That's it, I quit riding roads

[volpepazza]

I don't want to die. Today for the second time this week a car almost ran me over while I was commuting to work on my 29er. I can see it in their faces as they rage and drive and kill. Seriously, I make eye contact with these people as they look at me and try to run me out of their way. This morning started out great, ten miles of groovy singletrack, some hill climbs, and rolling on down into work by 8 AM as the sun started to warm the day. Here he comes, middle age in his mini van, charges me out of the stop sign from the right side of the 4 way, hit the brakes, I see the rage in his face. I continue on through and he buzzes by, accelerating aggressively, inches past my left elbow. Then he stops in front of me to turn again, I've got the ass and pound on his left rear quarter panel as I pass, now he pulls out again and aims for me and hits my left arm with his right rear view mirror, it folds back on it's hinges. He pulls ahead and trys to block my passage, swerveing and braking. Now I'm really hoping paunch boy will stop and get out of his mini van so I can really pound his f*&^$%g head in. He speeds off, ****, he's yapping on his cell phone too! Really, this was my morning. Not to mention the other car that intentionally made a right turn in front of me and ran me off the road last Tuesday. Look up all the cyclists that get killed by cars, there's plenty of them. One definition of madness is to do the same activity day after day and continue to expect the results will be different. Car culture does not care about your life or health. To the driver, you may as well be a possum on the side of the road. Old Man, your right on, "the road to hell is paved" . Goodbye pavement. Hello dirt. I'll never leave you again. That's my rant.

[indyfab25]

Sorry brother...I understand...I have been thinking about selling my Indyfab Crown Jewel to purchase my Nomad much for the same reason. Trees feel no rage and it is your fault if you run into them. Lardasses with attitudes, soccer moms with aggro schedules....yeah...I understand.

[donkey]

I'll still take riding to work or the grocery store over driving whenever possible.

B

[volpepazza]

...no cars.

[grawbass]

Originally Posted by volpepazza

I don't want to die. Today for the second time this week a car almost ran me over while I was commuting to work on my 29er. I can see it in their faces as they rage and drive and kill. Seriously, I make eye contact with these people as they look at me and try to run me out of their way. This morning started out great, ten miles of groovy singletrack, some hill climbs, and rolling on down into work by 8 AM as the sun started to warm the day. Here he comes, middle age in his mini van, charges me out of the stop sign from the right side of the 4 way, hit the brakes, I see the rage in his face. I continue on through and he buzzes by, accelerating aggressively, inches past my left elbow. Then he stops in front of me to turn again, I've got the ass and pound on his left rear quarter panel as I pass, now he pulls out again and aims for me and hits my left arm with his right rear view mirror, it folds back on it's hinges. He pulls ahead and trys to block my passage, swerveing and braking. Now I'm really hoping paunch boy will stop and get out of his mini van so I can really pound his f*&^$%g head in. He speeds off, ****, he's yapping on his cell phone too! Really, this was my morning. Not to mention the other car that intentionally made a right turn in front of me and ran me off the road last Tuesday. Look up all the cyclists that get killed by cars, there's plenty of them. One definition of madness is to do the same activity day after day and continue to expect the results will be different. Car culture does not care about your life or health. To the driver, you may as well be a possum on the side of the road. Old Man, your right on, "the road to hell is paved" . Goodbye pavement. Hello dirt. I'll never leave you again. That's my rant.

This is exactly why I do very little road riding.

[wooglin]

Why is it that where I live (everywhere that I've lived in fact) there are a few idiots but most drivers at least try to be accomodating and share the road, while where everyone else lives every driver is out there actively trying to kill them?

[mtbdcd]

I think it is the "few" idiots that get your attention. They get your attention when you are in a car, in line at a store... too, just not near so dangerous. Probably a miniscule amount of drivers are this way, just more noticeable on a bike!

[TheOldMan]

My wife and I sold our road bikes last February and used the $ to buy a Kettler ErgoRacer indoor trainer with Nethalon virtual software -- for rainy days it very motivating and a heckuva workout. I got tired of seeing friends get hurt -- mostly by dogs and paceline errors. Also got tired of being brushed off by pickups pulling trailers. As a MTB racer I was concerned about losing the road training but I've found that there is nothing magical about training on the pavement. Other than intervals and riding ST we ride twice a week on rolling double track, non-technical, and zero traffic. I can get up to LT and hold it as long as I'm willing and get the same benefits that come from high intensity group rides. I don't miss it. Right now I'm about as happy as you can get as far as riding goes -- I've got the Levi for ST riding and racing and the Mooto-X for the aforementioned "road riding."

