How do you react to rude drivers?

[Drago]

I like Richard Ballantyne's suggestion from the 70s. In traffic, carry a water pistol filled with concentrated raspberry juice or similar. If put in danger, squirt it on their windscreen. It's sticky and hard to get off, and wipers will only smear it around. In traffic, with a bike's agility and speed, you are streets away before they can react. Highly unlikely that fruit juice could be construed as damage in a court of law.

There is case law on the matter. Anything above and beyond mere water is indeed possible to be construed aw criminal damage, particularly if more than the most minor of effort is required to remove it. Even water can be considered "placing an object on or above a highway with intent to endanger or interrupt a user of that highway". And when the driver catches up and stabs you the water pistol is unlikely to be of much use in self defence.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I try to not react, but invariably throw an arm up in disgust, chances are they are not going to see it anyway they probably never use their mirrors.

 

[Will Spin]

I try very hard not to react, as at the very best it ends in a shouting match, I've found that even a shake of the head can cause the driver to get aggravated. Fortunately I don't have that many "incidents", the last one was Mr Van Driver deciding to try to overtake as I approached a Tee junction to turn right, unfortunately for him a car turned left and came head to head with Mr VD on the wrong side of the road, somehow Mr VD decided that was my fault.

 

[marzjennings]

I believe in positive reinforcement. So when a driver does something good, like waiting to pass if the road is narrow with blind bends, or gives a wide pass, or stops to let you go first at a road narrowing, or hangs back when you need to pull out past a row of parked cars etc; then I’ll make sure to thank them via wave, thumbs up, smile if oncoming, shouted thanks if their window is open. I know we’d call all these, things a competent driver should do anyway. But a bit of positive reinforcement doesn’t do any harm. As to the bad ones, it’s usually best to let it go, whilst you’re in a vulnerable position on the road. Some riders get cameras mounted but they seem to have a disproportionate number of close pass and bad driving encounters.

Likewise I thank drivers who took the time to notice me and the bike, and drove appropriately. But, unlike you, for the bad ones I generally lose it immediately with one finger waves and yelling obscenities. I need to stop this, I'm getting too old to stand up for myself and the bad ones over here are sometimes armed. I actually had a bad driver, who just cut me off at a junction, stop and get out of his car pistol in hand, he seemed pissed as I may have said something rather derogatory about his mother. I was able to quickly turn around and head off in another direction, but I was livid for hours.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Indeed I think getting wound up just ruins your mood on a ride. So let it go, and your ride can continue in its serene blissful state.

 

[MartinQ]

Likewise I thank drivers who took the time to notice me and the bike, and drove appropriately. But, unlike you, for the bad ones I generally lose it immediately with one finger waves and yelling obscenities. I need to stop this, I'm getting too old to stand up for myself and the bad ones over here are sometimes armed. I actually had a bad driver, who just cut me off at a junction, stop and get out of his car pistol in hand, he seemed pissed as I may have said something rather derogatory about his mother. I was able to quickly turn around and head off in another direction, but I was livid for hours.

You'd think that was in Texas ....
Ohh wait ...

 

[ColinJ]

Yikes - I'm glad that you are still with us!

I try to avoid confrontation with idiot drivers but occasionally get a rush of blood to the head when somebody's driving threatens me. One such occasion was when an aggressive driver forced his way past me on this singletrack railway bridge.

View attachment 406138

There is a sharp left bend immediately after the bridge which drivers have to brake for so I tend to be quicker down the hill than they are. The driver would not have been held up by me, but no, he had to effectively bulldoze me out of his way. He just managed to squeeze past as I reached the pinch point causing me to have a near miss with the kerb on the left.

I'm afraid that I called him a rude name as he went by and 'gave him the finger'. He braked hard and I saw his reversing lights come on, which made me think that he intended to reverse back over me. It was certainly very intimidating...

I definitely was not very sensible in the way that I handled it. I straddled my bike and indicated that if he wanted trouble then he should get out of his car and come back and he would get it

I was already thinking that I was being rather stupid. He might crash his car into me, or jump out wielding a weapon.

Fortunately, he thought better of it and drove on! Better not to give them an excuse for violence ...

It definitely isn't worth the risk... Wait for them to clear off and THEN rant if you have to!

 

[boydj]

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.

One partial solution is to take a stronger position in your lane as you approach a road narrowing or a junction. It won't stop all the bad overtakes, but it will discourage a good percentage of them.

 

[MarkF]

I let it go now, I might have a few words & give the finger for lunatic behaviour but that's it. When I started cycling again (nearly 20 years ago now) I seemed to be embroiled in disputes every day, it was only when I let them go & my yin yang levels balanced that I started to enjoy cycling.

Never escalate a dispute unless you are prepared for and are ready to be hit.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Having, in the past allowed myself to get into situations that could have ended very badly i.e full on fisticuffs with two blokes and their dog (luckily for me neither of them were much cop at fighting and it was a small dog) and on another occasion riding off with someone's car keys (they had threatened to run me over), I endeavour to keep my cool these days I tend to employ an ironic hand clap or blow them a kiss depending on the circumstances.

 

[RichardB]

I wouldn't think it a good idea for me or the general public to have an enraged driver belting after me with restricted visibility.
With respect, that's a stupid idea.

Hmm, maybe. The book was written in the early 70s, so a totally different climate. People didn't go from zero to homicidal in three seconds like they seem to today. You're right, though. I wouldn't do it, not really. These days, I try to ignore everything and let them go and have their accident or heart attack somewhere else while keeping a zen-like calm.

 

[lane]

My advice to anyone would be not to react. I have always been poor at taking my own advice unfortunately.

 

[vickster]

Smile and wave Roy, just smile and wave.

Who’s Roy?

 

[Drago]

He's in Corrie. Runs the caff.

 

[davidphilips]

Life is to short to either do some thing that may make it either shorter or less pleasant, Always try not to make a bad encounter worse, Normally best thing is just ignore them if possible or just be polite, if you have cctv report it if its bad. Know thats what i try and do but i am only human and have been known to react in a way i am neither happy with latter proud off.