Jessica

I wonder, I read about many who have run ins with angry or inattentive cars regularly. I almost never have problems with cars. They zoom by, I ride on.

I suppose you could say I try to stay out of their way, but is it just attitude, or different behavior that keeps me feeling like things are okay on the road? Are there others who feel they have few problems??

iceratt

Maybe it's that you live in the tame backwaters of Sacramento. During the blazing heat of summer, you people learn to get along, and help each other out, or perish. It's the same kind of thing, here, in Little Siberia.

billh

I've been commuting by bike regularly for about 7 years. The first couple years, any little confrontation seemed huge because I was not used to being intimidated like that in a car. Now it doesn't bother me as much. So I think it depends partly on experience, and also where you commute, city vs suburbs.

jharte

Jessica, I'm the same way. I know quite a few people who constantly have run-ins with motorists. I think much of it is just being predictable. I also think a lot of it has to do with what city or part of the country you ride. In the Midwest, people aren't very bike friendly if you delay them even for a couple of seconds! I mind my own business, blow off the honkers and yellers, and just keep riding. It works for me. I like to enjoy my riding despite the butt-holes. Besides......I don't want to get shot!

Mueslix

Boston has some of the most psychotic drivers in the world, so it's hard for me to tell when someone is messing with me, or if it's just their usual way of driving. But I get a good amount of careful, cautious drivers too.

tulip

I ride through Washington, DC everyday on my commute. I have very few problems with motorists, just the occassional honk, which I don't mind since it means that the driver actually sees me. I respect traffic laws, so maybe the drivers appreciate that. A good attitude goes far.

dobber

Basically smooth sailing here, in part due to the low level of traffic outside of town. In town I've learned to anticipate, go with the flow and get off the beaten path when ever possible.

I still give out the occasional "Your Number One" gesture.

ofofhy

It's just the Mass holes that fought their way through the 128/93/95/3 traffic jam venting their frustrations.

pointlessone

i have yet to have any major issues.
I dont know what its like where you are, but in london there are a lot of cyclists now, and in the center (not so much in the suburbs) we get treated much like cars. Just like cars people dont appreciate you being indecisive, not showing where you are going, or being poorly lit, but if you avoid those things i find you get a certain amount of respect. Positioning yourself at junctions in the same place a car would, also helps other road users figure out where you are going.

madhouse

I don't have a problem... But then again, there isn't any traffic out here! In the last 800 miles there have been 2-3 suicide squeeses where 2 cars at 60+ and I meet in a 24' wide road. Just last week I had a pickup and 20' camper pass within 18" of my elbow... with a clear passing lane and no oncoming traffice! But typically I get a lot of respect on the road... More so in the dark with my blinkies.

greenbreezer

I get off work at 2pm so I think in my case, I don't have to deal with people hurrying to/from work. They pretty much leave me alone. But about once or twice a year, I'll have a carload of smart-a$$ teens yell something indistinguishable or throw an object at me. I've had a half-filled Crystal Geyser water bottle thrown at me. Luckily they missed (I guess they were asleep during their physics class where it was explained if you throw an object from a moving vehicle at a moving target, your aim will be different. ). I've also been hit by a paintball gun -- no paint, just a blank cartridge. But it stung like a mother! These incidences are so few and far between that it hasn't discouraged me from riding. I can't recall ever being harassed with malace simply because I'm a rider; they're all just clueless people who have the "ME! ME! ME!" attitude and don't know bikes have rights of way as well and would've dished it out regardless of my mode of transportation.

PaulH

Like velogirl, I commute in the DC area and rarely get hassled. Given that this is one of the top places in the country for road rage, it is something of a puzzle. I think that it is clear to drivers here that other cars, not bikes, are the obstacles to their progress.

Interestingly, the people who report the most hassling seem to live in uncongested areas.

Paul

Daily Commute

Good point. When I'm hassled, the car usually has plenty of space to get around me. A week or so ago, a guy in an SUV honked at me on a five-lane, one-way road. He didn't want to change lanes to pass me even though there were two completely empty lanes to the left. No other cars were near us for blocks. Last night, a car honked at me even though he was able to easily pass me (I knocked on his window at the traffic light and asked if there was a problem. He said he "almost" hit me and that I should have been further over to the right. I just explained that I was in the right place and wished him a safe trip home.)