[Old_Bashturd]

Originally Posted by mtbdcd

I think it is the "few" idiots that get your attention. They get your attention when you are in a car, in line at a store... too, just not near so dangerous. Probably a miniscule amount of drivers are this way, just more noticeable on a bike!

Agree
I found on my commutes and RR's most drivers are courteous, but its a small percentage that are aggressive that you remember. I tend to feel safer riding alone on the road vs a group. Seems like drivers have a harder time with multiple riders.

[JJT]

It is so strange to read stories like this. We, as europeans, think you can get sued in the states for making the hammer that is used for a murder when the manufacturer did not mention the hammer should not be used for smashing someones head.

For me this was an attempt for murder, isn't is possible to go to the police with this story and his license plate number??

Things like this would drive me mad...

Off course stupid thing happen here, but most of the time that is from drivers not seeing another road user (cyclist/walker), intentional driving into cyclists is , thank God, not 'common'.

Keep riding the roads, the eyes of people should be opened!

JJ

[RobW]

Originally Posted by Old_Bashturd

Agree
I found on my commutes and RR's most drivers are courteous, but its a small percentage that are aggressive that you remember. I tend to feel safer riding alone on the road vs a group. Seems like drivers have a harder time with multiple riders.

Huh. My experience with aggresive wankers is the opposite. They don't seem to feel as free to take chances with my life when there are 20 witnesses, or possibly allies, riding with me...

[Big29]

I know exactly how you feel. The same kind of thing happens around here on a regular basis too. The town I live in is a blue collar-work hard for your money-go buy smokes and head to the bar, kind of place. There is really very little emphasis on healthy active lifestyle. Many of these people don't understand why you would even ride a bike for fun.

The other problem we have around here is that many of the "serious cyclists" around here don't deserve much respect from motorists IMO. These guys that I'm referring to wouldn't even consider stopping at a 4-way stop. Unfortunately, the rest of us reap what they sow.

[max-a-mill]

you need get a license plate #... if his car hit you, it's assult.

and also, if you hit someones car, you best be prepared for war.

keep riding.

[Nat]

That blows. Maybe the driver will have a heart attack soon and take himself off the roster.

[RetroG]

It seems like the 10 miles of Singletrack prior to the 4-way stop would be too much to give up for a few a-holes.

-Watch you ass and avoid confrontation.

-Assume they are all stupid like mini-van guy.

-Carry the top half of a fishing rod with lead sinkers duct taped to the end strapped to the top tube for "emergency's"

[mtbkendall]

I have a new 22mag derringer. great for popping out rear windows!!! lol

Actually, Here in Gods Country (North Louisiana) people are pretty good. The part of town and country roads I ride people are very friendly. We get the occasional kid that will holler at you. Our problem here is more during hunting season. Hunters dont like us riding in areas that are typ posted as safe zones and No Hunting allowed. They have been known to shoot a tree near you to deter you from coming back..This is common for the trash that typ hunts in the Free Core of Eng hunting areas.

Be careful!!! later BK

[Guitar Ted]

I have had a few instances of "road rage". Really, not as serious as is described by the original poster, though. I'm aware that it could happen, and I actually try to keep an eye out for it, but you can't always see it coming, as it were.

I think these individuals that participate in this behaviour with their automobiles are really cowards. How much moxy does it take to point your two and a half ton auto at a cyclist to "scare" him, or brush him off "your" roads! It's an ingrained part of our culture that you have a "right" to an automobile, and that "no one" can impede your way. I get a kick out of when motorists give me that annoyed look, because I took three seconds off their commute time when they had to wait for me to go around a corner! It's crazy!

I say don't give up. Look out for your safety, yes! Look into a different route, yes! But don't give up riding your bike. You don't know if you might be the one to inspire another to take up a bike, and join you. You shouldn't let that driver win, it enables the rest of the herd to do the same and more. Okay, well maybe I'm getting a little too "rant-ish" here. Sorry! Do what you've gotta do! I hope you don't stop riding! Good luck!

