DreamRider85

Rode on Canada Rd today and 2 trucks honked at me for no reason. The lane is very wide, so surely I wasn’t in anyone’s way. The first truck had 3 young guys and they tried to yell something toward me but there were cars behind them. The 2nd truck was on the way back North. He honked 3-4 times at me and then honked at other bikers a couple hundred feet away from me about 3-4 times. What’s going on? With all the division on the news, I get nervous anytime someone appears to want something. Has this happened to you lately? How should I feel?

shelbyfv

I say man up in the face of this intimidation! Don't let them see you as a victim. As a cyclist, you have strong lungs and can yell match any of those guys. Answer their honks with your bell. Practice riding with one hand so you can safely wield the middle finger. That skill will also be handy if you want to drink on the bike.

flangehead

I give a friendly wave and say “have a nice day!”. They are people in a deep dark hole that need cheering up.

CAT7RDR

Keep your composure and soldier on.

wolfchild

Ignore them but also appear confident and assertive at the same time...and never smile and wave at people who are threatening or intimidating you because it will make you look weak,

genejockey 

Illegitami non carborundum. Don't let them spoil your ride, because that's what they're trying to do. They're morons, with little or nothing in their lives. So give them a happy, friendly wave and shout "Hi There!".

unterhausen

moved here from General Cycling

Daniel4

Welcome to the club.

Don't engage in their destructive behaviour. Get a helmet camera and a rear view camera. If these truckers represent a company, send the photos of them c/w licence plates, time and date and any other identifying markings and their faces if you can back to the company's public relations department. It helps if the back of the truck has the "How's my driving?" number.

JoeyBike

All part of the program. Mean, stupid people exist. Get used to it or find a different hobby. I mean this literally.

3alarmer 

1974jim

In a country where so many people are perpetually angry, and where guns are literally everywhere, the prudent course is to not show any reaction at all.
Road rage is very real, and increasingly violent…
Sorry I don’t have anything positive to add, just coming home alive is a win.

roadfix

I would just go home and eat pizza

delbiker1 

I have found that for me, just ignoring the behavior is really the course of action I should take. I am not always successful, but, when I react in an angry, impulsive way, I am the one I hurt the most as I then cannot get the incident out of my head. If I do have a negative reaction, the best thing I can then do is to turn and go in a different direction and, hopefully, clear my thoughts and get back to why I love riding bicycles. I have never had a time when confrontation, while riding a bike, made me feel content and good about the confrontation. These days, contentment is my definition of HAPPY.

indyfabz

What flavor?

indyfabz

It’s deja vu all over again:

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...lled-back.html

GhostRider62

Truck drivers wave to me, it is the Prius drivers who get me. I just smile and wave so profusely that they know I am not to be messed with.

rwh 

You are riding in Canada. Your response to an angry motorist must be polite.

BHG6

Hentze

It's impossible

rsbob 

They are trying to get in your head. If they piss you off or make you angry, they win. Gestures and yelling at them not only make them win more but can put your life in jeopardy. Ignore and enjoy your ride. Don’t let them win.

shelbyfv

Here's the other incident. Dreamy sure has a hard time out on the road....

livedarklions

Pretty sure you got the wrong "Canada". This one is pronounced Canyada. It's in California.

livedarklions

Whenever possible, I go off on people like this if I catch up at a light or whatever. I do my best insane person act figuring it will make them think twice before trying it again. No idea if this works, but I have had a couple people who were waiting for me to give me a hassle or worse turn tale when I started yelling at spitting.

I should note that I've compared notes with other people who have ridden in various parts of the country, and there seems to be general agreement that NH drivers are especially aggressive against cyclists. Drivers in California aren't even close.

downhillmaster

How do you handle anything?
Other than typing words on an Internet forum ofc.

divergence

That'll show 'em. "Hey, when you tried to piss me off and get a reaction back there? It really pissed me off and got a reaction!" They'll think twice before they do that again!

Seriously, don't give 'em the satisfaction or a second thought. They're the ones locked in their silly steel cages, not you. Enjoy your ride.