Do you size up drivers before a verbal volley?

seanoconn

When on the recieving end of some bad/aggresive driving, or the badly timed opening of a car door, i have the tendancey to voice my disapproval without thinking. Being a bit of a coward at heart i'm thankful that i haven't mouthed off to someone who would chase and run me down or a group of gun toting gang members.

I wondered if you have a sneaky look first or take your chances?

HebdenBiker

Nah. Never had any problem speaking my mind to anyone, regardless of size. Looking them right in the eye and sounding confident, being forceful but polite and reasonable, has always worked for me. I have never hit anyone in my life, and nor would I, but the other guy doesn't have to know that

The only time I've been worried was when a car turned across me and nearly knocked me off. I went back to "have a word" but when I got there the driver was a big, skin-headed bruiser. I thought "I don't fancy my chances here" but as soon as I got up to his window he couldn't have been more apologetic. We ended up having a laugh about it then I wished him a good day and rode off.

Frank the tank

Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.

Also being a driver, I assess if the error is one I would have made or if it is a case of sheer bloody mindedness on behalf of the driver. If it's the latter the chances are ranting at them will meerly confirm in their selfish minds that cyclist are just a bunch of w@nkers.

HebdenBiker

Frank the tank wrote:

Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.

Also being a driver, I assess if the error is one I would have made or if it is a case of sheer bloody mindedness on behalf of the driver. If it's the latter the chances are ranting at them will meerly confirm in their selfish minds that cyclist are just a bunch of w@nkers.

I think you're right. I got into a nark with a wagon driver earlier because he pulled out from behind park cars (on his side) and headed towards me, forcing me to mount the kerb and wait on the pavement for him to pass. I shook my head at him and he stopped for a word. He tried to make the point that he was driving a wide vehicle down a narrow, unfamiliar road. This was a fair point, but in my righteousness, I didn't want to hear it. I wish I had been more reasonable.

nickwill

If I'm on the end of dangerous or aggressive driving I tend to open my mouth and make gestures without thinking. There have been occasions when I've wondered if it was very wise!

Stewie Griffin

I wish I did sometimes, its good practice for poker though having to carry a bluff through all the way. You might be 7 seven feet tall pal but Im a freaking nutter and will leave you by the side of the road in right state. :oops:

Skeltron

Nickwill wrote:

If I'm on the end of dangerous or aggressive driving I tend to open my mouth and make gestures without thinking. There have been occasions when I've wondered if it was very wise!

I do this too

mroli

I try to work on the basis that if I say something to a driver, it would be something that equally could be said to a hard as nails skin-head, a mother driving kids, a vicar, a cage fighter or anything inbetween ie - no swearing, point made forcefully, but politely.

Crapaud

Standard operating procedure for me is to look them in the eye and blow them a kiss.

Sizing them up isn't important as I scarper while they're still in the grip of an apoplectic rage.

Pokerface

In all my years of riding, I have only ever had a problem with a driver once. And that was when I ran into the side of him (when he turned in front of me without looking).

The exchange was not particularly heated (although he did seem to think that bikes were supposed to pass on his right side and not hug the curb!!).

I basically ignore bad drivers otherwise. No point in engaging them - just takes time and energy away from my ride!

seanoconn

I haven't learnt to control my mouth yet but i learnt the hard way as to why you shouldn't chase after people. Tearing down a hill in a blind rage to confront the offender, the chap brakes hard, ( not deliberately.) and i slam into the back of him, writing off the bike and nearly myself. I looked a right tit :oops:

rick_chasey

Convenient tunnel vision is the only way forward.

I've been in enough altercations that probably wouldn't have happened had I not exacerbated it by mouthing off.

Sure they were usually in the wrong, or even rageful, but as long as I'm still on two wheels, it's as good as a miss.

pb21

I was coming down a hill once and a car started to pull out in front of me. I broke hard and moved to the right and the car did stop. I gave it some as I went passed though only to be chased down by a boy racer type of thug, forcing me off the road. I had to stop and he got out all fired up and swearing and saying amongst other things that ‘I should get a car’.

kieranb

to the OP's question, no, if you ever see photos of multiple murderers etc they look just normal (or on the a liitle bit weird side). It's the mindset more than the build you need to worry about. It ain't easy to check this out.

cougie

Twice I've had motorists driving at me. Once was when I was a schoolie and some nob overtook us dangerously and I flicked the V's at him. He slammed on and reversed at speed as we jumped onto the pavement to escape.

Another time was when a clubmate of mine called a driver names for stopping in the middle of a lane for a chat and basically blocking the lane. He overtook us and jumped out to block my path on foot - I had nowhere to go so sprinted at him and fortunately he thought better and moved aside.

