People who like to yell at cyclists

[kaian]

I have had a couple of close calls in my life - once when riding on a sidewalk (years ago) and once recently at an intersection where a woman looked right at me and turned right in front of me at a light where I had the right away. I swerved out of the way and yelled some profanities.

Anyway, the most common harrassment I get is people yelling at me while passing in a car and I've also had teenage boys yell at me after passing me on BMX bikes. Teenagers seem to be the main culprit here. I've been called a B**** by a car full of teenagers for no reason (I was riding in the bike lane), I was called a "loser" by some hick in a HUGE pick-up (a young male) and I've had a handful of times when someone will yell at me really loud as they pass me which really bugs me because it can be very startling and I don't think drivers realize they could startle you enough to cause you to fall or even swerve into traffic.

I live in a suburb of Detroit and this area is not known for outdoor health or bike riding. I used to own a motor scooter, but I decided to sell that because of all of the verbal harrassement I got for riding that around. It seems like if you're not driving a car in the "motor city", you are fair game for harrassement.

[mimitabby]

I live in Seattle, a more "enlightened" area and we have the same problems with motorists, but i've never been yelled at by a fellow bicyclist. I have been
called a body part (not a part religated to a particular sex) by a motorcyclist though. (okay, he called the 5 of us the plural AH)

This is a recurrent theme on the list right now and it is clear to me that
a serious motorist reeducation campaign is necessary.

we need a president that likes to ride on the ROAD!

HEY THE FACT IS, Bikes were on the road before cars were!!

[rheidis73]

I have had a couple of close calls in my life - once when riding on a sidewalk (years ago) and once recently at an intersection where a woman looked right at me and turned right in front of me at a light where I had the right away. I swerved out of the way and yelled some profanities.

Anyway, the most common harrassment I get is people yelling at me while passing in a car and I've also had teenage boys yell at me after passing me on BMX bikes. Teenagers seem to be the main culprit here. I've been called a B**** by a car full of teenagers for no reason (I was riding in the bike lane), I was called a "loser" by some hick in a HUGE pick-up (a young male) and I've had a handful of times when someone will yell at me really loud as they pass me which really bugs me because it can be very startling and I don't think drivers realize they could startle you enough to cause you to fall or even swerve into traffic.

I live in a suburb of Detroit and this area is not known for outdoor health or bike riding. I used to own a motor scooter, but I decided to sell that because of all of the verbal harrassement I got for riding that around. It seems like if you're not driving a car in the "motor city", you are fair game for harrassement.

I have been in your shoes a lot and can be quite unsettling...Especially, if you ride alone as a woman. I do carry pepper spray with me and keep it close to my hands. It makes me feel a little better. I have been called a lot of things also...the horn beeping, the slowing down and being stared at..oh, yes and let's not forget about the Gatorade man ! LOL..I don't know if there is nothing that we can do, but keep riding...I hate to say that I don't ride because there are men out there that have no respect!

[Tater]

I too, have had my share of being yelled at, cussed at and have had things thrown at me even though I live in a pretty bike tolerable town. It still happens and it seems to be mostly teenagers, or guys in jacked up pickups. Just last week I had a car load of female teenagers pass me and one leans out the passenger window to just scream. Too bad for them I caught up to them at the red light. Suddenly the window went up and no one had anything to say when I pounded on the door. I don't think they realize how dangerous their actions really are, either. I saw the car approach in my mirror, so I was anticipating the pass, but I did not expect to be screamed at. Luckily I didn't swerve, but someone else may have.

I also carry pepper spray and will use it on those from the shallower end of the gene pool. As for the yelling and such, I am learning to just let it roll off my back and keep riding. Stay strong out there, ladies!

[mimitabby]

Good for you Idaho girl ! (Tator)

I think the same thing that works for dogs works for people in cars.
they see you on the road and they forget you are human. You get in their face
(catch up to their car at a light or get off your bike and walk towards the dog)
and they remember that you are a person.

They HATE that. they'd rather you continued being an object so they could
act out their hostile fantasies.

every time i catch up with someone (happened to me 2x now) I feel like I really scored; because I get to educate them and they find out that gee, they are not the only righteous person in the universe.

[Tater]

Good for you Idaho girl ! (Tator)

I think the same thing that works for dogs works for people in cars.
they see you on the road and they forget you are human. You get in their face
(catch up to their car at a light or get off your bike and walk towards the dog)
and they remember that you are a person.

They HATE that. they'd rather you continued being an object so they could
act out their hostile fantasies.

every time i catch up with someone (happened to me 2x now) I feel like I really scored; because I get to educate them and they find out that gee, they are not the only righteous person in the universe.

You know, I can only hope that by educating some doofus that their actions are not just rude, but dangerous, helps in some way. Maybe that one person won't be so inclined to holler at the next cyclist he/she sees.

I think a lot of it has to do with the 'i'm in a car, therefore I am superior' attitude. Well, excuse the p!ss out of me, I'm on a bike and much more fit and healthy because of it!

[donnambr]

Have to ask, kaian, which suburb? I was born in Wyandotte, and spend most of my childhood in Woodhaven and Trenton. My parents are still in Trenton, eagerly awaiting their retirement in the Upper Peninsula, where they plan to ride their bikes to their heart's content.

