MediaCreations 

With another new thread asking if we wave to fellow cyclists, I'm wondering how we react to ignorant motorists.

I've seen cyclists giving the finger to motorists who beep at them or yell abuse at them on the road. In my experience it leaves both parties wound up.

I prefer to smile and wave. That way I ride on smiling, knowing that the driver is left feeling frustrated that I 'didn't get the message'.

It makes them think that I've misinterpreted their yelling and beeping as a 'friendly hello'. I love messing with their minds.

WorldIRC

i do that too. its more fun in montreal than TO tho as those drivers suck lol. velocipedio would know

Inkwolf

I generally wave at motorists if I've made eye contact with them, and they usually wave back. (This is the country, son! ) I've had very few people honk at me, and of the 4 I remember, two of the honks WERE friendly, from people I know, one was (I believe) a warning from a jittery motorist letting me know they were passing, and one.....well, I don't know, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. It was a big van, passing me on a hill, and they honked when they were already halfway past. It MIGHT have been someone who just happened to recognize me when looking in their rear-view mirror, or it might have been someone PO'ed at my being in their way, and trying to scare me.

MediaCreations 

Sometimes I'm not sure if someone is trying to say hello with a beep.

That's why the smile and wave works so well. If they're being genuinely friendly, then I'm responding appropriately. If they're being nasty - I get to mess with their minds.

Weasel

Which is not very difficult, judging by your average motorist.

ljbike

Many motorist beep the horn because they don't know if you know they are behind you. They have a fear of hitting us and want to give a warning. So a smile and a wave most of the time is an appropriate reaction on our part --even though the sound of that horn is the most irritating, anger provoking sound imaginable. Waving the finger at them is irritating to them because they thought they were doing a good deed.
I've been a passenger im many cars that have honked at a cyclist; when asked why they invariably said I want to warn him; to let them know I'm here. Then I give my lecture about how riders can hear them about the same time that they see the rider and it makes it unnecessary to honk. Sometimes they believe me. But they don't get rid of the fear that we are somehow going to fall down in front of them or veer into the driving lane without warning.

This is not to say there aren't genuine A'holes out there who would just as soon run us over, but they, I think, are in the minority. So a smile and a wave --even at them-- is the best policy. It works for me.

When it doesn't work you can always flip the bird into their rear view mirror.

joeprim

EXACTLY! I always assume it's a hello and wave. I usually wave to all anyway - it keeps them guessing.
Joe

threadend

Without going in to how I respond to drivers who's actions I consider abusive.

I do make it a point to wave to ALL motorist who are conscientious enough to slow down and wait until they have a clear path to pass me. I want them to know without a doubt that their actions are greatly appreciated.

bikehard700

... I also wave to motorists who wait at intersections, or wait before pulling out of driveways, to allow me to pass, thanking them for their consideration.

Abusive motorists... I try my best to ignore. Which also messes with the head... allthough, around these parts, there are alot of ignorant individuals, that probably aren't bright enough to know they're being ignored. But I feel better knowing I didn't antgonize an idiot.

RegularGuy

Hmmm...I generally assume that they are jerks and give them a big friendly wave.

I wave and say "thanks" to polite drivers: those who wait patiently for traffic to clear before passing me, those who give me some consideration.

I often wave drivers through at 4-way stops. They usually expect me to blow through the stop sign and are surprised when I don't.

If I see a motorist wave to me, I return the gesture.

I make it a point to wave to cops. I figure they make a good ally.

tekhead

I do the same, but when the driver is being a little jerk, i like to send him/her kisses, that really makes them confused

LittleBigMan

I think I've done everything: waving, thumbs-up, shouting angrily, being nice, being not-so-nice. Somehow, though, I've avoided the use of obscene gestures, sometimes stopping in mid-gesture before I used it.

Yet, I do remember a situation when I was inexperienced. I had not "taken the lane" on a narrow-laned four lane road. When a wave of traffic hit, they squeezed me. At the same time, the two passing motorists honked loudly at each other and scared the living do-do out of me.

I guess when you feel your life threatened, you just react. I pulled over and shouted, "Blank You!" (well, not "blank," but I can't print it here) at the top of my lungs, I mean, with GUSTO.

Just then I looked to my right. There was an elderly couple standing outside their parked car just staring blankly at me.

Great! Now I'm seen as a jerk.

