# What did someone yell at you?



## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

I usually don't get many yellers, especially in winter, but got a couple in the last week. Of course these comments are much funnier and more intelligible inside the car, but I think I got:
*"Shift!!!*...or was that *Shi**???
Last week I think it was *Go Faster*, but perhaps it was *Go F Yourself!*


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## cdaddy (Nov 8, 2005)

"Get on the sidewalk, Lance!"

and just last week:

"It's called a CROSS F*&%ING *WALK*!!!"


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

I had a heckler once at a bike light. As the light went red for him and a carefully progressed across the intersection, he went on a tirade about my shorts and clothes and my bike and my manhood. I just laughed it off and waved gaily back. He continued to yell as his light went green and he took off down the street perpendicular to mine. Weirdest thing I have ever had. 

Felt like I was at a stand up session at a Laughs or something.


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## Odii (Jun 19, 2011)

Had a cop yell at me, saying i was going to die. Despite riding perfectly legally, and helmet lights etc.

I have a lot of respect for our police, fire fighters etc, bu that guy really pissed me off


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## Schmucker (Aug 23, 2007)

Odii said:


> Had a cop yell at me, saying i was going to die. Despite riding perfectly legally, and helmet lights etc.
> 
> I have a lot of respect for our police, fire fighters etc, bu that guy really pissed me off


And you'd be arrested if you told him the same thing.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Fun thread

I ride with ear buds (I know, I know cars are attracted to cyclists with ear buds and will not crash into you if you can hear them coming... or something like that... anyway) so I can't hear the inane crap that people yell at me and what I do hear I can't remember. Usually it is something like yaaaaaahhaaaahhhaaa. Car yellers aren't usually that articulate.

Funny, I was thinking of starting a similar thread on my ride home when somebody got right up aside of me and gave a long honk. I was thinking it would be interesting to know what is going on inside their head when they do it. I've come up with:

>They are trying to help by letting me know they are there, not that helpful.
>They entertain themselves by startling people, they must lead rich lives.
>They are weak souls and being in a car gives them power, and a quick getaway.
>They are just A-holes, seems most likely.
Sometime I need to catch up to them and ask.


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## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

"RRRRAAAAAHHHHHHH" (guttural scream)
"WOOF!" (dog hanging out the window, almost scared me onto the sidewalk)
"Hey [email protected]!"
"Get on the sidewalk!"
"MUUUPHEWWWW!" (general unintelligible doppler-affected scream at 40+MPH)


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

"Get a Car!"

and then they decided to throw $20,000 at me - (in singles) :madmax:
What am I, a stripper?


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## dm1333 (Jun 27, 2010)

> "It's called a CROSS F*&%ING WALK!!!"


I get that one a lot at the light right up the street from my house. I have three steel bikes and only one of them will sometimes trip the sensor so I hit the button at the cross walk. Plenty of people yell stuff about my "cool" bike when I am riding one of my recumbents.

I also had an old crone tell me to get off her effing road a while back. I took the lane on a very short bridge and she couldn't wait so she went halfway into the oncoming lane of traffic to pass me. I just smiled and told her to have a nice day!


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

"You have to stop too" - from a driver as I blew a stop sign
"You're making us all look bad" - from a person on an e-bike, as I blew a stoplight 
"Get off the road, cyclist" - from a passenger as i was JRA

The last one was funny, because at first I was like, what?! No legitimately angry motorist would refer to me as a "cyclist." Sure enough, I discovered it was a co-worker of mine joking around.


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## esundell90 (Dec 20, 2009)

It's very snowy/wintery here, so most people who see me commuting 5+ miles a day on a bike think I'm crazy. 

But I had some woman have the nerve to tell me that riding that "thing" to work is very un-professional.

I asked her how so, she couldn't give me any valid reasons after I pointed out that I do get to work on time, I don't smell when I get there, how does riding a bicycle effect job performance and that given your weight, you'd actually benefit from riding one, and I promptly left the store to a "F*ck you!"

But I really didn't care. If you dish out the hate, you better be willing to receive the ball back in your court if you ask me. 

I felt my point had been made.


I love heckling idiots who somehow think they're in the right for no reason. "Ride on the sidewalk @ss hole!!" Which I find funny, because it's illegal for cyclists to ride on many sidewalks in the town. Not my fault the city council voted that way. You don't like it, go get the law changed.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

esundell90 said:


> I love heckling idiots who somehow think they're in the right for no reason. "Ride on the sidewalk @ss hole!!" Which I find funny, because it's illegal for cyclists to ride on many sidewalks in the town. Not my fault the city council voted that way. You don't like it, go get the law changed.


yup.
And!, I'd like to point out that riding on the sideWALK is more dangerous anyhow - not just to the cyclist, but to PEDs


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## Dresdenlock (Aug 10, 2009)

I thought this one was kinda funny:..I was carrying my bike to the gas station to get the tire pumped up (I was a slacker)..and he yelled at me "You're supposed to ride it"

another situation some guy yelling at me for cutting thru traffic (that was at a stand still)...He yelled "you're not supposed to cut thru traffic like that"...I politely told him to f*ck off...this was in my angst filled youth in the early 90s.

I also had a guy throw a beer can (full) at me...and missed...and I yelled ya missed me ya drunk f*ck

I was riding up a hill and some guy yelled at me that I was riding the wrong way (I should be going downhill) and I told him "I already did that an hour ago"


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## maxforce (Mar 8, 2011)

Yeah, "Get a car!"

I have one...


