PdalPowr

Some anal orifice in a pick up honked right behind me.😑
I think he thought I was riding too slow or too far from the shoulder.🤔
Too bad for him as it was slush covered broken pavement closer in.😣
Heck in thirty meters there was more than enough room to pass me.😐
So much for the holiday good cheer.🙄

dieselgoat

You mean in the last 5 minutes? I get honked at so much, I don't even hear it half the time. Sometimes it's just a friendly toot, and sometimes it's a pissed off driver. In the latter case, it's their problem, not mine.

billridesbikes

All quiet this year, there was no honking (at least directed as me).
Probably folks where too busy on their phones to lay on the horn?

'02 nrs 

if you did nothing to cause their unwanted disturbance offer up a 1 finger salute.

woodcraft

The other week, I was on the way to a group ride early in the morning, waiting at a light in one of the middle lanes crossing under a freeway.

There was a whole bunch of honking among the 2 lanes of folks waiting to turn onto the freeway, and I eventually realized that they were honking at me.

I was the only one in my lane, which is the one that avoids turn lanes both directions, and I can go at least as fast as traffic in this area.

I think sometimes drivers react in frustration when it is apparent that travel by bike can be faster, and the system of cars/roads sucks.

Paul Barnard

Some things beg to be quoted.

delbiker1 

I have found that, for me, responding to such anal actions in kind, probably has more negative effect on me than it does on the anal orifice at whom the response was directed. I think that when I act in that way, it is harder for me to let it go than if I just ignore it. I have a tendency to play it over in my head, imagining things I could have done to make more of an impression on said AO. That leads to the loss of my focus on,and enjoyment of, my ride. If I manage to not react, it is easier to just forget it and continue with the ride in the state of mind I so enjoy, that being a big part of why I ride.

Daniel4

I've been out of the country for a few months so I haven't done any winter riding lately.

However, the last time I was honked was probably in September. I was riding in the diamond lane during the off hour (11 am) so the major road was fairly empty. Then I hear a loud honking from a tractor trailor. Then I hear it again. Finally, it changed lanes ( as it should) and made a close pass when it returned to the diamond lane. When I caught up with him at the next light, I told him we were in the diamond lane and pointed at the sign that included the image of a bicycle. He swore at me and we both went our merry ways.

Also, I have to add that most of the honking I hear are directed at other drivers.

bpcyclist

Got honked at today for zero reason. I just smiled and happily rode on.

Miele Man

There's a road that I have to use a lot that has a number of roundabouts on it. The other day I was heading south but wanted to head east. I got into the roundabout in the right hand lane and turned east and got honked at. It turns out that in that particular roundabout the right lane only allows you to continue south or west not east. The weird thing is that the other roundabouts closest to it does allow you to go east in the right hand lane. It'd be nice if all roundabouts had the same lane allowed directions of travel instead of one allowing something and another not. It makes it confusing when different roundabouts have different allowed directions of travel.

Cheers

indyfabz

Sometimes I wave and say “Hey! How have you been?” like I know them.

PdalPowr

I agree whole heartedly.
I didn't react to him mostly for the reasons you list.
Though you said them more eloquently.
It also happened in an intersection where it is illegal to pass too.
My issue is I have bad nerves and very high blood pressure.
I moved to a small town to get away from big city traffic.🤗🙄🤗

BobbyG

Honk back...

AirZound Airhorn FTW!

aclinjury

it's a good think that drivers honk at you! It's either because they just want to let you know that they're coming, good.
Or if it's pissed off driver, you'll know to move aside.
You can tell the difference in their honk. A friendly toot is a quickie beep. A pissed off honk is a long one. Either way, be grateful that they see you, and "being seen" is probably #1 safety in road cycling.
Honestly, I try make it a habit to just wave at drivers who honk, because I appreciate them not hitting me (however pissed off they may be).

It's the silent drivers that hit and kill. You never are aware where they're coming from most of the time.

AlmostTrick

If/when they honk that assures me that they see me. (and therefore are unlikely to hit me)

Metieval

I think the last handful of times I got honked at was just letting me know they were behind me and coming around.

ah..... I am so spoiled to have such nice people around me.

AlmostTrick

To answer the question, the last motorist who honked me was a semi tractor driver. I was fully using the right lane on a four lane road. He hit the air horn quite a ways behind me, and held it on while safely moving to the left lane... and kept it on quite a way after completing the pass. I guess he made his grand statement. I did not alter my course or acknowledge him in any way.

CAT7RDR

Honking would be the least of my concerns.

Drugged up asshats, texters and the j-hook right turners across my path are the ones that kill.

Kedosto

It’s happened. I can’t recall when or where it happened last. I ride in a manner that keeps me out of drivers’ way for the most part. When it happens I smile and wave enthusiastically. If the driver escalates the situation, I point at them and laugh. I’m not sure if it’s the pointing or the laughing but it really sends them into orbit. The smiling, waving and laughing keeps me grounded and my blood pressure in check and leaves the negativity at the source.


-Kedosto

Retro Grouch 

So they're already angry or they wouldn't have honked. Your decision is whether you want to be an agent for increasing or decreasing the tension.

bpcyclist

Personally, in my town, it is probably wisest to try to deescalate rather than ramp up the tension. People have a habit of pulling out Glocks in certain parts of town and that sometimes ends badly.

FlMTNdude

The other day some asshat in a mile long line at a stoplight was so far into the bike lane I grabbed the side of the vehicle so I didn’t have to dismount or go off the edge of the pavement. I don’t think it was appreciated. Not on my best behaviour, the bird flew as I pedalled off while the horn was blowing.

wipekitty

Why, yes! The most recent one was behind me and apparently wanted to turn right while I was going straight. Back in the day, we used turn signals, not horns, to notify other road users of our decisions.

This always, IME, gets worse around the holidays. I'll be using the commuter cam for the next few weeks.

Same here. Shell casings are a regular sight on my commuter routes.

PdalPowr

Cool beans.😀

Unfortunately my balance is so bad taking one hand off the handle bars to wave would be iffy.
But I will keep it in mind.🤗

PdalPowr

[QUOTE=

Same here. Shell casings are a regular sight on my commuter routes.[/QUOTE]

Shirley you jest.😮🤐😮