Grrrrrrr!!!

[b.moe]

Maybe I'm too new at this and I need to get used to it - but on just a short 10 mile return ride home, I was almost hit by cars or people (a car door as well), honked at, and yelled at more times than I ever have on a ride twice that long. Two people honked at me while I was riding on a side street for riding in the road (???) nearly frightening me off my bike - AND someone yelled at me for getting all the way into my lane to make a left turn!!!

Man - this is going to take some getting used to... I mean, it's not like there aren't other cyclists around here!

[Tri Girl]

I feel your pain. Some days I think more of the jerks are out than normal. I'll go weeks without incident and then all of a sudden they all are on attack mode!
Sorry you had a rotten ride home. Hopefully your next one out will involve much less anger thrown at you from drivers. You keep riding tho, no matter what. You are just as much a car as they are, so never give up your own safety for their convenience!

[lph]

No, no, no - they were just tootling. Remember the "handling yourself in traffic" post

They were just being a little clumsy in their tootling.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Always keep 3 to 4 feet between you and a line of parked cars on your right. Just assume someone is going to open their door without seeing you coming. If it means you have to take the lane for a while, then do it. Don't ride close to parked cars or you *will* get doored one day.

[b.moe]

I've sure learned some lessons in the past couple months - that is definitely for sure - and that is actually the first time I have heard of "tootling". I guess it just stinks sometimes when people are just darn irritated that you're in the road and are rude - geez! But I guess it's not too much different than the average day on the freeway!

[mimitabby]

on my ride this weekend I heard someone yell "Road" at us.
maybe they were singing Row row row your boat

or "are we on the right road?" (and i just didn't hear the whole thing)

I just can't assume they were being unfriendly.

[onimity]

Lots of car drivers are angry. And they yell at other cars, too. The other cars just usually can't hear them.

The other day my sister and I were on a group ride and waiting with the group for some others to catch up. A big truck came up and was angry that we were blocking his route around a road closed sign (!). As we moved out of his way he yelled something unintelligible out the window at us and waved at us with a more easily discernible one finger salute.

I loved my sister's response.

She just looked at him and said: "Man, I'd bet that poor guy could really use a bike ride."

Anne

[NJBikeGal]

I loved my sister's response.

She just looked at him and said: "Man, I'd bet that poor guy could really use a bike ride."

Anne

Thank you for this! That is a great thing to think when you see these terribly angry people on the road...maybe it's just bike envy!

[b.moe]

She just looked at him and said: "Man, I'd bet that poor guy could really use a bike ride."

Anne

That's fantastic!! And hilarious

[PscyclePath]

Thank you for this! That is a great thing to think when you see these terribly angry people on the road...maybe it's just bike envy!

Coincidentally, today's Frazz cartoon goes right to this issue...




Tom

[NJBikeGal]

That is GREAT! I know all of those faces...well, except the banana one. I like bananas!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

She just looked at him and said: "Man, I'd bet that poor guy could really use a bike ride."

I just figure they're not gettin' any.

[IFjane]

I just figure they're not gettin' any.

any.....bike rides, right Lisa??