NickWhip

Today on the way to the store a couple of guys yelled "******" at me as they passed. They were pretty surprised to find me mocking them at the next stoplight. What part of you needing to rest your ass and sit in air conditioning makes my effort to get around so lame?

spinnaker

Well probably a good way to get shot. It is probably best not to say or do anything But I have always wanted to say something like (and it probably would work better if you could direct it at one guy) "Dude, I know you are getting all hot and bothered, seeing me in my tight spandex, but sorry dude I just don't swing that way. Do your buddies know you are gay"? (Not that there is anything wrong with that)

msincredible

I like to smile and wave, it seems to confuse them.

monk

Tough as it is, you're better off just to ignore them. Just yelling is no big deal. Throwing something at you might be different . . .

RCordone

I knew a cyclist who had a great comeback for people who yelled at him from cars. He would yell back as loud as he could " No thank I don't want a Blow J-b!"

monk

I gotta remember this one . . .

JanMM

"Have a nice day!" and waving seems like the friendly thing to do.

Sprocket Man

Exactly. While all the snappy comebacks (and even the suggestions of waving and smiling) make for a nice read, it's not advisable to engage with these types of troublemakers, at all. You want to try to be smart back at them? There are some people out there that refuse to lose a verbal battle, and if they feel you've insulted them, will resort to physically attacks. And if you wave and smile, some people will get aggressive because they may think you're mocking them, which you are.

Whenever I hear someone yelling while I'm riding, I always look to see who it is. If I see that they're trying to insult me or cause trouble, I instantly set my brain on "ignore". If they were to try to do something worse, I'd try to find a safe way to escape - thankfully, this hasn't happened to me yet in my 20+ years of riding.

It's best to think of these people as potentially dangerous wild animals. Don't make eye contact, don't do anything to incite them. Just try to get away from them as soon as you can.

operator

Don't worry about it man. You'll live longer. All sorts of idiots yell out of their car windows to you. Show them your audi s8 keys and tell them to go **** themselves. That's the way to do it.

Retro Grouch 

I agree. They are trying to get a response from you. Anything that you do rewards them. Sometimes the best response is no response.

BarracksSi

Yup. When they see that they're keys to an Audi, they'll understand why you're biking -- because the Audi is probably in the shop AGAIN.

Cyclaholic

When I hear someone scream out their window that's when I realize that the volume on my I-pod is too low.

wabbit

last week, some tard yelled at me from the OPPOSITE LANE, going the other way...i wasn't even in their way or on the same side of the street! WTF!

Louis

I like to smile broadly, wave, and yell " hi neighbor - good to see ya'".

Hard to beat the BJ reply, though.

FlyingAnchor

On my commute I only have gotten good yells or waves, no tards here. I even get waves from the motorists when I am a little slow through the intersection. (only have three)

Steven

Kommisar89

Around here inevitably it seems to be a group of teenage guys in a jeep or SUV with big mud tires on it. I've never had anybody yell at me because I was in the way of traffic or anything, just morons trying to draw a response. It's best to ignore them. When they don't get a rise out of you they get bored and move on. Never had any real problems with them. I'm quite sure they are the same idiots who smash mailboxes, egg houses, and other such ******** things.

12bar

I think to myself consider the source, and smile.

AdrianFly

Obviously not destined for greatness.

Consider the source and smile.

Buglady

I smile and wave to random yellers, and to the ones who decide to pull up and "advise" me to get off the road, I am starting to use the Therapist Voice - deep concern as I ask them whether they are having a bad day. Were the gas prices up again?

Baldone

Big Mud Tires
Are over a hundered dollars a "pop". If you know what I mean.

Just kidding!

mercator

Excellent response! Sympathy and kindness ftw

Big M

Don't smile and wave. That only works for road rage.
If they're heckling you, they'll be happy with any reaction they get. Anything you do will make you look like a dork, and they'll get satisfaction from it.

If it's just heckling, it's best to totally and completely ignore them. That's when they'll see that you're not playing along and yelling back or cowering or whatever they were expecting from you.

Don't reward them with a reaction.

X-LinkedRider

I always just laugh at them as I pass them while they are filling up their vehicle at the next gas station. Who cares what others even think no less shout at you? Just recognize they'll be dead at 30 from obesity and you'll be laughing as you ride by the cemetery at 80 about 40 miles into your daily ride.

x136 

Thanks to the wonders of the Doppler effect (and wind noise), I can rarely even understand what people yell as they pass. Makes ignoring them even easier.

wabbit

I only yell or curse at them if they do something stupid like try to run me off the road or honk really loudly and scare me...and no I'm not worried about getting shot. People don't tend to be armed around here...