Does this count as a win?

karlth

Pillock overtakes with a space you'd get a fag paper stuck in; I catch him up at lights and attempt to attract his attention with that useful sign that means "you were too damned close" but could be fortuitously misinterpreted as "your wife is grumpy because you suffer somewhat in the endowment department". Driver steadfastly stares forwards utterly refusing to acknowledge my presence. I think that counts as "yes, I cut you up but I'm not going to admit to myself that it happened, so you can't possibly exist, so I'm going to keep staring at the back of the car in front."

Curious Yellow

No point getting angry at idiots mate. I just breathe deeply and let it go these days. Life's too short and all that.

slowbike

Curious Yellow wrote:

No point getting angry at idiots mate. I just breathe deeply and let it go these days. Life's too short and all that.

Oh, I think there is some merit in "education" - preferably not down the angry route - although that would work well with drivers who are easily intimidated - but if they don't know they've passed too close then they'll probably do the same the next time and the next time and the time after that ... until .... bang ... they've clipped you with the wing mirror and you're in the gutter ... and hopefully life isn't too short for you ...

I got squeezed earlier this year - the driver then did a 3point turn so I went up to the drivers door (whilst he was stopped) to have a chat ... he didn't say it, but it was a case of "didn't see you" ... (no - no sorry mate) - anyway, he got very agitated and cross ... I just hope that his wife and (I assume) daughter who were with him had a quiet word as he burned rubber going back up the road ...
Should I have left it? I was going to, but two blokes who witnessed the incident exclaimed their astonishment at his appalling driving.

rick_chasey

Slowbike wrote:

Curious Yellow wrote:

No point getting angry at idiots mate. I just breathe deeply and let it go these days. Life's too short and all that.

Oh, I think there is some merit in "education" - preferably not down the angry route - although that would work well with drivers who are easily intimidated -.

This does not end well unless you're 6ft5 and built like a brick shithouse. Even then, you're taking chances.

raymondo60

Each incident is different, of course, as are the people involved. Some drivers will accept criticism or comments, others not. Problem is, you don't know whixh is which beforehand. On the rare occassions that I do feel the need to react to a driver, it is always with a polite question, such as;

"Do you think you left me suffucuent room there?" or "Would you say your speed was appropriate for that situation?" I can honestly say I've never had any verbal or physical abuse or anything of that nature. Am I just lucky?

team47b

We were cycling along a gravel track when around the corner came a f/wit in a 4x4 going way too fast and kicking up enough dust to choke a cyclist, so I waved him down to have a word, he stopped and had a real go at me, good rant, I tried to interject but that only made him worse when he realised by my accent that I was English, a mere foreigner. I gestured yeah yeah whatever mate, and he left.

The reason I was trying to stop him was because I wanted to tell him that around the next corner he would encounter a JCB and a 5 metre deep hole the full width of the track with only enough space for a bike to squeeze past!

He of course had to turn around and then drive past me, he looked really embarrassed, WIN, I think

bails87

Raymondo60 wrote:

Each incident is different, of course, as are the people involved. Some drivers will accept criticism or comments, others not. Problem is, you don't know whixh is which beforehand. On the rare occassions that I do feel the need to react to a driver, it is always with a polite question, such as;

"Do you think you left me suffucuent room there?" or "Would you say your speed was appropriate for that situation?" I can honestly say I've never had any verbal or physical abuse or anything of that nature. Am I just lucky?

Yes, or

you're 6ft5 and built like a brick shithouse

Wunnunda

I love it when karma strikes...

The truth about these situations is that the vast majority of people know EXACTLY when they've done something wrong and angry reactions are usually covering up their embarrassment and having it pointed out to them. I find a long hard stare does the job in most cases.

raymondo60

The reality is that most people out there - cyclists, drivers, pedestrians, whatever - are decent folk. The fact that we talk about idiotic behaviour out on the road shows its rarity - would you agree? How many cars go past you per day? How many incidents of this nature occur....??

slowbike

Rick Chasey wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Curious Yellow wrote:

No point getting angry at idiots mate. I just breathe deeply and let it go these days. Life's too short and all that.

Oh, I think there is some merit in "education" - preferably not down the angry route - although that would work well with drivers who are easily intimidated -.

This does not end well unless you're 6ft5 and built like a brick shithouse. Even then, you're taking chances.

Well - I would've been ok - as the two blokes who witnessed my incident were in uniform and had loaded guns to hand ...

I have found that riding in company (with another cyclist) often ends up in a little less aggression from the driver ... perhaps those driving bullies don't fancy their chances with two (or more) riders ... ?

Gizmo_

I've been known to ask people through open windows "Did you forget to look, or were you trying to kill me?"

il_principe

team47b wrote:

We were cycling along a gravel track when around the corner came a f/wit in a 4x4 going way too fast and kicking up enough dust to choke a cyclist, so I waved him down to have a word, he stopped and had a real go at me, good rant, I tried to interject but that only made him worse when he realised by my accent that I was English, a mere foreigner. I gestured yeah yeah whatever mate, and he left.

The reason I was trying to stop him was because I wanted to tell him that around the next corner he would encounter a JCB and a 5 metre deep hole the full width of the track with only enough space for a bike to squeeze past!

He of course had to turn around and then drive past me, he looked really embarrassed, WIN, I think

Had kinda the opposite of this in France, riding into a small Town and confronted with roadworks. Russian/Canadian guy we're with insists there'll be a way through, French workers say 'non.' We try anyway and of course find ourselves riding back past them 1 min later. They laugh uproariously.

jonomc4

I have sinned.

I once chased a driver who had undertaken me at the light for about 2 miles - I was angry because it was dangerous because I had two cars (left and right) overtake me at the same time - I explained (and I did not swear and was polite) that what she did was really dangerous and that she was in a left turn only lane. Anyway we left it at that.

Two weeks later on the same bit of road I noticed that she was actually in a lane that was left filter AND straight ahead - so although she was wrong to undertake I was still in the wrong lane myself - felt a bit of a twat to be honest and awfully glad I was polite about it or I would feel even worse.