[volpepazza]

Thanks but of course I won't give up riding. Besides yesterday's incident, I had been putting on a lot of road miles recently in the belief that it would help to bring my xc racing up to the next level. Most drivers are courteous, give you enough room and pass when it's safe. On every ride there are several who threaten your life. I think even Lance has been hit by a car. I read that he has a blocking vehicle follow behind him to protect his life when he trains. Well, I'm not going to martyr myself for cycling. If this country ever gets serious about alternatives to carbon fuels we'll see a fundamental change. How many bike paths do you think could be built with Alaska's 670 million dollar "bridge (for cars) to nowhere"?

[Mtc]

My fellow co-worker kicked in a door yesterday. He said the guy pulled a similar move putting him into a curb. When he caught the guy at the light he asked if the driver saw him. The driver gave him a "fu!k you" which enraged my buddy at which point he put him foot in his door. The funny thing is said cyclist thought it would just put a scuff, but the door colapsed pretty significantly. He took off down the sidewalk leaving the motorist stuck in traffic.

[volpepazza]

That's the thing. Your groovy day pretty much goes down the tubes when that happens.

[the_dude]

Originally Posted by Mtc

My fellow co-worker kicked in a door yesterday. He said the guy pulled a similar move putting him into a curb. When he caught the guy at the light he asked if the driver saw him. The driver gave him a "fu!k you" which enraged my buddy at which point he put him foot in his door. The funny thing is said cyclist thought it would just put a scuff, but the door colapsed pretty significantly. He took off down the sidewalk leaving the motorist stuck in traffic.

if i were your co-worker, i'd change my commute route pretty quickly. wouldn't want to cross paths with that guy again.

[OrBikbldr]

Originally Posted by JJT

It is so strange to read stories like this. We, as europeans, think you can get sued in the states for making the hammer that is used for a murder when the manufacturer did not mention the hammer should not be used for smashing someones head.

For me this was an attempt for murder, isn't is possible to go to the police with this story and his license plate number??

Things like this would drive me mad...

Off course stupid thing happen here, but most of the time that is from drivers not seeing another road user (cyclist/walker), intentional driving into cyclists is , thank God, not 'common'.

Keep riding the roads, the eyes of people should be opened!

JJ

I agree, call the police with his licence number, get them involved. Especially if this has happened before with the same person. In most states, if not all states assault is what happens when a person makes you think that you are going to be physically harmed in some way. There does not have to be any actual contact, just that you reasonably think that there may be. This is a Tort and he can be sued civilly. There are also criminal ramifications most likely. Incidentally you are not allowed to commit assault or battery back unless it is to protect physical harm to yourself. So the fact that you threaten him does not help your cause. I know you want to, but kicking his ass is not the answer long term. Call the police...

[Fixintogo]

I'd still rather ride than drive! On Tuesday I had to drive in to work for the first time in several weeks, and I couldn't believe how stressed and angry I was when I got home. People drive like sh*t! They have little consideration for one another, employ dangerous manuevers to gain a meager car-length or shave a few precious seconds off of their commute. While on the bike, I've not personally experienced the kind of predatory motorist behavior described by others, but when driving I am constantly appalled at the behavior of my fellow motorist. From now on, except in "emergency" situations I'll either ride or take the bus. Cars do indeed suck.

[Lucky 7]

Ugh, I hate that. Definitely puts a sour note on what is usually a nice routine. I've been nearly run over more times than I can count and actually run into a couple times. Nothing serious, but in both instances the driver saw I was okay and then rolled down their window to scream obscenities at me. What the hell? Getting run over in a crosswalk is my fault? I don't get people sometimes.

My worst one came after I gave a guy the finger for honking at me (while I was in a crosswalk). He pulled up next to me to yell at me and I told him to f**k himself. That blew his stack and so he swerved hard right on to me. I braked quick enough that he only got my front tire, but he put his range rover up on the curb right in front of me, leaving me no out. The first thing I saw was his license plate

ARMSDLR

Uh oh. Before I could even get off my bike, the guy was out of his car and in my face screaming and shoving me. It was unbelievable how furious the guy was. Seriously, I had to keep from laughing it was so ridiculous. With a bike between my legs and a strong suspicion that the guy was armed, I kept my mouth shut until he blew himself out. With one last shove, he got in his truck and took off. I see him in my neighborhood every now and again and I've always fantisized about blowing up his car, but I've never had a good opportunity. Maybe someday.....

