Nervous of riding

marcg868

After owning my road bike since January I've done about 10 rides and was enjoying it. But after nearly being rammed from behind and told I should be riding in the gutter plus numerous stupid overtakes I finally lost my rag and shoved a driver to the floor who got out of his car and started to argue with me.
I'm scared of losing my rag and hitting someone if it happens again and scared of having a serious accident.

Will riding more alleviate this nervousness or am I better off just selling up and sticking to my mtb. When I ride my mtb on the road I somehow feel a bit safer. I also ride a motorbike so I'm no stranger to poor driving but again I feel safer on my motorbike.

I do enjoy it when it's a quiet Sunday morning but weekends off are very rare to me so wondering when to go out during the week.

wardieboy

It sounds to me like you need to beat yourself off before heading out on a ride.

How did you manage to shove a driver to the floor when he was still in his car?

Are you David Banner?

marcg868

wardieboy wrote:

It sounds to me like you need to beat yourself off before heading out on a ride.

How did you manage to shove a driver to the floor when he was still in his car?

Are you David Banner?

Basically I was riding in the middle of a double parked road and I apperantly didn't ride quick enough. My foot slipped off the pedal and he nearly rear ended me because he was too close. I then shook my head. He overtook me slammed on and got out of his car and walked over in a aggressive, shouty manner so I told him to f off and shoved him to the floor.

I'm not normally hot headed but he was trying to bully me into going faster, I slipped and then showed my displeasure by shaking my head. He then got out of his car in a aggressive manner so I shoved him to the floor.

iPete

fair...

Now as you already acknowledge, quiet weekends are better but is there anything you can do with your current routes to find quieter ways?

marcg868

The only way is I ride Sundays only or If a weekday I ride on a short section of fireroad /Gravel track to access the quieter roads. Eventually when my legs are ready for it, up a big climb to start then it's all quiet country lanes.

JayKosta

It seems that the routes you ride can be definitely 'unfriendly' for cyclists.

I would avoid those routes, and if you do ride them - try to be especially courteous to motorists.
In 'crowded situations' I just pull over and wave them past me. Of course that only works when there will be an opportunity for me to continue riding.

Staying safe is generally a good idea....

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

ben@31

Looks like the previous post beat me to it, but the enjoyment comes from route choice.

I personnally pick the most quietest country back roads and avoid certain roads at all costs. I suppose if some cyclists drive to a trail with a mtb on a bike rack, you could drive to another area with a road bike on a bike rack, park up somewhere, cycle a loop and drive home?

Nothing wrong with mtb, it's not any inferior to road biking. It can still be a cardio vascular workout ( I find some accents harder on a mtb) and downhill sweeping flowing trails are fun.

saprkzz

Do you get into Rage when your on the motorbike or go after people if driving a car?

It seems you need a different mentality when on the roads. I used to do hand gestures, shout etc.. in my car and on bikes, but it really doesn't get you anywhere apart from irate and causes confrontation.

I have learnt how to deal with it, and I am now surprisingly calm when out. I don't bother flashing my lights in my cars or beeping, and I don't wave my arms around if on my bike.

This makes my journey a lot safer and a hell of a lot more enjoyable. Just let them get on with it.

marcg868

saprkzz wrote:

Do you get into Rage when your on the motorbike or go after people if driving a car?

It seems you need a different mentality when on the roads. I used to do hand gestures, shout etc.. in my car and on bikes, but it really doesn't get you anywhere apart from irate and causes confrontation.

I have learnt how to deal with it, and I am now surprisingly calm when out. I don't bother flashing my lights in my cars or beeping, and I don't wave my arms around if on my bike.

This makes my journey a lot safer and a hell of a lot more enjoyable. Just let them get on with it.

No I usually just swear to myself. However when I first started motorcycling and driving I used to rage really badly. To the point of having a fight. But 14 years of driving/riding motorcycles I just mutter my disgust to myself.

And your all right, I'm gonna plan my routes so they are quiet and get some mileage under my belt.

Thinking of going out late tonight as I have lights and it should be quieter. And I'm on nights for the next four so it's an excuse go out late. Need my confidence building and the only way to do that is ride.

ben@31

I suppose the way to view it is, what does the rage achieve ? It doesn't change what happened? Plus it is only a matter of time before you rage at a complete and utter phycopath, the type thats regularly in prison for connecting baseball bats or knifes to irrate people.

kajjal

JayKosta wrote:

It seems that the routes you ride can be definitely 'unfriendly' for cyclists.

I would avoid those routes, and if you do ride them - try to be especially courteous to motorists.
In 'crowded situations' I just pull over and wave them past me. Of course that only works when there will be an opportunity for me to continue riding.

Staying safe is generally a good idea....

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

This is is exactly what I would suggest. There is a difference between riding confidently and causing a tail back / annoying drivers by holding them up when you can just hop out of the way.

fatsmoker

Thousands of commuters tot up thousands of miles every year on busy less than cycle friendly roads, although there are obviously many altercations and w@nker signs given each day. It sounds like you just got the one dickhead driver on day one that the majority will only encounter only once in their life. On that logic you shouldn't get into any more major altercations for some time, if ever.
Regarding country lanes, these can be worse in some situations as the are narrow, bendy and difficult to overtake on. It's the luck of the draw as to whether you meet a plumsack or not.
Get back on your bike.

Pituophis

Agreed, don't let it put you off.
Evenings or weekend mornings are generally better, but the odd knob can pop up any time. As already mentioned, your encounter was at the far end of the scale and is pretty rare. We all have a shout now and again on the spur of the moment, but fortunately it doesn't go any further that often.
You even get fairly nonchalant about ordinary close passes after a bit! :shock:

KevChallis

I say get some clipless pedals, then your foot wouldn't have slipped, and wouldn't have lead to you shaking your head HAHA

roux_guy

I regularly give drivers who zoom past too close the universal w***er gesture. I did it the other day only for the driver to pull into a lay-by 100 yards ahead. Oops... :shock: . Luckily he was just stopping to help one of his kids with something in the back of the car .

marcg868

I'm gonna try again when the weather improves. Not enjoying the wet and windy weather when I'm not that confident. I need some dry and calm weather.

markhewitt1978

Your experience is not a common one. I've never had someone stop and get out and try to beat me up, nor have I had anyone ram me from behind

The difficult bit is keeping your cool, I rarely manage it because when someone passes you too close your fight or flight kicks in big time and a number of times I've been shaking my fist at someone, recently a BMW slowed down to ask what I was talking about, I thought he was going to push me off the road!

taon24

My advice is that you are as entitled to use the road as everyone else, but sadly on a bike you are not in a 1 tonne metal box of protection. I make room if I think it will make a difference and still leave me safe. In town that means rarely giving way, as they will simply get to the next red traffic light.
I always try and remember that anyone beeping/sounding off is probably a bit of a tit and having a bad day. Usually they get a wave, they might get a V sign if they are really being unreasonable. I have only had one person get out of a car to confront me. I try and stop out of reach as being on a bike leaves you more vulnerable I think. Plus you can't hit them, even when they deserve it.