This actually happened...
 

I just replied to a post about jerk riders and remembered this.

Last month, I was on one of my usual Sat rides. Same route, nothing particularly happening, when a delivery truck for the Salvation Army comes up from behind (Im on a two lane heavily wooded rural road) and damn near runs me into a brick mail box. Fortunately, I saw the mail box and quickly slowed down. I thought of several expletives to say, but chose to keep my mouth shut, a prudent thing to do in North Florida, but out of reflex I yelled out "Whoa". So the truck lumbers down the road and pulls off to a side road and stops. The driver gets and stands in the middle of the road w/ his arms up in the air waiting for me. "Oh s**t" I said and quickly tried to think of what I had to defend myself. So I t decided to sprint by him. As I was getting closer, he stepped to the side of the road and got down on one knee and was trying to get me to slow down. Once I got close enough and slowed down I could hear him talking, I heard a Caribbean accent. He was apologizing for almost running me off the road. I slowed down and he asked if I was OK. I said yes and quickly thanked him and sprinted off. Once, I got down the road I thought he was probably scared I would report him the SA and just trying to save his job. I was getting to my turnaround point and saw him about 20 min. later and he pulled off the road and let me pass. He waved and I went on my way.

I guess I'll get the type of treatment again.

Maybe he was actually sorry.

yep probably feared you would report him or something. Good on him for pulling over to apologize although I would have questioned his intentions at first as well. I don't think some of those truck drivers realize how far their mirrors stick out and how much turbulance they kick up when they pass by.

I'm in the Bahamas a lot, and generally have found that the drivers there are not NEARLY so hostile towards bikes. The drivers can be crazy, but they'll wait behind a bike until they can safely pass and seem to give a wide passing margin to the club rides they have going on there. I don't see a lot of road rage, even with the sporatic and badly organized road work clogging everything up (talking about New Providence here).

Entirely possible the guy was actually just sorry for cutting you off once he realized. A lot of people completely zone out while driving and get tunnel vision. At least, I hope he was actually sorry and will keep his eyes open in the future. =p

I'm inclined to think that the guy did zone out and simply scared the crap outta both of you. It's entirely possible that he was only concerned for his job, but I think it at least as likely, if not more, that he was genuine in his concern for your safety after realizing he'd squeezed you.

It's often hard for drivers to gauge how much room they are leaving a cyclist on the side of their car - especially when the obstacle ahead is only relevant to you. I need to second think everything when I'm in a car and I see a cyclist on the road, since I know what I'd be looking for on the bike.

Also, I don't think it'd be wise to speed up and sprint right past him. Had he been aggressive and angry he might just clothesline you as you speed right by.

should have hit him up for at least a $20...sheesh...could have bought some tubes.

Related story. Salvation Army in our city had a truck they sent to fires and such with food and drink for the victims and emergency guys. Nice idea but the guys that drove the SA truck thought that they should get to the fire before the fire trucks. SA truck is coming the opposite way at way over the speed limit and tears the mirror off one of our tanker trucks. Found out later that was just one of many things the SA truck hit. No longer in operation at request of the fire department!

I also think they tend to underestimate how fast a bike may be moving, thus exacerbating the problem.

Maybe the SA gets their drivers the same way they get the goods in the Thrift Stores.

Overall, this is a positive story. The guy may not have been completely altruistic but to actually stop and apologize?

I doubt I've had people yell "sorry" more than a dozen times in 30+ years.

double