SSP

Most of my weekday rides are between 1 and 3 pm, but today I got jammed up and didn't head out till 3pm. I had a nice 25 mile ride, and was cooling down riding about 1 mile from home when I felt a sharp sting in my left hip and heard laughter. A Honda Civic with 3 teenagers in it was passing me, and I realized I'd just been shot with a rubber band (or something).

I think it was their laughter that set me off...I went into full-blown p*ssed off mode, giving them the finger and yelling. They drove off laughing, but there was a stop sign about 200 meters ahead, and some other traffic ahead of them. I put the hammer down, and with the aid of a tailwind, testosterone, and adrenaline wound it up to nearly 40 mph. They signalled a right hand turn and slotted in behind a car turning right. Before they could make their right turn they noticed me bearing down on them, so the kid pulls left to go straight, and blows through the stop, with me right on his bumper. At close range now, I again flipped them off and called them chickens**ts, plus a few other choice phrases. I signalled them to stop, but I think they were pretty scared and they drove on. I guess they don't get that reaction from too many 50-somethings, but perhaps they'll think twice before hassling another cyclist.

After getting home, cooling down, and taking a shower, I think I did the right thing. And, in a primal, testosterone-fueled way that my SO will never understand, it felt somehow refreshing to just let loose and rage.

So, did I do the right thing? If not, why not?

F1_Fan

Totally.

You made the little bastards realize that there are consequences to their actions. If it were me they'd have a waterbottle-shaped dent in the car (and that isn't the right thing to do...).

zonatandem

Keep your temper! Don't give'em the satisfaction to know they got to you!
I ususally do an exaggerted full hand wave and you can say/yell anything you want ('cause they can't hear you).
Back in the 70s I reacted like you did when a passenger in a garbage truck threw something at me & struck me; chased 'em down to the next traffic light. Passenger in garbage truck had the window down and stared straight ahead; took a big swig of water and regurgitated/spit it in the passenger's face. Well, the chase was on and they tried to run me down; some quick U-turns convinced them they could not outmaneuver a bike.
Nowadays they are more likely to be packing a gun and no, at age 71 I can't outsprint a bullet! So give 'em a wave!

DieselDan

Not really. The next time they may just run over a cyclists.

forum*rider

heh, I usually try to stay away from the rice rockets filled with rowdy teens.

You should have smiled at them and waved, it really sets them off for some reason.

531Aussie

Isn't it great how fast you can ride in these situations? I've actually tried to replicate the sensation in order to achieve a greater training effect by riding in big, dangerous bunches. Bit silly, I know.

ClevelandGuy

Nice to hear I'm not the only one that acts that way! I've find that if your crazy enough go after a car and lucky enough to catch them, that they are genuinely intimidated. Some here will not agree with these actions but it seems correct when your ridding hard and feel (stoked?) lol, right term? Give 'em Hell ! note: a small cylinder of CS tear gas on board is good insurance; personal protection....!

slvoid

Well just screaming's fine, I wouldn't escalate pass that though. As much as everyone wants to think they're equal, they're not, a 4000lb piece of metal is nothing you can win against.
I would however, jot down the license number, call the cops, make up a story about how the rubberband got into your chain ring, almost threw you off and make a point to bang against a car like I was about to go over. Most dumba$$ kids are out for a joy ride and while probably still hot headed to take a confrontation with 1 biker, probably aren't prepared to handle a police report against them. Especially since their parents are more likely to get pi$$ed by hearing from the police over hearing some story about getting into a fight.

dexmax

did you get the license plate on the civic? In situations like these, I usaullly take not of the license plate no. and file a formal complaint against the motorist.
Or if i'm in a bad mood, just get info on who owns it and harass them (j/king)

RobotSonic

normally ill just flip them the bird and be on my way but the only time ive chased somebody down was when this guy made a right turn right infront of me and some little kids...he pulled into his apartment complex and went into the underground parking so i chased him in before the door shut. I made him come up and appologize to the kids. The building security guard was mad at me until i explained the situation because he commutes to work by bike.
Had the guy just cut me off i probibly woul dhave just yelled some vulgar words and kept going. but the poor little kids couldnt really defend themselves in a case like this.

SSP

No...I had too much of a rage-on to get the license plate number. Too bad, because a friend of mine is a Seargent with the Highway Patrol.

SSP

As p*ssed as I was, it would not have gone physical. I've had a few confrontations like this in the past, and feel comfortable getting in their face and telling them off. I can be pretty "persuasive" if need be. The 4-way stop sign was pretty busy, so it's unlikely they would have tried to fight me, but I had cop-strength pepper spray in my jersey pocket just in case.

brent_dube

Unless its something dangerous, I typically find it best to just leave situations like that alone. (I fear situations where people are angry and agressive when operating an automobile...)

In your case, I think it would have been good to just ignore it, because the whole point of them doing that would be to get a bad reaction from you. Filing a complaint sounds like a good idea

TriDevil

I would have paid to have seen the look on their face when they checked the rearview mirror and saw you barreling down on them. Many times I have been hoping for a stop sign or red light so I can catch up to some 'helpful' motorists. Hasn't happened yet. I applaud you for scaring the crap out of them. Bet they think twice next time.

slvoid

Round here, people pack. Plus you never know when someone'll just nextel *Beep Beep* 20 gang members into the area to [insert deadly attack here] you.
I saw a police video at a gas station of a fight, these 3 teenagers tried to wail on this guy who cut em off going into the gas station. The guy got out and his arms must've been about the size of lance armstrong's thigh. Kids thought they could out number him.
1 punch knocked 1 kid out cold, broke pretty much all his teeth off, broken jaw and cheek bone.
1 punch knocked out the other kid, broke his nose and eye socket, cracked his skull when the back of his head hit a column.
Tall skinny teenager, ok to get a little confrontational. Big guy named Ben, probably not.

Stay safe on the roads.

SSP

Normally, I ignore harrasers, or at most flip them off. But, this wasn't just a matter of being honked at or yelled at. They threw something at me, and hit me, while I was riding nearly 20 mph on a fairly narrow shoulder, with other cars close behind them. It hurt, and it could have caused me to go down in traffic.

If I'd had the presence of mind to get their plate, I would definitely have filed a complaint.

slvoid

Heh get a disposable camera with flash handy in your back pocket. It'll be a nice surprise when they see the flash knowing you now have a record of em.

caloso

This was absolutely a terrible thing to do. The dozen or so times I've done it, I've felt terrible afterwards.

Red Baron

Right/Wrong - who cares, if it goes into illegal stage jury will decide - you just have to acknowledge that something could escalate into a serious situation.
Saying that - Its whats inside of you that counts. I am respectful towards folks, but jeer at me on a bike and I will do exactly what you did or not feel right inside.

auroch

"rice rockets" ???

NZLcyclist

modified japanese cars....like some of the jap stuff in ffast and the furious

Brendon