him and riding up to the drivers side and asking if he would like to stop just escalated the situation. There are far too many instances of road rage getting out of control. Fortuneately in your case, no one got hurt, but you could have taken the opportunity to just let it go. He was wrong to begin with, but you know what they say about 2 wrongs...

Call the police, yes. Yell "FU" to the driver, no. But calling the police would probably have been worthless anyway.

I don't disagree.

And over the years I have worked on my responses, but today like others, just struck me wrong.

I agree.

To answer your question day1, no, I don't call the police because I don't have a cell phone, and have yet to be in a situation where I thought it would have helped.

i don't call the police as a rule. in fact, my house has a small sign in the front window that reads "dear theives: this house does not call 911. that may be good news. that may be bad news."

In a situation like that? Probably not.

You said he buzzed you, how bad are we talking here?

Like everyone here, I've had people yell at me at one point or another. I usually let it go since the car is typically traveling much faster than I am. The only time I'll say something is if I catch them at a light, I usually try to kill people with kindness, but some people are just naturally agro for no reason other than the fact that I took a precious few seconds off their commute because they had to ease around me or don't think I belong on the road.

I've never experienced someone in a car targetting me and acting aggressively with their car (usually just verbal "GET THE F*CK OFF THE ROAD!"s), but if he buzzed you really bad, in a way that could have potentially wrecked you, or was swerving aggresively into your path of travel and then brake checking you, you should definitely report it. I've never been in a situation like that, but I would try to memorize the license plate and write it down or type it into my phone as soon as it happened, so I could report something more than just "a black car" or something vague like that.

If nothing else, after the report, he might get pulled over and the officer might question him about that incident, or at the very least (I would hope) show no leniency when it comes to ticketing. Maybe the person in question has a real hard on for cyclists and other cyclists have filed reports against the person, then maybe something would genuinely come of it other than, "We'll look into it."

I've never called the police. I rarely have trouble with drivers anyway. Aside from that, NYC police are one of the two kinds of drivers I have the most trouble with (the other being hired car "limo" drivers).

I have a fairly fast temper and often end up acting in the heat of the moment rather than using my brain.

What I think the best course of action is:

Ignore whatever the idiot is doing and STAY AWAY. Wait for him to pass. Take a different road. Get away from him because no matter who is wrong or right, he's in a huge metal bubble and you're on a bike with a piece of foam on your head. If the driver is acting dangerously to the point where I feel he's going to hurt someone...like driving under the influence...I will call the police.

What happens too often (I'm getting better):

I yell back, rely on being bald, stocky and with a goatee to intimidate whoever the idiot is (I pray no one calls my bluff, I'm NOT a fighter) and put myself in danger over nothing.

Fast temper, I know nothing about that.

I'm a bit annoyed that I responded the way I did. (won't be the last time)
I'm a bit annoyed I made the report. (first one)
I'm a bit annoyed that I made this post. (I just need to let it go)
No... I don't question or think about things much.

On the other side, I travel the same road daily. I'm happy to throw bones with the guy, but that isn't worth it. Matching his ignorance is an action of the same.
As far as police go I'm usually the last to want their involvement, although once I got to work I couldn't let it go. So respond poorly another day, let it go, or try the "proper" avenue. I also thought that nothing will come of it, but possibly the police can inform the individual of the rules of the road.
If I was in my car with such an incident I would just let it go, but I think I let the vulnerability of being on the bike get to me today.

Hell, in the end I'll probably get a ticket https://www.rightpundits.com/?p=4912

I like to pretend to call the police... let the driver see you write down a plate number and/or get out a phone and dial 3 digits. Look around for a street sign/house numbers as you make your 'report'. Even if they just catch a glimpse of you on the phone (or bike light, or rolled-up spare tube) in their rearview as they speed off, they're going to be worrying for the rest of the day, and will hopefully think twice before raging in the future, because maybe there's a report on them now.

