Originally Posted by
Brocephus
Yeah, it seems like pick-up truck guys are always the most annoyed at having to slow down for 5 whole seconds, or move half a lane to the left. The vast majority of any aggressive/hostile attitude I've seen, has been from pick-up truck drivers. I've long been convinced there's something peculiar in the psyche of guys that are attracted to big pick-up trucks.
They also love to show their displeasure by stomping the gas as they go by, hitting you with a blast of exhaust and that big scary engine sound (while probably sucking up a dollar's worth of gas in their 10-second tantrum!).
I see this routinely, and I mostly ride on rural roads, on a 1-2 foot paved shoulder, doing my absolute best not to obstruct what little traffic is going around me. (if I do find I'm at all impeding traffic, I have no problem pulling over and waving them around, unlike some cyclists I run across when driving).
I've observed for years that the most oblivious, selfish, inconsiderate jerks on the road, tend to be guys driving big, macho pick-up trucks. And about 98% of the time, they have no clue how their turn signal works.
I sadly have to agree with this. It is rare that I have to deal with an aggressive driver, but both times that it escalated involved pickup trucks. Last week while commuting to work I heard a beep from behind. Did not put much thought into it as I was riding the white breakdown paintline and thought it might be a concerned driver. Two lane road, very light traffic, I was going about 18mph. Mind you I had a backpack on and did not have the lycra look that seems to set some drivers off. A blue pickup truck passed me with maybe 6 inches to spare- definitely an oh sh*t moment and got me emotional real quick. I raised my arm in a what are you doing motion and the driver just held his arm out and middle finger extended as he drove on. I screamed a bit (not how I normally handle things but it was way too close) and it took a few miles to settle back in. I will not ride that area again.