dgasmd

You know, just for amusement, I will call the sherif's office today and ask what they recommend me to do with aggressive a-hole drivers.

OK, since I know you have said before you are a lawyer, tell me the benefit of calling the number in. Tell me what they are supposed to do and what they will likely do. Tell me what course of legal action to follow with the police to make sure they pursue the drivers, etc. I am seriously interested to know.

CrimsonKarter21

AS long as they don't hit or bump me, I'm fine. I'm used to close quarters. I've been doing a lot of motorpacing lately, and I sometimes have to come up to the window and ride alongside. So maybe that's trained me.
I can't imagine that buzzing bothers pro cyclists either.

dgasmd

Although I am used to it too, I don't like it. The problem is with the close passes you don't know when the one that is going to turn your active life into a life in a wheelchair with a straw coming out of your mouth and breathing through a tracheostomy is going to be. After you get hit, it really doesn't matter whose fault it was, whose right or lack of thereof is, what law or anything else is. You are hit and you are the one to live the consequences regardless. I rather not be close to that if I can help and if others can help it too.

hnsq

How do you know someone is *intentionally* buzzing you? If they don't hit you, all is good, right?

When I am driving people pass me within inches of my car and that is normal, maybe the person just knows the width of their car, right? If they are in no danger of hitting you (even if they pass within a few inches) why should they bother changing lanes?

I just ignore it. Anything else is just me trying to satisfy my temper, which always leads to trouble. It isn't worth the effort, and I also think pissing off someone who, for all I know, could be very close to going postal on the next person who bothers him is a pretty dumb idea.

dgasmd

The difference to your car analogy, is that you and me are not cars. You "buzz" and miss another car and the worse thing that happens is a scrape to someone's metal box or yours. A buzz miss at 45 mph to you is not going to have the same consequences. If it did, this all would be pointless.

Skones MickLoud

There's no such thing as "no danger of hitting you".

Because it's generally illegal to pass a vehicle (which a bicycle on the road is) without changing lanes.

Bicyclists will always be on the losing end of contact with a car. A dented quarter panel or door, or a busted mirror is not a fair trade for my busted elbow or worse that can result from contact at speed.

I don't know about you, but I prefer to not leave my safety in the hands of complete strangers. There are very few people that I have and would trust with my life; John Q. Driver is not one of those people.

Psimet2001 

I used to just ignore it. Now I practice taking license numbers. Last time it happened the guy did it to each of us in our group 1 by 1 - we were shelled because it was the final sprint of the ride and we had done our work - and then pulled into his drive (right hooking us). I waited at the end of his drive for him to get out of the car and then (while staying in the road) asked him why he didn't give me 3ft - law in the area.

This area is well known and made the news re-battles between cyclists and locals. It is an extremely affluent area and as a result the roads are very scenic and hilly and there aren't too many houses....errr....compounds in the area.

He tore into a verbal rampage. I kept my cool. Just kept repeating, "You buzzed me and others in our group. We were riding single file on the right hand side of the lane (local ordinance in this area). You are required to give us 3 feet of clearance and you did not.You buzzed me and others in our group. We were riding single file on the right hand side of the lane (local ordinance in this area). You are required to give us 3 feet of clearance and you did not."

After he cussed me out a few times I pulled out my phone to call the cops. Another rider who stopped with me pointed out that a cop was back at the previous corner....waiting to give tickets out to riders....so we went back to him. I told him about the situation and he said, "well....what do you want me to do about it. You guys have to understand that-" I cut him off and said, "no, you have to understand it goes both ways. If I'm up here riding single file then I get 3 feet of clearance. Period."

Later I realized I should have added, "Now get off your fat ass and go talk to the guy. What's your name and how will I get ahold of a copy of the report that you will be writing up?"

Basic fact is that we're at a weight disadvantage out on the road. Don't ever do anything to make the situation worse - regardless of whether you are right or wrong. Wait until they are "dis-armed" or outside of the vehicle. Keep in mind that your interaction will affect how they approach riders the next time. If you leave them pissed off because they think you're an ******* then they will be aggressive. If you leave them pissed off becuase they don't know how to respond to your cool logic then they will think twice the next time.

./....unless they're just *******s.

JeffS

It's odd that hypothetical posts like this bring out all the "internet bad boys".
Posts about the action you took bring out the "hall monitors".

JeffS

I'm not sure what your point is. Nothing in this list is going to prevent it from happening again, and some of it might get you dead in the street before you make it home. I don't think it's the close pass that kills you anyway.

I guess I don't even know what qualifies as a "buzz" anymore. Some people seem to panic over anything less than about four feet. I tend to have to really get rocked by a passing car to even notice anymore.

RichCT

+1

This is a great answer.

Wanderer

I voted "Other."

Get a rear view mirror, and keep tabs on those behind you.

Don't allow the buzz - take the lane when someone isn't moving over behind you - just don't give them the opportunity.

If they, then, begin to move left, I will go back right to let them by.

It works every time, for me.

TRaffic Jammer

Remember kids: A water bottle of Coca Cola squirted on the hood of a hot car will make for some nice chemical reactions. Picture cabs with nice A's in circles on the hoods, almost to the metal. Hey.. what ca I say I was a punk rockin' messenger full of Coca-Cola.

jefferee

Just whatever you do, don't drink that stuff by mistake.

nitropowered

Not much you can do but report to the cops. The car will always win

obra3

Find out where they live and send a nasty-gram.

Donegal

In Georgia, we just put a couple through the back window and they learn their lesson.

Nachoman

Report back to us and let us know what they say. I usually ignore or flip off. But I'm willing to try something else.

AEO

window punch tool.


breaks windows, dents panels and scratches paint, all in one.
P.S. it only breaks tempered windows, so all but the windshield.

TRaffic Jammer

My take on defining the "buzz" if I can reach out without effort/no reaching/stretching and take dirt off....that's a buzz. At that point almost any swerve, for whatever reason, could prove difficult. I'm not expecting three feet all the time, heck, not even most of the time.

nitropowered

Breaking windows or putting dents into panels with a window punch or ulocks, rebar, etc, will only land you in criminal and civil court because it will show intent.

If you were to get revenge by vandalism, make it look like an accident, ride up real close and scrape your pedal on the car or something like someone else said their friend did.

Also a good way to get revenge is pull the valve cores out of the tires using a core remover and put them back in. You don't do any permanent damage but will sure put a damper on their day, especially when they come back with 4 flat tires.

Or if you are brave or stupid enough, superman through the rear glass.

kamalster

That's brilliant! I'd love to see the reactions to that.

logdrum

Ask them if they bought SRAM Red

ls01

I have reported many close calls and near misses, the cops do nothing. They didnt see it, my word against thiers etc.
If you have a crap memory like me, and you need to write down a plate number. just scratch it into the dirt on the shoulder of the road. while you dial that way you wont forget the number.

TRaffic Jammer

I know it's a bad thing but I think traffic retribution needs to be near-immediate. I'm not entirely sure Karma follows vehicular goings on. I'm not sayin' assault or damage, but the driver needs to be made aware of transgressions very soon following the incident, otherwise it simply falls out of their heads and would never remember it down the road.

Gromulus

Pull out the (lightweight for all you weight weenies) Glock from your large Topeak saddle bag and pop a couple caps into their trunk!

Just kidding (sort of)!