Confronting a motorist- is it worth it?

[Mike8782]

I was on the way home tonight going through a residential area. As I was cycling along in a primary position, I could see a car coming towards me, and a van decided to overtake me from behind. He pulled out, zoomed past me and I had to pull in sharply and brake. I had to brake quite sharply.

I don't normally do this, but I thought I'd follow on and speak to the driver at the next lights. I'm not very assertive in these situations, and so I said "I'm very sorry, but you nearly hit me there, I don't normally do this, etc".

He replied that he'd seen me, and that there were two options, "hit the car, or slow down". It was all quite amicable, and I wondered whether I gained anything from this. Is it a good idea to confront drivers like this?

 

[SW19cam]

Like that - yes. That's just a normal human interaction isn't it?

 

[gaz]

written about it before - http://www.croydoncyclist.co.uk/remonstrating-with-drivers/

 

[fossyant]

Usually not worth it.

 

[derrick]

It depends on how big they are.
Only joking, depends on how baddly they cut you up, i have a bit of a short fuse, but most of the time i bite my tongue.

 

[Boris Bajic]

In general, I'd say it's not worth confronting any other road user - motorist, cyclist, pedestrian.

It doesn't sound as though you were being confrontational, but in the heat of the moment it can be difficult not to be.

Many years ago on a deadline-snapping commuter ride across Central London, I angered a woman on an MTB who went just BALLISTIC at me. I can be a little fly with the rules in London, so I do get the odd bit of unsolicited advice on my riding, but I generally know what I'm doing (or have done) wrong. On this occasion, I had no idea.

It was a tirade from a horror film, but excluded any mention of my error. To this day I have no idea what my crime was, but as in Stalin's day I accepted my guilt. Which is to say... It's not just motorists. Some cyclists are live grenades with no visible pin. I try to be smiley with everyone and speak back to no-one.

 

[Gez73]

I avoid any interaction with drivers in situations like this. I usually need time to calm down myself and am in no mood in the immediate aftermath of a scare to have a conversation that wouldn't result in insults and the worst of language. Better to let it lie and be grateful for a near miss than a hit! Poor drivers seldom care or are considerate enough to accept anything a cyclist would have to say even if it was presented in a calm manner. We are far too vulnerable in road rage situations regardless of who's in the right. Gez

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

written about it before - http://www.croydoncyclist.co.uk/remonstrating-with-drivers/

Must admit I did tonight as I was fuming at the time.

 

[avsd]

In general I have found it is usually not worth it.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I'm unafraid of opening a conversation with a smile if the opportunity arises, but then I am tall, broad and a skinhead, so I worry about scaring folk

 

[400bhp]

Usually not worth it.

+1

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Is it worth it? Depends very much on what you hope to achieve by doing it...

inspire the driver to mend their ways? utterly pointless

let you blow off some steam? may have its place, though I'd suggest finding another, more constructive, way to do that.

 

[mumbo jumbo]

Generally the moment has come and gone so fast there's nothing you can do anyway. The problem comes if you catch the offending twonk (by design or otherwise). Generally I try to avoid confrontation - it generates instant polarisation and anger all round. Despite knowing this, I had a ding dong argument with a guy before Christmas. I was frothing-at-the-mouth angry and physically shaking with shock 45 mins later at my desk. What happened was deliberate and terrifying but I have little doubt that the argument contributed significantly to the shock reaction I had in the office. Regrettably I wasn't wearing my helmet cam (which had become annoyingly unreliable) but the incident sparked me into action in getting a new cam which generates the occasional upload. These are often of good driving around me or other cyclists. There would have been another one today if the cam had not run out of juice - some excellent driving on two occasions by a WMV around a cyclist ahead of me on the road into work.

 

[Bigsharn]

Depending on the circumstances, yes and no. If it's a 'professional' driver I tell them I'm reporting them to their respective body, and to start looking for another job. If it's someone in their personal car I don't bother (unless there's something wrong with the car, ie. tail light out/wingmirror still folded in.)

 

[mickle]

If I can catch a driver after an act of shoot driving them I always confront them. To do otherwise is to give in to bullying. we owe it to ourselves to stand up to these people.