Should we shout at motons?

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Halfmanhalfbike

Über Member
Location
Edinburgh
I was struggling up a local hill with a bus coming down the other way. There wasn't really enough room to overtake but the car behind me did it anyway. They didn't even try to pull out, just squeezed past me with about 5 mm to spare.

Caught up with them at the next lights (natch) and knocked on the window and shouted whether or not they had even seen me back there.

The young woman driver seemed apologetic so I went on my way.

Thinking about it later on I realised that I might just have turned a normal driver who just made an error into a cyclist hating monster who will cut up every cyclist the see in future

My point is, is it really worth shouting at drivers. I know it's difficult not to in the heat of the moment but next time I'm going to make an effort not to respond so angrily
 

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
I try not to shout at people, and if i talk to them i much prefer to talk to them quietly. but sometimes human nature kicks in and when you've almost been knocked off your bike the blood is pumping.
 

downfader

extimus uero philosophus
Location
'ampsheeeer
Shouting (not the sweary abusive kind) can be an effective warning device for close calls. Something like "not now" or "watchout!"

If I'm going up hill I try and assess the road ahead for gaps between parked cars, if someone is going to try and overtake sometimes a flat palm outstretched towards the driver and a "not yet" or "one second" can work wonders allowing you to move into a safe position to allow them to pass.

It really depends on the situation presented and your confidence.

If you do feel you need to speak to a driver try and take a deep breath and remain calm. Mention the 3 feet campaign, rule 163 of the HC, etc. Try not to be preachy (bl**dy hard I know, have definatley been there myself).

EDIT: and dont think of them as "motons". Think of them as potential cyclists
 

StuartG

slower but further
Location
SE London
No. They are not motons - they are people. No better or worse than you but being able to do more damage. So keep them sweet at all costs. Your frustration doesn't hurt but you might not be the person they take their frustration out on ...
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
User3143 said:
Ok, hypothetically speaking then if I was a motorist who had just cut you up what would you shout at me?

Oi - F*ckwit - Is that your wing mirror on the floor in pieces :sad:

Only Joking.......
 

Bandini

Guest
There is a story about the Life of the Buddha worth sharing. The Buddha was visiting a certain town. Some critics aggressively attacked him. The Buddha remained silent for the duration of this invective. When the critics had disappeared, his disciples asked him why he had not responded to the slanderous accusations. The Buddha replied. “If someone tries to give you a gift, but, you refuse, who does the gift remain with?” The disciples responded, “they will remain with the person trying to give the gift. The Buddha then said. “It is the same with negativity. People try to give you their negativity. But, if you don’t accept it means it stays with them. In other words, people’s negativity becomes their own punishment. We can easily choose to ignore the negativity and therefore, we avoid all it’s poison.
 

Tinuts

Wham Bam Helmet Cam
Location
London, UK.
It is often, unfortunately, beyond the realms of self control not to shout. Especially when the adrenalin is coursing through the veins as the result of a life threatening incident.

Note to self: Must remember not to shout at the motons when I catch up with them at the lights. Just open the door and quietly tear their F***ing heads off.
:smile:
 

PK99

Legendary Member
Location
SW19
Halfmanhalfbike said:
My point is, is it really worth shouting at drivers. I know it's difficult not to in the heat of the moment but next time I'm going to make an effort not to respond so angrily

In a similar situation recently in Teddington, i caught up, knocked on the window to atttact his attention, he wound it down and we had a polite conversation about his passing too close. He felt i had been too far out,i explained about the door zone. He apologised
 

NigC

New Member
Location
Surrey
Let me recount an incident a few years ago while as a passenger with my wife driving:

She passes a cyclists WAY too close on the approach to a busy junction in a fairly narrow road. As you can imagine, the cyclist was none too happy about it and makes his feelings known both visually and vocaly (I think you know what I mean).

I knew my wife was wrong (she's not a terribly good driver anyway!), but in the instant the cyclists was berrating my wife, I wanted to kill him. I'm a very non-confontational sort of person, so my anger soon passed, but at that moment, even though I knew he was right, that cyclists was the most hated person in my life.

I don't think it improved my wife's driving capabilities either!

I realise, in the heat of the moment, with the adrenaline high, anyone that is wronged (cyclist or not), is a highly charged anger-monster looking to release. The problem is doing so will likely set off another one and that's when things could turn nasty.

If you are able to control your emotions for a few seconds, cool down just a little, you may be able to make the situation a whole lot better. If you really must talk to them, a calm conversation with a driver, rather than a heated one, might just make that driver think a bit more the next time they're passing a bike.
 

shouldbeinbed

Rollin' along
Location
Manchester way
StuartG said:
No. They are not motons - they are people. No better or worse than you but being able to do more damage. So keep them sweet at all costs. Your frustration doesn't hurt but you might not be the person they take their frustration out on ...

+1 you want to become a cyclunt and shout at someone and they decide to take it out on the next cyclist that they see and causes them to crash, thats your fault. my kids ride on the same roads as me.

this does happen, some of the worst confrontation I've had from car drivers has been about red light jumping and pavement riding, I do neither so why am I getting shouted at? I've had a driver veer to an inch of my bike at a set of lights and threaten to run me over before because of this (whilst I was stopped on the road at the red light - go figure).
 
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