Anyway, non-biker drivers are a dangerous lot that love to take out all their pent up emotional baggage on the dirty tree-huggin' bikers that pollute their rage infested morning commute. Thank god for bike trails.

[Ligero]

Originally Posted by Mtc

My fellow co-worker kicked in a door yesterday. He said the guy pulled a similar move putting him into a curb. When he caught the guy at the light he asked if the driver saw him. The driver gave him a "fu!k you" which enraged my buddy at which point he put him foot in his door. The funny thing is said cyclist thought it would just put a scuff, but the door colapsed pretty significantly. He took off down the sidewalk leaving the motorist stuck in traffic.

I had a lady in a Firebird sped up and tryed to make a right turn in front of me. She didn't make it past me before she turned and my bar ends and pedals left a nice scrape all the way down the side. She got out of the car claiming I hit her and that she was calling the cops, when the cops arrived they asked her how did I get that close to her car and then gave her a ticket for hitting me.

A year later I have the same thing happen by a woman in a mini van except this time the cop said he did not believe that I could lean on the van to keep from getting run over by the front wheel so I must be lying about what really happened. Her insurance company bought me a new bike but the cop put on the report that I hit her not the other way around.

[Nat]

As much as a road raging driver makes me feel like throwing down, I guess it's probably best not to escalate the situation. Some folks are just looking for a confrontation. I doubt there would be much to gain by picking a fight with a driver, and there'd be much to lose, if not today them maybe the next time he sees me. Even worse, maybe he'd take out the anti-bike ire on the next cyclist he sees.

I've never given The Finger and I try not to even give stinkface. Some drivers don't intentionally mess with you (but some do - it's obvious when they did it on purpose) but rather just make a bad call. For those who look like they just goofed, I try to smile and wave to acknowledge they made a bad call. Hopefully they'll be ready for the same situation when it comes up later and will make a better choice next time. I figure if you antagonize them and make them mad, they're less likely to want to change their behavior. Instead they'd just think to themselves, "F'ng bikers! Flipped me off last time!"

[EPO]

LOVE IT....Making one of these tonight!

Originally Posted by RetroG

-Carry the top half of a fishing rod with lead sinkers duct taped to the end strapped to the top tube for "emergency's"

[FoShizzle]

i will never ride a road bike.......i have had 2 friends killed and frankly, i will take my chance with the rare mountain lion anyday. plus, lycra aint my thing

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by FoShizzle

i will never ride a road bike.......i have had 2 friends killed and frankly, i will take my chance with the rare mountain lion anyday. plus, lycra aint my thing

Scares the hell out of me! As FO said I will take my chances with a mountain lions (with a raw steak in my pack) over the road any day. Soccer mom on her cell phone or trying to hand one of her rug rats a snack-pack weaving all over the road. No thanks it only dirt for me.

Besides God invented cars so we would not have to ride bikes on the street.

[LJintheUK]

I only commute by bike, would'nt do it for fun.
The only time I have lost my rag with a driver was when one almost put me into the side of a van when he overtook. The thing that really flamed me was that it was 50 yards from a red light, there was no way anyone could overtake him so there was no point in doing it.
I pulled up beside him and said "You almost killed me back there you dumb f*&k" to which he replied "You shouldn't have been in the f*&king way." Thats when I invited him to step out of the car. He locked the doors and I just sneered at what a cowardly little worm he was, and you could see from the look in his eyes that he felt pathetic. Priceless
It does scare me how furious I was though. If he had got out I really would have given him a kicking over such a stupid little incident .
Usually I just try to ignore the a&*eholes, as most drivers over here are pretty considerate.

[FoShizzle]

Originally Posted by LJintheUK

I only commute by bike, would'nt do it for fun.
The only time I have lost my rag with a driver was when one almost put me into the side of a van when he overtook. The thing that really flamed me was that it was 50 yards from a red light, there was no way anyone could overtake him so there was no point in doing it.
I pulled up beside him and said "You almost killed me back there you dumb f*&k" to which he replied "You shouldn't have been in the f*&king way." Thats when I invited him to step out of the car. He locked the doors and I just sneered at what a cowardly little worm he was, and you could see from the look in his eyes that he felt pathetic. Priceless
It does scare me how furious I was though. If he had got out I really would have given him a kicking over such a stupid little incident .
Usually I just try to ignore the a&*eholes, as most drivers over here are pretty considerate.