However, I try to wave to people who assist me, or try to communicate appreciation to them when appropriate. Yes, I wave to police quite frequently, too.

avivino

I am stupid!
I can't help pointing out motorists' mistakes in a less than polite way. I often hope they will say 'sorry, my bad', but most of the time I get a finger or verbal response that contains some very, very bad words. Mind you, I never swear or give the finger, but I do say things like...
''You idiot! What the HECK is wrong with you?!? You could have killed me!!!''
They usually don't get the point.
Maybe my approach is wrong?

I'm being a little flippant about this, but in all seriousness, I realize I need to do the smile and wave thing. But unfortunately some drivers view you as another annoying road obstacle, like a squirrel or large pothole.

velocipedio

On a recent ride on Montreal's Lakeshore, I was cruising at about 30 km/h in a 30 km/h-maximum zone, with signs clearly indicating that this road was supposed to be shared between cars and bikes.

So, there I am, doing very close to the maximum, when I heard a VERY loud and insistent honking. Despite the fact that, under the Quebec traffic code, I don't have to cede the road [I'm close to the max], I move over to let the guy pass. His window's down and he shouts some offensive nonsense and flips me the bird, all the while swerving his car as if to hit me.

Incidentally, since I was going the max, he had to break the speed limit to pass me.

So I'm really cheezed at this guy. I charge after him, accelerating to about 50 km/h to catch him -- not only was he speeding, he was doing at least 45 km/h in a 30 km/h zone. When I do catch him, this time on the driver's side, I yell in his face [at this point, having almost been killed, having sprinted 200m and really, really angry, my blood is pumping, I'm red in the face, and I'm not inclined to be pleasant] "You ****ing moron! You almost killed me; you were speeding -- and I have your license number FJF 575. Get off the ****ing road!"

Needless to say, I think I freaked him out. I don't think the guy -- late-50s, early-60s -- expected to be caught, never mind having someone recite his license number. He took the first exit off the lakeshore. I was going to call the cops and report him and his license number for reckless driving when I got hom, but I never did. If I ever see him again, I have a set of keys just itching to make acquaintance with his paint job.

I will wave and smile at drivers who drive responsably and safely. I'll give a smile and thumbs-up to drivers who respect my right-of-way when I have it and who come to complete stops at stop signs. Needless to say, I do this very, very rarely.

Cyclesister

I have never been honked at by a female...mainly pervs who honk and yell out their windows such jewels as "Hey, baby!", "Woohoo, nice ass!", etc. I glance at them like they are something nasty I had stepped in, give a sarcastic little wave, look away, and speed up.

avivino

I like it when they think that once they pass they're in the clear. I've caught up many individuals that have cust me off, etc. They are much more humble at 0 mph that at 30 mph.

Spire

That is quite a story. I have never had anything remotely like that happen to me in Montreal (or anywhere for that matter)

Brains

I have a set of keys just itching to make acquaintance with his paint job.

Try a D-lock on any flat panel - far more expensive damage and much easier to do.

velocipedio

You're lucky. It was @ 5:30 in the afternoon, heading east. He honked and passed me just where Dorval Village turns residential. I caught him just before Lachine. I don't remember the make of the car, but it was a silver-grey sedan. Keep your eyes open for the license plate.

Scorpion

I must be very lucky. At least 97% of the motorists, bike riders or pedestrians I've waved to have smiled and waved back. To make this even more amazing I live in New Jersey where no one is suppose to be polite or friendly. If some one honks their horn at me it's usually a light tap on the horn to let me know they're behind me and are going to pass me.

I feel left out. Maybe tomorrow some one will try to run me over, give me the finger or throw stuff at me as they pass me. I can only hope.

Spire

Unfortunately this isn't really enough info to go on. I drive a silver grey sedan, and so do many other people (I think grey is the second most popular colour these days)

velocipedio

Yeah... but you probably don't hagve license #FJF 575.

Spire

Defnitly don't, I will keep and eye, but really there is nothing to do, but if the same sort of incident happens to me, I'll tell you. I go through there each time I communte (both ways)

Inkwolf

Do ya really think the guy will take out his temper on a cyclist again, when Velocepedio scared the living daylights out of him? I think he's one guy who will no longer see cyclists as helpless targets.

Spire

We shall see about that. Maybe he thinks that just that one cyclist actually defends himself