No.

I have a completely different take on "losing my temper" now.

In some parts of Afghanistan you will basically never see a person of status yell or rage. It is considered beneath them. The line of thought goes: if you cannot control your own temper, how can you be worthy of leading others?

OTOH, that does NOT mean these folks won't go insanely biblical in the most vindictive ways, just that it will be coldly calculated when it comes.

As I've processed all this I find myself far less likely to get upset but immediately going to risk-reward-retribution revenge calculations. It really pays to have a sense of humor because the alternatives get pretty dark pretty fast.

Semi tangential, but as an FYI, trucks are generally permitted on most any road if they are on local delivery (ie they are not unnecessarily using a road as a thru street to reach a delivery/pickup location). That said, it does annoy me when trucks use the street I live on (which is a bike boulevard-both vehicles and bikes are permitted), since 99% of the time there were probably alternative routes that would entail less distance off truck routes.

I yelled at a motorist once, and all I got back was a stoned out Cheech and Chong look, I decided then and there that it was a waste of my breath to yell at any more motorists.
Today, if I feel that if the incident is serious enough, I'm not injured, I'll just wait until I download my video, and if I have enough evidence I'll report the motorist to the local law enforcement.

I eat lots of donuts I don't get fat. Might have something to do with all the transfats getting used in the warp core powering my bicycle..

I had a guy tailgate me on the way to work the other day, in my car. At one stop sign (back road) I had a straightaway ahead so I took off from a stop at max acceleration, got up 10mph above the speed limit, then brought it back down to 25. Dude in a HUGE dodge takes off after I've gotten back to the speed limit already, and races up to get 2 inches off my bumper again... he's just not getting the hint, after I already drove around 5mph BELOW the speed limit for the past 2 miles (with him tailgating).

So I flipped him off.

He IMMEDIATELY WOT'd his engine, cut hard, and sped around me at like 50-60. In the most dangerous, blind-curve-ridden area to do so.

I've had motorists tailgate me at 20mph on my bicycle going up a hill, too... do you know how hard it is to stay conscious when you're actually feeling pain from every single heart beat? I can't slow down because my back tire'll get nudged by the bumper and I'll go up on the hood and have a mangled bike... so I just power along at well past my redline, hoping I don't blow a valve or aorta (grandfather blew his aorta once, they put 6 times as much blood in his body as it actually holds by the time they stopped the bleeding).

Stupid tailgaters. How much faster do they think they're going to get down a 5.2 mile road? It's a 5 minute difference to go the speed limit versus going 50 mph, and even then you're going to just wait up ahead at the next non-signal turn into high cross traffic pouring in from multiple desynchronized signals (sometimes this is a 10-15 minute wait).

Pretty much yeah. You should see what drivers do... I almost took out someone's car on my bike because she pulled out right in front of me--with me going 30mph--in front of a cop (parked in the driveway across the street). I had to swerve into the next lane (oncoming traffic) to get around her car--my bike can't stop that fast, and the front tire will skid if I try (I've skid my tire on dry pave, had to ground kick to keep the bike up).

The cop didn't see anything because he was busy playing Angry Birds.

On my bike I'm as maneuverable as other cyclists. In my car I can stop faster, and failing that I can just roll over them. You have no idea how very small the difference is when someone crests a steep hill riding the wrong way against traffic on their bike. I swear I'm going to start grabbing these people and giving them cycling jerseys that say "Future Speed Bump" and "Future Hood Ornament" if they don't get on the right side of the road

When that happens to me, I roll up next to them and make sure they see me laughing at them.

As far as I'm concerned, honking as you pass is an aggressive act disguised as courtesy.

I guess that that makes sense to a degree. But when we're a car length or less from the intersection what is the point of passing us to get to the red light or stop sign?

I've heard it described either in another thread or talking with a friend that sadly a lot of drivers have a hard time in judging distance to their front.

I guess that that is true. As with others I too have been honked at while riding in the bike lane. I guess that the bottom line is that motorists are so used to each other driving unpredictably that they expect EVERYONE on the road doesn't have full control of their vehicle.

Be careful there is another member here who'll accuse you of being some sort of warrior for honking at people. The thing I find funny with that member's "logic" is that cars also have horns and yet they're not accused of being any sort of "warrior."

Yeah, I've had a few of those over the years. The one's that I really have to "laugh" at are the one's who'll come up behind us at an induction loop controlled intersection and sit a car's length (or better) behind us well clear of the loop and even after we wave them to move forward they still sit back there and wonder why the light isn't changing.

"Ever Flipped Out On A Motorist?"