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

Dresdenlock said:


> II also had a guy throw a beer can (full) at me...and missed...and I yelled ya missed me ya drunk f*ck


I hope ya grabbed it to give to the 'friend you were about to see! :devil:


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

“Dude! Those tires fucking rock!!!” Heard while commuting home from work a couple weeks ago on my 26"x3.8" tire shod 9:zero:7 monsterbike.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

I understand horns and fingers, but very rarely can make sense of what people yell. The 40MPH doppler issue is part of it, but I spend most of my time at sub 15 (and an embarrasing amount at sub 10) and I still don`t get the words. Helmet induced distortion?

The best story I`ve heard about yelling at cyclists was a few years ago on rbr. A guy`s embarrased wife related one day that she`d yelled "Nice butt!" to a rider who she THOUGHT was her husband but when the rider turned around she realized it wasn`t him.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

dm1333 said:


> Plenty of people yell stuff about my "cool" bike when I am riding one of my recumbents.


Hey, DM! Nice to see another `bent rider here- there aren`t a whole lot of us on this board.


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## jseko (Jan 25, 2011)

I had one lady say next time you do that I'm going to run you over because I took the lane. In SF, the light rail lines run down the middle of the street because they were established before the communities and streets around them existed. So what they have are raised islands in the middle of the road for passengers but the lanes narrow significantly where those islands exist.

This kind of thing: Google Maps


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## esundell90 (Dec 20, 2009)

maxforce said:


> Yeah, "Get a car!"
> 
> I have one...


I laugh when people yell that, I have 2 cars, I just normally leave them in my driveway during the week unless I need them.


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## monzie (Aug 5, 2009)

I get the "go Lance!" thing every once in a while. I had a glass beer bottle thrown at me on a road where the speed will usually exceed 45-50mph; barely missed me. Most people around here do a good job of ignoring you and doing their best to run you off the road in the process. That or they Doppler yell at me.

Sometimes if I see a cyclist I'll do my part to make their day and yell something about "go (insert pro racer that's not Lance here)!"Because if that happened to me I'd smile.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

F-bombs to the max when riding on a one-lane each way road with double yellow line and plenty of relief on both sides (25 MPH speed limit for part of it and 35 elsewhere). There is a walking path however I choose to ride on the road when I am going full tilt to avoid running over babies in strollers, joggers, pets toddlers and walkers :thumbsup: 

The last guy who yelled all sorts of profanity was a spineless 'n scrawny little jagoff/schnook in a Toyota Camry. He shrunk in his seat when a light turned red and I ended up stopped next to him with a big grin on my face (just hoping he was going to get outta the car so I could drop the fool legally).


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## ghettocruiser (Jun 21, 2008)

In the last 10 years I don't think I've ever had anyone scream anything other than variants of "get off the road" and "get out of my way". And I get those weekly.

I do some illegal moves too, but no one ever seems to care.


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## Dalton (Jun 30, 2004)

I just get the old standby, "Get off the road!" or "Use the sidewalk!" and I just smile and wave. If I'm in a bad mood I only wave with one finger, but most times I am on my bike I am pretty happy, so I do my best to spread that joy by giving them my best ****-eating grin and waving at them.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

My best one was from just about this time last year. We'd gotten a foot of fresh snow the night before, which is really rare. My morning ride in is about as good as can be expected, and I'm riding on the road where I can but I'm also doing a lot of hike-a-biking through snowdrifts on the sidewalks.

So I'm on one of the hike-a-bike sections tossing my bike over a 2' drift when I hear this yelling. I look over and there's a woman in a green neon who has stopped in the middle of the street and rolled down her window to yell at me. She's screaming "You're crazy!" over and over in a thick German accent.

She's stopped on a one-lane, one-way road, yelling through her passenger window, and it's -20C out, and there's a jersey-barrier and probably 15' between us, and there are cars behind her honking at her, and I'm the crazy one.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

After a road rager caught up with me.....

I wasn't really gonna hit you.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

bedwards1000 said:


> Fun thread
> 
> I ride with ear buds (I know, I know cars are attracted to cyclists with ear buds and will not crash into you if you can hear them coming... or something like that... anyway)


:lol: Thank you

I have had a few of the Doppler Scream things happen... a gutteral yell just to get me to jump or words that I couldn't understand. I'm a high school teacher, so I've had several encounters with students that are usually harmless attempts to get me to jump out of my skin. It's only scary when you realize that the kid's only had his license for a few months.

But the recent one that I didn't have any trouble understanding was the brief lecture I got from the PA system of the highway patrol car :lol: 
My commute is very rural, and I blow through the same stop sign every morning, since there's rarely a car in sight...It's a T intersection at the bottom of a long hill, at least 1/2 mile visibility in both directions. I saw headlights, but I had plenty of time, so I scooted through and continued on my way, and I see (because of the headlights) the car come up behind me and pace me)... then I got the siren chirp thing, which almost made me leap from my bike like a terrified cat: "WEEEEEUUUUP!!" and then 'the man': RUNNING A STOP SIGN ON A BIKE IS THE SAME THING AS RUNNING A STOP SIGN IN A CAR. I COULD GIVE YOU A TICKET."

I gave him the thumbs up and the head nod, and he continued on his way. The next day he was in the exact same place at the exact same time, and I stopped for him. Haven't seen him since.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I'm guilty of rolling through a few stop signs when the coast is clear. What I've noticed is that well over half the cars do it too and they are usually rolling through a lot faster than I am. A lot of people don't even bother hitting the brakes and turn on red as if it were a green light.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

bedwards1000 said:


> I'm guilty of rolling through a few stop signs when the coast is clear. What I've noticed is that well over half the cars do it too and they are usually rolling through a lot faster than I am. A lot of people don't even bother hitting the brakes and turn on red as if it were a green light.


Driving in my neighborhood, I generally don`t drop out of third gear for stop signs. In town, I can`t get away with that. But I ALWAYS tap my brakes before making a right on a red


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

bedwards1000 said:


> I'm guilty of rolling through a few stop signs when the coast is clear. What I've noticed is that well over half the cars do it too and they are usually rolling through a lot faster than I am. A lot of people don't even bother hitting the brakes and turn on red as if it were a green light.


