Why do non-cyclists feel the need to do this ?

dennisn

nferrar wrote:

because there are plenty of idiots about...

Ya got that right. There is always an idiot or two out there. I usually blow them a kiss and leave it at that. This usually puts them in a rage which is fine by me. After all, weren't they trying to do that to you?

Richard_D

dennisn wrote:

nferrar wrote:

because there are plenty of idiots about...

Ya got that right. There is always an idiot or two out there. I usually blow them a kiss and leave it at that. This usually puts them in a rage which is fine by me. After all, weren't they trying to do that to you?

If nothing else it confuses them. A couple of months a go on my cycle trip to Paris I was given the finger by a passing driver and when I smiled and waved he was so confused he stopped gesticulating and smiled back.

Scotxr

A guy I know, a very good cyclist was doing some downhill mountain biking when some ned jumped out in front of him. He slammed on the brakes but the guy just kept standing there even though he was screaming at him to get out the way. The end of the story is the cyclist ended up with 2 broken wrists when he came off, the ned unfortunately scarpered with his mates unhurt.

MattC59

Is this the 'What's your top speed' thread ? 'Cause there seems to be a lot of willy waving going on.
:roll:

ptr_

To those suggesting bottles of paint stripper or spitting at drivers, do you not consider how that affects the motorists view of cyclists from then on? If they were inconsiderate before they're going to be outright violent to the next unfortunate cyclist they encounter.

Smile and wave, it confuses them immensely.

Scotxr

MattC59 wrote:

Is this the 'What's your top speed' thread ? 'Cause there seems to be a lot of willy waving going on.
:roll:

I'm a Mountainbiker at heart but have decided to give road biking a go for fitness.

To be honest I was wary about posting on the Road section, your comment above makes me realise why. I dont understand people's need to reply to a thread when they have nothing constructive to say, all they can add to the conversation is :roll: .

My mum always told me if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all. Maybe if you think this is "willy waving" you could just leave the thread and read another.

Just my thought.

Mark Alexander

Happened to me today, guy shouted, I waved, he stuck his finger out of the window. Shame there wasn't a lorry driving in the other direction.

knownothingbozo

I agree with all the sentiment about how cyclists will soar like eagles etc, however in my job I see the other side so I'd like to sound a note of caution... well doom really.
These non cyclists will also breed like rabbits. Whereas cyclists will tend to be more reasonable and sensible citizens and keep their breeding to a reasonable and affordable level. Therefore there will be more and more of these toerags in future years, and ultimately we'll all be overwhelmed and outnumbered.
Arm yourselves now cyclists! Either that or start having more baby cyclists.

The lunatics have already taken over the asylum.

Duffer65

In my experience it's not just the 'scum' and the 'underclass' it's ignorant people from all classes who dislike and resent cyclists for whatever reason....although they ALL probably read the Daily Mail! :x

MattC59

Scotxr wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

Is this the 'What's your top speed' thread ? 'Cause there seems to be a lot of willy waving going on.
:roll:

I'm a Mountainbiker at heart but have decided to give road biking a go for fitness.

To be honest I was wary about posting on the Road section, your comment above makes me realise why. I dont understand people's need to reply to a thread when they have nothing constructive to say, all they can add to the conversation is :roll: .

My mum always told me if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all. Maybe if you think this is "willy waving" you could just leave the thread and read another.

Just my thought.

You need to grow some stones then and not take things so personally !!!
Why would my comment disuade you from posting on here ? It was factual, there is a lot of willy waving and bravado going on, and lets be honest, despite the behaviour of motorists, it doesn't give anyone the right to go back and assault them, or cause criminal damage to their vehicle. As for spitting in someones face, that's just plain out of order.

So, I'll stick to my original comment, there's either a lot of willy waving going on, or there's a lot of perople reinforcing motorists perceptions of motorists.

ps. if you read more posts in CakeStop, you'll note that there's no reason to be wary of posting on here, and you'll understand where such comments originate.

freehub

It's cause they're foggin basta.........!

on the road

Some people are just idiots, no two ways about it. I was once called a knobhead just for riding a bike :roll:

k1875

ptr_ wrote:

To those suggesting bottles of paint stripper or spitting at drivers, do you not consider how that affects the motorists view of cyclists from then on? If they were inconsiderate before they're going to be outright violent to the next unfortunate cyclist they encounter.

