Taking off the door mirror...

[coffeejo]

Define keeping their temper under control please. A highly subjective measure. Ok if they scream and shout abuse?

I think that on 3 out of 5 occasions I did it in completely cold-blood some while after the initial contact. The petrol station was a temper thing though. It came from trying to talk to the driver calmly, getting a torrent of abuse back and him manhandling my bike.

I mean crossing the line from rational behaviour to the not so rational. What they do is what they do - but I wouldn't voluntarily ride with someone who willingly crosses the line.

 

[uclown2002]

You can figure it out from the OP.

I can't figure out how many times you have experienced an example of this bad driving that warrants the retaliation you describe
You do however state how many times you had been lucky enough to catch someone and knock their mirror off.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Come for a ride in the Peak District. I've done 8,000 miles in the last two years and never had any abuse, never had a close pass, never seen any violence.

In all seriousness, I suspect that may be at the heart of the differences in opinion. Urban commuters are in a far more dangerous environment than me, pootling around the hills of Derbyshire. My comments re criminal damage and "talking not fighting" still apply however.

Every one of the 'touches' took place during peak hours on rural roads in SE England.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I can't figure out how many times you have experienced an example of this bad driving that warrants the retaliation you describe
You do however state how many times you had been lucky enough to catch someone and knock their mirror off.

Call it five times to keep it simple.

 

[coffeejo]

So you stare straight ahead whilst they continue to treat you with an outrageous lack of respect? Let's up the ante a little, lets suppose it's a man doing it because you're a woman and they're bigger and stronger than you, so we allow them to because we wouldn't want to cause a scene?

See my above post in response to GrumpyGregry re: rational behaviour. If someone's treating you like that and has themselves crossed the rational/irrational line, it's like dealing with a toddler - you can't win. Best to walk away.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I mean crossing the line from rational behaviour to the not so rational. What they do is what they do - but I wouldn't voluntarily ride with someone who willingly crosses the line.

Now you've introduced "willingly crossing the line". My view of humanity is that we are no where near as rational as we like to think, and "fight or flight" is actually a rational response to danger.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

See my above post in response to GrumpyGregry re: rational behaviour. If someone's treating you like that and has themselves crossed the rational/irrational line, it's like dealing with a toddler - you can't win. Best to walk away.

But surely there are some circumstances where intervention is the only rational/humane/moral thing to do? e.g. violence by another to another.

 

[VamP]

What is a constructive way to deal with it that has even a small chance of modifying driver behaviour, that's the question? For me it is now using a headcam and reporting them.

In the bigger picture? Rising above it, being the better human. Will it modify an aggressive individual's behaviour? Probably not. But at least you won't have sunk to their level. Like I said I struggle with it myself in the heat of the moment - but the rational part of my mind knows it's better to walk away.

 

[sazzaa]

But surely there are some circumstances where intervention is the only rational/humane/moral thing to do? e.g. violence by another to another.

Nah, I don't think so. Same way I wouldn't be violent towards a toddler having a tantrum. Plus, it annoys people more if you walk away and they're raging.

 

[Mugshot]

I mean crossing the line from rational behaviour to the not so rational. What they do is what they do - but I wouldn't voluntarily ride with someone who willingly crosses the line.

I think it's probably unlikely we'd be going for a ride together given the distances between us, but I assure I'm not some snarling, frothing at the mouth lunatic and I can guarantee if you did meet me you'd never assume that I was. The incident I described is the only one that's happened in many thousands of miles of cycling for me, as I said, the damage to the wing mirror was unintentional my thought process was to slap the car and the reason I did it was because the driver showed a total disregard for my safety and drove at me forcing me to take avoiding action. I don't regret that it happened and I have no doubt that they will not be so quick to do so again, whether they hate cyclists or not now I don't know, I think it's unlikely, but I'll bet they're not so quick to try to force them off the road now.

 

[uclown2002]

But surely there are some circumstances where intervention is the only rational/humane/moral thing to do? e.g. violence by another to another.

If it hasn't happened already you're going to get a pasting.

 

[VamP]

But surely there are some circumstances where intervention is the only rational/humane/moral thing to do? e.g. violence by another to another.

Yes but retaliation isn't it.

 

[coffeejo]

Now you've introduced "willingly crossing the line". My view of humanity is that we are no where near as rational as we like to think, and "fight or flight" is actually a rational response to danger.

I refer you to your own post:

Define keeping their temper under control please. A highly subjective measure. Ok if they scream and shout abuse?

I think that on 3 out of 5 occasions I did it in completely cold-blood some while after the initial contact. The petrol station was a temper thing though. It came from trying to talk to the driver calmly, getting a torrent of abuse back and him manhandling my bike.

IMHO, you're describing someone who has issues with anger management - and I said, that's not someone I would want to go on a ride with. Sorry.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I refer you to your own post:

IMHO, you're describing someone who has issues with anger management - and I said, that's not someone I would want to go on a ride with. Sorry.

Where is the line IYHO?

 

[coffeejo]

I think it's probably unlikely we'd be going for a ride together given the distances between us, but I assure I'm not some snarling, frothing at the mouth lunatic and I can guarantee if you did meet me you'd never assume that I was. The incident I described is the only one that's happened in many thousands of miles of cycling for me, as I said, the damage to the wing mirror was unintentional my thought process was to slap the car and the reason I did it was because the driver showed a total disregard for my safety and drove at me forcing me to take avoiding action. I don't regret that it happened and I have no doubt that they will not be so quick to do so again, whether they hate cyclists or not now I don't know, I think it's unlikely, but I'll bet they're not so quick to try to force them off the road now.

I certainly wouldn't go shopping with you