I get far less hassle when I'm navigating crowded (by Columbus' measure) downtown traffic.

Ed Holland

Mostly fine, but it seems to work somewhat the other way around here. There is a difference in behaviour between the town and country sections of my route though. More trouble in town with cars acting unpredictably and impatiently. On the country roads, cars may not be able to pass for a time. I try to give them the thumbs up or wave them through if/when it is safe to pass and often get an acknowlegement.

Of course there is always one idiot that can ruin things - like the car that pulled onto the roundabout on me yesterday. I know they had seen me. Also the occasional jeering from a carful of baseball capped chavs in a Vauxhall Nova (full body kit, obviously) on an otherwise empty road - but that's just life.

Cheers,

Ed

junioroverlord

I don't have any serious confrontations with motorist, except for the occasional U turn in front of me, or the close calls with thier doors, and the occasional honk.

They know not to mess with me....its the yellow and black handle bar tape that does it.

erraticrider

I agree.

But what still puzzles me is when I am riding on a three lane road, like North Capital, staying in the right hand lane and some car comes up behind me and gives those gentle little toots as if trying to politely let me know that I should get out of the lane for him/her. Duh, there are two other lanes that the car could use.

tulip

It's those little honks that used to bother me, but now they don't. I ignore them. At least I know I'm seen. Plus, there are better roads than N. Cap! I cross N. Cap at R and then descend on 1st to NJ. There's less traffic, although crossing NY can be a bit tricky. NY Ave Station part of Metropolitan Branch Trail is supposedly opening on Saturday. Eventually, the Met Branch Trail will go from Silver Spring to Union Station. That will be a fine day, indeedy.

billh

Geez, I dunno, getting shot with a paintball is pretty extreme. Is this common in San Jose? I admire how you take it in stride. I'd be making a federal case out of it.

erraticrider

I only use N. Capital for two blocks, but it seems that I get one of those polite honks once a week on that miniscule part of my ride. Like I said, its just a puzzle.

As for the MBT, I'm not holding my breath since its been in the works for about ten years. Just part of the ghettoeizing of P.G. county (Green Line through that area was also the last to open).

Diggy18

I almost never have problems. In fact, there were only two times that a driver moved their car in an aggressive way toward me. Both those times happened as I was riding into Philadelphia, and both times the cars were real junkers. The only other minor annoyance comes from cars trying to let me go first instead of following the normal right of way rules.

One thing that surprises me, is how UN-fazed drivers are when I take the lane at an intersection.

super-douper

I'm in south san jose and don't have any problems. I've been honked at one time in the past 2 yrs. Most motorists give me plenty of room, don't complain when I take the lane or cross lanes to make a left turn. I make a point to signal with my arms and hands anytime i'm not going to continue in a straight line, or if I am going to take the lane. There's the occaisonal person who passes me and their mirrir is only about a foot away, but that's rare since the roads I ride on usually have large shoulders or bike lanes or both.

I guess it depends on what part of San Jose, and like greenbreezer said the time of day. I commute during commute times, so I dont' imagine a lot of people carry a paintball gun on the way to and from work.

blackshadow

yeah maybe its because you are a girl and drivers dont seem to be intimidated to do something to hurt you or annoy you in some ways. its a matter of being on places at the right time where there are no stupid or drunk drivers passing you by. be safe and be aware anyway where ever you ride, that way you'll still gonna say.... what a wonderful day to ride, i'll do this for a lifetime!

billh

I dunno, I knew a female cyclist who rides in Chicago and had a half eaten chicken carcass thrown at her . . . and to add insult to injury, she's a vegetarian!

Dchiefransom

I've only had a few smart alec yells, and one yell on a Tour De Cure by someone that thought we made the roads unsafe way out in the country. I believe all of my few close "pass bys" from cars have been unintentional. Maybe it's the "I vote, and I'm The NRA" jersey.

CitiZen

Piggish drivers vary by area here in Grand Rapids. In the center neighborhoods, they seem fine...more cyclists on the streets and smaller cars here to start with. Once you get to the outlying areas (or the knuckle-draggin' west side) the SUVs increase and collective driver IQs decrease.