Shouting at drivers

jhon · June 2007

I can't do it! Was passed way too close by a Merc yesterday, squeezing me up against a parked car. I just shouted out "to$$er" under my breath and eventually caught up with the woman... but chickened out and rode on instead...

how do you do it?

Nigel Bennett · June 2007

You've got more self-control than me, mate....

Eat My Dust · June 2007

I can give myself a sore throat shouting so much!!!

SNAPS

kavcp · June 2007

It's very easy. They could have injured you. They probably weren't paying attention (often the case), were taking a silly risk putting you in danger taking it, or were aiming at you on purpose. In any of those you'd be justified in pointing it out.

DavidTQ · June 2007

I have more of a problem stopping myself from shouting than making myself shout [:D] it comes kind of naturally when someones just risked by life \ causing me injury.

Greenbank · June 2007

When I moved offices I decided to calm down in the face of numpty driving for my new commute (8 miles each way).

I also made an effort to minimise my own numptiness when it comes to cycling.

Where I would have let rip with my finest anglo-saxon tirade I now simply use calmly worded sentences rather than expletive ridden questions, i.e.

"What the f*** do you think were doing you f****** **** of a ****?"

is replaced with:-

"Give me a bit more space please, you almost knocked me off back there."

You'd be surprised at the responses. Sometimes I get an apology (in which case I wish them a good day). Sometimes I still get blanked. But rarely do I get any aggression or vulgarity back.

Much calmer is I.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

ChrisLS · June 2007

...calm is good...

Cab · June 2007

Politely tell them what they've done. Do so at a volume appropriate to be heard; yell only if you have to yell to be heard.

Be insulting only if you need to stand your own; some people will only respond to a bit of venom. But that shouldn't be your first response.

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Unknown · June 2007

Gi em a gud kicken. Bastids that they am.

(Joking)

Hmm?

BentMikey · June 2007

Nice one Greenbank! I'm with you on that, though it's extremely difficult for me not to shout sometimes.

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

Same with me Greenback I was the same but I just try and keep calm.

Something like a boy racer made me laugh although he was slightly older than a boy racer overshot coming out of the left turning in front of me.Although I guessed already what he was going to do but the panic on his face when I was bearing down on him was hilarious.Didn't say anything just went round the back of him.[:D]

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 Cycle Commuting since 1981 

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markinengland · June 2007

Shouting works. I use it like a horn. A really loud "OY" works wonders when someone is cutting a left corner with you on the inside or pedestrian steps out. Shouting as a warning OK. Shouting abuse maybe not!

Mark

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

Yeah I don't think shouting abuse works too well.

Hackbike 8 Commuting Debut 09/09/2006Dawes Audax 2006 New 20/09/2006 

 Cycle Commuting since 1981 

Cycling Proficiency Test 24 May 1977 (30 years ago)

 Ride to work part 1 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/ypjapc
Ride to work part 2 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jfagu
Ride to work part 3 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jcldv 

How not to lock a bike. http://i14.tinypic.com/52355zr.jpg

Greenbank · June 2007

Indeed. I shout to make my presence known. I even have an AirZound which can shout at 115dB for me. I then ride past and raise my hand in a "thank you" stylee and they're happier.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

Jacomus-rides-Gen · June 2007

I use a damn loud "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOI!!!!!!!" which so far is yet to go unnoticed (gues I've got a good set of lungs!)

I try not to wade in with the abuse, but tell them what they just did calmly. If they don't accept it I'm unlikely to push the point, though if they genuinely put my life at risk, rather than the more usual horriffic injury, I feel quite free in unleashing the fury.

Except when I'm in Clapham, as I like my body with its current count of holes, I don't need any more [B(]

_________________________
Quote: "25mph is pretty fast when you aren't wearing a car..."

The Bosscp · June 2007

You're obviously a good cyclist, jhon, and a responsible restrained citizen. From reading this forum, you could be forgiven for thinking that cyclists are a ranting, angry lot and that causing road-rage incidents is not irresponsible but is in fact clever, and that until you've berated / lectured / beaten up a motorist then you're not a 'proper' cyclist.

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Cadfael · June 2007

Shouting at drivers is a pointless waste of effort... and you only look like an idiot to other road usrs and pedestrians.

But I still do it! [:D]

Aidocp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cadfael

Shouting at drivers is a pointless waste of effort... and you only look like an idiot to other road usrs and pedestrians.

But I still do it! [:D]
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I don't know what it is some days I'm lost for words, others I'm not in the mood to and other days I just explode [:D]

If I had a baby elephant, who would take it for walks?

