RavenBlade84

So who has commuted to work and gotten some rude people? I was biking to work today and someone decided to yell "******!" with their head sticking out the passenger window.

I brushed it off and kept biking. . . .

And sure enough, he got caught at a red light. I smirked, and parked myself next to the car. Tapped on the window politely while staring at him. That got no reaction, and neither of them wanted to look at me. So I stayed there the whole time while the light was red . . . and kept my middle finger pressed up against the window without taking my eyes off them. Pathetically, they weren't so vocal anymore, as they never even bothered to look at me once. Light turned green, and I rode my happy ass away while they're stuck several car lengths behind.

Sure I'm probably immature for this . . . but some people just need to be put in their damn place.

Nigal

Getting yelled at or honked at needlessly is a good thing. I have burned a lot of extra calories trying to catch them at a red light. LOL!

sharrn

I got honked at once by a car in the far left lane as I took the right lane to pass another cyclist. Yesterday I was waiting at a signal to make a left turn in rush hour traffic(they going home, me going to work), the signal turned green and I started to ride and some a$$ decided to yell: "HEY! You dropped your water bottle!" I didn't lose my bottle. It was firmly in the holder. I'm sure there's worse stories than that.

idc

I feel like it's pretty common to get cut off by cars or honked at by cars for no reason, especially in the [inner] city where drivers are often stressed out already and consigned to driving slow, with lots of traffic and red lights, and they often underestimate how much faster a cyclist can be. I'm trying to become a better commuter though and not react to things as much.

dolanp

Yeah around here there are lots of "vatos" who like to heckle people like bikers. This is one of the most obese cities in the country so I think the general idea is that biking and exercise is "for ****", pardon my language.

Went through a neighborhood the other day and some guys were like "Hey buddy!". I though, "Oh someone's going to be nice"... so I say "Hey what's up?".

"Nice hat", laughing.

dynodonn 

I usually average one really asshat of a motorist per year. Sure I get yelled/honked at, but there always seems to be that one motorist that really goes out of there way to get my attention.

It's been 8 months since my last really bad encounter with our local Veronica Moss, and I'm hoping that my law of averages doesn't hold up and I won't have another encounter like that for a long, long, time.

travelmama

Next time it happens, ride up to the car and ask the driver if he/she is okay. If the response is "Yes," say "well your driving isn't." That gets people all of the time. If not that, most people who yell will more than likely roll up the window if approached so knock on it to scare the crap out of them and make faces. They will not play that game again with another person on a bike.

billyymc

As long as they do'nt run me over, I couldn't care less what they yell at me. Most of the time it makes me laugh.

dynodonn 

Nowadays, the last thing I want to do is go up and knock on a motorist's window, much less stand there and do a stare down while making an obscene gesture.

The one incident where I was just a couple of car lengths back taking down a license number was enough to set the motorist off into getting out of their car and going into a verbal rage, not to mention their ransacking of my panniers looking for my personal ID.

My signature is now my main source in gathering motorist info to give to local authorities, which is what I feel is a better way, since having the motorist's bad driving habit on official record is better than no record of it at all.

I feel that motorists tend to be left with a more serious impression when contacted by the local authorities than by some cyclist staring them down making an obscene gesture.

RavenBlade84

Yeah, I tend to have a bad temper lol.

Where do you make these reports to? Do they typically just trust your story, or do they need proof with video?

dynodonn 

I report to the local law enforcement authority that has jurisdiction in where the incident occurred. I haven't been asked for proof, just my name, address, the motorist's vehicle/personal description, license number, time and location of the incident.

I, at the very least, go for having the motorist documented, but I'll be some what insistent on having the authorities make contact with the motorist, either in person or by having a letter mailed to the motorist.

RavenBlade84

Thanks for the tip =) I'll keep this in mind next time it happens.

2wheelcommute

LA's anti-harassment ordinance is likely to go into effect any time now. Once that happens, just get their license plate down, file a police report, and then sue their asses (especially if you have witnesses).

jamesdenver

If someone harrasses me and I catch up to them at a light I have my phone out, circle them and take their photo/video ensuring I get their plates, faces and all car details. I do this and don't say a word, and they're usually stuck in traffic unable to move. (Or more often I just pretend to be doing this if it's not aggressive enough to pursue.)

Point being they're left wondering what exactly I'm going to do with their info. And if they make any angered move they know it will be recorded so they stay put.

The "not knowing" will make them think about it the rest of the day - or wonder if a cop is stopping by later, or if their plate will wind up in a database somewhere.

Documenting them silently and calmly has quite the effect on someone...

(Caution not to get too close lest they grab your phone and drive off)

RavenBlade84

This is some pretty awesome advice. Thanks everyone!

dynodonn 

Another tip is to make your calls to the local authorities count, in the many motorists that I interact with on a daily basis, I've only reported two in the past year. I'd make sure that the incident truly threatened my safety, and not one that just pissed me off.

The last motorist I reported missed me by less than three inches, while they were traveling a much greater speed than mine.

dynodonn 

That's if you can catch them at a light, locally, motorists can pull a harassment maneuver and speed off before I can even think about retrieving my phone, hence my purchasing of a couple of high quality picture, high frame speed video cams.

Don in Austin

The other morning I was riding to work on a residential street and I heard the clatter of a diesel behind me. A young redneck-looking dude in a Dodge dually 4x4 1 ton pickup pulled up next to me on my left (not overly close) slowed down, rolled down the passenger window. He looked my way and..




gave me a big smile, nod and the "thumbs up" gesture. Then he drove on and I cycled on.

Don in Austin

JeremyLC

I was riding from work to band practice on monday and someone shouted something completely incomprehensible at me. I have no idea what they said, so I decided just assume it was an encouragement to pedal faster.

jamesdenver

Definetely agree. But it's funny - I rarely run into bad behavior on my commute. I do a lot of two lane (each way) bike routed streets, and the occasional driver that does the "zoom around and swerve/cut me off often finds themselves at a line of cars just blocks ahead, with me approaching 15-20 seconds later. - happens more than I'd expect.

Some have no concept of their cyclists' speed especially traveling the same direction, - and assume all must be passed no matter what. (Which is why for safety the faster I go the more lane I take)

bkj

something about red lights at intersections attracts cars. They can't wait to get there and stop so they can wait for as long as possible. When driving, ever trying coasting when the light turns red? It makes people nuts. They'll accelerate, pass, do a quick stop - like they're getting there faster somehow.

exile

Last week I had someone throw a cup at me. Since it was at night I didn't get a look a the person, only the license plate #. I called the police and simply asked them to notify the driver I don't appreciate people throwing things at me.

In most cases the police really can't do anything (had it happen to me about 2 years ago as well). Hopefully the cop actually notified the driver, but I really don't expect much. It comes down to my word vs. theirs. I've thought about cameras, but my finances and experiences really don't justify it.

I've had people yell at me or honk as well. They are usually going to fast to understand what they yell. I hope it wasn't anything important .

A few weeks ago I had someone honk and yell at me at a red light (I has taking the lane as it was a right turn only). The guy threatened to run me over and other stuff . After we both made our turns he guns his car past me only to park a block up from where I was going. I just SMH and went about my business.

jamiller1

I bike partially to keep in shape for my martial arts (have done thai kickboxing, BJJ, Judo now doing Vovinam) so I'm not too afraid of a physical confrontation. Most cursing motorists, here, are fat *** chulos wannabes anyways. As for yelling I could care less. If they throw something Im calling 911 and reporting them as a drunk driver (we have signs here advising to report drunk drivers by calling 911). Seems like something a drunk would do anyways. Anyone tried this?

dynodonn 

Just be careful, no matter what level one attains in the martial arts, or physique, I've yet to meet anyone that can match the level of that of several thousand pounds worth of sheet metal.

AdamDZ

Ask me when I DON'T get rude people. It's NYC. People are so self-centered, egoistic and entitled that it's actually funny if you really think about this, grotesque.

A guy walks into a bike lane with a shopping cart and a dog, I have a green light, he has red. I blow my AirZound, he backs off a little. As I pass I yell out "Wake up!", he yells back "Shut up you f***g idiot!" I just laughed loud. His life must be really miserable.