Drivers who intimidate and drive at cyclists are nothing more than miserable cowards
 

3 years of riding a bike and I can't come up with any other conclusion. It's always the same culprit, same car, same incident, same roads...

I had 3 incidents today and I'm just sick of it and need to rant. I was biking home from a single track trailhead. My route home is a massive MUP alongside a road, so it's totally seperated. I'm traveling WITH traffic, when this car comes speeding into a plaza. I have to slam on the brakes (I have the clear right of way) before this idiot hits me. He stops and I literally scream at him for 10 seconds. He turns his head away and doesn't even look at me.

I'm crossing an intersection not even a kilometer from this incident^ when some guy in a truck honks at me and starts yelling. Of course he has his window up and honked when I was halfway across. He then turns right and drives slower then normal. I think it was an invitation for me to come confront him, but I rode straight off. Typical pickup truck driver. I'm 6 feet, 200 pounds and would pummel him, and this middle aged guy knew it hence the cowardly tactics.

Next, we have a classic right hook. Some lady right hooks me AND a pedestrian on the MARKED MUP, just to get into a parking lot. As she was struggling to look for a parking spot, I rolledu p and told her that she needed to be careful. She apologized and was genuinely sorry (or was she?)

No matter where I bike, I encounter the same BS. The same drivers trying to get to Walmart or McDonald's 5 seconds faster and in the process, almost killing people. When you catch up to them at a red light, they're completely silent and won't even look you in the eye. These people are nothing more than miserable cowards who are often out of shape, obese, or just mad about SOMETHING.... bad marriage? Crappy job? It's infuriating to say the least and I just need to rant..

Today I had an old guy, probably served in Korea, honk and point over towards the oncoming traffic lane like he thought I should ride against traffic. I gave him a peace sign since I think flipping them off only encourages them.I don't care what anyone says, riding on trails and paths that cross wherever cars can drive is a setup for problems.

My housemate "confronted" a truck driver who made an illegal left turn and cut him off on his bike.

The truck driver beat the crap out of him.

(Housemate got it on video, cops were called, truck driver ran, license plate number was on video, I'm assuming driver got arrested, haven't asked.)

This is one of the reasons I 1, don't confront drivers, just shake my head and keep riding and 2. carry a pocket knife with me at all times. Fists vs. knife = knife wins unless redneck truck driver knows any sort of martial arts, which is highly doubtful.

Get it on video, put it on Youtube with location information, then file a report with the police department responsible for that area.

It does seem like it's the mouth breathing knuckle draggers who cause a lot of problems for cyclists.

3 years? Just because you are on a MUP parrelling the road doesn't give you the right of way when entering the roadway.

Actually, I do have the right of way. It's clearly stated in the Highway Traffic Act and on the dozens of signs posted along the road.

I don't mean to stereotype, but it's always the same type of person. Either some 30 something year old miserable looking lady or some obese middle aged guy in a pickup truck. Always a white van, pickup truck or sports car.

Not to be cocky, but I guarantee that unless the person is trained in some sort of martial art or packed with muscle, they won't make a dent. Not to say that I go looking for fights, but when people almost kill you, it's hard to control yourself. I usually just yell at them or give them the finger. In the event that somebody actually attempts to touch me with their fists, they'll get a deserved beating.

This is why I'm quitting road cycling. I'm only going to commute and transition fully into mountain biking (which I enjoy more). Too many idiots and crazy people on the road. I don't want to deal with that crap.

I hear you, OP. I have have these situations often unfortunately. I'm always shocked at how downright stupid a lot of motorists are about riders. I had a super trashy looking couple in a pickup the other day first blow their horn at me for no reason whatsoever, then slow down so the woman passenger could angrily yell 'you should be riding on the sidewalk!'. You wonder how in this day and age anyone can not know that cars share the roads with cyclists..

Editing to add: I wouldnt recommend confrontations with these drivers, OP. SO many people carry guns in their cars. I've had it happen on the freeway where someone waved one. When I called the police the dispatcher told me it happens a lot.

Where I ride - old mostly abandoned higways - I'm often completely isolated. All it would take is one redneck type with a pistol to shoot me and nobody would ever know about it..

Doesn't surprise me. I was descending Golden Gate Canyon one day, and heard scream in the distance. I didn't think much about it, but it got closer. A car overtook me, then matched my speed so some hillbilly [term meaning female dog] could hang out the window screaming in my face:

"GET THE F*** OFF THE ROAD YOU A**HOLE!!!"

