How do you react to rude drivers?

[LemonJuice]

I’ve only been cycling on the roads for a little while and I’ve noticed quite a bit of aggression towards cyclists.

I’ve seen cyclists drivers arguing with each other, cyclists giving the fingers and swearing at drivers and vice versa, etc.

Have you ever lost your temper with another cyclist or a driver?

How do you react to bad drivers?

 

[Drago]

I ignore them. At best reacting gets you nowhere, at worst you could end up sitting on a cloud wearing wings and playing a harp.

 

[Slick]

Smile and wave Roy, just smile and wave.

 

[LemonJuice]

One thing that really annoys me is when I’m approaching a crossing with a pedestrian island and a driver speeds up to get in front of me instead of just waiting a few seconds and then he or she can safely pass me.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Ignore them. If they look like getting physically aggressive apologise for your error (Which you probably haven't even made) and let them become someone else's problem. in a fight between a bike and a car there is only going to be one winner.

 

[Brandane]

How do you react to bad drivers?

I hunt them down, drag them from their vehicles, pull their teeth out one by one with pliers, throw them back into the car along with a gallon of petrol, followed by a lit match. Boom! Then I woke up......

 

[Mrs M]

One thing that really annoys me is when I’m approaching a crossing with a pedestrian island and a driver speeds up to get in front of me instead of just waiting a few seconds and then he or she can safely pass me.

Most of my close passes have been in this situation, come to expect it
I just say “get over” and thumb towards my right.
Never had any issues as the drivers hopefully realise their “temporary lapse” of attention to the road

 

[wafter]

With a reflexive loud and profane volcalisation of my displeasure.

Thinking of getting an air horn..

 

[dodgy]

Serve it cold.

 

[ianrauk]

Depends on my mood. Sometimes it's the middle finger or more, sometimes I just cant be arsed.

 

[flake99please]

Resist the urge to remonstrate with the driver. Life really is too short to risk getting ‘gung-ho’ with them. Remember a bad day on your bike is still better than a good day at your work (unless you’re a cycle courier of course).

 

[sleuthey]

I just wave and say smile for the camera

 

[CanucksTraveller]

You have to be really careful now, people are on shorter fuses than ever. I had a ridiculously fast close pass recently, I gave the "move out / give me more space" gesture of arm out to one side, completely dispassionately, no swearing, no shouting, no rude hand signals. That gesture was enough to get me into a one mile game of "Duel" with the driver repeatedly accelerating and braking, challenging me to go past him. And this was just an old git in a Toyota, imagine one of those tattooed beardy muscle heads in their pickups getting such an affront to their manhood.

You just never know, it's not worth testing them.

 

[ColinJ]

Somebody was murdered** by an angry driver just down the road from where I grew up in Coventry.

A driver may have a knife, a gun, an iron bar, (whatever) and be ready to use that against you. Even those who don't are armed with a lethal weapon - the vehicle itself. It isn't worth the risk of antagonising some psycho. I admit that I sometimes do break my own advice, but usually I mutter to myself or wait for them to get out of range before venting at them!


** It is pretty rare, but in this case the driver was caught and found guilty of intentionally killing the cyclist. Murder rather than causing death by dangerous driving or some other lesser charge. Witnesses saw the cyclist ride up onto the pavement to try to escape but the driver followed and aimed the car at him. The collision sent the cyclist flying some distance through the air, fatally injuring him.

 

[swee'pea99]

I roll my eyes. And if I'm really cross I tut.