First ever bit of road rage today...

redderekthelampshade

Car turning left into a single track road... me behind bearing down on him rapidly... car waiting to pull out of the single track road clearly saw me and pulled out.. he then seemingly decided to stop broadside across the road with me coming to a halt about an inch from his door.. He shrugged and smiled at me at which point I referred to him in words that I didn't realise I knew and that wouldn't be nice to repeat in pleasant company. The most suprised person throughout this entire incident was the little old woman I say hello to who waits at the bus stop opposite every morning.

Unlike me but turns out I don't like people that are stupid and want to hurt me :-)

:twisted:

tallmansix

Don't worry, it gets to us all, just remember that in that instance they don't actually know they are risking hurting you because they have mis-judged everything, even if they have seen you. I learnt this the day I caught up with a motorist that had pulled out on me causing me to brake hard on a wet and windy February night, when I said [shouted] "did you not **** see me when you pulled out?", he replied "course I saw you with all those bleedin lights flashing".

I think that cyclists have to work hard to find a balance between making good progress on the journey and reducing the risk from unexpected motorist behaviour. As long a you avoid an accident and any pain, I suppose all is ok, but without doubt I am, like you, left with many flashbacks of near misses from both mine and other road users*** mis-judgement, each one just fine tunes the risk vs speed balance.

*** 'other road users' includes (in my experience), but is not limited to, cars, motorcycles, horses, dogs, cats, children, squirrels, steam powered traction engines, skates boarders, police, prams, motility scooters, birds, and shopping trolleys.

corshamjim

Thankfully most motorists don't want to hurt us. Very few want to admit they've boobed though, and that can come across as more antagonistic than maybe it really is.

On the whole drivers become more predictable the more you get to know their unpredictable ways! I find it's best to work around their inadequacies rather than expect them magically to become better drivers somehow.

passout

corshamjim wrote:

Thankfully most motorists don't want to hurt us. Very few want to admit they've boobed though, and that can come across as more antagonistic than maybe it really is.

On the whole drivers become more predictable the more you get to know their unpredictable ways! I find it's best to work around their inadequacies rather than expect them magically to become better drivers somehow.

Agreed - cycle defensively.

...but what gets me is when people shout comments or even throw things at you for absolutely no reason other than to impress their mates in the car with them. Happens to be once every month or two. I see red then...once caught up with 2 lads in a car who did this. I was banging on the window & shouting but they just stared blankly staight ahead ignoring me, after locking their doors. Just stupid kids I guess, but even so... I'm fairly philosphical about accidents & bad driving though.

domgears

Always expect the worst of every driver!

That way there are no scary surprises, further more it makes you far more appreciative and thankful to those drivers that are courteous and thoughtful.

If there is a car waiting to pull out ahead, you must expect that they will do so, if there is a left turning ahead you must expect a driver to overtake you and left hook you, if there is somebody waiting to turn across your lane, again you must expect them to do just that at the worst possible moment.

If you expect these behaviors then when they dont do this you are both surprised and happy, you can then reward them with a wave or nod of gratitude, rewarding positive behavior hoping that this will encourage them do always be thoughtful.

Just my thoughts anyway

anton1r

domgears wrote:

Always expect the worst of every driver!

This.

Though you can replace the word driver with "other cyclists" or "pedestrians" or "animals" (especially suicidal dogs!)

Initialised

eventually cars will become driver less and be fitted with sensors and crude AIs that makes sure they never crash into pedestrians, cyclists each other etc... and always make the journey at maximum fuel efficiency while maintaining nationwide freely flowing traffic making traffic lights redundant. Until the Trillions of dollars of lost tax revenue from the 1% super rich in the global economy is redistributed this utopian vision of safe roads for cyclists is but a pipe dream. :roll: