flipped4bikes

I got back at a driver that deemed it necessary to stop in the middle of the road and argue with me about buzzing me. I called up his company that he worked for and reported his behavior. Let's say they weren't happy about their employee acting like an a**.

Cypress

It's nice when people do funky stuff in company vehicles. I got hit by a truck that had Dealer tags on it two years ago. I went to the dealership the next day and asked the guy why he didn't stop after he had hit me, and his respose was "Oh, I didn't see you". When I asked how he knew he had hit me, but didn't see me, he got called his manager and they tried to "escort" me out of the building.

Luckily my lawyer is a cyclist and slapped them pretty hard.

Dalai

Mobile phones with inbuilt camera are good for that!

I have had enough run in's to realize the futility in retaliation (even hand signals ) as it only aggravates the situation. They are still sitting in a one tonne missile, and most drivers - especially those that are more likely to offend will not acknowledge the cyclists rights to be on the road in the first place. So logical discussion is a waste of breath!

Snicklefritz

the first thing that came to mind when I read your post was the scene in The Sound of Music where the two nuns go up to the other one and say "Reverend Mother, we have sinned", and then show her the parts that they took out of the nazi's cars.

ok, so maybe what you did was a bit much, but I don't blame you for it. I've wanted to do the same thing myself a number of times. I don't do it though because I'm a small female and it's too risky, particularly if I'm riding alone.

cooker

And so end your dreams of making it big on American Idol.

furiousferret

Unfortunately, the point everyone is missing is you are the cyclist and they are the driver. Psychologically, they dont really think much of you. Anyone in spandex, I dont care how big you are, is considered a sissy. You can put Shaq on a Trek with spandex and people with start crap with him.

Now, I can bench 225 x10, boxed in the Marines, and wrestled in high school and have been in a few 'street fights.' Still I'm not entirely sure I could kick anyones ass with my carbon shoes and speedplay cleats on, and I sure dont want to challenge some who may have a weapon in thier car, or use thier car as a weapon.

Now, if anyone comes near clipping my wife, I'll go after them like a mother hen. I dont really care if they kick my ass or not.

CastIron

Bingo!
Not that I'm Captain Innocent. I've had my share of 'moments'. But at the end of the day I feel better and think it's a better decision to just soldier on with a smile and a wave to--pretty much everyone. In fact I make it a point to greet peds I'm passing.

If I have to talk to the dipstick I try the whole 'Have you found Jesus?' religious bit. Nobody wants to get stuck getting that spiel.

DnvrFox

A fellow in Denver is dead, another in jail for life.

Neither of their kids have a dad, nor do their wive's have a husband.

Bicycle/vehicle road rage, a gun in a car and boom, a dead bicycler.

What in the world does "getting back" accomplish, anyway? Perhaps a childish feeling of "revenge." But what has really been accomplished?

One more driver who hates bicyclists, and will possibly injure the next bicycler they see.

One bicycler likely put in serious danger.

At the best, get the license number and report the driver to the police. Otherwise, control your anger, and just grin and bear it.

oboeguy

My brother once got his a55 kicked for yelling at a bad driver. No, really, the dude jumped out of his truck (this was in Brooklyn around the Cobble Hill area, IIRC) grabbed my brother from behind and began a beat-down (I believe charges were pressed, etc). It was a while back so I don't remember the details exactly. Anyhow, now he doesn't say anything to bad drivers and chastises me when I scream at some lunatic. I never a million years would have expected that.

The lesson is that it doesn't matter if you have the moral high ground so to speak: you could get your butt kicked or worse in a confrontation so STFU and ride (I'm trying to follow my own advice but it's not easy!). That and learn to memorize license plate numbers. So you can track down the car and do violence to it when nodody's looking. Not that I endorse that. (or ever have done it, but the fantasy makes me feel warm and fuzzy)

urbanknight

I'd go for the bad parenting. I was riding down one of my normal routes when some teens thought it would be funny to lean out of the passenger side of a pickup truck and slap my @$$, and in the process, tapped my bar, but luckily I didn't go down. By the time I realized wtf had happened, the truck was already far enough I couldn't make out its plate. The funniest part is that I was in high school a the time, riding 1/4 mile from the school, and the kids probably went there too. It's probably better I never found out who it was.

The one and only time I confronted a driver about something, I turned out to be wrong. I was making a right turn in a bike lane so I didn't stop for the red. Of course, doing so at about 25 mph to "keep my average speed up" scared the driver who was going through the intersection, to which she honked, scaring me as well. I followed her into a parking lot and asked her why she had a problem when I stayed in the bike lane. She calmly (but condescendingly) explained that when I did that, it looked like I was darting out into the intersection or about to crash right in front of her. She had a point, I had nothing to argue in return, so I apologized and went on my way a little red faced.

Sure, I've fantasized about getting revenge on those who were truly being an @$$hole, but I keep it in my fantasy. I've heard stories about rubbing cleats along the side of the offending car, bopping the driver on the head with a frame pump, etc. but I'd rather just count my lucky stars that I didn't get hurt and avoid any confrontation which will most likely just lead to more rage and erratic bahavior. I suppose if I actually caught up to someone, I would calmly ask if they realized what a danger they caused, but if they disagree, I will agree to disagree and move on. Many drivers hate us already, best not to create waves.

