Tension Relieving Responses...

[wannaduacentury]

Yesterday, Silver and I were riding with our friend Dan (who just turned 60). We stopped at a convenience store in the small town of Elberfeld that we frequent.

While Silver was inside, a 6+ foot, 280 lb BUBBA (with FATBOY on the front license plate of his pickup) gets out of the truck and blurts out

"I'm going to stick those bikes up your D*** A****!

My response: "I'm sorry, did we do something to offend you?"

Of course, this led to a testosterone laden conversation which may have ended with me becoming one with my bike...although I truly sensed that this guy was just a bully but smart enough to know that we had photographed his license plate (and emailed the picture home for posterity...).

Anyway, testosterone laden conversations are not usually the best things at a time like this - - OK, I'll admit it... "Hi, my name is Mr. Silver and I'm a HOTHEAD sometimes"...and I'll admit that there was a better way to handle this...but it's not until later that you think of the better things to say. For instance, Dan came up with:

• Well, after 49 miles, it already feels like this bike is up my **** ***
• I'll be glad to do that with my 20 lb vehicle if you do it with your 4,000 lb vehicle
• I'm riding 100 miles today, do you think you might be able to do 100 yards?

Remember, I'm 5'7" (after getting off my inversion table) and down to 163 lbs now (heading to 153)...

Some would say "just say nothing", but I'm not that type. So help me come up with clever but disarming lines to lighten a moment like this...

"I'm riding 100 miles today, do you think you might be able to do 100 yards?"

I like this one-- People who are ingnorant like he is, well nevermind. I liked your story though . Jenn

[DDH]

I don't know what to say!! Did he give you a reason why he was so angry, or did he just get out of the car immeditley making threats. What an idiot.

I don't take well to people like that. I tend to open my mouth and insert my foot, so I have tried to learn to keep it zipped. LOL

My mouth would have been spouting off something like "EXCUSE me!!" I don't know who pissed in your post toasties but it wasn't me, so I'd appreciate it if you'd take your aggressive behaviour somewhere else."

I'm sorry that you had to deal with such an ignorant person.

[wannaduacentury]

I know you're kidding here, but there is a note of truth here as well. Here's what I do:

• If someone is patiently waiting to pass me, I wave them through when I see it's clear (which is usually before they do)
• When they pass carefully, I give them a nod or a thumbs up
• When someone is stopped at a cross street and letting me by, I give them a nod as well.

Notwithstanding my confrontation yesterday, I do still see myself as an ambassador (albeit one who doesn't take cr@p).

The local club (which we're not part of) has notoriously poor manners on the road...and that's what he was reacting to. Unfortunately, he was attacking a few of the good guys/gals and not the ones responsible for his frustration.

The last part we've been working on in our club as well. Cyclists can't blow thru intersections at 25 mph and the rest of us slow down to a stop or near stop b/f we turn or go straight for instance. IAlso if we're polite and nod to passerby's like Mr. Silver said( I do the same) then maybe we can win more people over if we ask for and get mutual respect. Jenn