No, but I shamefully confess to flipping off a few.

I like that. One of the spots that that seems to happen most often is at a three-way stop next to a dog park. There are several dogs there that like to play with me and that I like to play with as well, i.e. they'll run along the fence barking at me. And I, in turn will encourage them to do so. I figure what harm can it do me? It gives them some exercise and gives me a little extra exercise sprinting "away" from them.

The irony is a few of the people doing the swoop and race to the stop sign are going to the dog park.

They do the same to other motorists. I have to laugh at drivers getting all bent out of shape behind me when I am drifting up to a red light. Pardon me but I don't feel like chewing through brakes and fuel just to get to a red light sooner. I especially laugh when they get caught behind a slow moving bus as a result of a stipid lane change while I go on my merry way.

One time I had a female passenger in a car heckling me, so I just sat up and pretended to pleasure myself in a very over the top and deliberate fashion. She looked very confused. Does that count?

I've done nothing extravagant, or impressive when I've had my occasional road rage incidents. Frankly, I've always been embarrassed by them enough to forget about them.

Ultimately, drivers are bringing a whole spectrum of "issues" to the table, and so are cyclists. We believe we are elite and doing something they aren't willing to - and they think we are tree-hugging morons who aren't smart enough to drive there and save the energy for other things. Unfortunately, until you've been on both sides of the dime, it's difficult to assess the situation.

Nowadays, I've walked, skated, biked and driven to almost any and all destinations I can/have/will and can say with absolute authority - it hasn't mattered.

I love biking enough to continue doing it. I can see good cyclists, bad cyclists as often as I see good and bad drivers - the only variable is that there are far fewer cyclists. With that in mind, it is difficult for drivers to know what to do either.

I find it fun to "dream" about all the mean and sarcastic things I could do to "cagers" - but at the end of the day I realize that on occasion, I have to drive, and whatever energy I invest in seeing those who drive "eat" - I get a healthy dose of too.

It's far better to try to find a compromise in my own emotions where I understand that I'm trying to keep a level head and also not cause grief for others, no matter who deserves it.

I used to have fairly regular confrontations at my previous home. Much of it centered on riding a suburban arterial where I was faster than the cars on many days. I do NOT sit in line.

- someone pulls to the far right curb to block me? I swing left and taunt them as I go by.

- Teen yells something out the window as they pass. I catch them at the light and berate the driver's manhood in front of his friends. They pass me back yelling. I do the same thing at the next light. They pass back yelling. I notice they've turned off and are waiting at a light to come past me again. I quickly stop and start walking my bike back towards their car. They quickly back up and take off.

- I make a legal turn into a shopping center, a car inside the lot cuts me off without looking. When he finally notices me he starts yelling at me. I stop the bike and do my normal taunt of his manhood, daring him to get out of the car. He drives off

- Guy behind me at a light yells something out of the window. I yell, he yells then I once again call him out of the car. This guy pretends like he's going to get out of the car. Puts one foot on the ground and apparently I looked happy because he got back in and shut his mouth. If he's had his turn signal on, I would have stayed further right and this wouldn't have happened.

- Guy yells and blows the horn. I follow him into the shopping center to ask him what his problem is. He tells me that I should have been riding in the "median" (his term for a turn lane). Because our yelling was attracting a crowd, and because I'd have probably had to chase him into the store to get my hands on him, I let it go.


Just hitting the highlights. These were fairly regular. Since I moved, I haven't had a single incident. Basically, if someone yells at me and I'm right there, or I catch up with them, I am going to confront them. The berating, and specifically the calling-out of the other person is cathartic for me. Instead of going home angry I am in a good mood and completely stress free. I like to believe that their inability to respond to the direct challenge will stay with them for some time.

Was riding a narrow two lane section of road and got on top of an even narrower bridge (NO other alternative route) and a few kids in a car screamed past, very close, at 3 times my speed, and yelled at me right as they passed. Scared the crap out of me and I almost went down.

Almost caught them at the next light and if I had we would have all been damaged (three of them), but that didn't stop me since I was pumping with adrenaline. Memorized the plate number and about 3 months later had a few minutes on my way home from a meeting and stopped in at the drivers license bureau to look up the address of the car's owner. A few weeks later I stopped by (in my suit and tie) and knocked on the door. The car was in the street and an older man came to great me. I asked if his son drove that car (on the particular road where we had our trouble) and he said yes, but "little johnny" wouldn't do such a thing! I told him about the exact time of day, car color, number of kids, etc. to let him know that I wasn't making this up and added that had I caught them I would have beaten them all until they were ... well it was bad what I said. Then, once he seemed convinced that something happened I said "if you promise me that you will confront "little johnny" that I will not pursue it any further." He sheepishly agreed and apologized.

