jfowler85

Took a few weeks off of work during which I didn't get on the bike much at all. Back at work now and thus back on the bike. My small city is fairly bike friendly, I would gauge it about as good as Orange County, CA just without the nice weather, and in the years I've been cyclocommuting I have had maybe 1 honest close call and that was half my fault. The past two days back on the bike have yielded for me:


Yesterday a SUV-wielding suburbanite cut me off while I had the clear right-of-way - I was travelling straight and on the right-most side of a double line divided roadway and she was making a left turn into my lane from a stop sign. I watched her roll up to the stop; she looked my way, then looked straight ahead, blew the sign and gunned it to get in front of me. I had to hop over onto the white line to make room for her - when she straightened out I was at her passenger rear 1/4 panel and close enough to kick her car. We caught up at the next stop light, of course, and she had her window down so I engaged with intent to keep my cool. I asked her what in the world she was doing and she immediately proceeds to blame me for being on the road with cars...at that point I unwisely lost my cool and attempted to rip her a new a** hole. She was taken aback by my language - literally a sailor's dirty mouth per my time in the Navy. I rode off feeling like an a** hole myself but shrugged it off. Hopefully she doesn't take it out on the next cyclist.


This morning while commuting in I once again had the clear and obvious right of way going through an intersection with a full green. The opposite lane had a left-turner waiting at her green yield light, and she slowed to a stop, so I up shifted and stood on the pedals for hard acceleration per the nice hill waiting on the other side of the intersection. We were the only two in either lane and my kit is flamboyant red. After I was fully in the intersection and accelerating past 20mph this SUV-wielding college student decides to try and beat me through the intersection. It was a full green, there was no yellow/red to outrun. I puckered and braced for impact, taking pressure off the pedals for a dismount and ready to combat roll onto the ground as best I could - thankfully impact did not occur, she smashed her brake pedal at the last freakin second. She timidly completed her turn and afforded me the time to turn around and catch her. She stopped with warning lights on the road into which she turned and put her window down. She was terrified and the passenger was apologetic, I kept my cool and explained that she did not have the right-of-way and pleaded with her to be more careful in the future. She asked if I was hurt and I said no we're all good let's move along.


I don't really have a point to make that hasn't been said and more aptly and concisely by others. I felt much better leaving today's near-hit than yesterday; the two encounters happened so closely together that I can't help but juxtapose the two in memory and acutely recognize the disparity in my post-incident attitude. Today I did the right thing and utilized a teaching moment with a young driver which may impact her driving habits (probably not, but we can hope). The other idiot, conversely, may just hate cyclists that much more now which is disservice to other cyclists. Or maybe none of it matters at all and everyone is just going to continue to drive as if their time is obviously more important than the lives and limbs of others.

making

I used to commute across Indianapolis, right through downtown. Sometimes I would go for weeks without so much as a far call, let alone a close one. One trip home one day I had 3 very close calls from just bazar events. I learned from each of them, all you can do is be careful and try not to let them get you with something you have already seen. One more thing, I think you have to be assertive on the road, but not aggressive. Sounds like you might be right at the line.

wphamilton

Losing your cool might be cathartic but I don't believe that it ever ultimately leads to anything but acrimony and regrets.

Darth Lefty 

I cussed out a guy at Costco yesterday who tried to tell me chemtrails were killing my (obviously just fine in the cart) 2yo. I lost my cool and the high ground and didn't feel good about it.

Abe_Froman

It depends on the situation. I make a really strong effort to stay calm when someone makes an honest like making a left through the intersection in front of me...there are reasonable explanations like they were surprised by your speed.

Then there are other instances that I consider a half step away from attempted murder. People with sp little regard for others safety they think it's ok to blow by within inches of you while doing 20 over the speed limit, or flooring it at a light to make a right hand turn in front of you when they clearly see you moving into the intersection. Instances like these I'm thankful I've never had the opportunity to meet the person again at the next light because the bike lock would probably come out to abuse mirrors or something, it would escalate, and I would end up in trouble, regret my actions, or both.

Hugh Morris

Most recently an opposing left turner was waiting for the break in traffic, and though there was no break in traffic, when I was crossing the intersection he accelerated as if he was going to try to make the turn through me. He then braked abruptly (about a foot from hitting me), rolled down his window, and let out a hyena-esque laugh.

I was pissed but kept riding.

Too many of these to count though; so many unchecked right hooks, people hunting for parking abruptly pulling over without signal, oblivious uber drivers, drunk drivers, etc. Responses vary from profuse apology to imminent physical threat. Usually not worth the confrontation unless it's been made clear the driver is not hostile, then I'll just ask the driver to please be more cautious.

CliffordK

I usually don't engage.

I've had a few people say "sorry" when they cut me off. Hopefully they'll be looking the next time.

However, after a close call, I try to evaluate what I could have done to make my ride safer. Sometimes it is nothing. However, it might be to slow down when you're approaching a car coming towards you from the right, or to move left and prepare to brake.

Oh, and be careful passing cars on the right (and I suppose getting passed by cars).

Turn lanes can be tricky, and often means moving left and either taking a lane, or splitting lanes.

Anyway, take charge. Don't live life depending on others keeping you safe.

CliffordK

Chemtrails?
You mean Jet Contrails?

If you don't like the conversation, just walk away.