Anything more than horn-honking, swearing, and engine revving, and I would call police for real. An aggressive close pass might be enough for me to call, depending on how close and how aggressive it felt. Fortunately, I've never been seriously threatened. I don't like the idea calling police either, but it feels like it's a service I can do that might help some other cyclist in the future.

Anger just escalates the situation, and then you're both in the wrong. Plus, you're out-gunned (maybe literally, but at the very least, he's in a car, and you're on a bike).

I had a similar incident to the OP's over the summer. I didn't get a chance to catch up and give him what for even though I tried. He buzzed me close enough and the situation felt threatening enough that I jotted down his license plate # as soon as I got a chance. I decided not to call, but my city has a traffic incident report webform that I filled out and submitted with a complete description of the incident, the vehicle and driver in question, and the license plate #. I never got anything more than an automated "Your submission has been received." kind of response, but in the recesses of my mind, there's some hope that the report of the incident somehow got noted on his record. I may have been wasting my time, but I figure that way if he does it again to someone and the result is a little less innocuous than it was with me, at least his prior behaior will have been noted.

I'm not one to preach, since I don't keep my cool as well as I know I should. But when we're facing a jerk behind the wheel, we always need to ask ourselves whether anything good could possibly come from backtalk. Doesn't the question answer itself?

Funny. When I lived in NYC, the two or three worst encounters I had with vehicular aggression involved school buses. One time, in Central Park (early morning laps, just after the loop drive was reopened to cars), I could have sworn that the guy, in his big yellow (and empty) Bluebird, was trying to run me off the road.

Day - if it helps, I often end up feeling exactly the same way...embarrassed, silly and foolish. After the incident is over I calm down almost immediately and realize how stupid and dangerous my reaction was...but I think I'm so terrified of idiot drivers and getting hurt that when someone endangers me, I lash out. Mostly from fear.

I've found that asking myself what my fiancee would think in any given situation has helped me keep my perspective and keep my cool.

Redmond PD is pretty much a "for display purposes only" police force. After various incedents, both on the bike and off, involving calls to the police which went ignored (including once when I called back to ask when an officer would arrive, and they hung up on me), I don't bother calling any more.

If a driver yells. I yell back.
If they stop, I just pick a new direction and roll.
Rarely has it escalated beyond the "blah blah blah" yelling stage.

If a driver is physically threatening you with the car (i.e. trying to run you off the road) or driving in a way that puts you in serious danger, then I would definitely report it to the police.

Remember what happened in the Dr. Thompson road-rage case in LA? Dr. Thompson's aggressive actions against cyclists sadly ended in serious injuries to two cyclists. His past threatening actions, which were reported to police, helped convict him of felony assault with a deadly weapon.

Here's a link summarizing the Dr. Thompson road-rage trial:

https://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...e-years_102274

It's hard to hold your temper when you've got a nice flow of exercise adrenaline already pumping from the ride, and then get road raged upon. But 10 years worth of these interactions has taught me that letting the cagers piss me off just ruins my ride. It has taken years to train myself not to respond to every honk with a one fingered wave, to not yell back, to just let it go.

Lately I've been operating under the theory that if I respond to their anger with unwavering cheeriness, it pisses them off even more while giving me a smug sense of satisfaction. Call it the I'm Rubber, You're Glue theory of road rage. They honk, I wave. They flip the bird, I flip the peace sign or a thumbs up. I had a shiny new pickup roll up along side me one winter morning some years ago when I was living in South Lake Tahoe, the driver hollered out of window for me to get an f'ing job and called me a hippy. I yelled back thanking him for watching out for cyclists and gave him a huge grin. He roared off without another word, running the stop sign that we were approaching in the process. I guess that he was seeing so much red that the sign didn't stand out at all. That is when I realized that I was Rubber.

I think I'd only call the cops if I felt threatened. I've yet to experience that level of rage, and hopefully never will.

My worst recent explosion is fairly embarrassing, but none of you actually know me...so here comes confession time!