I mentioned this here a few years ago, and one wag suggested I should have grabbed her and swerved for the ditch, pulling her out the window;
"It would have been worth the crash!":roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

Does your mate know you posted this? My friends would not let me lives that down. I'm sorry to laugh at his misfortune but those things can and do happen in a confrontation unfortunately for me I can visualize the incident and it struck me funny.

No one knows who I am let alone who my current housemate is. Who cares anyway.

The world is full of idiots. Don't let them mess with your serenity.

Three incidents in one day?!? By what you have said, either you are super unlucky or doing something (maybe body language) that people in general don't care for, and you're ticking them off in some way.

The perception I'm getting...

Oh dear, the stereotypes here are rife. I don't know whether the OP thinks all this is abnormal, but to me it's not unusual. It's a matter of riding with awareness of what's going on around me.

And this statement: "but when people almost kill you"... what evidence is there that they almost killed you? Did you end up in hospital on life-support in a coma for a month or two? Touch and go in the operating theatre putting you back together? No and no.

Hyperbole is one thing, but it sounds to me as though you have anger management issues, what with the threats to beat people up. It also sounds to me that it's a good thing you are giving up road cycling, because you can't handle it.

By the way, tell me how many hundreds of other drivers were out that day and didn't come near you or nearly do you harm.

Hey I agree, there are many nice drivers out there that go out of their way to be careful around you as you ride.

But.. I totally understand where the OP is coming from. I live in a redneck area and I've had many of these incidents, and it's darn frustrating - and scary. I dont cut people off on my bike, I dont get in peoples' way, I'm a mellow rider. But still these things happen.

The reality is there are just a lot of creepy, chickensh*t people out there in addition to the good ones. Call it hyperbole if you like but that doesnt change how things are.

Here is an example of just how big an a**hole a motorist can be.
I'm centered in a 3' wide bike lane.
Notice how the cager has folded in the righthand mirror to enable buzzing closer to cyclists.
Police report has been filed, and links to video provided to them.
Also put it on the Close Call Database.

I've had a couple of cars beep at me while passing and one dirt bike buzz me. There was plenty of room each time so I can only assume its because they had to take a little extra effort to move left. I normally wear a sleeveless jersey and have the arms and chest to fill it out though, so maybe that's why the other 9,997 people have been so polite. Or not, and I've just been lucky.

Keith

Wow where do you guys live?

I have a close call now and then but never this kind of stuff. And I ride a lot of road miles.

Crazy.

Ticking people off? You mean legally riding on the road, or on a MUP and minding my own business? Lol. OK buddy.

Most people would get angry when incidents like these happen almost every single day. It adds up and it's completely unacceptable.

Either you're super ignorant or just extremely patient. The speed in which these people buzz or right hook me at could very well kill me. If neither of us decides to slam on the brakes at the last minute, I'm going to end up losing, which is why I am so cautious and get so pissed.

And you're right, I may have slight anger issues, but I can control it. I ignore most idiots and bad drivers, but when it adds up and you get 3 consecutive incidents, anybody would snap. Where I live, road cycling or even commuting isn't even an option. Nobody rides bikes and those who do, ride on the sidewalk. The city I'm in has the highest ratio of car crashes per 1000 people in the country and the cycling infrastructure is utterly pathetic. I rather save all the drama, stress and my life and just Mountain Bike. Yea, there's still ample risks, but 0 cars.

I live in Canada, but I reside in a suburb where drivers are crazy and nobody cycles. Even the country roads are horrid, as they're often unpaved or too narrow.

You live in Cali, lucky man... Tonnes of cyclists and good infrastructure. At least people are aware of cyclists over there.

I agree. No man is an island as they say. Being harassed by motorists is no different than being picked on by bullies in school. It adds up.

Although most drivers where I live have been very accommodating, it's the *******s that you remember. They can ruin one's day.

Thanks!
Your detailed and scientific research should lead to safer cycling for the rest of the world.
30 year old women and obese men in pickup trucks have now been officially categorized.
Who are you and where do you ride btw that you are so terrorized multiple times daily?
MUPs *shakes head*

The sheer sarcasm and arrogance emanating from you is part of the reason why so many motoroists hate cyclists. Let me guess, had I been taking the lane on the road on a 2015 Specialized Secteur Elite, I would have been safe? :roflmao2:

Lots of fwits out there Second Vic cyclist in hit-run incident - 9news.com.au

smile and wave, they wont change