Eat My Dust · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by The Boss

You're obviously a good cyclist, jhon, and a responsible restrained citizen. From reading this forum, you could be forgiven for thinking that cyclists are a ranting, angry lot and that causing road-rage incidents is not irresponsible but is in fact clever, and that until you've berated / lectured / beaten up a motorist then you're not a 'proper' cyclist.

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CyclingIsPermittedAlongThisFootpath GenericPath

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sh*t man, you wouldn't want to have seen me when I had a car. Part of the reason I gave up driving[}:)][}:)] I think maybe it was the lycra lout in me wanting out!!!!

SNAPS

bunnyman · June 2007

Anger, fear, agression. The dark side of the force are they.

Why is the last mile always the hardest mile ? - The Smiths

electricdave · June 2007

I found my inner siren the other day when a John Lewis truck I was following stopped and decided to reverse back into me. I ended up going WOWOWOWOWOWOWO whilst simultaneously bailing for the pavement. Must have looked pretty funny, although I didn't think so at the time!

515mm · June 2007

Ah yes, and what have I learned since my altercation with 'smelly meat' woman?

I was squeezed up against some stationery traffic by an old boy driving an airport mini-bus, much to the chagrin of his passengers, judging by their expressions. I caught up with him at the lights I was slowing down for. I motioned for him to wind his window down, which he did. I explained that he left me too little room and he apologised and admitted that he didn't see me until he was alongside me. I asked him to look out for bikes in the future and he promised to do so and apologised again. No hassle, no fuss, no drama.

Felt serene all the rest of the way into work.

The best measure of a man's honesty isn't his tax return. It's the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.....

BentMikey · June 2007

515mm, now that's a quality interaction!

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

515mm · June 2007

Thanks BentMikey.

I thought I might have a chance with him by the shocked/worried look on his face. He was really very nice about it, I like to think, because of my demeanor. Would it all have gone so well if I had shouted/sworn at him? The rest of my ride would probably have been ruined.

I did feel pretty smug about it all, I'm ashamed to admit[:I]

...reliably informed that chicks dig scars...

jel · June 2007

Usually very polite with peds, but have been known to give a streaming torrent of invective to the odd driver.

It makes me feel better: there are consequences to your actions and not all cyclists are tiny little lentil eating thigh support systems. You bloody well should feel threatened.

Mollie · June 2007

The last time I swore at a motorist he came alongside me, swerved into the side of the road, jammed on his brakes (smoke was coming off them) and while I was picking myself up from the emergency stop that I had to make to avoid going over his near-side wing he came out and shouted that at me that if he ever saw me again he would kill me. Then he got in and drove off. No, I didn't get his number, yes, he was driving a 4x4 and no I have never sworn at another driver since (about four years). You just can't know what kind of weapon they might emerge from their vehicle with. Plus they have their vehicle as a weapon. It's a similar thing with pedestrians. I challenged a bunch of teenagers when one of them hit me as I rode past. It wasn't until afterwards (and a face-off in which they thankfully backed down) that I realised how stupid I had been. I sometimes think that I just don't have the mentality needed to deal with the way cyclists are treated.

Tom.

Norvcp · June 2007

In town (central Bristol) I usually shout and sometimes swear when some madman nearly causes an accident. A lot of the time, it's a knee-jerk reaction though. Not proud of it, but not ashamed either.

......................

"Prejudice burns brighter when it's all we have to burn"

joe24 · June 2007

Hi to all. First post so i thought i would say a hello.
Anyway, I find it hard to shout, i utter something under my breath, but its probably my face that says it all when someone does something. Although i had a car driver pass when to close, he didnt look like he had moved out and forced me in close to the pavement, i did shout something, but it wasnt that loud. I did try and catch up with the driver, but the lights changed. The car was a peugot estate, and there was a police car parked up(with no-one in) on the other side of the road.

Joe

Norvcp · June 2007

Welcome to the forum, mate!

......................

"Prejudice burns brighter when it's all we have to burn"

Unknown · June 2007

i've just had two vehicles, one the passenger in a white van overtake me and shout and make a random hand gesture to inform me he likes to stimulate himself and a silver ford focus going the other way, the driver of whom also informed me that he likes tossing, presumably pancakes,

it was nice of them to inform me that they may pose a danger to me.

joe24 · June 2007

Doesnt alot of the things happen quickly so you cant shout anything? I had a white van driver go past, a passenger shout something and throw a sweet out the window at me. I didnt know what to say about that. He sped off very fast, well fast for an old smoky ford transit.

Shouting at drivers

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