Reactions to incidents/drivers

[thomas]

I realised he couldn't get his keys in the door because he was shaking so much!! I actually felt bad about it later.

You probably taught him a good lesson though. A little bit of a over reaction maybe, as you could probably have got into a lot of trouble for it.

I once heard a story about a motorcycle, who was knocked off by a car who didn't check their mirror at a roundabout. The car didn't even realise and just kept on driving. Lots of people went to see how the motorcyclists was but all he did was get up, jump on his bike and shoot after the car. He caught the car up a little bit later, smashed the wing mirror off yelling "If you don't use it, you don't need it!" and that was that .

I think if something does happen some sort of reaction is good - otherwise people may not have realised what they did was wrong.

 

[Downward]

Where's the guy who stuck something up some guys Exhaust as the driver continually cut him up ?!

 

[Downward]

Or maybe I am thinking of this one
http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=21752

 

[hackbike 666]

That's 'cause "you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you...."

"You're so vain,you probably think this thread is about you...."

 

[goo_mason]

A few choice swear words and a shake of the first has been my lot. Oh, and giving the finger back to the guy in the Fiesta coming the other way who pulled right across me at a junction, all the while grinning at me and showing me the finger. He was the one who then slammed on the anchors and went to turn around and come after me....

 

[beanzontoast]

I went through a phase of shouting "Manouver of the week!" to the transgressor, but I was much younger then and quite foolish. Also went through a phase of staring at their registration plate while mouthing it silently as if trying to memorise it! Quite effective in making the driver wonder what the hell you are doing and why (i.e. what they might have done wrong).

Nowadays, I try not to react at all. Not always easy!

 

[asterix]

As beanz and one or two others..

It's not easy sometimes just to sigh wearily and give a shake of the head, but that's my preference as if I get wound up it makes the whole thing feel worse for longer.

..and there are some genuine psychos out there.

 

[Maizie]

I'm of the shake-my-head school. I've not yet had an incident that's wound me up - maybe I haven't had a sufficiently scary one yet! The thing is, I don't even know why I shake my head - the sort of person who is driving that close to me, or whatever it is, is hardly going to be looking in their mirror to see me tutting.
When and if I ever get fast enough to catch them up though...

Actually, I did have someone on a double mini-roundabout pull out on me when he should have given way to me. He stopped just a bit far over the line - I glared at him while he stared in to the middle distance, and found myself uttering a ludicrously prim "Excuse me!"
My husband reckoned that (a) the guy probably had no clue how fast I was going [prob around 14mph] and ( most drivers don't seem to know what to do at a single roundabout, never mind confusing them with multiple roundabouts!

 

[Eat MY Dust]

You'd think shaking your head would be non confrontational, but on a couple of occassions I've had drivers really go off on one when they've seen me shaking my head!

 

[gbb]

For me when overtaken too closely, it's one of two things normally.
If i can get alongside (usually in slow moving traffic) i'll give a long hard look at the driver, just to let them know my displeasure.
If i get in front, i'll usually turn and indicate 'a little more room please' with my thumb and forefinger.

If its a high speed close pass, i usually throw my right arm out to indicate fustration or anger.

Whether eny of these have any effect, who knows.

To be fair, i can accept moderately close passes in rush hour traffic...if its done with (supposed) care. You can sense the cars there, and overtaking as carefully as possible.

You also know the ones that just bowl through in rush hour traffic...
If i get one of those, i'm not averse to getting in front ( when possible) and stopping them and letting them know.

Again, whether this does any good is another matter.
I did this the other week to a 'lady' driver, and she just shouted 'get out of my way'. Lovely
Other times, you get a sheepish response...you hope those ones remember the next time.

 

[beanzontoast]

You'd think shaking your head would be non confrontational, but on a couple of occassions I've had drivers really go off on one when they've seen me shaking my head!

That's just it, isn't it - you can't be sure how they will react.

A shake of the head (I said I can't manage to do nothing all the time!) does make you feel better though. At least you feel the incident hasn't gone uncommented. Plus, bystanders get to see you do it which kind of reinforces the focus on / embarrassment of the driver.

 

[MacB]

Experience may play a part here so newer cyclists like myself may lack the perspective to remain calm. That said my current reaction is to swear under my breath and shake my head. This isn't me being calm or considered, it's just that I'm too knackered to do anything else Inside I want to chase after them, drag them out of the car, rip an arm off and beat them with the wet end. I'm kind of hoping that, by the time I'm fit enough to react, my perspective may have become calmer, or at least more resigned. As for taking No's etc I'd first have to get the sweat out of my eyes and somehow cure the temporary double vision brought on by exertion

On an empty country road last week I was approaching a point where temporary roadworks on the OTHER side reduced it to one lane. I watched a builders van pull out of a road on the right, saw him see me and decide he'd go past roadworks anyway. I slammed on breaks and raised my hands in a 'what the heck' gesture. His response was to grin and give me the finger so I gave him a slow handclap.

That gave me a clear indication of how some drivers will regard me, and opened my eyes a bit. Clear road, would of delayed him by seconds, saw me in plenty of time and just decided I didn't matter. My reaction was only so calm because I was genuinely gobsmacked.

 

[Eat MY Dust]

His response was to grin and give me the finger.

Twice I've had someone do this and when I've given them the finger back they've gone mental! The moral of the story is that it's OK for them to give you the finger because they're in a car..............I think.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I'm definitely a head shaker, or waver into rear view mirrors. Unless someone gets really stupid.

Last summer I went for a sunday ride round to Robin Hood Airport (Never knew Robin Hood lived in Doncaster! Thought he lived in a tree near Nottingham?). Approaching the junction in the middle of Tickhill I'm passing parked cars when I look over my shoulder to see a 5 ton truck nosing past me. He's got no space, so as he passes he edges over. Suddenly I'm living inside handlebar width+12 inches. Then when I think I might live - he's towing a caravan!

I'd like to apologise to the residents of Tickhill for the foul mouthed abuse I yelled down the road after him
I caught him at the junction and pulled alongside and yelled that he could have killed me. Without turning his head he mumbled sorry and drove off.

This was the day I learned to block the lane when passing parked cars. Any of the dimwits that want to compare so called 'road tax' bills with mine are welcome to try. I'll ask them why I deserve to die for not being charged a tax.

 

[Plax]

On an empty country road last week I was approaching a point where temporary roadworks on the OTHER side reduced it to one lane. I watched a builders van pull out of a road on the right, saw him see me and decide he'd go past roadworks anyway. I slammed on breaks and raised my hands in a 'what the heck' gesture. His response was to grin and give me the finger so I gave him a slow handclap.

I have an awful habit of carrying on when it is my right of way, a car sees me and decides to go anyway. They then have to stopped or slow down and we exchange glares as I cycle past.