mcours2006

Coming home last night I was stopped at a light. I was in the middle of the lane as I normally do at a light because I don't want anyone to squeeze me off at the intersection. This guy behind me yells out something rude, like get off the road. I ignored him. The light turned green and I go. This is what he does as he passes me closely:
Finger.jpg
I didn't notice the hand gesture at the time. Just saw it when I review the video.

The he proceeds to cut in front of me closely:
Finger2.jpg

Well, I caught up to him in the next red light. He was in the centre lane and I in the right where a bike lane had just started. I asked him what his problem was with me. He didn't roll down the window. He was muttering something, obviously inaudible to me. Then I just laid into him, loud enough that I'm sure he heard me through his glass. Still nothing. Doesn't acknowledge. WTF?

As far as I know I pissed him off just because I was on the road and he had to wait an extra three seconds to be in front of me.

Thanks for reading.

Skipjacks

People are super tough guys when they are in a car with the windows rolled up.

Odds are that driver is a wuss who wouldn't stare down a puppy the second he gets out of the car.

Daniel4

Stuff like that don't happen too often but often enough to ruin your day and linger a few days afterward.

If a hundred motorists over the course of several weeks can pass me properly without incidence, there must be a problem with this one guy.

It's usually best to avoid the confrontation (yes, I'm guilty of getting into them too) but if you have to say something back, just tell the road rager to call the cops.

mcours2006

Yes, I know. I tell myself this all the time, that it's not worth the hassle, but it's so hard. Of course if he hadn't had to stop at the red light I would have been fine with it too. Have no choice but to be fine with it.

Good idea to tell driver to call police in the future.

alan s 

Next time be more courteous and stay to the right.

mcours2006

Yes, seeing as there are slick patches on the right, not to mention the pavement itself is quite broken there, that's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that!

Thanks!

Skipjacks

Wait a minute....you were off to the right of a 4 lane road with light traffic? Was this genius aware of the left lane he could have be driving in?

mcours2006

Yep. Four lanes.

alan s 

Use studded tires.

acidfast7

I find that most humans have miserable capitalistic existences and that's what I usually attribute such rudeness too.

I can't expect everyone to have such an enlightened existence that I have been fortunate enough to have had.

Once I realised that, life became much easier and **** like this rolls off my back and down to the peasantry.

BobbyG

You don't know what's going on in his life or in his head. You can't take it personally. Things like this get to me, but less and less over time. I don't know if it is because I am learning patience, or just getting old.

Assuming this kind of show of aggression and anger is standard operating procedure for this driver...

1) Be thankful you are not married to or work with this guy.
2) Think about what kind of misery he creates for himself and others.
3) Realize how much more satisfying and healthy it is to mash a bicycle pedal in frustration than a gas pedal.
4) Take comfort that you have his aggression and license plate on camera.

5) Watch this video of the angry British driver who looses his temper and his balance...

dieselrover

Ride where you have the right to ride when you need to ride there. People will be asses. Don't let them get the upper hand. They'll go to work angry and berate people whether you yell back at them or not.

mcours2006

And how does that help me with with the broken pavement and debris, genius...oh wait, get a fat bike right? Of course.

alan s 

Serenity Prayer, my friend. Can you change the driver? No. The road condition? No. Your attitude, your equipment, where and how you ride? Yes! Wisdom to know the difference.

texaspandj

A Philosopher.

mcours2006

Whatever...

gregf83 

You can be as meek and 'courteous' as you like and it won't fix irrational drivers. These idiots exhibit the same irrational behaviour with other vehicles on their way to work. Anything that impedes their progress, e.g. normal traffic, irritates them.

Daniel4

Why is bad driving an acceptable norm that you would rather accomodate them than having law enforcement crack down on them?

alan s 

Don Quixote rides again.

acidfast7

Not a philosopher; but a professor that only dabbles in the human condition as an interesting side project.

Regardless, we'll soon be editing in/out genomic hostility with CRIPSR/Cas9.

pdlamb

+1


And it doesn't even have to impede their progress, as in this case. Traffic looks light enough the poor, put-upon driver barely had to check, but then had to go to the effort to turn his steering wheel and change lanes, twice! Not to mention having to roll down his window (in frigid weather, no less) to deliver his words of "wisdom."

no motor?

Did you point out your camera? I imagine he would behave differently knowing he was being videoed.

Skipjacks

In a car one time I had a guy screaming at me because I stopped for a rail road crossing (with gate down and an actual train coming). When the gate lifted if darted around me, passing me in the left lane while in the railroad crossing, cut back in front of me and slammed on the brakes trying to get me to rear end him. Then got in the right lane next to me and tried to nudge me into oncoming traffic while flipping the finger out his window at me.

With someone that nuts I just stopped and let him get ahead. But at the next light a half mile up the road I pulled up next to him, took the dash cam off the windshield and showed it to him and yelled that it can rear plate numbers easily and I was headed to the police station.

He suddenly got REAL apologetic and starting yammering something about his wife being a jerk to him that morning...blah blah blah. I rolled up the window and drove off. Never did call the cops but I bet that guy was pissing his pants all day waiting for the cops to show up.

mcours2006

I didn't point that out, but it's mounted on top of my helmet, so I imagine when I engaged him he might have noticed it. Hard to say.

acidfast7

Where on Earth do you live with such Neanderthals?