stupid move and maybe this is why I get seriously injured.

Today I was relaxing on a sharrow (shared road way) where I can take up the whole lane. Hermosa Avenue in Hermosa Beach, Ca. Cooling down on mybike. And up come this driver in her Lexus and nearly clipped me. The outside mirror on passenger side came within 6 inches of my handle bar. :mad::mad:

Intinctively, I got so MAD, I sprinted and caught the car and tapped the passenger window and let her know I was NOT A HAPPY CAMPER then I passed her and pointed to a road sign, a big bike with arrow dead center of the lane then further down the road, I pointed to a sign that read, "Bicycles may take the whole lane". I then slowed down. The lexus pulled into the passing lane, she rolled down her window and to my suprise she apologized.

SO I GUESS SHE WAS TRYING TO TEACH ME A LESSON BY BUZZING ME? THEN REALIZED SHE WAS IN THE WRONG??

Well its past 7pm and I'm still miffed. Also ruined my cool down portion of my ride today. My partner says I'm acting like a jerky guy!! Well maybe so.

What would you have done?

Hunt down the offending car?
Be rattled?
file a complaint with police?
or just complain to your husband or partner?

GRRR!!!! :mad::mad::mad:

i would have tried to catch up to the other car too. I would however, been mollified by the apology.
i would be rattled.
i would complain to DH
I would not file a complaint.

^ ditto but for the dh part, even if I had an H

I once rode my bike to a dr. appt.
Right before I went in I confronted a driver. The nurse said my bp was unusually high:o

Well, as hard as it is, I'd try to let it go. Maybe point to the signs, etc., but not do anything that might tick off the driver, which could result in road rage on the car drivers part ... and guess who would win? :(

Jiffer, we're not talking about what we SHOULD do (when our body just gets a megahit of adrenalin) we're talking about what we WOULD do..

Kids- don't try this at home.

My new favorite is giving the 3 finger salute (now that our 3 foot law is in effect)

I have been known to give the one finger salute to particularly bad drivers (did so last weekend actually when someone buzzed me (6 inches give or take) going 65 in a 35 zone :o ). I *try* to avoid that since it mainly incites anger though (hence my new 3 finger salute).

I definitely get angry and or rattled. At times so much so as to induce asthma like symptoms (and I don't have documented asthma) and concern federal guards enough for them to ask if I needed an ambulance. I try to not let myself get so worked up since it's not conducive to me finishing the ride or living very long.

I yell, A LOT. Typically things like "3 FEET" or "SLOW DOWN" or "WATCH OUT" or "I'M A PERSON TOO". Most times they of course don't hear me :rolleyes: Sometimes they do and the responses can, at times, be amusing.

I also like to point at conveniently placed road signs.

I call our transportation (bus) service about once every 3 months about one of their drivers, but I've yet to file a police report (I'm not very good at getting license plates, and most of the time I don't think it's worth ruining my ride and filing a police report in the long run)

Sorry you had a run-in; seems about par for the course this time of year :(

I usually just ignore it - even when I'm pedaling on a highway and some stupid teenagers decide to swerve at me while doing 70 mph, roll down the window and scream things at me - getting pissed or doing something stupid is what they want - isn't it funny when you make the cyclist crash?

I do try to get a license plate number, but getting pissed about it is probably just going to ruin my ride and possibly end up with me getting hurt.

Well, I think it's good that you were brave enough to do what you did. I don't think you did anything out of line. Of course there's always those drivers that instead of admitting they were wrong, get defensive and do something stupid. I must say that I am glad she responded in the way she did. Maybe she didn't realize she had done wrong and gotten that close to you until you pointed it out to her and then was genuinely sorry. When a car does something dangerous to me, I usually end up yelling at them. If she hadn't apologized and it appeared she had intentionally tried to harm you, I probably would have called the cops and gotten her car's info. Of course, always vent to the significant other, that's what they're there for:) I would have definitely been rattled, but unfortunately there's nothing further you can do to make the situation better, and it sounds like that particular driver learned a lesson and will probably give cyclists more room in the future.

