TacomaSailor

I once did some auto touring and hiking in rural South Africa. One day I was hiking across the savanna while trying to sneak up on some Zebra. I was in tall grass that was up to my shoulders and sometimes over my head. I had been having a great time for an hour or so. Suddenly I realized that I was in a park that included the name "leopard preserve" and I was a mile from my car and I had not seen another human for several hours.

At that point I experienced exactly the same feeling I get while bicycling on a fast two lane road with narrow shoulders - there is something approaching that wants to kill me and I am not able to do much about it.

I am the small defenseless gazelle waiting, watching, and listening for the toothsome predator to leap on me and slowly, painfully devour me.

I don't know why I feel that way - I've only been hit from behind three times, seen my wife get hit from behind twice, and have been hit head on twice by cars coming over a blind hill on my side of the road.

degnaw

And you're still alive and well? Maybe you should invest in some lottery tickets.

ddimick

Mutual distrust.

byte_speed

"stay weary" good one. I'm beginning to suspect there is more than one idiot.

Yesterday, a guy threw a half full can of beer at me. You know there is a lot of pent up hate when a redneck throws away his beer with no cops around. Apparently, it wasn't his first one, as he missed me by 20+ ft.

Less than a mile later, a car buzzed me when I was on the paved shoulder a foot or two from the traffic lane. After he passed, he moved away from the right white line back toward the center of his lane.

First time I have had an incident of any sort for maybe a year. Be careful out there.

Machka 

Cars are simply other vehicles who are also using the road. No biggie.

baiskeli

No relationship with the cars, relationship with the drivers. Good with most, but not so good with a few.

But that is true even when I'm driving.

My closest call recently was a few days ago driving to work. I come to a rotary, there are no cars, I enter the rotary. Drivers in the rotary have right of way, and there are "Yield" signs entering rotaries. There are 2 lanes coming into the rotary from the right (for anyone who knows it, this is the Rotary on Rt 16 where it spits into Rt 16 and Mystic Valley Parkway). As I navigate the rotary, a driver, driving a huge SUV blasts into the rotary from the right at close to 50 MPH (on a 30 MPH road with a 25 mph sign before the rotary). They didn't look, didn't even bother slowing down. I was very lucky to see them (the driver next to them stopped before the rotary to yield to me and other drivers in the rotary). The SUV missed my car by less than a foot and only because I stood on the brakes in full on panic mode (almost getting rear ended by the driver behind me). I drive a small car, it (and I) would have not fared well against a Cadillac Escalade. The driver who had yielded to me actually shook their head in shock and disgust at the other driver.

This is the same rotary where a driver (yet another SUV) did the same thing, I braked hard. After said rotary, I had the misfortune to then find myself next to them on the 2 lane (each side) road. They decided to change lanes into my lane sans signal and they forced me over the yellow line into oncoming traffic. When I honked they rolled down their window, gave me the finger while yelling and cursing and then brake-checked me. And then I noticed they had a "Baby on Board" sign. I actually kicked myself for not getting their number plate to report the "brake checking".

Point is, I really don't have a problem with cars, I own 2 (one that I use, one that my wife uses). I have a problem with aggressive/dangerous/clueless drivers whether I'm in a car or on a bike. It's just that on a bike you are much more aware of it (though there are drivers who go out of their way to intimidate cyclists).

I did have someone pass me in a really beautiful old Volvo sports car when I was out riding. When I caught them at the light, I gave them a "Nice car". That turned into a very long and interesting conversation about car mechanics, the intricacies of restoring old Volvos etc.

rousseau

Just to clarify...by "rotary," do you mean roundabout?

taka

Here in Honolulu, there are so many drivers that have no respect for cyclists on the road and don't even understand a cyclists rights on the road. Two days ago, I was at a red light in the right lane of two lanes (there is no bike lane). Directly behind me, a driver in a van honks at me and tells me to get out of her way. She had her window down so I looked back and told her that I wasn't going to get off the road and that I have rights on the road as a cyclist. She told me a couple more times to get out of the way. I looked back forward and stayed where I was in the middle of the lane. The light turned green and she was driving so close behind me and honked a few more times before deciding to pass me. However she passed so close that the side of her van brushed against my arm (not injuring me or my bike and not causing me to fall or anything). After brushing against my arm, I put my hand against the side of the van for a split second in case she turned into me where I could get pushed to the side rather than knocked over. I reported it all to the police and gave them her license plate number. They told me they'd make her take counseling to make her be a more considerate driver. I don't know if this is enough because I don't know if they could actually educate her, plus there are so many other drivers out there that also need educating about cyclists rights and safety on the road.

What she did was very dangerous and if I can't trust many drivers, it's difficult to have a good relationship with drivers in Honolulu. Things like these happen every so often to me and I don't really let it affect me. I know that I can't really do much about it or if it's worth doing anything about.

mattm

They're fine as long as they don't hit me or get in the way.

baiskeli

Yes I do.

rubic

This is my attitude, also. I attempt to blend in predictably for the other drivers and it does work, for the most part.