You know the best person for us to talk about with this issue? Friends who don't ride. It gives a whole new perspective. I tried to justify why a pack of 100+ cyclists should be allowed to take up one of two west-bound lanes on a moderately busy street (Simi Ride), and she contends that it's still rude to cause the traffic to narrow to one lane, even though the pack goes 30 in the 40 zone, which is more than can be said about the busses that use the same lane. It's just a matter of opinion.

Willks

This must be a Connecticut thing. "Punk Kids" love to hang out the window and harass me as they drive by. I've also had many bottles thrown at me as well. I've never found myself in your type of situation but I think you handled it well. It could have easily progressed into something allot worse if you didn't put an end to it. I probably would have done the same thing as well.

botto 

if you don't respect yourself noboday is going to respect you

domestique

+1! What people don't realize is after you throw water at the car, or take some other form of retaliation, the angry driver is STILL in the car......

(pissed off driver + CAR) * (bike with spandex biker)= Dead biker

KrisPistofferson

Well, I've gotten fed up enough to try and chase drivers down for driving too close and/or honking. The one time I actually caught up with one, it was a car load of young guys, who really didn't "want none."

HAMMER MAN

when I lived in ventura Ca. harrassment never seemed to happen ,here in Texas it seems ongoing.
Alot of fools and idiots out there who take pleasure in cajoling, and trying to scare the crap out of you. by veering into you or throwing things at you.

More than once I have had to use physical force for my personal protection, as they got out and initiated
a confrontation left them on the ground and walked away with no guilt.
Twice I have taken people to court for attempted assult with a motor vechicle, won those also.

unfortuantely sometimes you can't walk or ride away.

HAMMER MAN

when I lived in ventura Ca. harrassment never seemed to happen ,here in Texas it seems ongoing.
Alot of fools and idiots out there who take pleasure in cajoling, and trying to scare the crap out of you. by veering into you or throwing things at you.

More than once I have had to use physical force for my personal protection, as they got out and initiated
a confrontation left them on the ground and walked away with no guilt.
Twice I have taken people to court for attempted assult with a motor vechicle, won those also.

unfortuantely sometimes you can't walk or ride away.

Gus Riley

Nah, I never do this any longer...usually I get in return, "Ah go f&^% yourself" or something along those lines. I like what the OP did.

galen_52657

I think this is the best approach.

I am working on some justice for 4 crotch-rocket pilots who have harassed my girlfriend and I on two separate occasions while we were riding through Loch Raven Reservoir in Baltimore County. In both instances, the 4 motorcycles knew we were up in front of them on the road and then approached us at a high rate of speed and passed us going as fast as they could - I would guess at over 80 MPH in a 25 MPH zone.

If you have a digital camera, it most likely will also shoot a short video. My camera will shoot 15 seconds on high resolution. Since these a-holes are creatures of habit I am going to ride through the area every evening after work this week as the weather is nice. You can hear these morons going through the gears for half a mile before the get close so I will have plenty of time to get my camera out and ready. I will film them doing their thing then call the police.

If you get the tag number of an offender and get the cops on there arse, that is the best and most lasting revenge.

cs1

I hate to agree but, he is 100% correct. My father always said it isn't worth it to be DEAD RIGHT. Van vs bike doesn't look too promising to me.


Tim

ho hum

One summer I had a guy pass me very closely and yelling and gesturing at me. We happened to be in town and I saw him pull into a grocery store and park. I followed the car in and the guy jumped out and went into the store. He had left his window down and so I poured two bottles of gatorade on his seat. Made me feel better.

RiPHRaPH

the next cyclist he meets will incur the driver's wrath.

cyclintom

I've got the BEST way:

I get back at drivers who disrespect me by not EVER being upset with them. I'm out having fun and their lives are so empty and vacant that they have to try to scare someone to brighten their own stupid lives. In a way I'm actually happy that they need to do that because it shows me just how fulfilled bike riders are and how jealous the horses asses are that do that.

It is especially gratifying to see that the people who act absolutely the worst towards others are rich neighborhood witches driving SUV's. Imagine how damned they feel even though they have everything?

So I retain a smug understanding that people who honk, take a close pass, don't give you right-of-way or the cops that sit there, see it happen and do nothing are already paying for it.

corny

I have had a couple of incidents;

I was very nearly taken by a large Mitsubishi truck on a rather wide road, who then proceeded to cut in front of me and slow down. I gave the finger being rather annoyed, and he sped up a little then stopped and waited for me. I was tempted to turn around but figured he could follow, and so on challenging me I simply said he overtook dangerously, then apologised for giving the finger. He then sped off once again.

When returning home from a fairly long ride, I was doing around 30 mph down a slight gradient, when a large group of teenagers stepped out into the road in a long line to try to block my path. I simply sped up at them and almost by luck whipped between some of them - i thought my chances were better than stopping and having the wheels taken or something!

Chucklehead

you know... this is exactly how i solve all of my disputes. the fact is that the majority of the time, i will challenge my adversaries to a duel. we will find an empty field and face off with our sabers - not our guns. firearms are for more dire situations. like...ones where we robbing trains. because we all carry guns and we all rob trains and have shootouts in the streets. because we're american. it's just what we do when we're not at work and living like folks who live in normal countries. like canada.

sometimes you come across as a smart guy. other times...

Red is Faster!

You admit to watching the Sound of Music? You have memorized lines from said movie?