LJ, i would say it is even worse in the US for sure. Perhaps the only place I have ever felt comfortable riding on the road was in Copenhagen......I cant imagine a safer place to ride in terms of a city but other than that, no thanks.

[Old_Bashturd]

Originally Posted by Nat

As much as a road raging driver makes me feel like throwing down, I guess it's probably best not to escalate the situation. "

I agree with Nat, why get hurt or killed because some A-Hole is having a bad day. Its the same as being in a car, and getting cut off, and then engaging in road duel. Its not worth it, and when you're on a bike, you're at the very bottom of the food chain. Get the tag # and call the cops. Press charges, but don't confront them.

[LJintheUK]

Originally Posted by FoShizzle

LJ, i would say it is even worse in the US for sure. Perhaps the only place I have ever felt comfortable riding on the road was in Copenhagen......I cant imagine a safer place to ride in terms of a city but other than that, no thanks.

At least over here the drivers are unlikely to pull a gun on you.

[wolfy]

Couple commuting conclusions from reading these posts.

1) we need to be careful and not ride like duchebags. It's hard to fight the temptation, but we have the same rules as cars.

2) I ride cause driving is too irritating. We have to be in control of our tempers. If a driver tries to piss us off and succeeds then he has exerted power over us.

3) We need HORNS! I mean audible horns not like some kind of viking thing. I think it would be a good early warning divice. Does anyone know of a good product out there?

4) Along the same line of horns. They make us mor noticeable, but cars also have the added benefit of being dnagerous which makes other dirvers respect them. Could we justify some kind of physical warning in the interest of safety? Such as a pocket full of pebbles, for the people who really don't see us.

-M

[wooglin]

Originally Posted by wolfy

3) We need HORNS! I mean audible horns not like some kind of viking thing. I think it would be a good early warning divice. Does anyone know of a good product out there?

You can get a rechargeable air horn from Performance or Nashbar I think. I just have my brakes set to squeal really loudly. Sets my teeth on edge every time I hear them, and motorists generally take notice (if they can hear anything at all) too because it sounds to them like squealing tires. A better option might be a whistle in your mouth pretty much constantly.

Really though, if you've got time to use a horn you've got time to maneuver. If you already expect every motorist to do something stupid, and ride accordingly, I can imagine very few situations in which a horn would really help.

[GlowBoy]

Sorry to hear about this incident. Sounds awful. I've had a few nasty conflicts with motorists in 5 years of commuting (usually 1-2x per year) but never anything that bad.

Originally Posted by volpepazza

Here he comes, middle age in his mini van, charges me out of the stop sign from the right side of the 4 way, hit the brakes, I see the rage in his face. I continue on through and he buzzes by, accelerating aggressively, inches past my left elbow. Then he stops in front of me to turn again, I've got the ass and pound on his left rear quarter panel as I pass, now he pulls out again and aims for me and hits my left arm with his right rear view mirror, it folds back on it's hinges. He pulls ahead and trys to block my passage, swerveing and braking.

I don't know the exact laws where you are, but here in Oregon that guy would be guilty of Assault for hitting you with his mirror, Reckless Endangerment and Reckless Driving for putting your life in danger, and Menacing for threatening and intimidating you with physical force. All are serious crimes, and if you're really (mostly) blameless and have a license plate and a physical description of the guy, most prosecutors will treat them as such. FWIW, in many local jurisdictions here he would also be in violation of local road rage laws (less serious ordinance violation), for deliberately getting in front of you and blocking of your passage, regardless of whether there was contact or actual endangerment.

Couple points about how this incident started though: did you run the stop sign? I hope not. And even if you did stop he may have had the right of way over you because he was on your right. Yes, even if you were there first. Although that's not how 4-way stops are used in practice, that is how the law is written here and in many other states.

Also, are you riding absolutely the safest route you possibly can when you're on the road? I will go out of my way, even if it adds a mile to my commute, to avoid an unsafe stretch of road. Look for bike lanes and quiet through streets, or dedicated bike paths with few road crossings. Avoid busy 1-lane roads without bike lanes or shoulders, and avoid left turns off busy roads whenever possible. I am obsessive about this, and systematically study maps looking for better and safer routes. Sometimes I'll be riding a route for a year or more, when suddenly I'll discover a detour or change I hadn't thought of before that makes it safer.