I was riding in fairly adverse conditions...lots of rain, slippery roads, reduced visibility...you know the drill. This was downtown Philadelphia where I will typically move faster than traffic and cars. I was riding a little slower and more carefully than normal based on conditions, and because I was on a new and unfamilar bike. A guy behind me clearly didn't like my speed level and starts honking like mad. He scares the bejesus out of me in an agressive, dangerous pass. Naturally I overtake him 20 feet later and he starts doing it again. I figure screw this...I didn't want to get passed like that again and ride squarely in the middle of the road. Keep in mind this a traffic light every block kind of riding so that I'm really not slowing anyone down.

We come to a green light and I hear an emergency vehicle. I stop, just like the car to the left. The guy is behind me and going ballistic...laying into his horn...screaming...going NUTS. I look back and of course he's on his cell phone. He now starts driving at me aggressively and I lost it. I threw my helmet at his windshield, got off my bike and rushed his door....he had his window open to yell at me. I stick my head almost into his car telling him where he can shove his cell phone, maybe he should learn what a siren means...etc. I'm going nuts with anger...flailing my arms. People are now staring...it's downtown at rush hour. He's shrinking back faced with the large angry bald guy and I look around and realize maybe it's time to stop. I get back on my bike...he comes up to me a block later and threatens to hit me with his car...I turn around and kick the side of his car (extremely stupid) at which he point he tears off down a side street and I go the opposite way, get off my bike, wait half an hour...and proceed.

Not smart...but funny in retrospect. I easily could have been arrested, killed....over NOTHING. The smart move? The minute he starts behaving irrationally get off the bike and take another road.

A number of years ago I was riding with my father. He was a short distance ahead of me. A school bus (driver only, no passengers) passes me, as he gets up beside my father he slows to match his speed. No other traffic on the road. Driver looks over at the bike through the door for a couple seconds, then starts to move over onto the shoulder, looking directly at the bike the whole time. Forced my father over to the point that he was on the verge of going into the ditch, then took off.

We got the plate number and called the cops. He was ticketed and, apparently, paid it without contesting it.

Like most of you I've gotten angry when buzzed by a car, truck or van. For the car its no big deal but for us cyclists its life or death. I understand your anger, I really do, but it doesn't help our cause when we blow a gasket and start yelling and hitting cars. Better to let you fingers do the walking and simply report bad drivers.

If someone was deliberately threatening me in some way, absolutely! Fortunately, the worst I have received thus far in my relatively short commuting career was a honk of the horn. However, the honk may or may not have been negative in nature (and may have been aimed at someone else whom I did not see). Although, when a few vehicles build up behind me, I'll generally pull onto the side of the road (where all the snow and ice is... which is why I am riding mostly in the center lane because it is the clearest) when safe to do so, and most of the drivers seem quite appreciative when I make way for them. Although, if it doesn't look very safe to climb onto that layer of ice and snow on the side lane, I'll hold my position (especially if the oncoming lane is clear for them to pass me in). Fortunately, nothing that has needed reporting as of yet. And I hope that there is no need to report anything in the future.

"Call it the I'm Rubber, You're Glue theory of road rage."

Exactly! Nothing more infuriating than all that rage going to waste on someone who just smiles and waves, smiles and waves. Some of these guys probably feel pretty bad about it when they calm down, too, rather than righteously justified, as they might if you'd been willing to tango.

most drivers I've encountered like this feel a bit foolish for creating a confrontation. always provide them a way out without pile driving thier pride. I don't mean bend over, and I'm the qst to say watch it buddy I've got your plate #!

Full Moon. I find that Drivers get crazier and I get more agressive and mouthy for no apparent reason. I try to look ahead at the Lunar Calendar and try to look out for that kind of behavior during those days and try to control my own agressions a little better too.

I don't call the police because I've never, ever found them helpful. This applies not only to issues with the bike, but with the car, with my home, and with my person. They might, if they're in a good mood, take and file a report. They're more likely, in my experience, to ask you WTF you were doing riding in the road.

Cops are the biggest street gang in the nation. It pains me that I have no choice but to contribute to their salaries.