What to do about crazy cyclist-driver confrontations?

[DeniseGoldberg]

I've only had one experience like that in all of my years of cycling. I was happily riding down the road when someone drove by, rolled down their window, and threw some trash at me. Unfortunately I was too busy making sure I didn't crash to catch their license number, so I wasn't able to do what I wanted to. I really wanted to report the driver to the police, but without a license number as identification I figured it wouldn't do any good.

You clearly were not in the wrong here. And I would also attempt to avoid confrontation - it sounds like the guy in your group may have caused the situation to escalate. But reporting the driver to the police might help.

--- Denise

[Grog]

I'm sorry about that incident...

One thing that helps in coordinating a paceline while riding on a street with a not-so-broad shoulder and some traffic is to keep the lead changes to a minimum until there is less traffic/a broader shoulder but, if that is not feasible, to have the person who's dropping back do so from the right-hand side, i.e. on the outside of the road. Hence what the drivers coming from behind see is always ONE line of cyclist, and the lone cyclist dropping back is "protected" by the paceline.

I could imagine it would be harder for a car (and somewhat unexpected) to see a single cyclist against the background of the paceline...

I also agree that we should be polite, firm, but non-confrontational. I'm not too concerned with people carrying guns but then if I was in Florida I probably would be.

Good luck on your next ride...

[mimitabby]

Sometimes just seeing the bikes makes some people see red.
I don't think there was anything you could have done to make it better
or different except for get the guy's license plate #.
Also, tell your friend the bicyclist to cool it next time.
(but who knows what the van driver said or did that set him off?!)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Maybe when changing lead and going doubled up, cyclists could first check to wait for a traffic gap so the doubling can be done when no cars are going to be passing? Just a thought.

[Kitsune06]

Another good reason to have one of those handlebar holsters for mace. Mace that works on dogs will work on people. We're fortunate, as women, that men don't get their hanes in a knot and decide to pick fights. But we're unfortunate, as women, in that if they don't want to pick fights....

mace, ladies.
and always be careful out there.

[Geonz]

When stuff like that happens, a group tends to form One Opinion as an initial response, and heaven help anybody not on their side. I'm with you - diplomacy could have gone a *long* way. It may not be "wrong" if "the other guy started it" - but that doesn't make it smart. OTOH, guys have that radar that *usually* tells 'em when they should be diplomatic... on the third hand, who knows how that driver is feeling right now. If he came upon a lone cyclist in five more miles...

[downhilldiva]

My boyfriend had an encounter the other day. After being yelled at as the driver passed him they were both stopped at a stop light. My boyfriend got spit on, he retaliated by leaning towards the car to yell at the driver. The driver grabbed him by his shirt and his leather cord necklace. The BF retaliated by trying to punch the driver through the window and kicking off his rearview mirror. The fight continued to escalate into wrestling on the ground. Finally bystanders threatened to call the police and the driver got in his car and left.
I am not saying that he handled this appropriately or not. (He used to be a bike messenger in a big city so he seems used to this type of confrontation.) I don't know how I would have handled it. I probably would have just rode away as quick as possible and then cried most of the day. I'm thinking the mace might be good.