On another note, here's a story that my husband told me about his coworker that might cheer you up! His co-worker was riding his bike when a Porsche cut him off intentionally and aggressively, so he chased the car to a gas station and while the person was inside paying for gas, he picked up a rock and smashed it through the guys front windshield. There was someone filling up right behind the Porsche that looked shocked, and he just said, "he cut me off!" and walked back to his bike and rode off. We all make mistakes as drivers, but when you intentionally try to hurt someone who can't defend themselves as well as you, well... paybacks a *****!:eek:

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Originally Posted by XMcShiftersonX

On another note, here's a story that my husband told me about his coworker that might cheer you up! His co-worker was riding his bike when a Porsche cut him off intentionally and aggressively, so he chased the car to a gas station and while the person was inside paying for gas, he picked up a rock and smashed it through the guys front windshield. There was someone filling up right behind the Porsche that looked shocked, and he just said, "he cut me off!" and walked back to his bike and rode off. We all make mistakes as drivers, but when you intentionally try to hurt someone who can't defend themselves as well as you, well... paybacks a *****!:eek:

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Oh my gosh! Now the guy in the Porsche will hate every one of us because one cyclist lost his temper. Not cool. I think I would've gone in the gas station and confronted him instead.

I followed someone into a parking lot before and confronted them. I was 80 miles into a century (I'm always so charming at that point of the ride) and this guy squeeze played between me and on-coming traffic on a curve ONLY to drive 50 feet and turn into Dollar General. I was furious. I didn't throw a rock through his windshield but I did pull in behind him and was standing next to his vehicle when he got out. I confronted him and he was quite apologetic and embarrassed actually. His young son was in the vehicle at the time. They act differently when they are looking the cyclist in the eye.

SC: I hope sleep has helped. You did fine. Unless her apology was snarky, I'd accept it at face value and let it go... Hope you're feeling better :)

Let it go at this point--you're not doing yourself any favors by staying worked up about it. She apologized. She will likely be more careful when she sees cyclists in the future.

Breathe, bake, garden, whatever you do to relax and let it go.

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Originally Posted by MartianDestiny

My new favorite is giving the 3 finger salute (now that our 3 foot law is in effect)(

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Someone else uses that? Cool. I alternated between 3 fingers in the style of the 1-finger salute when really mad to a 3-fingered royal hand wave when it seemed to be a clueless driver.

But I'm currently in a complacent stage and just ignore the cars that pass too close. I find that I go in cycles (pun, not intended). Chasing, screaming, saluting, waving and, as now, just ignoring.

Today, cars don't respect cars on the road and, sadly, if they don't respect another one of "them" they surely aren't going to respect one of us.

I used to hope that our local cyclist that rides with cameras and reports bad drivers to the police with video taped evidence would catch the worst offenders, but the local police just don't care. The last time when the cyclist was run off the road and the car/driver caught on camera, the cyclist got the ticket and the court upheld it. Very sad state of affairs here.

So, yeah, today I'd probably ignore it. But other days I'd probably have swung past what you did and confronted the driver directly with my best sailor profanity.

You did a nice compromise. And the driver got the message. Consider that a victory.

Ya done good! I know for a fact that I'm too wimpy to actually confront the person. I know, because I had a golden opportunity about a week ago. I was riding down a gradual hill on a 2-lane highway, right after a little town, into a sound-blocking headwind. I was lucky, because right there the shoulder was quite wide, so I was farther from the white line than normal. Suddenly this huge-a$$ (well, to my frightened eyes, it looked pretty big) red pick-up passes me, right on the white line, oozing over onto the should just as he got past me. Not particularly fast, and not with a "bikers don't belong on the road" kind of way - in an oblivious "huh? What biker?" kind of way. I gave him my signature big wave (all fingers, in a great big "yeah - waving a you, and it's a gorgeous day" kind of way, yelled "THANK YOU", and then "a$$xxxx". That's typically what I do, smile big, wave big, yell "thank you" - it makes me feel like somehow I've won, plus confuses the cr@p out of them (I hope).

So, I finished my ride, loaded up the bike, headed for home on the gravel back roads, and there, right where I'd turn onto my road, sat a big red pick-up. It looked sooooo like that same one. He was parked at the corner, peering into the woods. I had been practicing what I'd say, ever since the incident. A perfect chance! And I could see that he was older, if not elderly. I could stop, get out, tap on the window, ask if he'd by any chance just come through Mohawk, and when he said yes, I'd say "did you happen to see somebody on a bike, just this side of town?". If he said yes, I'd say "DID YOU KNOW YOU ALMOST KILLED ME?!!!", and if he said no, I'd say "WELL YOU ALMOST KILLED ME - PAY ATTENTION WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING, MORON!".

Alas, I'm to chicken. I could have (even without the yelling) taught one person to watch out for bikes. I'm pretty sure he never saw me, even though that would have been impossible. There wasn't any traffic blocking his view - nothing. I'm pretty sure there wouldn't have been any retaliation - there hadn't been anything aggressive in him.

I salute you, Smilingcat! You are a stronger woman than I. I think what you did was fine (unless, by "not a happy camper" you mean something enough more colorful that she might have tried to run you off the road for real). The guy with the rock at the gas station is another story - his road rage could only get him killed. That guy could have chased him down. And Bike Chick is right - there are at least 2 drivers at that gas station who think all bikers are bad - the Porsche driver AND the witness.

Out in the wild west, people carry guns. And they aren't always mentally stable (the people, not the guns :p.) AND - sad to say - bicyclists incur (some) drivers' wrath for various reasons. As hard as it is, I try to let it go.

It ain't right & it ain't fair. In Arizona, hurting a cyclist costs you $500 fine. If you kill them, it's $1,000. Poaching carries a bigger fine. Sigh...

Many years ago (like 15), I did chase somebody into a parking lot once who intentionally cut me off. I yelled at him that he could have killed me. He yelled back that I could have scratched his car. :confused: Then he went into the store. I called the cops & insisted that they come out (my last name resonates with law enforcement because DH is an ex-cop and a known pain in the butt). The cop did absolutely nothing. No witnesses. A guy in a Mercedes is more believable than a girl on a bike. Case closed.

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Originally Posted by smilingcat

SO I GUESS SHE WAS TRYING TO TEACH ME A LESSON BY BUZZING ME? THEN REALIZED SHE WAS IN THE WRONG??

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Why would you assume she's trying to teach you a lesson? Perhaps she's a normally good driver who made a mistake, realized it and apologized.

I can understand that this incident is dangerous and would be scary if you are used to having plenty of space around your bike, but taking it personally and attributing motives to the driver isn't helpful.

Of course, biking in Manhattan where I live is different so take my comments with a grain of salt.

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Originally Posted by Bike Chick

They act differently when they are looking the cyclist in the eye.

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I think that's true... they don't expect they will ever have to have a conversation with us, therefore they think they can behave as poorly as they want!

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Originally Posted by PamNY

Why would you assume she's trying to teach you a lesson? Perhaps she's a normally good driver who made a mistake, realized it and apologized.

I can understand that this incident is dangerous and would be scary if you are used to having plenty of space around your bike, but taking it personally and attributing motives to the driver isn't helpful.

Of course, biking in Manhattan where I live is different so take my comments with a grain of salt.

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There are definitely times when you can tell..... the guy who comes up behind you on a perfectly clear road, drives quite close behind for some time, sometimes honking, sometimes just silently lurking until he decides to suddenly pass within mm of your knee..... or the ones who pass really close then swerve in front of you for no particular reason....

Then if you do catch them the conversation invariably begins with them listing (incorrectly) all of your transgressions - you should be further to the right (in the door zone) - you should be in the bike lane (it's not a bike lane... those are sharrows and in any case we have no law here that says that cyclists must use bike lanes....) you need to move over for me (not so.... only if it is a 2 lane highway, more than 5 cars are being delayed, there is no safe passing zone for said cars and there is a safe place for the slower vehicles to pull over), you have to be single file (not in this state buster, our law explicitly says no more than 2 abreast), your not allowed on the road, you should be on the sidewalk/trail.... (from the really uniformed ones) etc. etc.

Thank you all. I've calmed down back to my usual flat line. :D :D

Eden is correct. I didn't bother mentioning that the Lexus buzzed me then moved more to the center of the lane. I think the driver wanted me to ride in the dead(door) zone. The street has parallel parking.

I think she was really suprised that I could not only catch up to her but pass her. :) And that, was a bit of shock value. Her apology seemed genuine.

The sharrow in Hermosa Beach is only few month old. And in LA, its one of very few. So people don't know what to make of it.

In retrospect, I think she was more terrified than me after I tapped her passenger window. For all she knows, I could have been the psycho. So it goes both ways.

As for throwing a rock through the Porche window, that was really bad form. Maybe the two witnesses and the Porche driver will have chaulked it up to a run-in with a psycho cyclist.

My husband and I got "buzzed" on a ride last week. It was an elderly woman who could have passed us with a lot more room to spare after 2 cars in the opposing lane were clear. She had to hurry up and get to the stop sign. I don't think she would have gotten there much later and messed up her schedule too badly if she had the patience to wait. It made for a nervous rest of the ride.
In a separate incident my husband took up the middle of the lane on a hill with a curve. We could hear and see a car in the opposing lane. Another car in our lane went all the way around us into the other lane to pass us, and ended up nearly running the opposing car off the road. If there would have been a collision we might have been unjustly blamed.

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Originally Posted by smilingcat

I think she was really suprised that I could not only catch up to her but pass her. :) And that, was a bit of shock value.

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Yeah, you're right. One time I did a :cool:30mph sprint for 2 miles:cool: to do the same thing...it's a good thing that I came just short of catching him:eek: because if I had, it would have taken me 5 minutes to catch my breath enough to :D:Dspeak a lucid word!:D:D

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Originally Posted by Thorn

I used to hope that our local cyclist that rides with cameras and reports bad drivers to the police with video taped evidence would catch the worst offenders, but the local police just don't care. The last time when the cyclist was run off the road and the car/driver caught on camera, the cyclist got the ticket and the court upheld it. Very sad state of affairs here.

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You are right. It is a sad state of affairs and around here law enforcement officials aren't even aware of the 3 foot law much less enforce it---and it's been in effect for over a year.

I normally cannot do anything but twice there's been a reason for the car to stop and we have ended up next to them.

Our club was riding along a country road when a car overtook the paceline, just as we were approaching some road works. He ended up serving in front of the group, almost taking them out to avoid the cones on the centre line. But he had to stop- there was traffic lights controlling the road ahead as it was reduced to one lane and the traffic from the other side was coming through. He ended up sitting in the car looking very scared as 20 people on bikes pulled up behind him and we all gave him an evil look. When the light changed he let us ride through first and passed us slowly up the road. I think he learned his lesson! And we didn't have to say anything.

This weekend as we were riding a one way road with multiple lanes and moving into the right hand side so we could turn, a car zoomed up on our right side and then proceeded to cross the other lanes to the left hand side. But then the lights changed and we caught him. We yelled "what's the problem?" and he wound down the window and said "stay in your lane". I raised by eyebrows at that- he just cut over 4 lanes without indicating in front of us.

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Originally Posted by Dogmama

I yelled at him that he could have killed me. He yelled back that I could have scratched his car. :confused: Then he went into the store.

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He went into the store and his car still didn't get scratched?;)

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Originally Posted by Kiwi Stoker

This weekend as we were riding a one way road with multiple lanes and moving into the right hand side so we could turn, a car zoomed up on our right side and then proceeded to cross the other lanes to the left hand side. But then the lights changed and we caught him. We yelled "what's the problem?" and he wound down the window and said "stay in your lane". I raised by eyebrows at that- he just cut over 4 lanes without indicating in front of us.

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unbelievable! what an idiot... be careful out there. that guy probably passed a driving test once.

I know that we are all cognizant of this - but I think it bears repeating:

Cars are a lot bigger than we are. One swerve and we're dead. People are stressed out. We can be considered targets. I don't want my tombstone to read:

She had the right of way.

The point.
i think you missed it.

I think that what often looks like blatant aggression and an attempt at serious physical harm is "just" a combination of mild irritation and plain cluelessness from a drivers point of view. Many, many drivers have no idea what it's like to be on a bike, and how a close move can feel - and be - life-threatening. Moves that are annoying or a bit snarky between drivers, causing a bit of honking and gesturing, can feel like being hunted down to a cyclist, and they don't even know it. They don't know what it's like to be balanced on two wheels, they don't what how puny our brakes are compared to car brakes, they haven't ever travelled at high speed with the whoosh of passing cars felt straight on their face and body. Which is no excuse, but that's just how it is...

I really really wish that getting a drivers licence included a mandatory bike riding clinic, on the road, in traffic, the works. We would get better bike riders and better car drivers at the same time.