TenSpeedV2

I have lost my cool a few times recently when I feel like my life has been unnecessarily put in danger for whatever reason. Passing me on a two lane road crossing the double yellow to get to a blatantly red stop light just ahead. Passing me to immediately right hook me when you saw me. Passing me much too closely in MY lane on a multiple lane road that is completely empty.

If I can touch your vehicle with my arm as you pass me, you are way too close. People don't seem to understand that. A driver would never pass another vehicle that closely, yet here they are passing a completely unprotected person within inches. I will never understand that!

Primal Pete

I haven't had many close calls, but I actually had my first (very minor) crash this past Friday.

I was cutting through a shopping center on my way home from work. There are two lanes that go straight down a center aisle and have no stop signs. I was in the right-hand lane, with a car on my left going the same speed. A girl in an SUV was at a stop sign, to my right, perpendicular to the road I was on. She was waiting to make a left across our lanes to go the opposite way down this main strip.

She must have thought it was a 4-way stop, because when we were about to enter the intersection, she started to pull out directly in front of us. She saw that neither the car nor I was stopping, so she jumped on her brakes, looked at the car through her open window and said sorry. She stopped short of being in the way of the car, but she was right in front of me. I steered right, behind her, and grabbed my brakes, but my wheels locked up and I started to skid. I hit the curb and fell into the soft grass, my bike landing next to me.

Luckily both my bike and I were completely fine. When I got up, she had already driven away, so I just got back on and rode home. Strangely, I wasn't really that angry. The look on the girl's face made it seem like she was genuinely surprised and remorseful (she still could have stopped to see if I was alright).

I guess it really speaks to the importance of the driver's attitude in determining the fallout/reaction.

Darth Lefty 

In his mind, yes. In my mind, with its substantial quantity of education and work experience in related fields, it really cheeses me that people can be such dopes. But if I told him that, he'd classify me as a conspirator. Some conversations are just destined to fail.

jfowler85

I completely agree.

ItsJustMe

I just don't even give a damn about after the moment has passed anymore. I feel about as motivated to yell at a stupid motorist as I would a rock that fell off a cliff and almost hit me. Getting upset at the rock is probably more productive. I just ride on. Maybe I'll get to post some video of the idiot's antics.

Daniel4

Don't waste your time reciting the Highway Traffic Act to someone who doesn't care. Just tell him or her if there's a problem, call the police. Then move on.

Abe_Froman

I don't get angry at stupid motorists...everyone makes mistakes, and I can be as oblivious as the worst drivers out there if we're being honest.

It's the ones putting my life in danger while laying on the horn, talking on the phone, eating an egg mcmuffin, and swearing at me just for being on the road, all at the same time, that really gets my blood boiling.

Bike Gremlin

+1

I consider non-cautious drivers as rain - something bad that can't be changed or avoided. So try to adopt. If I get hit, it's ultimately my fault: didn't do enough to account for reckless drivers, I knew they are on the road, I chose to ride on the road.

Anyway, this video is very useful when it comes to cars pulling from left or right:

mcours2006

I've had situations where I do engage and ones where I do not. Invariably, though, the former does nothing but escalate the frustration and rage well after the incident, whereas in the latter the feeling dissipates minutes after and is almost forgotten at the end of the ride. Despite knowing this I still engage occasionally. I'll learn some day.

locolobo13 

I'm usually yelling loudly DURING the interaction. The phrase "scream like a girl" comes to mind. Sometimes the words are fowl sometimes not. I'm not really aware of what I'm saying. I'm trying to avoid the collision. If the driver wishes to talk to me after I'm more than willing to discuss the situation with him/her. Most of the time they never stop.

BobbyG

I try not to let unintentional close calls upset me. Having a helmet cam helps me deal with more intentional incidents as I feel if the incident is recorded it can be shared later. Haven't done that yet, and in two instances upon review I decided it wasn't as close sit felt at the time.

no motor?

I gave up trying to get too involved years ago when I noticed the guy I was discussing things with had a pistol in a holster on his belt. He'd said he was a cop but didn't know the laws regarding safe/legal passing distances he'd wanted to violate, and I figured it wasn't worth continuing the discussion if it meant getting shot. Since then they've changed the laws to allow the paranoid to carry loaded weapons in public and I haven't had anything happen to me that made mad enough to try and discuss things in person with someone else who may feel like shooting instead of talking.

jeremybrooks

Should have just stopped, looked him right in the eye, and then said into your wristwatch "Requesting priority containment, code Delta Bravo Foxtrot. This is not a drill, repeat not a drill. Standing by for extraction."

allan6344

I've have been looking for that video. I could not remember where I had seen it.

When I have a close call, I usually try to review what I've could have done to avoid the encounter whether or not it was my fault and especially try not to get annoyed so I make a mistake later in the ride.

noglider 

I try to let stuff roll off my back so I can forget about it as quickly as possible. Only a few bonehead moves deserve comment, and only on a few occasions do I get to address the bonehead. I find rehearsing my response helps. Rather than telling the person off, I tell them what I'd like them to do or not to do. I don't hold back on the anger in my voice, but I make my words polite. Something like, "Please don't do that!" or "Please look before you pull out!"

no motor?

I like "please pay attention". That usually works and if people think about what you said they can't get too mad at the words.

noglider 

Very nice and succinct.