50%? My estimate is about 75% here run stops, and rights on red without checking for pedestrians in crosswalks.

Oh yes, the dopplerunintelligibles. Insert random set of letters here!  
I was very jumpy and easily startled until I got the amalgam fillings out. Some young Yahoos in a pickup yelled various things indistinguishable from a chimp troops calls at a neighboring troop. You know: Jane Goodall stuff. 

The startle reflex is much better now when I have the energy to ride. Ones I heard and remember ;( : "Nice Bike!" from a pedestrian crossing to a ball diamond. "Classy" from a pickup driver. pulling alongside as I was in the left turn lane. "Nice lights" from a kid on a BMX and it was not sarcastic. An acquaintance saw me and said that I was 'anti-camoflage'. Had a guy behind me ask me to tell me about my Radbot 1000s. He wanted them for his mothers motorized wheelchair. Riding the Schwin to get groceries with the garbage can panniers, a guy passed me sort of close gawking, then stopped and waved me alongside. I thought: "I've got a bad feeling about this.." He said "That is a great idea!". So we discussed the merits/bad sides of my ghetto engineered panniers. Of course he never rode them home full into a wind gusting over 20. They make almost as good a sail as they do a pannier. ;(

BrianMc


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## dskunk (Jan 13, 2004)

Years ago someone yelled "You dropped something back there!". I still have no idea what they were talking about. And yes I did go back and check.

Everyone else that yells just has a variation on "get off the road" (translation: "get out of my way").


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## psc210 (Jan 14, 2011)

No yelling but a funny story. I was on a bike path that runs parrell to a street for mabey half a mile and crosses a street before it peels back into a park. I had a guy apparently upset because he had to wait 2 seconds for me to cross the street, pulled up beside me and tried to Bear Spray me through his passenger window. With the wind he probably got more back into his truck then I got. Justice, when I got the plates and discription. The guy got arrested for misdemeanor assault


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## Dalton (Jun 30, 2004)

psc210 said:


> Justice, when I got the plates and discription. The guy got arrested for misdemeanor assault


Ooooooooh, that would be be so nice from time to time to see some a-hole get in some trouble.


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## ridemtn (Aug 25, 2009)

CommuterBoy said:


> "RUNNING A STOP SIGN ON A BIKE IS THE SAME THING AS RUNNING A STOP SIGN IN A CAR. I COULD GIVE YOU A TICKET."


Its legal in my state (both signs & lights), really hope it stays that way too as it makes no sense most of the time to stop.


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## ubernerd (Mar 22, 2010)

After reading this thread, I'm liking my commute more and more. The only time anyone ever yelled at me, it was encouragement. I was biking through 6" of snow/slush/snot in the middle of a big storm, and some pedestrian yelled out" Way to go! You rock!" at me on the way past. Made my morning. :thumbsup:


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## ChrisJ (Aug 15, 2005)

I ride out of DC Mon-Fri never had anyone yell at me, I got doored by a cab though.


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## 99sf (Nov 30, 2011)

Last summer my dad and I did a mini tour from Norcal down to santa cruz. On the last day we were riding up highway 9 into santa cruz and these 2 teen age ****** bags in a piece of junk busted out old honda drive by and yell "faaagggoootttt". About a quarter mile up the road, we caught them, stopped in traffic. I rode up next to the passenger window and politely said "Hey dude, sorry, I didn't catch what you said back there." The kid looked shocked and didn't say a word.


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## cuatroXcuatro (Dec 1, 2010)

Walking my bike in the dark up a bike path hill because the snow was too deep came across 2 ladies out with a dog on a leash. Front and rear flashing lights, petzl on my helmet, one of them looks at me and said in a friendly tone "are you serious?", we were getting record snowfalls at the time. I responded with "know that song called Dreamer? We'll that's me" and the two of them laughed, but right at that moment the dog leaped out and bit me on the leg. Poor ladies freaked out and I yelped because it hurt and was a total surprise. I was worried about holes in my clothing, bit me on a gator on the calf, but just ended up with a bruise. They offered a phone number and were really apologetic, guess my attire and lights spooked the dog, who had never done anything before like that. Now I'm totally paranoid around dogs while riding.

The other winter I had a bus driver open his window and yell at me "you're a moron!", we were at a 4 way stop doing the you go I go no you go thing because we had arrived at the same time, and I went, guess I had misunderstood him? Whatever, no reason to yell. I find the best response is no response to people like that.


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## rufio (Jul 3, 2011)

My latest was "Nice bike, [email protected]!"

Another was "F*** you guy!"


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## Tzvia (Sep 7, 2008)

At one particular light, I take the middle (really the right) lane. The far right goes on to the freeway on-ramp just past the intersection, so I don't go to the far right as I would need to move left in the intersection to stay off the freeway while cars would be going to the right to get on. So I leave it so that cars can use the left lane to go straight, and the far right to get on the freeway. So some jerk pulls to my right, rolls down the window and yells 'You know you are on a bike', and I just say 'Yep'. He then goes of on how I need to be on the right because I am a bike and a cop told him so. So I told him that the sign ahead tells me the right goes on the freeway and I am not going on the freeway I am going straight. Thankfully the light changed at that point and he took off, ranting that I should get a ticket or some such. Idiot.


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## dm1333 (Jun 27, 2010)

> Hey, DM! Nice to see another `bent rider here- there aren`t a whole lot of us on this board.


rodar,

What kind of recumbent are you riding? I have a RANS Wave/Tailwind and a Volae Century.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Yeah, I saw that on your profile. I got to ride a Tailwind once, liked it- BIG chainring!

