How do you keep your temper?

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Okay, it's not my FAULT in a "they started it" way but after the event I wish I'd handled things differently.

Because this is me..
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Or at least I might as well be the scary Childcatcher.

Following a long (for me) ride, just near home a car whizzes past close enough for me to wonder for a moment whether I had been clipped or if it was the air brushing past with no reason to be so close (not that there is ever any reason) as the road is wide enough to pass with plenty of room without even crossing the centre line.

Don't know how I summoned the energy after my longest ride for 16 years but after my loud "OI" (my dad always said I ought to be a Sergeant-Major) I thought "I'm not having that!" and powered after him (including - and I'm sorry! - through the red light that he jumped)

I think what made it worse was that the sanctimonious git had his car plastered with "keep your distance" and "back off-I stick to the limit" notices.

Now, maybe it was because I was tired and that last bust of speed had taken it out of me but all I saw was the car and my language was extremely colourful. Only towards the end did I notice two wide-eyed tots looking visibly scared at this swearing and frothing (I think I was salivating) lunatic shouting and bawling.

I wish I'd kept my temper and addressed the issue properly rather than ranting and swearing like that in front of little kids (though frankly it was disgusting that the parent/guardian/driver should drive like that especially with kids in the back.

So, for those of you that do manage to keep a lid on it though some arrogant sanctimonious "worlds best driver, me" git has just come within an inch of turning you into road-pizza - do you have any secret tricks to your self-control?
 

iamanidiot

New Member
Nope. If i'm chilled it's cause the incident wasn't bad. I let fly if I feel my life has just been needlessly endangered. And I don't think that's a particularly reprehensible course of action. I can't imagine it would affect children overly to be honest, particularly if they are young. It's all experience. Better they get used to ranting lunatics now, particularly if their dad teaches them to drive in the future...
 
OP
OP
Sheffield_Tiger
shippers said:
I'm just calm.

If you're feeling bad, just remember- this experience might make daddy a better driver.

Not so sure...

I think a firm but calm word would be more constructive. Ranting gets people's defences up and given that his car was plastered with instructions telling everyone else how to drive, I'm inclined to think that he will just think "hooligan who doesn't pay road tax, get them off the roads"
 

Tharg2007

Veteran
Location
Manchester
Twenty Inch said:
"Daddy why was that man angry with you?"

I hope he replies "Because Daddy made a mistake and upset him".

"Daddy why was that man angry with you?"

he was angry because daddy was naughty, and if you are naughty he will come and get you!! :smile::evil:
 

sunnyjim

Senior Member
Location
Edinburgh
Downward said:
You just have to think that that person may be someone from work

He He. Couple of months ago I got overtook_&_left_hooked at a roundabout just a couple of hundred yards from work by some guy in a flashy looking thing. (not class- Audi-ish rather than Jag). I noticed he turned into one of the work gates, so I followed, using my pass to get through the security barriers into the underground car park & waited calmly lounging on my trike as he manouvered into a slot and squeezed out from behind the steering wheel.

"Good morning! I wonder if I could ask you NOT to do that in future?

Cheesy smile- "Ahh- sorry about that, err, didn't realise you were going so fast." (obviously knew that flattery counts...)

" Well try be more carefull in future- it's really scary when people do that, and bikes can't stop as quickly as your nice car"

We parted on reasonably friendly grounds after a discussion on braking & vehicle control. I'd like to think we are all slightly safer for it.

I can't always stay calm, but if there's the opportunity for a civilised chat, it probably pays off.
 

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
I try my hardest not to lose it but sometimes i can't help it. i mostly just shout rather than anything else. i'm not a violent person.
 
I just think that knowing my luck, they would get out and thump me, or worse stab me.

I must admit the more posh the car say BMW, Audi, I think I would have a go, but although I am not stereotyping here, I had to say from my experience that the more thuggish and in my opinion more dangerous tend to drive more older banged up cars, such as Vauxhalls.

This is just my opinion, I am not wanting to start a class war of words or anything, but if there was an issue, and they were in a banged up vauxhall I would leave them well alone, but if there were in a a new Audi or BMW I tend to think I would.

Let the flames begin as they say !!!!
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
So long as no harm is done, I think it's best to remain calm. It's human nature to make mistakes, judge wrongly.

If it's particularly bad, I shake my head / hold my hand up to say 'what u doing?'

I'm also a driver, and understand that it's easy to go into auto-pilot or get lost in a thought / distracted by the radio.

Kevin - you might have a point. Audi/BMW drivers tend to be the professional type who are socially-engineered to be fair because of the environments they operate in.
 
Moodyman said:
So long as no harm is done, I think it's best to remain calm. It's human nature to make mistakes, judge wrongly.

If it's particularly bad, I shake my head / hold my hand up to say 'what u doing?'

I'm also a driver, and understand that it's easy to go into auto-pilot or get lost in a thought / distracted by the mobile phone.

FTFY.:smile:;)
 
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