Got into it with a motorist.

[colorisnt]

I was on mile 100 for the week. About a mile from my parent's house in town. I was right by the courthouse at a rather busy intersection with a standard street crossing a 4-lane street at the light. Red light comes for us before I get to the light. I stop, of course. There's a lot of traffic on the cross-street. Because of the bad lights, trucks can't ever seem to time crossing these cross-streets right. So, now a semi is blocking the intersection. I can't get across because of the truck. All of a sudden I hear a horn BLARING behind me. I can see several cars behind me in my mirror and then this guy HANGING out of his car screaming at me, "Hey B*tch move your f*cking bike", I realize he's screaming.

I'm like, "Whut?" I scream back that he will have to wait his turn because NO ONE can move right now. What was I supposed to do, climb over the truck? Go through it? How would he have gotten through it?

I figured he would stop it but he came up around the right of me, went through two parking spots and around two cars in this HUGE SUV and starts screaming at me, swearing, carrying on.

I asked him what he thought any of us should do while waiting on traffic. The light takes forever, the truck was still stopped, and as long as I have been alive, this was the case.

He calls me "little lady" and then tells me that he could hurt me if he wanted to so I'm pretty brave. I told him to go ahead and try. I called his bluff. He goes, "this car could kill you". I said, "Yeah, but you're not gonna do that. There's cops, a courthouse, and a bunch of people." He then swears at me some more, tells me to learn the "laws of the bikes" and drove up over the curb, almost hitting pedestrians, to make a right. I never got his plate because he had Indiana plates (no front plate) and turned really fast out of there. I wish there had been a cop there. I was never afraid but boy was I mad! I'm glad no one got hurt and everything worked out but I couldn't believe he would talk that way to me. Guess he's just another idiot who expects I should ride on the sidewalk. This place isn't even as bad as MO usually because the volume of over-confident male cyclists is far lower here and there aren't bike lanes most places so people respect that they need to share the road rather than expect us to be segregated to often badly-designed bike lanes.

[mariacycle]

I seriously applaud you for being able to stick up yourself during that kind of verbal abuse. I can't stand it when men pull that "little lady" or "honey" nonsense! It's unbelievable how self-absorbed some people are, thank god he was all bark and no bite. I wonder if anyone else saw him...

[marni]

Good for you for standing up for all of us. He obviously had a hard on about something and had to take it out somewhere. The last time somebody called me "little Lady" in that grating sarcastic tone I replied "Why, yes I am a lady, my mother taught me that it is never right to swear at anyone. Obviously your mother didn't. The I smiled sweetly is a sort of gaga old lady manner and moved out of his way.

[luvmyguys]

ARGH! I'm so glad no one ended up hurt by that idiot, but sorry that you had to deal with it. Props for not being afraid - I would have been terrified!

I had a similar situation happen Monday, but it ended with him dropping the f-bomb and passing me within a foot or so. I was jarred enough that I almost didn't unclip at the next light. And, of course, that was my first major ride from the house (rather than driving to some ride start).

[tangentgirl]

>tells me to learn the "laws of the bikes"
>and drove up over the curb, almost hitting pedestrians, to make a right.

nice.

sorry bout the road rage dude. glad you were ok and mr. threatymcthreatyson was all talk.

[Catrin]

Yowser! So glad you are fine, and good for you in standing up!

[colorisnt]

Thanks. I am glad I am okay. I think I should honestly be more afraid of motorists than I am but since I've been riding a bike with traffic since I was a kid, I'm rather unphased. People always talk about how dangerous it must be to road ride but I used to jump horses. I can't think of many things more dangerous and I don't let it worry me because it hurts my confidence and makes it all the more risky when I don't feel confident.

My heart was racing like nobody's business. I was more worried that he would get out of the car but I figured he wouldn't try it downtown in heavy traffic. I had my phone on me, my parents live about a mile away, and I figured I should just stand my ground because what was the worst he could do, right? Maybe he will think twice about messing with a female cyclist again.

I like the whole "didn't your mother teach you better than that?" thing when dealing with those people in that situation, too. Glad to know I am in good company. The word "rude"seems to shut people down. I got into it with a guy who called a woman a fata$$ at the grocery because the cashier was having a trouble with the register and he was in such a huge hurry. I turned around and asked him why he had any right to police her body or why it was his business and he spouted off and said, "I guess I'm just not a nice person." And then I said, "You're right, your not. I bet your mother taught you better than that. You're being rude." He got so uncomfortable that he left the line. My roommate was like, "I would have just ignored him." But I just can't. I hate when people are blatantly rude and then get away with that behavior. No need to swear or even raise your voice.

[OakLeaf]

Ugh. Sorry that happened to you. Good for you for not losing your cool.

[colorisnt]

Thanks. I only wish I would have had a camera ready to get the plate.

[missjean]

colorisnt, you are my hero! Good for you for standing up for yourself, and others.




.

[Trek420]

I figured he would stop it but he came up around the right of me, went through two parking spots and around two cars in this HUGE SUV and starts screaming at me, swearing, carrying on.

"I'm sorry that your so upset. I can understand that it must be very frustrating to have to over compensate for your short-comings with that biiiiiiig truck."

Warning; satire and mild profanity linked below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=przgJ9Cc3KM

[Catrin]

So sorry you went through that and very glad he didn't do worse!

[marni]

love the song! Most ill mannered drivers are like local junk yard mutts, all territorial all bark and little bike if you stand up to them. If polite sarcasm doesn't work I will look them straight in the eye and show them I'm not afraid. It's worked so far, but I also have a bit of gray hair so.....