I figured this could either go in commuting or winter biking...since I commute when it is happening this is where it landed. Probably nothing earth shattering I am sharing. Just a few thoughts. I have been riding to work as much as I can during the cold winter months. I haven't been doing anything different from my regular route. I take the lane when I need to. The past few days have been warmer and now the cagers are more vocal. I believe they used to just deal with me because they thought my car broke down due to the cold and I can only ride a bike. Or probably just pity me for being out in the cold. Now that the weather is warm I get the usual stuff that everyone hears... "Get on the sidewalk" or "Get off the road". I believe that they are able to yell because it is warm and before they were too cold. I just wonder if others have seen/heard this happen to them. I am really looking forward to the warm weather... not the harrassment. I am really looking forward to my Air Zound (air horn) which I ordered recently. Not to do it all the time...just a useful tool to assert myself better. Gives me a voice.

my .02

Peace,

kb0tnv

word

I just can't imagine what that is like to have people yelling at you to get on the sidewalk all the time like that. I have never had that happen to me.

I live in a tourist town and I've seen these huge whale-like humanoids emerge from tour buses. They must come from places like where you live.

Keep on keeping on. Maybe you'll change their minds someday.

they probably didn't yell before because it was too cold outside to roll down the window. Now that it's warmer they have a few months of hollarin to get out of their systems

I call this the Spring Territorial. Meaning every spring people come out in droves for about 2-3 weeks protecting "what's theirs" ... you'll see 'em yelling at kid running through their yard, mad a dog etc. Hang in there ... after about 4 weeks, they'll get sick of it and go back to their newest form of entertainment --- till next spring....

I see this happen in North Carolina. As the weather warms up I get more and more people beeping and other minor harasment. I figure it comes from the fair weather cyclists that haven't been around since last fall. They usually that don't follow the laws and ride willy nilly. So the cagers begin to take out their frustration on us.

But if you're riding in a safe vehicular manner, you should not be harrased in any way... motorists love dealing with cyclists that are predictable. Why would they take out frustrations on good cyclists?

Hah! "Whale-like humanoids"! Sad, but true. People are just larger here. It must be all the good old German stock and red meat with taters, sliders and frozen custard.

I had my first shouting match the other day. I think it is the warm weather thing. People are feeling their oats. Spring fever.

I say F**K' em. Anytime they want to step out and go a few rounds they are more than welcome. I just flip them off and keep rolling. I hear it at least twice a day.

Asbolutely. I think it's mostly because:
a) their windows are down
b) people are out just driving around, especially young guys
c) the young guys wan to make each other laugh, so they yell crap out the windows at folks like us.

I definitely see a surge of cager mouthiness in the spring.