"Just the sight of a bicycle makes me angry!"

I'm convinced there are drivers out there that really think this way... maybe not admit to it, but they do.

These are drivers that actually speed up just to go around a little bicycle going 15 mph, drive erratically, swerving wildly, regardless of what is going on in front of them. Drivers that are willing to speed up while approaching a slowing or stopping car, just to prove the point that this bicycle is RUINING THEIR DAY. They speed up and fly by me and then slam on their brakes at the car in front of them or at an upcoming stop. What's funny is they have no understanding of what fools they make of themselves.:rolleyes:

Well, I didn't really mean funny ha-ha.

yes they are idiots and addicted to that little testosterone rush that they get when they dis a bike with their mighty car. One thing to remember is that if they are ahead of you after zooming out, scattering old ladies, children, animals and other drivers, remember that you at least can stop and avoid them. Also take comfort in the fact that if they cause an accident, you are in a perfect position to write down their plate number and car make and can report that information to the appropriate individual (police, owner of other car,etc.) Sort of a variation of "I can't necessarily make you behave, but I can make you sorry your were such an ***." Revenge is a dish, best served cold.

been through it more than I care to remember and survived the brush with only broken ribas, concussion, and a few months off the bike.

marni

I'm sure that you are right and that there are such people out there.

But I also think that most of the time when we witness erratic behaviour from drivers, such as speeding up to pass us and then slamming the brakes, it's mostly due to ignorance and fear rather than anger.

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Originally Posted by Grog

I'm sure that you are right and that there are such people out there.

But I also think that most of the time when we witness erratic behaviour from drivers, such as speeding up to pass us and then slamming the brakes, it's mostly due to ignorance and fear rather than anger.

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On the rare occasions when I do see bad behavior they don't seem all that fearful. Lots of gunned engines or the guy who laid on the horn for a good quarter mile as he passed a line of riders going single-file on rural road without a lot of traffic (so we were in no way an obstacle, he was just an a-hole redneck in a jacked-up pick-up with intentionally obnoxious exhaust).

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

On the rare occasions when I do see bad behavior they don't seem all that fearful.

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agreed! I don't think the rednecks that try to run me off the road are fearful, but I sure am!!!
I think they are just jerks. Probably the guys who picked on the "nerdy" kids in school and are just general d-bags. :rolleyes:

I think a lot of it is ignorance.

I love how I come to a stop sign and actually stop and cars are paralyzed as to what to do. Normally they blow through stop signs with a tap of the brakes. But a cyclist? Holy crap we all have to stop and stare at the anomaly that might... follow the rules of the road? I have no idea.

But I do chuckle at people who pass me at full blast in a very aggravated manner and then I see them at the next stop light and wait with them until it turns green. Just shows you don't really get anywhere faster!

Heh, a friend of mine posted this on FB:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net..._6291279_n.jpg

great jersey!

I want one!

I have this all the time. Seems to always occur while climbing a hill. You KNOW the idiot behind you can't see over the hill for a while yet, but he guns it anyway, and narrowly misses an oncoming car that had to swerve onto the shoulder to avoid an accident.

That stuff scares the crap out of me. An accident at that moment could take out my friends and I at the same time.

I generally move out more when it's overpass time... tho' around here, we simply don't seem to have as many of the hostile folks. There *was* one guy who, trying to see around me to make his right turn on red (I was to his left), said "I hate cyclists. I just HATE cyclists." Then he was making his turn and I called out "BUT I LOVE YOU!!!!!" with the sign language thing ;) (I never know what I'm going to say in those situations...)
(That and my Big Dorky Flag and Long Cargo Bike... people are confused instead ;))

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

Heh, a friend of mine posted this on FB:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net..._6291279_n.jpg

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Do you have any idea where one could buy this jersey?

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Originally Posted by Hi Ho Silver

Do you have any idea where one could buy this jersey?

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That is pretty obviously just a photo of a shirt with the text put on top - but I think I have seen similar sentiments elsewhere... www.sharethedamnroad.com has some, but most with no swearing, even implied.

Cafe Press, while they do not have actual cycling shirts, do have performance fabric T's... the design could be submitted.

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Originally Posted by Eden

Cafe Press, while they do not have actual cycling shirts, do have performance fabric T's... the design could be submitted.

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The same sentiment could be applied to both the front and back of the shirt--so one could wear it for both running and cycling (though I deal with probably 10 jerky drivers on the bike for every 1 jerk while running--such a double-standard some drivers have). :D

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Originally Posted by westtexas

I think a lot of it is ignorance.

I love how I come to a stop sign and actually stop and cars are paralyzed as to what to do. Normally they blow through stop signs with a tap of the brakes. But a cyclist? Holy crap we all have to stop and stare at the anomaly that might... follow the rules of the road? I have no idea.

But I do chuckle at people who pass me at full blast in a very aggravated manner and then I see them at the next stop light and wait with them until it turns green. Just shows you don't really get anywhere faster!

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I for one love the fact of how many drivers have no idea of the laws and how they pertain to a cyclist being on the road. I love the funny looks I get when I pull into a turning lane with the vehicles to keep from being hit. Here in the Detroit Metro area, if you don't ride like that, they act like they don't see you.

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Originally Posted by 2Wheels

Agree. But just as there are reckless motorists, let's not deny it, fellow friends, there are reckless cyclists. I've observed cyclists who cross the road, regardless of oncoming cars, assuming that the drivers will have to stop in order not to kill them. If all of us would be perfect bikers, then perhaps "just the sight of a bicycle..." won't make them so angry anymore.

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I couldn't disagree more. We could be perfect and it wouldn't matter an iota....... As it is, a lot of drivers totally have a double standard. They can completely and totally ignore rude and hazardous driving while railing about the same behaviors in road users that don't represent a teeny tiny fraction of the danger that a 2,000 lb+ motor vehicle does. Many of them simply view you as an obstacle and will find a reason rational or not to hate you.

Bottom line is that there just are self centered jerks who think that they are the only thing that matters in this world and that your life is worth less than a few seconds of their time and the attention that it takes to exercise a little care while near you. For some reason getting into the drivers seat can bring out this side of people who may otherwise be reasonable.

I don't behave badly on my bike. It does nothing to stop either ignorance of the laws, poor driving habits or outright abuse from motorists.

I suspect 2Wheels is a troll. Don't feed the trolls, please.

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Originally Posted by marinerider

I for one love the fact of how many drivers have no idea of the laws and how they pertain to a cyclist being on the road. I love the funny looks I get when I pull into a turning lane with the vehicles to keep from being hit. Here in the Detroit Metro area, if you don't ride like that, they act like they don't see you.

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I used to be afraid to claim my lane and would let cars crowd me out of a turning lane, then I remembered something my Dad taught way back when he was teaching me to ride a motorcycle. He said that if you don't claim ownership of a lane by riding in the middle, cars will try to crowd you out of it. Since I started claiming the turning lane, cars have given me a lot more room, and I think they recognize me as a vehicle instead of something that should be on a sidewalk.

As far as the d-bags, I have a friend who is good at memorizing license plate numbers. He reports them as drunk drivers to the police. He said the cops will ignore a complaint about a dangerous or aggressive driver, but they have protocols requiring them to investigate drunk drivers.