Hmm. What's With the Honking???

[Python]

I've noticed since I've started cycling the amount of drivers who honk their horn at me. This happens whether I'm in a cycle lane or on the road.

Are they for example:

1) Trying to phase me.

or

2) Saying. Good on ya. Wish I had the bottle to cycle.

Any guesses? No prizes will be awarded for answers

[pinkychique]

They are appreciating your pretty rear end. I was once waiting at a stoplight on the sidewalk, when an assumingly very very drunk man (didn't really feel the need to turn and look) decided to yell and obsess over how nice my *** was....needless to say I was very ready to move when the light changed!

I think we're just easy targets when we are on bikes!

[Eden]

Some people do it so say get the f out of my way, but a lot of people think that they are doing something nice for you by letting you know they are coming up behind you - like you can't actually hear their big loud car or something.....

[Kimmyt]

Someone honked at me the other day, I wasn't even taking up the road. It didn't seem like a particularly angry honk, but honks never sound nice. I want to tell people that by honking at us, they're just increasing the likelihood that they'll startle us and we'll swerve a bit into the lane. We know you're there, you're a car, we could hear you a mile away, you don't need to honk.

I gave the girl who honked at me the finger and hollered at her, even if she did mean well, maybe she'll realize that it freaks cyclists out a little to get suddenly honked at on a busy road.

K.

[MomOnBike]

I may be dating myself, but I remember watching a film in Driver's Ed that instructed all us budding young motorists to honk when passing bicycles - to let them know we (superior beings that we would soon be) are there.

Like much of my social instruction, I've always ignored that piece of advice.

So, at least some of us have, indeed, been formally taught to honk at bicycles.

[lph]

What a strange piece of advice.

Logically it should be the other way around - all budding cyclists should be given a large, powerful air horn, and told to honk loudly when approaching cars, to let them know that we (superior beings and all) would soon be coasting by with a big fat grin on our face.

[mausland1981]

As a cyclist i've noticed alots of drivers who doesn't know how to appreciate people on their bikes and since they have their cars which is bigger and faster well they passed you without any respect and honking you because they don't have enough patience to wait atleast for a few seconds.

I totally agree of giving finger to those reckless drivers.I guess they don't understand anything at all.

Someone honked at me the other day, I wasn't even taking up the road. It didn't seem like a particularly angry honk, but honks never sound nice. I want to tell people that by honking at us, they're just increasing the likelihood that they'll startle us and we'll swerve a bit into the lane. We know you're there, you're a car, we could hear you a mile away, you don't need to honk.

I gave the girl who honked at me the finger and hollered at her, even if she did mean well, maybe she'll realize that it freaks cyclists out a little to get suddenly honked at on a busy road.

K.

[Deanna]

I am completely against giving the finger to drivers. It makes us look as a bad as them. That and the one time I did, I spend the rest of the ride wondering if I really set them off and would they be waiting around the next bend in the road. Turns out they were pulled over further on my route. They were out of the car and one of them made a lunge at me as I rode by. Luckily their car was busy giving another car a jump and they couldn't give chase.

I always smile and wave. It makes me feel better knowing I'm doing it in sarcasm, but it gives them no excuse to escalate the encounter.

[rheidis73]

I Feel for you...I feel that I am in a not very friendly biking area and it shows!There isn't a ride that goes by that I don't hear a honk! It is so annoying! I get the huge chicken trucks, travelling at 70 plus mph, staying as close as possible to me, and then just cranking on the horn! I have jumped out of my skin a few times. I know it is that they are just being jerks! But nothing I can do about it...Don't let them stop you from riding though

[Laterider21958]

Well girls, just think - if a motorist has to honk at cyclists just to have a laugh and feel superior, they must have VERY sad lives (and probably underdeveloped brains).

[rheidis73]

I am with you on that! I can't even walk into Wal-Mart with out a car passing me (slowly) in the parking lot and honk at me! It is quite pathetic....I can't even do yard work without a honk, or walk to the mail box, pick up litter! I guess the honking is just part of the town Good or bad....But it sounds like it happens everywhere...

[ATL Laura]

I got a rude honk accompanied by a “get off the road” from a motorcycle once …what’s up with that? I know he had plenty of room to get by me.