Got screamed at by a driver at 5:00 AM
 

I was stopped at a light at 5:00 AM this morning on a very well lit street when a driver rolled down his window to inform me that I was a "f...ing" moron for riding my bike in the street. Mind you, I was standing in the bike lane. He shouted that I should be riding on the sidewalk. As he drove away he yelled something about understanding hit and run drivers. A bit unsettling. Hopefully our paths don't cross again.

Driver obviously was having a bad day. Probably didn't sleep well last night. Good on you for not escalating the situation. :thumb: Pedal On!

I always smile and wave. One guy came back for me but I eluded him.

HEY! Get out of the bike lane if you're just going to stand around!

Sounds like a problem that could be solved with a bran muffin and some warm prune juice :thumb:

As long as you were running lights/reflectors, and were visible, I wouldn't worry about it.
(He might have had a bad scare with a cycling "ninja" in the past??)
Just some knob blowing off steam cause he's so happy with his wonderful life...
Forget about him and as mentioned above ... Pedal On!!

Many people don't know what a bike lane is. I had a guy buzz me last summer, I followed him to the church parking lot he pulled into. He got out and yelled that I was in the middle of the road. I just smiled and snapped a pic of his license plate.

The cops probably won't do anything, but it certainly scares em when you take a picture of the plate. I do call the non emergency line every time and report it, just in case they have history.

Obviously you did the right thing (I suppose). But... if the story had of went something like... I was stopped at a light at 5:00 AM this morning on a very well lit street when a driver rolled down his window to inform me that I was a "f...ing" moron for riding my bike in the street. I got off my bike, walked over to the car and asked "who you callin' a moron, dips..t?!?' He started to mouth off again, but before he could get a sentence in, I snatched the door open, jerked the a..hole out, and beat the crap out of him right then and there. He went cryin' home to mama.

Yep, one can dream... :)

I love a happy ending. :thumb:

It happens.

I have to wonder how many of these screaming nutjobs are actually DUI.

Get his plate and call the police. That's all.

Immediately, from the side of the road. Not later on during the day.


-Tim-

Ironically, he could probably get in more trouble for making threats, than he would from actually hitting you, and then playing innocent afterwards.

Kudos to you for not escalating.

A few times I have asked if they'd rather I drive to the gym and get on the exercise bike...You know, like a normal person.

Their response is always entertaining.

I bike commute and have been running a helmet cam for 5 years. I have had encounters like yours, but not since I started recording my rides. Since then I have thought about what my response would be in a situation like yours.

Like pointing to my helmet cam and saying calmly, "Anything else you want to share with the internet?"

or, "Smile, you're on video!"

or, simply pointing at the camera and its red recording light.

...but the smart response is no response, and non-escalation.

Quite a few years ago on a wide quiet residential street I had a car with its windows down swing over close as it rushed passed and honked at me. I honked back with my AirZound Airhorn, The driver schreeched to a stop, got out and started walking back to me in a menacing manner. I stopped, pulled out my flip-phone, opened it and held it out in front of me as if I were recording a video (even though it didn't even have a camera). The woman in the passenger seat started yelling frantically for him to get back in the car, and they sped off.

If there is any hope of ever bring back civility in this country, the video camera is (sadly) about the only way it's ever gonna happen. It stands in place of this thing called a "conscience", which most people used to have many years ago. It's what keeps us honest in situations when we think no one is watching or we think there is no way to get punished for committing a bad act.

This one time I was touring across PA and left camp in the dark. Got about a half mile and started worrying that I had left something back at camp. Stopped, leaned forward and started going through my left, front pannier. Guy in a pickup truck stops and asks me if I am OK. Guess my position made him think I was puking or about to pass out. I explained what I was doing and thanked him for his concern. The day before I had seen a young bear while riding the Pine Creek Trail.

That is all.

"Sticks and Stones."

I keep a small canister of pepper gel handy in a jersey pocket just in case it turns into more than words.

In general it Is best to ignore them. If you have to say something try "How about we turn you in so that you can take the driving test again and learn the rules of the road". That seems to shock most of these people.

When I lived in Florida the antics were severe. People liked to throw things such as golf balls, trash and even a full big gulp cup. I pretty much just get lip service as they pass on occasion here in the high dessert.

+1. Confuses about half of them, infuriates the other half even more though, but makes me feel good about myself.

I'm not about to let someone else's crappy life ruin my day.

so using a bike lane for your bike is now justification for attempted murder or murder & fleeing the scene :foo:

that's a good idea. I've done this & the cops said they would look up the driver & talk to them. a verbal threat can be considered an assault if it causes fear. touching you, is assault & battery

This article on the subject explains it well...​​​​​​

​Confronting a motorist from your bike is never worth it

This is why I always try to remember my GoPro. I could mount it surreptitiously somewhere on the bike, but it does seem that since I started running with obviously sticking up from the top of my helmet (plus that lets me aim it better) that comments and threats from drivers have diminished.

If you record it, I highly recommend submitting the portion of the video to the cyclists close call/encounter database. They won't necessarily do anything with it immediately, but they can look up license plates, so if this driver ever does something directly, they will have evidence that may make the penalty a bit harsher.

https://closecalldatabase.com/