do drivers ever yell at you on the road?
i was out riding yesterday and the speed limit was 30mph where i was riding. i was going a little over 25mph. this lady (fairly young) came up behind me and started beeping and was like "why are you in the middle of the road?". i stopped at the red light and when it turned green i just did a trackstand for about 10 seconds, just to hold her up (hehe...). she started yelling so loud "what the ****! you gotta be ****ing kidding!! get the **** out of the road!" among other things. it was so funny to me. then we had the chance to flip each other off. my philosophy - the more you beep, the longer im gonna hold you up. cyclists have the same rights to the road as motorists, ya know.
what was the funniest or most intense experience you ever had with a motorist while on the road?
I do agree with what Glenn B said at first, but not at the end.
There are three incidents that now have definitely changed my mind about how to react to those people wielding a three thousand pound weapon.
The first one, I feel like I won, but it was still scary. I'm 6'1" 230 pounds (I've nearly hit 50 MPH going down hill before - the benefit of being large). So anyway, I flip this guy off and he follows me home and gets out of his car, so I move to confront him. Remember I'm a big guy, plus I tend to talk with my hands like an Italiani! Everytime I emphasized something he would take a step back! Finally after asking what the freak he was doing following me home and getting out of his car and asking what he was going to do.
The next incident was the worst personally! I'm toodling along in a bike lane no less. These Bubbas drive by and yell some obscenities at me and I yell something back. When we get to the light the passenger window is open and I ask "what had I done to them?" The passenger gets out of the car and yanks his shirt off and says, "C'mon you wanna fight?" and he's dancing around like Muhammed Ali. I place my bike between him and me. He takes swings so I swing the rear wheel of the bike in his direction, oh also I'm in cleats so I have no traction, and by this time we're on the side-walk and this fool is still coming at me. Finally the driver notices the eight or so cars lined up after him and says to his buddy "Let's go, they're going to get my license!" Then they took off and I was left with the feeling of having my life threatened and nothing but questions in my mind about why this happened! And never during that time did I consider I need to get this fool's license!
The last episode, I read about in the Austin Cycling Association newsletter. This guy was being antagonized by some people in a van and the cyclist didn't back down and went and confronted them just like I confronted the two Bubbas I ran into. The van takes off and turns around in a parking lot with the passenger to the edge of the access road and proceeds to shoot at the cyclist with a gun (Now this in a town that is considered bicycle friendly). Not just once, but after he passes them they take off after him and shoot after him again! Now that really is scary!
So I like Glenn wouldn't suggest antagonizing motorists! The three thousand pound weapon is just too much, not to mention the freaking gun they may use for drive bys or whatever.
So nowadays I wave at them and smile! In my mind I'm thinking you freaking bumb bunny! It tends to infuriate them a bit because I'm not giving the response they expect and desire so they can let out their road rage frustrations.
Remember we're cycling ambassadors! We are trying to build positive relationships between them and us and those of us they will encounter later in their lives. I take this a step further, we don't have the law about passing by at three feet distance from the cyclist so when I do have a truck or bigboned SUV give me the space I wave at them thanks for the respectful distance. I also try to assist them when they are stuck behind me traffic-wise so they can pass me safely without killing me or themselves.
22APR10 THAILAND ; Hot News at 10 PM ; Part1 ; TV Thai ; The Silom Road's Residents which to Resist The Red Shirt Protesters to Be Attacked by M79
 |
No items matching your keywords were found.