gcasillo

Just got home from my short 1.5 mile commute from work. On the way, down Kastle Road from Cooper Drive, some fellow yelled this from his driveway or front porch (didn't see him): "Slow down! This is a neighborhood!" Aboard my Bianchi Volpe with heavy 32c wheels, I was probably going 15-18 mph or so at best. In a 25 or 35 mph zone. Wearing a helmet. Niterider Flamethrower on its brightest setting illuminating the road very well. Red strobing tail light on. A messenger bag with a fairly hefty laptop in it. Not breaking any records here, folks.

I'm trying to let this go, but I can't. WTF? I wanted to stop and ask this guy what the problem was, but I didn't. Perhaps he thought I was a UK student as the campus is right there (folks who live near UK's campus generally don't get along with students). I just don't get why this guy would sound off at me when I was completely lit up and well under the speed limit.

Konakazi

Some people are just cranks, what can ya do? I'm sure he didn't think twice before yelling at you. "Hmmm, good headlight.... wearing a helmet! nice.... Heyyyyy, cool throbbing on the tail light..... ah screw it, he still gets a yellin!"

mikdes

He's probably just bitter that your bike goes faster than his car.

Becca

I'd guess that he yells at all the traffic going by, and seeing a good headlight assumed you were a motorcycle. By the time he realized you were a bicycle, he just shrugged his shoulders and waited for the next "idiot." (Would be his word, mind.)

Moonshot

I usually mess up and say something stupid when somebody makes a remark I don't like. If someone said this to me I might respond with "but I thought it was a residential district!"*

The other night I took the kids trick or treating and this old guy opens the door and asks my 5 and 7 year old, "where do you live?" From the tone and demeanor I'm pretty sure it was attempt to screen the "outsiders" who come into our neighborhood because it may not be as safe to trick or treat in their neighborhood. I replied from the street, "we just live over at the corner of * and *. Y'all are welcome to come trick or treat at our house if you want to!"

*apologies to Richard Pryor

LordOpie

good point! I've been mistaken for a motorcycle before... from a distance.

digs

I get mistaken for a motorcycle all the time... from no distance at all

I've been pushing to see if this cyclocomputer *really* goes up to 180 MPH

HereNT

That's why I prefer the blinky lights in the city, front and rear. They know that you are a bike if you blink, at least here.

vrkelley

Let me get this straight! He told you to slow down? Ha ha! He's was just raz'n you! tha'ts cool!

Dusk

I agree with vrkelley. He could have been giving you a backhanded complement. Now if he was shaking his fist at the same time….well never mind my complement comment…LOL You should stop and talk then you’ll know for sure.

Cheers,
Dusk

barleyrocket

if they haven't been there longer than campus, why is it for them to complain? they knew the school was there before they moved in...STFU...to him

520commuter

I've been pushing to see if this cyclocomputer *really* goes up to 180 MPH

My wife has an open centrifuge for test tubes at work. The next time I buy a computer I should put a magnet in a tube and hold the sensor near it...

d2create

Sorry to bring up a 2 month old thread, but i just read it for the first time while doing a search and i agree with vrkelley... I'd bet you 10 bucks that this guy was just messing with you and quoting that toyota celica commercial with the old man yelling that exact same phrase at a PARKED celica. That was the first thing i thought of when i read your initial post.

powers2b

I had a similar experience. This guy came running out of his house screaming profanities at my while I whizzed by. He reminded me of one of those dogs that sits on the porch waiting for something to come down the road and then chases it to the property line.
I should have shouted back "Sit Ubu Sit"

Daily Commute

Of course, you could have turned around, said, "Do you want to see what fast is?" Then go far enough away to get up a good head of steam, turn around, and whiz by him at top speed. But that would not be nice.

Roody

I was riding down a residential street about midnight last summer. Some guy yelled as I whizzed by, "Hey--ya got wheels on that thing!" I still don't know what he meant, but I almost fell off the bike laughing.

cryogenic

People say the strangest things, that's for sure... Perhaps the guy realized you were a bike and is used to seeing the kids riding by at 4mph and here you go by at like 15mph and it just startled him? Either way, it's idiotic.

EnigManiac

If he does it again, stop, approach him and say in a quiet voice: 'Indeed, this is a residential neighborhood, so why are you yelling and disturbing all your neighbours? Some people have odd hours of work and may be asleep. Some may have small children taking a nap and here you are yelling at a cyclist who makes no noise whatsoever. Guess who your neighbours will want out of the neighbourhood, you or me?'

LOL

Tom_The_Bikeman

Golly, really? I get mistaken for a Christmas Tree, a flying Saucer, a Tractor, or a really, really small truck...

However, I don't think I've been mistaken for a motorcycle...yet. I *have* been recognized in pitch dark by people who know I ride...

(I have two halide lights - blowtorch & lupine, a 3 LED blinkey, and a Bisy attached to my Schmidt hub dynamo)

ride on!
Tom

Tree Trunk

If it happens again stop and moon the guy. Just don't be wearing that pink jersey when you do that -- he might get the wrong idea.

powers2b

Or the right one

PainTrain

OK, I know that was Halloween and now it's past Christmas. But is it too late for a drive-by egging? This guy's house is just beggin' for it.

LittleBigMan

I'd like to see this guy drive at 15-18 mph. in his car. Fat chance.

ofofhy

I have seen more dead threads revived than any other day today. All over the place here.

oknups

slow news day