I have a 26/20 SWB that I more or less coppied from V-Rex.








Dang, I haven`t had any luck inserting images lately. Here was the thread on the build. It`s been painted and tweaked a little since the last pics on the thread, but the same basic bike. 
https://forums.mtbr.com/commuting/ot-building-fun-bike-612499.html

And a link to the more up to date pic that I couldn`t manage to insert:
Homebrew recumbent :: At the Sierra Buttes picture by brianylupita - Photobucket


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## Normbilt (Jan 17, 2004)

I've been call about everything from gay to F***er.

One Night I was going home. It was about an hour before Sundown.
I'm riding in a Industrial Section about a quarter mile from a Stop Light.
This A$$#OLE comes up to me get right behind me and Blows his horn.
I hate when people do that cause it just scares the hell out of me.
So he goes by and he get caught at the light. So I come up be hind him on the Driver Side while he's still stopped. I get right up to his window that was rolled down about a quarter way down. 
|I YELL BEEEP In HIS WINDOW.
Well now it took him a moment to collect himself. The Yell for me to stay off the road.
I told him I had just as much right on the road as he did.
The light turns Green.He goes by my in his BMW and yell out "YOU JEW'
My reply. Communist!

I was wearing my winter beard still so when I got home I shaved my Beard Off


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

:lol: "BEEEP!" 

That is awesome.


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## dm1333 (Jun 27, 2010)

rodar,

very nice bike!


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## 2FewDaysOnTrail (Mar 1, 2011)

I was riding on the far right of an 8' wide shoulder and some kids in a pretty cool looking mustang were going the other direction. The dude in the passenger side had long black hair, hangs out the wondow and yells "Dick" and chucks a half full bottle of Mountain Dew at me with the lid on. He was either good or lucky cause it tagged me right in the chest and hurt like hell. I turned my head back and saw that he had a pretty easy to remember license plate. I called the cops later but never took the time to go in and fill out a police report. 

Two months later I'm getting gas, drinking a gatorade, standing there daydreaming and who is gassing up next to me but the same two little punks in the mustang, the passenger with long black hair and the same hat. I quietly walk over, yell "Dick" as loud as I can and hurl the Gatorade as hard as I can into his chest. I know it didn't hurt near as bad as mine but it sure surprised the crap out of him. 

They asked why I did it and when I reminded them what they had done they started to get a horrified look on their faces. The both apologized about 20 times because I'm sure they thought I was going to whoop some butt. I just calmly turned and went back to my truck thoroughly satisfied. I don't thing they will be doing that again!


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

^^^THAT, is pure AWESOME !!!:cornut:


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Reminds me a guy with a severe short man syndrome honked and yelled something unintelligible at me from behind for taking the lane where there was not room for both of us while we sat at a stagger- corner light. My ignoring him must have hurt his feelings. I launched hard and fast. He floored it and passed me just as I apexed the right turn into the nearly straight on street on the other side of the intersection. Had I not been leaning, he would have mirrored me. I was willing to chock him up as an idiot. When he waved in his mirror clearly gloating. So I gave him an Italian salute. That infuriated him (apparently free speech in hand jestures was only for him, same as using the roads), so he pulled over and got out as I caught him. 

He got in my face yelling, "No one gives me the finger!" 

I was expecting an assault, so this was cool and I said calmly, "Looks like I just did." 

Then he threatened me with bodily harm. I figured if he was he'd have done so, so I just crossed my arms over my barrel chest and I looked down my nose at him and said "I don't fancy your chances." ( I was lean and fit with 8 inches of height and maybe 30 pounds advantage, he had a gut). I think it sunk in I was prepared to open a can of whoop-a$$. He suddenly remembered his daughter in the back seat and the pizza getting cold. Strange he did not remember to set an example for her on how to yield to legal traffic and not be a complete jerk. Kipling said something about keeping your head while those about you lose theirs. Worked this time to not respond.

I sometimes wonder if he still has his own front teeth.

BrianMc


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## BeastRider (Oct 20, 2011)

I get some interesting looks AND comments when I am forced to blast my "Noisy Cricket" at some driver that doesn't want to pay attention. That thing is LOUD and very annoying. That's why I just LOVE it!!!!!


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## guzzijason (Jan 25, 2012)

No so much a yell, but I did have someone drive by me an throw a beer out their window on me. :/

__Jason


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## JeremyH (Jan 15, 2012)

BrianMc said:


> He suddenly remembered his daughter in the back seat ...


Wow. I am no stranger to being angry in traffic (6 million other drivers in my area will do that), but I'll be damned if I ever do that with my boy in the back seat. Actions like that simply arent worth his safety...


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

I tried Brian, - but I 'must spread more rep around'


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## jm-lh (Jan 30, 2012)

highdelll said:


> "Get a Car!"
> 
> and then they decided to throw $20,000 at me - (in singles) :madmax:
> What am I, a stripper?


Anyways.. Would have liked it  

$20.000 sounds like two new REALLY REALLY good bikes to me&#8230;


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

I envy you guys, when I get yelled at while riding (which is every time) I always flash to rage. I need to take some zen classes from you masters. 

Though I do usually muster enough composure when people yell for me to "Get a car!" that I typically respond with "Get a bike!".


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## BeastRider (Oct 20, 2011)

zebrahum said:


> I envy you guys, when I get yelled at while riding (which is every time) I always flash to rage. I need to take some zen classes from you masters.
> 
> Though I do usually muster enough composure when people yell for me to "Get a car!" that I typically respond with "Get a bike!".


