A-hole drivers on the road?
 

I'm new to road cycling, have only been riding about a year. Love everything about it except sharing the road with idiot drivers. Just about every time I am out riding there is always a hostile driver or two who honk or get within three feet of me when no one else is coming in the other lane. I've been flipped off a few times for no good reason.

Question is, how do you guys deal with A hole drivers? How many confrontations have you been in?

And you don't live in Miami.

How do I deal with it? I don't. I just ignore them. An a-hole driver will always be an a-hole driver, and unfortunately nothing you say or do will ever change that. Engaging them will only lead to anger on both sides and nothing good will come of that. You get used to the honks and the fingers, and even the name-calling. Big deal. The buzzing is unnerving but really there is nothing you can do about it, and the only way to avoid a crash is to not flinch. If they're going to hit you, they're going to hit you. Riding is great most of the time, don't let these a-holes ruin it even more for you. If they manage to keep you off the roads, then they really do win.

I live in northeast CT and it is not a densely populated area. I do not have the problems you describe.

smile and wave

Thanks for the input, just thought I'd see what you guys have to say for "entertainment purposes". :)

I agree that nothing good will come from getting in a pissing match with a driver, and I will try avoid that. I've never given fingers back, although I've wanted to.

Fortunately here in CA they will be making it a crime to drive closer than 3 feet of a cyclist, goes into effect in September.

I just ignore it. I use to yell back and flip a few guys off Even but then I thought I am just asking for trouble. I ride in a park that literally has signs up and the roads are even spray painted that say share the road and it's low traffic on top of all that and people still yell. Honestly cycling is one of those sports that unless you do it, you are gonna be pissed if someone is in your way while driving or think everyone is a douce bag or part of the Tour de France if your riding with a few people in spandex It's just how it is.

I don't want to give the impression that I'm some Buddhist Monk or something either. It pisses me off to no end. At the end of the day, though, it's best to just let it go. You never know who is going to go off the deep end and shoot you or run over you or whatever. Nothing will ever change their minds or make them come to their senses.

1. Wear a helmet cam to capture what happens.
(1080 resolution recommended for reading license numbers from the video)

2. Don't react. Just ignore them.

I used to be quick with the finger, but the driver wins if you do that. You're giving them what they want. The best way to piss people off is to ignore them. It works on the road and in day-to-day life.

I had a guy pull over, get out of his car, and stand in the middle of the road to stop me once (luckily it didn't turn physical). Pretty sure that wasted more time than slowing down for 10 seconds. Yes, I was in CA when that happened. 9 times out of 10 when people pull a dick move around here they'll have CA plates.

I've only reacted once, it sure didn't improve the a-hole's opinion of cyclists...unless fear of a temporarily off his rocker cyclist is your objective. Now I just wave and smile. F with me in your Prius while I'm in my German cage though, and its game on. ;-)

good riding technique helps a lot...

the only person that buzzed me in Oregon had CA plates. We must breed idiots in our DMV offices as part of the testing procedure.

i've got into in a couple times, most people are only tough when they feel safe inside their automobiles.

I'm not recommending you do this but i've kicked in some guy's door before, for almost writing me off, he wasn't looking where he was going and just missed me, i caught up to him at the next light and showed him what i thought of his driving.

Most people aren't as tough as they tried to be. I was driving in traffic going to work, a guy was trying to make an illegal lane change, i just kept on my way. Apparently he got mad because i didn't stop to let him in, like waiting a couple cars was going to kill him. He pulled directly behind me at the next light and flipped the bird to me for a good 2 minutes. I parked my car in the lane, proceeded to leave my car and walked up to his car door and told him to get out of his car and tell me what his problem is (there may have been a raised tone and a few choice words that i probably am not allowed to say on this wonderful forum). He didn't even look at me or make any eye contact and it looked like he was ****ting his pants. It was some office downtown yuppie in his brand new benz. Didn't want any part of it, probably should have thought about it before he did what he did.

It's stupid how people in cars think they own the road. To be honest in many situations i'm in a lane halfway or 1/3 of a lane from the curb. If someone wants to go by me they can pass. i'm not risking any damage by riding close to the curb to myself or to my bike, i don't need any door prizes.


I'm generally calm but in situations where it doesn't make any sense to me is when i give ppl a piece of my mind. Hopefully it makes them think twice next time.

once again i don't recommend any of the things i do, but sometimes you just can't help it.

Rural CT is great.

You let them win if you get angry on 2 wheels, so don't! You'll be just like the grouchy fat cager sitting in traffic :innocent:
Oyyy veyyy, There are these folks who have an Amusement park website, travel all over the world going to theme parks. They used to live in CA but said the A-holes made them move to Florida....I'd like to move one day too.

I think full kit buys you some respect, as well as getting in shape.

lucky they're cute, these fish-eating glad-handers are some of theee WORST a-holes out there when they're on the road. whether behind the wheel or a handlebar.

Had my first confrontation on Friday's commute home. It was fairly benign. I was following the rules of the road, stopped at a stop light when a guy pulls up beside me with his window down and says cycling on the road is rediculous. I politely said "it's legal". He said it didn't matter when I got hurt. That was pretty much the end of it. Most folks have been pretty decent. Some areas of Colorado are much more tolerant and used to bicycles than others. Boulder and Steamboat are extremely friendly areas to ride.

It seems like this thing happens more in the states. I had that one situation where a guy almost smoked me on my bike. But in toronto no one is yelling at you to move or telling you that it's rediculous that you're on the road. I ride in traffic quite often and it's generally pretty good. I'd probably end up in way more "situtaions" if i was in the US of A.

I live in Northern California and the only person that I've had come close to me was on opening weekend of fishing season. Gotta love tourists.

I've been responding with a friendly wave. The jerks are few and far between where I ride, so horns and fingers don't happen often.

There's too much road rage in today's world to chance responding in an angry way.

Good memory! Difference with me is I'm not letting idiot drivers stop me from cycling like that guy did.

Ignore.