Smile and wave, it confuses them immensely.

+1 to this.

I was out last weekend when I was passed by a cycling team / club who took a wide line, 2 or 3 abreast on a blind corner to stop traffic passing where it wasn't safe. Fair enough and quite right.

However, the driver behind them was clearly not aware of what they were doing or why, and started pounding on his horn. He must have passed after the bend but was caught up shortly afterwards at a red light. I came round the bend to see 3 of the team blocking the road and tearing into him, in terms that were grossly out of proportion to his (comparatively harmless) actions.

I didn't think "Well done guys, that'll stop him honking his horn next time", I thought how little consideration that guy's going to give me next time I come across him on the road.

smurfylicious

Ezy Rider wrote:

There wont be a rider amongst us who hasnt experienced :

a) you are riding along minding your own business and a car slows down beside you, winds window down and some moron sticks the head out the window and is shouting ah ya foggin basta.......!!!!! and then the car speeds up


b) you are riding along minding your own business and there are people on the kerb going ah you foggin basta.........!!!! ,I wasnt brought up like that and have no desire to spout insults at somebody whom i dont know who is doing their own thing.


Why do they feel the need to treat cyclists in this way ?

Sometimes I wish the cyclist would catch up with the car with the moron in it at the lights , drag him out by the throat and flatten him.

I think it depends when and where you ride. I've had no trouble when riding 'out in the sticks'. When commuting it's a different matter, I've been spat at twice. One time they only managed to catch my shoe and I didn't find it until I got home. The second time they got my hand, riding mitt and handlebar and that was 'king gross. Fortunately I had a bottle of water with me and rinsed it off, still 'king disgusting though. As it happens I didn't even need water on my commute as it was so short. I was only carrying a bottle as I'd had trouble with idiots on BMXs trying to play chicken by riding on the wrong side of the road and swerving away at the last possible moment.

Why do they do it? Some of them probably think cyclists have no right to be on the road. Most, I think, are just people with rather unsatisfying and boring lives who get a kick out of being anti-social.

ollyridesfirst

MattC59 wrote:

As for spitting in someones face, that's just plain out of order.

If you'd experienced what the guy was doing/saying then you'd agree that spitting in his face was pretty tame! He deserved a lot more!

malcolmfrost

If you can get the reg number then report it to the police. They might just have the time to pay a visit. If the same reg is reported then the driver may just get cautioned.

A mate was riding along when a guy coming the other way lobbed a half full can of coke at him. It hit his helmet so hard you could see the shape of the vents! Anyway he had the presence of mind to pick it up with a glove, took it to the police who did a DNA test on it and paid him a visit!

HebdenBiker

Simon E wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Outgroup

and click on 'Outgroup (sociology)'

^^this

cyberknight

On a lighter note i had a wolf whistle from a car that was in the car park ( duh ) when i pick my bike up from the LBS .

It did shock them when i went over to say thank you .............the 2 young women in the car did look embarrassed

benno68

Some motorists also find it very amusing to use their windscreen washers when passing, it's happened to me a couple of times. The last was cycling with two mates when a middle aged guy in a new Audi did it - I wonder how he'd like chemical screen wash in his face?

on the road

cyberknight wrote:

On a lighter note i had a wolf whistle from a car that was in the car park ( duh ) when i pick my bike up from the LBS .

I've had quite a few of those from female car passengers, they must be blind

MattC59

OllyRidesFirst wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

As for spitting in someones face, that's just plain out of order.

If you'd experienced what the guy was doing/saying then you'd agree that spitting in his face was pretty tame! He deserved a lot more!

Nope, it's just plain disgusting and out of order.

andy46

A couple of months ago I had some spotty teenage boy racer's in a pimped up Corsa come past me from behind shouting and yelling abuse out of the window.

They then did it again no more than 5 minutes later (they must have gone round the block). They had to stop at a roundabout and as I filtered past them as I could see the road was clear so I had no need to stop, I fired a snot rocket all over his side window.

I didn't see them again