What I REALLY enjoy is when someone passes me like a bat out of hell....honking and just generally acting like an idiot. And then I happen to catch up because they are waiting at a long light. I usually do the ornery thing.....pass them....get in front...and then when the light changes go extremely slow and make them pass me all over again. I just smile and wave and usually give them a blast for the "Noisy Cricket" I have installed for JUST such occasions.....:ihih:


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

*"youre a vehicle"*

"Get the **** out of the road" and Gimmie dat bike". The first one was some soccer mom yelling at me as i was riding across a crosswalk. The second one i was riding in a bike lane when this drunk ******* buzzed me. The last one some kid yelled this @ me. I took off maybe he was packing.


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## motomuppet (Sep 27, 2011)

guzzijason said:


> No so much a yell, but I did have someone drive by me an throw a beer out their window on me. :/
> 
> __Jason


That one baffles me...have heard about it happening a few times, never to me luckily, but what a waste of a beer?!?

I used to get 'go back your own country!' a fair bit, being a caucasian living in Asia, but not so much these days. People here (Singapore) seem to be getting much better with cyclists on the road...seems in the last five years or so the cycling community has exploded, and the cagers are finally starting to catch on that its ok to cycle on the road.

I am bound to get abused on my ride home tonight!


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## drblauston (Aug 27, 2011)

yeah, had a 32oz soda thrown at me the other day next to one of the biggest bike-friendly parks in the city I live in. I wish I had had my GoPro on... oh well, just wave and let karma do the rest..


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## lightjunction (May 17, 2011)

There was a school on my usual commute a few years back. Couldn't tell you how many times I heard "Go Lance" or something similar. I didn't even mind it after awhile. I'd just raise my arms or sprint my heart out.


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## BeastRider (Oct 20, 2011)

lightjunction said:


> There was a school on my usual commute a few years back. Couldn't tell you how many times I heard "Go Lance" or something similar. I didn't even mind it after awhile. I'd just raise my arms or sprint my heart out.


Generally, I just smile and wave.

The worst I think I had was a SCHOOL van that first, pulled behind me on a four lane road and honked like there wasn't another lane for him. Then I happened upon the SAME van at the stop light. The driver proceeded to roll down his window and then read me the riot act telling me that I wasn't allowed on the road. I wrote down the number of the van and the phone number, pulled across the light and called his company.

After talking at length to the administrator explaining the situation I was told that this would be dealt with. I got a call back later in the afternoon and was told the this particular driver had complaints before mine and he was fired when he got back from the trip that I called on.


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## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

"I stopped!"
yes, but you cut off me and my son in his trailer and slammed on your brakes the moment your bumper got ahead of my front wheel.
could have waited 6 or 7 seconds and saved yourself a useless sprint worth of gas followed by a slam on the brakes.


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## jm-lh (Jan 30, 2012)

Here in Germany many car drivers aren't to nice to you. But I have hope for the future: Children are generally cool. Last year for example I passed a few children and they screamed "go, go, go, go!" Was quite cool to hear. It's often like this when you pass children. If just there parents were like this...


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## Orkje (May 3, 2006)

I've read through most of this thread and I must say I feel sorry for you (and angry, too). Over here in Belgium, cycling (both as a sport/hobby and as a form of transportation) is so ingrained in our culture that bikes are commonplace and you only ever get encouragement from people. The idea that the car is "better" or more "mature" simply isn't present here.

Hence, respect to all US-commuters!


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## BeastRider (Oct 20, 2011)

Orkje said:


> I've read through most of this thread and I must say I feel sorry for you (and angry, too). Over here in Belgium, cycling (both as a sport/hobby and as a form of transportation) is so ingrained in our culture that bikes are commonplace and you only ever get encouragement from people. The idea that the car is "better" or more "mature" simply isn't present here.
> 
> Hence, respect to all US-commuters!


I have lived in many areas of the U.S. I must say that where I am currently living ranks among THE WORST for being "Bike Friendly". There are many cyclists here and the treatment by car drivers shows an incredible lack of respect. On BOTH sides.


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## rufio (Jul 3, 2011)

Orkje said:


> I've read through most of this thread and I must say I feel sorry for you (and angry, too). Over here in Belgium, cycling (both as a sport/hobby and as a form of transportation) is so ingrained in our culture that bikes are commonplace and you only ever get encouragement from people. The idea that the car is "better" or more "mature" simply isn't present here.
> 
> Hence, respect to all US-commuters!


My best friend growing up was from Honduras, but he grew up in Belgium and when he moved to the States he rode everywhere. I remember him telling me that people would have bikes rigged up to tote all sorts of stuff from groceries to lawn equipment to like three of their children. He had his bike all hooked up with generators for lights and stuff like that. Now he thinks riding is stupid and has a bunch of cars and jeeps he rides around in, but you know that's partially the American mentality. I feel that the media really pushes the concept of needing a car on everyone.

But, to each his own.


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## Jack Archer (Aug 5, 2011)

Most that's happened to me is cars would swerve over as close as they could to me, forcing me further off the road. Jerks.

One time though it was one one my friends. On a nice downhill when he did that to me, so I sped after him. He said I was going about 35 miles per hour chasing him. Fun, but then I had to abruptly stop because he is stupid and slammed his brakes on. I dont know how I would do it, but I would find a way to make me and my bike win against his big truck if I did hit him.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

^^You need better friends.


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## Guerdonian (Sep 4, 2008)

Worst one was when i was road riding (not commuting) in my tights. Guy yelled "[email protected]" then threw a gas station soda cup at me (empty luckily).

Worst one i have heard about was a guy got hit in the leg by a doubleA battery from a car going 40mph, landed him in the hospital after he wrecked his bike. Possibly an urban legend but scared me.


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## rexs (Feb 11, 2012)

In my area (Northern California, foothills) I only get hassled by the few motorists who I'm guessing have no idea about bike laws. Upgrading my commuter right now, so I have a better ride when tracking into the rough stuff just off the sides of our roadways...despite having a legal right to a small piece of the pavement...