I was harasssed a lot in various places in Michigan, but my last nasty episode was about a month ago here in Portland. It was a couple of weeks after the Portland radio DJ fracas. On the way home from work, I was waiting for the last light on my ride to change with a car behind me. He was acting very well-behaved, not doing a thing. Then this young woman on a bike rides up and just blows the red, which I think is kind of suicidal in this intersection that people in Portland call the "Seven Corners". It really has 7 corners - the traffic light is your friend here, really. After she does her thing, the motorist behind me makes a Jekyll-and-Hyde style change and starts to rev his engine fast, creep up way to close to my tire, yell that I am the anatomical area below the waist that is unique to females using the Anglo-Saxon term, and then slam on the horn the second the light turns green.

There was absolutely no excuse for the driver's behavior, but I can't help but feel what that cyclist did set the jerk off.

[Ocultica]

Sadly, my sister is one of these ***holes. When i told her I got a road bike she said," Don't ride it in the f***ing street or I'll hit you" Thanks, sis!! She's really been the worst so far. There was an old man on his way to church one day that dang near hit me. I gave him the finger and he looked very angry. What I don't get is honkers. You're riding your bike and people going the other direction feel the need to honk at you. Why?

[enzed]

I'm use to being beeped at. Unless there is any physical threat to myself, I usually just give the offending motorist a friendly wave. My theory being is that obviously they've had a horrible day & are venting there frustation about life, so responding with anger is not going to help things much.

On my Sunday ride I was riding near the Rocks, Sydney. A car behind me, beeped at me so I waved back. A couple walking near-by saw this, and said to me "You tell him off!". Hey, not everybody is anti-cyclist.

[Ocultica]

Honestly, it scares the crap out of me.
Right after I posted here today I went for my daily 5 mile loop. As I was turning left into my neighborhood, my 18 year old neighbor was turning left out o fit, and almost hit me! That got my heart rate goin.......

[rheidis73]

Honestly, it scares the crap out of me.
Right after I posted here today I went for my daily 5 mile loop. As I was turning left into my neighborhood, my 18 year old neighbor was turning left out o fit, and almost hit me! That got my heart rate goin.......

I guess this should be on the crazy driver thread, but, I went for a 26 mile ride this morning and just about got wacked by a CHICKEN truck! Yes, this is where Tyson chicken is....If I put my hand out, I would have been able to touch the truck. He was going around 70 mph! Gave me no room...Scared the crap out of me...I was so mad, I threw him the "bird" and probably said every bad word there is...No respect! I ate a few chicken feathers too as he past ...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You were probably luckier than all those chickens, though....

[Cali Sunshine]

I have had a couple of close calls in my life - once when riding on a sidewalk (years ago) and once recently at an intersection where a woman looked right at me and turned right in front of me at a light where I had the right away. I swerved out of the way and yelled some profanities.

Anyway, the most common harrassment I get is people yelling at me while passing in a car and I've also had teenage boys yell at me after passing me on BMX bikes. Teenagers seem to be the main culprit here. I've been called a B**** by a car full of teenagers for no reason (I was riding in the bike lane), I was called a "loser" by some hick in a HUGE pick-up (a young male) and I've had a handful of times when someone will yell at me really loud as they pass me which really bugs me because it can be very startling and I don't think drivers realize they could startle you enough to cause you to fall or even swerve into traffic.

I live in a suburb of Detroit and this area is not known for outdoor health or bike riding. I used to own a motor scooter, but I decided to sell that because of all of the verbal harrassement I got for riding that around. It seems like if you're not driving a car in the "motor city", you are fair game for harrassement.

well you live in detroit, that explains it. that's probably the worst city in the u.s. to ride a bike. new york, l.a., chicago, philly, boston, san francisco, seattle, phoenix, and honolulu are a few u.s. cities that come to mind that are for the most part biker friendly.

you also have to be a little socially aware... riding a motor scooter basically makes you look like a weirdo and a dork... so yes, idiots will yell at you for it to get their little laughs. i mean, i don't think it's right, but if you're going to ride something unorthodox like a motorscooter, or a unicycle, or a pogo stick, or a go-kart -- then yeah, you will be ridiculed.

my area (south bay, ca.) is biker friendly... along the beach, lots of cyclists and joggers.

[spokewench]

Thank you for being Unorthodox! I'm glad, proud and happy to be unorthodox! Everyone on this site should be glad they are unorthodox as Cali Sunshine so puts it!

Everyone who rides their bike to work should be commended not only for staying fit, but also for helping the environment and not wasting resources. Everyone who rides for fitness should be proud that they are trying to do good things in their lives. Everyone who tries to help others in their lives, try to make a better community and are steadfastly supportive of others is to be commended as unorthodox.

The orthodox in this world are too ready to criticize, to be petty, and to be unaccepting of others.

Thank you to all of the unorthodox among us! It is refreshing to find people with such giving hearts. People like the TE Forum ladies.

[Grog]

Thank you to all of the unorthodox among us! It is refreshing to find people with such giving hearts. People like the TE Forum ladies.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Everything you said is beautiful!