Another incident - was heading to the beach and had to cross over a right turn lane to continue straight - no traffic to speak of - and up comes this guy on my rear and wants to run me over to turn right (the turn lane is about 500 feet long). He runs off to the left and blares his horn and yells out the window. Then he turns right - onto an island. I turned right and drove every street looking for the car and finally found it (right near the first part of the island, but the last side of the road I searched!). It (the car) had a sticker on it that gave me an indication of which condo was his. I walked in and called him on the door bell thingy and left him a beautiful message. I told him that if he ever did that to me again or anyone else that I knew he would not survive the next incident.

I felt like I handled both well and they were (my guess) surprised that I followed up on their "anonymous" attacks.

One last one, but this involved more of a friend I was riding with. Going over another bridge we get passed waaaay too close and were yelled at (same as with the first incident). My friend started cranking after the car (45 mph zone) and I could not stay up with him as he was doing over 25 mph. He must have kept an eye up the road and saw them make a left turn up ahead (only left or right possible - the Gulf of Mexico was straight). He made a left after about a 1/4 mile and must have seen them pull into a parking lot. I was coming to the scene right when he punched the passenger through the window so hard that his head hit the driver of the pick up truck. The two were very stupid for doing that. They could have killed someone - maybe themselves.

I don't retaliate directly anymore, just get the plate number and send them a letter or call the police and report the trouble. If you are specific and not a hot head they will follow up (at least around here).

I don't let it get that far, especially after one of our local motorists blew out their rear car window with several rounds, a few months back, striking a following motorist who was confronting the lead motorist.

I have a few times and am not even remotely proud of it. Actually, more than a few times.

This last summer I had a two day period where I was harassed by motorists several times while riding perfectly legal. The first one I handled nicely with only a WTF gesture while I was riding after the motorist cut me off and honked at me. He then pulled over to challenge me to a fight. I went on my merry way.
The next day some genius honked at me while we both were rounding a narrow turn and I completely lost it. Many a f word, middle finger, and me telling him to pull over so we could discuss it. He took off.
I spoke with a few friends and they thought it was due to the long hot summer and that had everyone on edge.

That is without a doubt the best revenge. Add to that "catching" up to them and because they've gotten distracted with their cell phone or what have you they "miss" the light turning green and cause their own delay in starting off the line as it were.

I prefer to start growling (as in dog), though I'm sure the heavy metal variety would work too)...

Even worse is being dismissive.

My favorite was sitting in the lane at a red light (there was a right turn lane to my right, and a picture of a bicycle and where to put your wheels to trigger the light CLEARLY painted in the lane). Driver behind be pulls up behind me and honks (like he can proceed if I'm not there?), and I just calmly do the backwards "stay back and hold your horses" hand pump without looking back, which just seemed to infuriate him. Honks again, pointed down to the stencil of the cyclist. He kept flipping out in my mirror, but didn't honk anymore. I think he was just mad that he wasn't getting any reaction whatsoever from me.

Or the other lady (same intersection, actually), who pulled alongside me in the right turn lane as I was again waiting to go straight at the red.

She asked "Why aren't you over to the right, like you are supposed to be?".
"Why aren't you in the left turn lane?".
"Uhh, because I'm not turning left!"
"Exactly!"

I still don't think it clicked for her.

Had a similar one, same situation as above, where the lady said I was supposed to be to the right. I said "You do realize that if I stayed right, you wouldn't be able to turn right, right?". She just drove off looking confused and irritated.

Never flipped out though, just the occasional flipping the bird or "*******", same as in a car. Not terribly often though... my ride is pretty uneventful usually.

None of my mentioned activities were in Bellevue, WA. The bike throwing took place back in Athens, Ohio, around 15 years ago. The window butt-print was in Redmond, WA on Avondale Rd between Union Hill and Novelty Hill roads. That section crams up bad during "rush" hour.

In Bellevue the worst that I've dealt with is just the usual idiots deciding at the last second to change what direction they're turning; no signal and they'll make a right from the LTO lane because there are no more cars coming; or cut from the RTO lane back into the go-straight lane halfway through an intersection and directly next to me.
Airzound takes care of those in quick order. A quick report off that sucker and most cars stop dead. I let off a 2 second whoot a while back when someone did one of those moves and not only did the car screech to a halt, but someone dropped the shopping bag they were carrying and someone else dropped their phone. Bike horn with collateral damage == win.