Legal or not, I don't want to get clipped by someone who doesn't get it.


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## bigpedaler (Jan 29, 2007)

There was a loooonng gap between motorist comments for me -- had NONE in 2011, and then the first of '12 about two weeks ago; some thug-boy didn't like that I took the lane crossing a 4-lane highway when my street got the green. Funny thing, he was so far behind me, I barely heard him! I know he heard ME, though, I have this 'drill sergeant' bellow....

Anymore, since a newspaper article a few years ago, and a pro-cycling mayor elected a year or so later, the anti-bike sentiment has cooled; rare vocals, a little less rare buzzes, but they're not even monthly now. (ALWAYS, though, the buzzes are from the thug-boys....)


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## mdrauh (Nov 25, 2010)

"****in' dumbass!"... Yelled to me by the dude driving a company truck while he waited behind me as I stopped before turning left due to oncoming traffic. I just regret not getting at least the company name from their logo on the side... 

What if I'd been wasting gas and driving my own truck? I doubt anyone would get mad about me waiting to make a left then... ****ing people... :madman:


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

My derailler snapped so I was walking the last block to work. Needless to say I was not happy. I get the standard "Hey aren't you supposed to ride those things? HAHH" To which I replied "Why don't you bend over and I will see far I can ride it up your ass"
Better still, on the way to work a company van comes screeching to a halt attempting to make a right on red in front of me. I get the usual "Get the F outta the way!" Bad idea for him because I am his bosses boss and because he slammed on the brakes it triggered his dash cam. Needless to say he is no longer with us. We use his video in driver training as an example.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

sandmangts said:


> Needless to say he is no longer with us. We use his video in driver training as an example.


Did you have him meet with you with your bike and his boss in the process of learning that his services were no longer required?

Visualized conversation:

"Do you happen to remember when and where we last had a conversation?"

Dumfounded silence.

"No? Well maybe this video will jog your memory."

The look on his face should have been priceless.

BrianMc


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

sandmangts said:


> Better still...
> .... We use his video in driver training as an example.


:lol: I love it!


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Pedaling past a house tonight whose driveway shares the snowmobile trail, I saw a silhouette at the window. Then I heard the window open, and "Congratulations! mumblemumble You are motivating my whole family!" :thumbsup: "Excellent!" I replied.


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## monzie (Aug 5, 2009)

A few more from some time ago:

I was on my way to work a few years ago and the road I had to take was one where two okay-sized lanes become three very very narrow lanes about a half mile before I had to make a left. As I'm about to start trying to make my way across a death-wish traffic cluster-**** a state van comes speeding by me and then slows next to me and forced me into the curb. I was too busy trying to not die to get the plates. 

Another time, a soccer mom in a grocery-getter van rode my rear tire and was laying on her horn for about a quarter mile. Then, speeds passed me with a scowl. Luckily for her I had just had a beverage that had made me all mucus-y. I immediately started the forcing of phlegm up as she passed knowing I'd catch her at the light. Sure enough, I caught her at the red--me hauling ass, her stopped--and luged all over her passenger window as the light turned green, I didn't even have to hit my brakes. When she drove by me I ice grilled her and she didn't even look over at me.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

No yelling but somebody freaked me out with a laser pointer tonight. Green flash right in front of my wheel. Kind of a visual yell.


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## oldbroad (Mar 19, 2004)

Riding back from a mtb night ride, I had someone yell Nice lights! in a friendly fashion. Then, another time while waiting at a stop sign, the passenger in a car stopped next to me said Nice helmet. My helmet is nothing special so that one still puzzles me. He might have been being sarcastic, but he looked pretty sincere.
I've also had the usual unintelligible scream a few times, but nothing really nasty, yet.


.


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## Rocket Dog (Mar 7, 2012)

I had someone throw an onion at me one morning on my way to work, who the hell throws onions at cyclists?


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

Rocket Dog said:


> I had someone throw an onion at me one morning on my way to work, who the hell throws onions at cyclists?


...


Grandpa Simpson said:


> We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell 'em stories that don't go anywhere - like the time I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. Give me five bees for a quarter, you'd say.
> 
> Now where were we? Oh yeah: the important thing was I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...


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## HebrewDan (Mar 13, 2012)

"That seat looks awfully uncomfortable compared to mine!"


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## cassava (Sep 14, 2011)

I've just read the posts in this thread and how lucky am I for not be the victim of the sarcastic motorists act on road. 

I live in Indonesia. Most of the motorists here were pollite to the cyclists even though we have the most crowded traffic in the world. They never yelling or saying any sarcastic things to the cyclists.

The will slow down their vehicles a bit when they see a bike in sight and if you are impeding their way they just blowing a single horn at you.


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## robdeanhove (Dec 8, 2005)

The favourite I had yelled at me was a brilliant hypocritical one, whilst I was wearing a fluorescent jacket and with an Exposure light turned on on both my helmet and my handlebars, this was yelled from a car that pulled out of a side road right into me as I crossed a junction. I was going straight ahead and it was my right of way:

_*"It's not my fault; I didn't see you! Anyway, you weren't indicating."*_


How did he know I wasn't indicating if he didn't see me???!!!
I was going straight on (and it was my right of way), what the hell indication am I meant to give?!
How the hell could I have made myself more visible?! Perhaps he didn't see me as he didn't look?

I pointed these out to the moron who almost killed me. He did at least have the courtesy to look embarrassed. No apology for almost killing me though :madmax:


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

robdeanhove said:


> The favourite I had yelled at me was a brilliant hypocritical one, whilst I was wearing a fluorescent jacket and with an Exposure light turned on on both my helmet and my handlebars, this was yelled from a car that pulled out of a side road right into me as I crossed a junction. I was going straight ahead and it was my right of way:
> 
> _*"It's not my fault; I didn't see you! Anyway, you weren't indicating."*_
> 
> ...


