Right - tomorrow's a new day. Give me a pep talk.....

[slowmotion]

Make a special effort to engage with the good considerate drivers - a slight hand gesture of thanks here, a nod there, and a mouthed word of gratitude. You shouldn't have to but it should make you feel better, more positive about your journey.

That's good policy. Also, if you sometimes ride in an unnecessarily considerate and generous fashion, you often get a smile and a wave back. It does wonders for your faith in human nature. Have fun.

 

[Aperitif]

Here's my tip:

I tried Buggy's ultimate 'deterrent' and the person beeping just drove faster at me!
Anyway, it's a journey, not a race. Just remember to keep a good distance between you and the kerb, to give you an 'escape' channel, rather than be sandwiched with nowhere to go. Traffic doesn't bother me particularly, as most people are observant enough during my 15 miles...and sometimes it's even nice to see a mobile in use, as it means the vehicle will be static at 'take off' time! My biggest problem is pothole avoidance and the changes in direction to avoid accident or injury. This means stay strong on the road, and stop and ask if someone has a gripe. Illustrate the problems faced by cyclists by showing the impatient ones the difference in size between their car tyre and your bicycle rubber - it's quite an illuminating difference actually!
None of this will give confidence though. Best wishes for a safe journey and, don't shout, think only of what you are going to be doing next, and always look at how you can fairly take advantage of the prevailing conditions. Then it will be clear, the route to your front door, and tea-time nirvana - in full control and without a thought for anything difficult!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Prozac, definately Prozac ... works for me ....

 

[Brains]

Or do what I do every year, I stop riding my bike from Mid December to mid January.
There are simply too many pissed drivers about to make it safe

 

[coffeejo]

You've got as much right to be on the roads as anyone else. Think about the people you're going to work FOR and focus on getting to them, not the nobbers on the roads.

 

[cosmicbike]

Hope you had a more enjoyable ride in this morning @Sara_H

 

[Leaway2]

I think about how fitter (losing weight) and how much money I am saving (that I then go out and spend on bikes and bike gear.............. Doh!).

 

[shouldbeinbed]

can you take a little break from cycling without it stopping you riding permanently or making it unviable to get to work?

it sounds like you need a mental break from it & that's a worry because riding expecting to be angry or frightened is going to affect your cycling and potentially put you in more conflict/trouble than regular calm assertive riding.

look after yourself

 

[Leodis]

I always cycle behind slow cyclists, there is great pleasure in knowing you can take them at any time, a bit like the lion and the white bunny rabbit.

 

[Salad Dodger]

Sara: don't lose faith in all road users. A few ARE ar5es, but most are just ordinary people. You have just been unlucky to encounter more than your fair share of horrid ones in the last few days. And that has obviously dented your confidence / resilience. But confidence is like a ballon, it can be gradually inflated. But it only takes one bad experience to pop it.....

There has been a lot of good advice given in this thread. Concentrate on what you are doing, try not to let idiots get to you, and try to keep an "escape" lane that you can resort to in case of need.

Best wishes for finding your "cycling mojo" again soon.....

 

[Sara_H]

Thanks for the pep talk folks. It helped, this morning I just kept smiling and kept the wheels turning. I need to learn how to be all zen like!

 

[coffeejo]

 

[gbb]

It can be a state of mind and you can switch off the negative thoughts, or at least I can.
We've all been there, a few years ago I went through a bad patch of getting more and more irate at drivers attitudes and actually beginning to hate being on the bike.
Then, almost like flicking a switch, I thought, frick the lot of them, i'm going to enjoy my cycling and you're not going to spoil it for me. I probably backed off a bit speed wise, took it steadier, probably took some different routes and just gave errant drivers a finger wag and a smile.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Thanks for the pep talk folks. It helped, this morning I just kept smiling and kept the wheels turning. I need to learn how to be all zen like!

 

[ayceejay]

I am conflicted between the "rise above it" advice and the "go for the jugular" alternative. But I think the grasshopper approach in those old kung-fu movies does it best, when translated into English this becomes "walk quietly but carry a big stick".
You sound like a gentle soul Sara so perhaps practice the Paddington stare, I have known grown men cry in their beer over this.