Originally Posted by FoShizzle

LJ, i would say it is even worse in the US for sure. Perhaps the only place I have ever felt comfortable riding on the road was in Copenhagen......I cant imagine a safer place to ride in terms of a city but other than that...

I don't agree with you about not riding on the roads, but I sure agree with you about Copenhagen! I rode around a bit there when I was in May, and it surely is a cyclist's paradise. Even better than Amsterdam. It's not that cyclists have special privileges (other than huge bike lanes), it's just that they are genuinely treated on par with motorists. Eye-opening, to say the least.

Originally Posted by wolfy

1) we need to be careful and not ride like duchebags. It's hard to fight the temptation, but we have the same rules as cars.

Damn straight! I'm sick and tired of hearing from motorists about how cyclists are "taking over the roads" and "always" running red lights and stop signs, darting in out of traffic, etc. Most of it is cyclists' fault, but it is simply exhausing to have to explain to people over and over again that it is not all cyclists. It may not even be the majority of cyclists, but the ones breaking the laws are the ones that get noticed. I urge people to try and take notice more often of when they see a cyclist that is riding reasonably and not breaking any laws. It's been a really hot topic in one of our local papers, which has been running front-page stories for weeks about cyclist/pedestrian/car conflicts. One of the headlines proclaimed "Some Drivers Call 'Cyclist Safety' an Oxymoron." Ugh. This is what we're up against.

The rule is so simple it's almost laughable, and yet so few people on either "side" really get it: same roads, same rights, same rules. Period.

Originally Posted by wolfy

3) We need HORNS! I mean audible horns not like some kind of viking thing. I think it would be a good early warning divice. Does anyone know of a good product out there?

YES! I've commuted with the Air Zound Horn for several years now. Louder than a car horn, and sounds authoritative without sounding as angry (and thus confrontation-provoking) as yelling.

Originally Posted by wolfy

Cars also have the added benefit of being dnagerous which makes other dirvers respect them. Could we justify some kind of physical warning in the interest of safety? Such as a pocket full of pebbles, for the people who really don't see us.

I wouldn't. Anytime you touch someone's car it is guaranteed to escalate hostility in the extreme. Unless you've decided you want a confrontation (and honestly, sometimes you do), do not do it. Americans see their car as an extension of themselves, and if you so much as brush their car with a gloved hand (literally -- I've seen this happen) they treat it as an act of assault. The distinction between people and property is often lost on people.

I have thought about the efficacy of carrying some kind of object with which to defend myself -- short baseball bat tied to the top tube, pepper spray, or ... um, even something more potent. But let's face it, in the vast majority of the serious conflicts we have with motorists, we are right and they are wrong and we feel pretty damn righteous about it. Usually we don't push the issue because either (a) the other guy is gone or (b) we're concerned about what might happen to us if we did. I've concluded that arming myself (even with pepper spray for self-defense only) only increases the likelihood of something really serious happen. Also, should a case ever go in front of a jury, you will no longer look like the defenseless cyclist that you already are. American juries are already overwhelmingly biased against cyclists (ask any lawyer specializing in cyclist law), and if you have even the mildest weapon on you forget about the legal system (your only real weapon) coming to your aid.

[GlowBoy]

If you can find out who the guy is , you can write him a letter. Seriously. One of our local bike lawyers recommends doing this first. I've tried it, and it works.

4 years ago I was riding down a 40 mph industrial road with 2 lanes in each direction. No shoulder, so I was taking the full right lane as permitted (and advised). For a minute or so there was a slow moving flatbed semi next to me in the left lane. Some guy in a pickup came roaring up behind me, his bumper nearly on my tire, then finally forced his way in between me and the flatbed, nearly pushing me into the curb at 20 mph.