Sounds like my Ram pickup driver who was 'distracted' by a police car so proceeded without looking properly.

"I did not see you." Means I did not look properly in bright sun with such a jacket or vest and lights. I pointed at myself and he just looked blank. (My lights are spayed out at 45 degrees and are about 1000 lumens as bright as a car headlight). No apology and the deputy supported the lame excuse. I was too shocked to press the issue. I got the 'So?' look. The deputy? Just plain lame. Maybe they were related. I hope this will be a lone experience, but I am now better prepared to deal with it.

BrianMc


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

This thread reminds me that I actually used to get yelled at a lot more when I ran, than when I ride.

On the bike there's the occasional traffic-law-related debate, but when I used to run it was surprisingly common for cars to pass by with someone shrieking out of the passenger window. And I was just an average-height, average-build, white guy wearing average gym clothes - I look much weirder as a cyclist. I always wondered what sort of abuse gets hurled at the runners who are actually distinctive-looking.


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## ghettocruiser (Jun 21, 2008)

robdeanhove said:


> He did at least have the courtesy to look embarrassed. No apology for almost killing me though :madmax:


That's not too bad actually. If I get that far into a "what went wrong" discussion with a motorist, they are almost always flinging profanity-laden death threats by that point.

Suffice to say I don't like to chat much anymore.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Lamest anti-bike rant/general crotchetyness: "HEY! You can't ride your bike on that road anymore! That's our drinking water. The STATE says so!"

Geez, mountain bikes have been blamed for a lot, but impacting a drilled well from afar, I don't think so.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Huh?


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## SteveF (Mar 5, 2004)

"517!" Laughingly, by a teen/college aged girl. I assume it was ironic or joking but I don't know what it means...


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

517? Was that the contamination by clinging sock code in Monsters Inc.?

BrianMc


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## Guest (Mar 26, 2012)

"Go back to Africa!"

(I'm white.)


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## jackbombay (Nov 15, 2010)

Last fall I had a woman whistle (cat call) at me from the passenger seat of a car, I yelled back, "I AM NOT A PIECE OF MEAT!"


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

:lol: I always think of that kind of response after the fact. I need to have some of those responses on standby. Good stuff.


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## Haligan78 (Jun 13, 2011)

I feel pretty fortunate here in Montana. I don't remember being yelled at. Our roads where I ride are pretty cycle friendly. And of course my trip to work in the morning starts at 3:30am so traffic is not much of sn issue on the wsy in. I do however have a can of bear spray strapped to my bars because bears and lions make regular appearances around these parts. 
As for sidewalks and stop signs.......I don't know the local laws and I am pretty sure the local law enforcement doesn't either. Or they just don't care. I ride on sidewalks where it is convenient (sidewalks around here are rarely used by PEDS, and I blow stop signs and generally just go where I want. Officers have seen me do all of the above and never batted an eye at me.


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

Funny. I usually be the one yelling at the car drivers and pedestrians (even to other riders) who don't respect the driving code or just act stupid. Yeah, I'm that guy.


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## ubernerd (Mar 22, 2010)

Today on my way home, from a group of youngsta's in metal band attire: "I like your cat!"

I was hauling my dog in a trailer.

Proof that too much weed is a bad thing...


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

^^Haha! Or proof that metal is a bad thing.
Do metal heads still smoke weed? I thought they had left that to the hippies and moved on to bigger and better dope.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

ubernerd said:


> Today on my way home, from a group of youngsta's in metal band attire: "I like your cat!"
> 
> I was hauling my dog in a trailer.
> 
> Proof that too much weed is a bad thing...


what _is_ metal-band attire these days?


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I got a basic howl this morning or it could have been a hoot. It was premeditated because it was on a fast stretch of road and they had to see me, roll the window down, howl and roll the window back up. It must have been thrilling for them.


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## Stosh (Canada) (Jul 19, 2005)

*Shout outs*

After moving to a new city and dropping off the rental truck, I was not 5 minutes away on a side street when someone yelled that I should "get onto a bike route".

I yelled back that if I was in my car he would still be behind me. Poor chap was all confused and drove away.


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## corivus (Mar 13, 2012)

I am very suprised at all of this even the throwing of things... I think the worse I've ever gotten is the doppler yell. But nothing more then that, lots of bike lanes in Tempe so usually no worries there. Now I'm in mesa so that might change a bit.

non bike related: 
One morning when I woke up I got someone to yell "NICE HAIR!!!" by a group of girls driving by in a yellow mustang, I had just woken up and I have long curly hair that goes down to my shoulders, in the morning it goes straight up!

Another time I had been walking to the parts store to get a carb rebuild kit for my 64 dodge, I also had a gas can and some kids in a beat up Honda yelled "[email protected]!" at me. A few hours later after taking my car out for a test drive I pulled up next to them and revved my engine and scared them to death. It was classic.


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## n2y2 (Mar 30, 2012)

rkj__ said:


> "You have to stop too" - from a driver as I blew a stop sign
> "You're making us all look bad" - from a person on an e-bike, as I blew a stoplight
> "Get off the road, cyclist" - from a passenger as i was JRA
> 
> The last one was funny, because at first I was like, what?! No legitimately angry motorist would refer to me as a "cyclist." Sure enough, I discovered it was a co-worker of mine joking around.


Please don't blow off stop signs. You ARE making the rest of us look bad.

It is the same road - obey the same rules.

You want drivers to respect you? You have to earn it.