Nowadays I'll try and control my emotions. Theres no point in 'sizing up a driver'.
Their car is ALWAYS bigger and deadlier than you, and the drivers size doesnt come into it if he's tooled up or vicious. I spend my free time cycling - not cage fighting or something.

Try not to rile the crappy drivers - its not worth it.

brakelever

Would have thought that giving verbal could be a dangerous occupation nowdays, too many moon affected people about , would love to be brave enough to get stuck in but learnt a long time ago its not worth it just accept that some drivers are prats and nothing will ever change .

captain_tiara

As an ex london courier i could admit to several incidents of criminal damage, and several car induced scars, but rule of thumb would have to be only engage if you can avoid getting run over by someone who's just lost it by ducking up a pavement & disappearing, the wrong way down a one way system or a side road or behind a suitable obstacle. Giving someone the finger can induce rage similar to that seen in 28 days. I have been involved in fisticuffs after being dumb enough to stop & debate the finer points of the highway code.

As a wise old chinese geezer said a long time ago in a book called The Art of War, if you get into a fight, a real fight not hanbags at dawn, you have to accept that there are only 3 outcomes if it goes all the way. 1) You die. 2) He dies. 3) You both die. Bearing that in mind the best weapon is a quick set of heels.

Nowadays I just presume that everyone's just about to do something really stupid. Seems to work as a strategy. And my final words, if you ever get knocked off, stay on the ground & call the police & ambulance & get it all documented. Burden of proof & all that.

danlikesbikes

seanoconn wrote:

When on the recieving end of some bad/aggresive driving, or the badly timed opening of a car door, i have the tendancey to voice my disapproval without thinking. Being a bit of a coward at heart i'm thankful that i haven't mouthed off to someone who would chase and run me down or a group of gun toting gang members.

I wondered if you have a sneaky look first or take your chances?

No a wanker who doesn't pay attention and just open their doors need to be reminded no matter how big they are - but just in case make sure you ready to blast off if they get out and are built like that mud out house.

Mike67

I once overtook a bloke in an Austin Allegro (old car to you young'uns) after he pulled out in front of me, vocalising my 'concerns' as I did so. Turned out he was about 95 and probably had no idea where he was, never mind realising that I was there. I doubt he would have ever caught me even if he did ever get out of first gear

Mostly when cars pull out these days I just offer a sarcastic 'after you' gesture though I have occasionally 'polished' the odd bonnet with my gloves as I pass the car who stops half way into the road forcing me into diversionary tactics.

At the end of the day, they have a 1 tonne plus high speed projectile versus your lycra and a foam helmet! Not a fair match in anyones book.

de_sisti

On two occassions when women have almost knocked me off my bike, I've calmly told them to
try cycling to get rid of the fat and cellulite around their hips and thighs. On both occassions
the women have gone absolutely ballistic. :?

briantrumpet

If you haven't seen this about what angry car drivers can do....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIEQ1llhSCc

Essex Man

Some guy passed me by what I considered to be too small a distance, as the road was too narrow to overtake bike when a car was coming the other way IMO. As he did so I just raised my hand in the air - my normal WTF gesture for this kind of thing. Immediately I saw it was a copper.

He stopped down the road. I don't know why, but I'm glad he did. There are few things more satisfying than quoting the law (well, the highway code) to a copper. "I indicated prior to overtaking" he said - so that's OK, that orange flashy bulb made all the difference when you were trying to knock me off with your wing mirror...

Hibbs

Crapaud wrote:

Standard operating procedure for me is to look them in the eye and blow them a kiss.

Sizing them up isn't important as I scarper while they're still in the grip of an apoplectic rage.

That's what I do too, there's nothing better at winding them up.

I only do it in public though, when I'm on my own in the middle of nowhere I tend to use the tunnel vision tactic. With some of the roads around here I could be in a ditch for months before someone finds me.

rick_chasey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShrYNqo6DDM

Just saw this....!

dilemna

Rick Chasey wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShrYNqo6DDM

Just saw this....!

Blimey :shock: !

And this .................... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5_XyKrGrvs&NR=1

Blacktemplar

Captain Tiara wrote:

As a wise old chinese geezer said a long time ago in a book called The Art of War, if you get into a fight, a real fight not hanbags at dawn, you have to accept that there are only 3 outcomes if it goes all the way. 1) You die. 2) He dies. 3) You both die. Bearing that in mind the best weapon is a quick set of heels.

Or as the same wise old geezer Sun-tzu said;

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting"

I find sticking the tongue out enfuriates far more than angry words or confrontation. By the time the miscreant has finished having an apoplexy and fumbling with his/her seatbelt, I've usually shown them a clean pair of (w)heels.

Despite having a black belt in Taekwon-do and (nearly) Karate, I still wouldn't take on some of the nutters out there.... and that's just the little old ladies :shock:

Besides which, it's really hard to get decent kicks in wearing road shoes