dokie

ok so im sure this has happed to everyone. your consentrating on your ride and as a car passes you they yell something. usually HS or college kids just being annoying but i was wondering if i got a licence plate # what could i do with it.....is that harasment maybe..? do they have to do it more than once to be harasement?..what if they buzz you while they do it..?

anyone have any info

voltman

Are you REALLY in college?

bruce19

Don't know where you live but some states have a concept known as "threatening" which is (theoretically) punishable by law. If your state does, and the definition includes the behavior you describe, you may have a claim. Whether it is enforceable given the "he said, she said" nature of the complaint is debatable.

schu

i don't know if you've ever dealt with the police on anything. but for the most part it'll be a huge waste of your time. i personally don't have that much time to spare so i just keep riding and try to not let it get to me. and if it does i just push myself harder and take it out on my legs.

caloso

The worst thing you have hurled at you from a passing car is an unkind word?

cbaronzzi

Well, here in ohio, if you write down their license plate number, you can then use it to get a life! Its called free speech. Not everyone has to like looking at your spandex-clad *ss taking up their lane. Yell back at them. That is what you can do about it.

CastIron

Smile and wave. Keep moving. It's just a thang.

botto 

Big F'ing deal.

I got called the word banned in NYC last week by some little schmuck on the back of a scooter a couple of hours ago, when I was coming back from the supermarket on my city bike.

I just laughed at the kid - granted, it was pretty easy to do considering my ethnicity.

dokie

i was wondering what could be done not that i would stop and call the cops just curious.

CastIron

Generally, for words there is nothing at all you can do. Actions may well be another matter.

ludeboy_77

Ignore it is the best thing you can do. Please view the Chappell Show on "when keepin' it real goes wrong" for more information.

Cypress

Unwise.

But alas, I live in MT. You may have free speech, but we have free "shoot it, gut it, eat it, stuff it, hang hats on it".

G60

'sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will make me go curl up in a corner and cry'

there's nothing you can do for being simply yelled at.

(well technically yeah it's illegal to yell threats of violence etc, but you know..)

if you get something thrown at you, or the driver makes a motion like he's trying to hit you or run you off the road, contacting the police might do something. usually if they get enough complaints about the same person/car they'll take it seriously.

look at it this way...at least it wasn't a run-by fruiting.

urbanknight

sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.

Not worth whining to the police about profanity or a buzz by. If they hit you with something or nick you with the car, that's assault or assault with a deadly weapon and might be worth doing something about.

CrimsonKarter21

1.) Gave an opinion.
2.) Gave a fact.
3.) Gave a suggestion.
4.) Showed both sides of the equation.

+1

As far as I'm concerned, cbaronzzi is totally right.

slacker00

Funny, someone seemed to shout "*******" at me yesterday, but I didn't even think about it until I opened this thread. Usually I think nothing about it. If they really had any balls, they'd stop and talk to me intelligently. Usually, yells from a car are unintelligible. Somehow I have faith that these same people will not feel compelled to run me over at some later time. The real ones I fear are drunk/impaired/stupid drivers. People with half a brain or any sense whatsoever will not cause physical harm or injury.

chipcom 

Smile, flip em the bird and keep on riding.

vantassell

You can actually hear what they say? People usually pass by too fast too hear more than one vowel of one word in the sentence they're expecting me to hear....idiots

iNewton

Ride faster, all you'll hear is wind. Problem solved.

Brycycle

the only thing that bothers me is when being yelled at breaks my concentration. however, i have found that 'yelling' is often accompanied by projectiles and/or idiots swerving closer (as in encroaching to the point of clipping you) to ensure you can hear them...

haimtoeg

They are idiots, just ignore them.

ri_us

I used to ingore these people but now I have more fun thinking of creative things to say:
1) Appropriate for use when driver is in an SUV, "Wow, your car is big. Your penis/boobs must be pretty small."
2) "I'm sorry you're out of shape."
3) Confuse the hell out of them by pointing at another car and saying, "People like _that_ take the fun out of flossing."
4) "Why don't you come back and we'll find out who works out more. Where are you going?"

Punx

Hey have you got your bike yet Dokie? Make a post with pictures and review please i would really love to know!

Monkeybars

I have been yelled at countless times by people with nothing else to do. Just keep riding. Ride long enough and you will have the opportunity to be hit by some of those cars. I have been hit five times in the years of my riding.

JRider

+1

Someone yelled, "you suck!" out of their window at me yesterday and I didn't even have time to "keep up foreign relations."

I usually do that or give a smile and overenthusiastic/sarcastic wave.