I called 911 and reported his license plate, then got his name and address through a DMV lookup (not available to the general public, but Bicycle Transportation Alliance members can have them done). In my letter I stated what had happened, pointed out that bicycles are vehicles and have as much right to the road as any other vehicle, and then listed out the 4 criminal statutes he had violated with explanations of what he had done wrong. The key to making this strategy work was my summary at the end, in which I reiterated that he had violated some serious laws, but that I would wait to hear his response before referring his case for prosecution. I did not word this as a threat -- i.e., if I don't hear from you I'll press charges -- but rather made it look like he had the option to redeem himself -- i.e., if I do hear from you I might consider not pressing charges.

Well, whaddaya know, just 3 days later a 4 page hand-typed letter showed up in my mailbox. In it, he denied having done what I accused him of doing, but did acknowledge the seriousness of the situation and expressed regret that it had happened to me. He also tried to refute a couple of my legal points, though not very well, even accusing me of violating the obstruction of traffic statute (which, if he'd read more carefully, he'd have seen I had not violated). I took issue with some of the things he said, but the bottom line for me was that it was clear that he had taken my letter extremely seriously, and I'd be willing to bet he'd tell a lot of people about it and would be a lot more careful about so casually endangering a cyclist's life next time. I wrote him a second letter refuting his weak legal points, but saying that even so I wouldn't press charges because I could see he took the situation seriously enough and probably wouldn't do it again. That was the end of it. The situation was resolved to my satisfaction, and other than threatening to use it I didn't need to get the legal system involved.

[evilbike]

no doubt the best thing to take with you on a road ride is a cool temper. even if you get away with anything from flipping the bird to vandalizing a car, you never know when you will be seen again by the person you've had a conflict with. or, most important, how your behavior will effect how the motorist treats the next roadie that crosses his or her path.

if **** goes down, stay cool. wave and smile. it's fun to catch up at red lights to folks that have been obnoxious and be overly friendly and polite with them, but it isn't necessarily a safe thing to do. call the local cops with the driver's liscence plate number and let them now that somebody's driving recklessly. they'll at least get a letter asking them to cool it (as my wife once did- she's a crazy driver).

[volpepazza]

I think you have the answer right there. Rollers will probably provide good supplemental training. I'm going to miss my 54 mile coffee run tommorow. I guess I'll just have to set up a pot next to some rollers and pour out a double shot of espresso at the 27 mile mark. I also thought I would start road riding in order to increase my fitness level for xc racing. Thank goodness I came to my senses in time, I'm a mountain biker. Long live long rides. Thanks for your $.02

[Nat]

Originally Posted by wooglin

A better option might be a whistle in your mouth pretty much constantly.

I'm gonna try this option. If you hear "TWEET!-gasp-TWEET!-gasp-TWEET!-gasp-TWEET!..." that'll be me coming down the road!

Actually I've been doing something while both driving and riding that I learned from my 4 year-old: when a car is driving crazy I just open my mouth up wide and scream in mock-terror. It's kind of funny seeing people go from angry driver to laughing driver all of the sudden.

[grawbass]

Originally Posted by Nat

I'm gonna try this option. If you hear "TWEET!-gasp-TWEET!-gasp-TWEET!-gasp-TWEET!..." that'll be me coming down the road!

Actually I've been doing something while both driving and riding that I learned from my 4 year-old: when a car is driving crazy I just open my mouth up wide and scream in mock-terror. It's kind of funny seeing people go from angry driver to laughing driver all of the sudden.

LMFAO!

[JoelM]

As if its not bad enough when you're in the right, it's even worse when you're in the wrong!
The other day on my daily commute home from school, I was preparing to turn left onto my road, and before doing so I waved-on the car that was riding my back tire to pass me. After he passed I started to turn left, and to my surprise there was still a car behind me that I hadn't seen. He slammed on his brakes and was rather unhappy with me. At that point I figured the damage was done and it didn't make much sense for me to swerve back right. I went ahead and turned, all the while watching this guy get all worked up about the situation. He was mouthing off, so I stopped my bike to do the same. He stopped his car and I realized he was a big guy. At less than a buck-fifty, I suddenly realized that what was doing was_really_dumb, but for some reason I held my ground. He thankfully pulled away, and I speedily made my way home.
I guess I wasn't necessarily in the wrong, but I certainly complicated the situation by waving traffic past me instead of just signaling to turn.
Since I commute pretty much everyday, this is only the latest in a long string of incidents involving motorists. I've also considered carrying mace for purposes of self defense, but I fear that if I ever had to use it, or even threaten to use it, it would only further worsen the situation at hand.