Cars that chase you?

Anyone ever experience a car chasing them?

I was riding through a local park, going the speed limit (or slightly above) of 20 mph when I noticed a car approaching very, very slowly in my mirror. It sped up an then slowed down when it got pretty close. I guess the driver was trying to scare me.

Um... so, what was the point? I didn't get scared. If I was going too slow, he could have overtaken, but he didn't. And then when another car came by, he stopped doing it until it had rounded a corner. This continued for at least 4 miles throughout then entire park.

It was altogether odd. I did report the car - a large white Infiniti SUV - but in IN we don't have front plates, so I never did see the plate. He finally pulled into a boat launch and I wasn't bothered enough to go back to see him on my ride away. I did stop on the loop back though and he wasn't there. IDK.

Are you sure he wasn't just being super cautious and didn't want to pass you? I do get some drivers that hover behind me that I can tell don't want to cross a double yellow line (because really, it's not legal) to pass me... or they're not sure of whether it's clear.

Typically I will then just kind of motion them to make sure they know it's safe to get around me and that I want them to pass me - usually they do.

My mom is like that. She's afraid to pass cyclists. Driving with her when I was last home was...interesting.

I guess there is a reason that Ohio requires front plates!

I did wave and thought about getting over, but they didn't pass. Maybe they were still scared to pass? I just felt the entire thing was weird.

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Originally Posted by colorisnt

I was riding through a local park, going the speed limit (or slightly above).

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That could explain it all right there - perhaps he was just being responsible and going the speed limit. At first when he saw a bike he may have assumed that you were going slow, but when he realized he'd have to speed to overtake you he slowed down again.

I haven't been chased by anyone while on my bike, but I once was followed while walking through a park, and I didn't even know it until a park ranger told me. A few years later, I was mugged in that same park, so crime does happen in parks, especially if you're alone and it's isolated.

You did the right thing by reporting the car, and by not trying to get a closer look later. Sounds creepy to me.

A couple months ago when I was doing the Mercer Island loop around here I had a bad encounter. I wasn't riding on the shoulder because at that part it's really narrow and there is often gravel, branches, and cars parked in it - so I would have had to weave in and out of the shoulder all the time. But, I was riding as far to the right as I felt I safely could. So this big black SUV got on my tail, and laid on his horn for about 5 minutes. There were plenty of times when there was no oncoming traffic in the other lane (it's a two lane road), and where there was clear visibility so he could have passed me like every other car does. But he didn't, he just continued to lay on the horn. At one point I was actually going above the speed limit down a hill at almost 40 MPH (speed limit is 35). And of course, after he behaved like that I wasn't about to budge for him, because I knew I had every right to be on the road as well. He finally passed me when a row of cars lined up behind him.

However, there were plenty of cyclists out that day on the other side of the road, and other cars driving past that had to have witnessed this. I wasn't able to get his license plate or anything, so I didn't call the cops.

If it feels odd it probably is, if it feels like the driver is aggressive they probably are.

Advantage cyclist: we can quickly and easily turn 180 degrees around and take a look :cool: or with a driver with anger management issues pull over and give a very friendly smile and wave "Oh, your"e following me or honking at me because you're my very best friend!" (use all 5 fingers). :)

Advantage car: massive weight and power. :o

No brick, interval or training regime is worth your safety. Live to ride another day is what I say.

I find that getting out my cell phone and taking a photo has a generally positive effect on the behavior of aggressive or obnoxious drivers. I try to keep the phone at my fingertips for this reason - even if I can't see their plates or get off a good shot, just seeing the phone in my hands and knowing that they are going on record makes most drivers shape up. Usually they can't get away from me fast enough. They know that what they are doing is wrong.

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If it feels odd it probably is

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I agree.

I've probably been guilty of looking like a stalker because we don't have a ton of serious cyclists here, so when I'm driving and I see one I'm going slow enough to see what kind of gear he or she has. That might appear weird to the cyclist.

Yeah, this thing still doesn't make sense to me. It was the pick up speed, slow down thing that makes little sense. IDK. Nothing more came out of it.

I agree that "if it feels weird, it probably is".

I ride alone often and that would creep me out for sure, I'm glad nothing came of it and you are home safe to write about the encounter. :eek:

I generally carry a camera and a cell phone so I like the idea of photographing the odd behavior, because if the person was up to no good they would scram.

On a tandem ride a couple years ago, we had a car following us in a weird way on a street where it could have easily passed. The driver even honked a couple times.

After what seemed like forever, he finally passed, and then pulled over a little ways down the road. Then he held something out the window.

Turns out, Brewer's id had bounced out of the trunk bag, and the driver retrieved it, and was trying to return it.

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Originally Posted by colorisnt

Anyone ever experience a car chasing them?

I was riding through a local park, going the speed limit (or slightly above) of 20 mph when I noticed a car approaching very, very slowly in my mirror. It sped up an then slowed down when it got pretty close. I guess the driver was trying to scare me.

Um... so, what was the point? I didn't get scared. If I was going too slow, he could have overtaken, but he didn't. And then when another car came by, he stopped doing it until it had rounded a corner. This continued for at least 4 miles throughout then entire park.

It was altogether odd. I did report the car - a large white Infiniti SUV - but in IN we don't have front plates, so I never did see the plate. He finally pulled into a boat launch and I wasn't bothered enough to go back to see him on my ride away. I did stop on the loop back though and he wasn't there. IDK.

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This is creepy and wrong. You did right thing to report car.