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## n2y2 (Mar 30, 2012)

*Sometimes drivers are courteious*

A couple of weeks ago, I was on my commute home in the middle of a 6 mile Cat 3 climb - 1200ft gain. I was struggling against a stiff headwind.

As I crawled at 9mph past a business driveway, I saw a motorist patiently waiting behind me to turn in. It was a situation where most drivers would have dangerously cut me off.

I stopped and put my foot on the curb a few feet later to catch my breath and nibble on a power bar. The car parked next to me in the lot. As the driver got out, I thanked her for being so courteous.

We had a very pleasant 2 minute conversation.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

99.9% of drivers are OK 99.9% of the time, but you get the odd idiot here and there - good simulation of the doppler yell, which is the worst I've had, can be found here, about sums it up really

Dom Joly Going Apeshit on a Motorist - YouTube


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

n2y2 said:


> Please don't blow off stop signs. You ARE making the rest of us look bad.


True in Ontario, Illinois, and Ohio, but in this corner of Indiana,it just confuses them! Most of them blow the stops. When in Rome...

BrianMc


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## runnyeggsham (Apr 3, 2012)

People are just dumb. My friend told me some idiot threw a bottle at him today while he was riding in the bike lane. Vegas sucks.


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## flying_monkeee (Feb 4, 2012)

"Stooopppp sign!!!!" as I blew the open 4 way intersection... I won't lie, I flipped the bird and was on my merry way. I was hoping he'd chase me so I could cut through everything he couldn't. :-/


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## drblauston (Aug 27, 2011)

n2y2 said:


> Please don't blow off stop signs. You ARE making the rest of us look bad.
> 
> It is the same road - obey the same rules.
> 
> You want drivers to respect you? You have to earn it.


seriously, you guys need to stop blowing stop signs... :nono:


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## ubernerd (Mar 22, 2010)

drblauston said:


> seriously, you guys need to stop blowing stop signs... :nono:


+1

If we want to be treated like we belong on the roads, it's time to start acting like we belong on the roads.


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## jackbombay (Nov 15, 2010)

I don't know about the towns you live in, but around here most cars will pull right out in front of you, yes, I can easily stop or avoid them, but if I were in a car they would NEVER pull out in that same situation, but then there are cars that will stop to let me cross a street when if they would have just kept driving they wouldn't have been in my way anyway, hell, sometimes they'll slam on the brakes and even if I were to summon the power of two lance armstrong's I would not have had any chance of even hitting the side of their car much less getting in front of it. Consistency, there is none of it.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

flying_monkeee said:


> "Stooopppp sign!!!!" as I blew the open 4 way intersection... I won't lie, I flipped the bird and was on my merry way. I was hoping he'd chase me so I could cut through everything he couldn't. :-/


I negged ya - but you made no appearance that you were joking...so...yeah
I see you're new here - welcome:skep:

My guess is you are a sock ...just a guess


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I have no idea what they were yelling but I had somebody leaning out the window doing a full on scream. It looked like they might pull a lung or something. I was concerned for them.


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## MP87 (Mar 23, 2012)

Biking in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.

A guy yelled out the passenger side "I don't know where I'm going!!!".

I yelled back "get a map!".

He pulls out a giant city map book about the size of a big phone book, waves it around and yells something else I couldn't make out. 

Made me laugh. The driver was going a bit faster than me, probably 35-40 kph. They must have slowed down for their performance.


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## Whatbrakes (Nov 17, 2010)

"Get on the sidewalk" WRONG!


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

Whatbrakes said:


> "Get on the sidewalk" WRONG!


yell back - "you too!"


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

"BOO!"


Really? That's the best you've got? :yawn:rft:


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## junior1210 (Sep 9, 2011)

I got my first "[email protected]" yesterday. I felt so special I had to play some Elton John on my MP3


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## phirebug (Apr 20, 2012)

I'm probably worse about shouting AT motorists than they are about shouting at me. I often lament that I wish it was legal to strap a holster to my top tube, but that's probably a bad idea...

I did have kind of a funny experience a couple weeks ago...I heard a car come up behind me and then just stay there...like a foot off my tire. I kept waving him past and he just stays there. Finally he pulls up alongside me and I see it's one of the guys I work with. He shouts "you need a ride?" Which sounds nice, but he was laughing, and with no bike rack on his tiny sedan, there's obviously no possibility of him actually giving me a ride. I shout back, "no thanks, I've already got one!", smiling and pointing at my bike.
At this point he pulls in front of me and SLAMS on his brakes. I locked up my brakes, did a pretty sweet endo, and swerved off the road into the ditch.
the next morning at work, he comes up to me in front of everybody laughing at how I "fell off my bike" thinking everybody was going to join in. After I was restrained, and explained HOW i "fell off my bike", every other person in our platoon was like "that was a d*** move, man" "you're kind of a ******bag" "I would have killed you"
He was crushed. He thought everybody was gonna think he was cool but nobody talks to him anymore. 

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

^^In 2 months from now when he as forgotten all about it it will be funny when you let all the air out of his tires. Make sure you actually remove the valve stem cores and throw them into the grass. Considering his sense of humor that HAS to be funny to him. I wouldn't tell anybody else.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

phirebug said:


> I did have kind of a funny experience a couple weeks ago...
> 
> ...he comes up to me in front of everybody laughing at how I "fell off my bike" thinking everybody was going to join in.


Holy cow, what a jerk :madmax:


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

bedwards1000 said:


> ^^In 2 months from now when he as forgotten all about it it will be funny when you let all the air out of his tires. Make sure you actually remove the valve stem cores and throw them into the grass. Considering his sense of humor that HAS to be funny to him. I wouldn't tell anybody else.


This.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

bedwards1000 said:


> ^^In 2 months from now when he as forgotten all about it it will be funny when you let all the air out of his tires. Make sure you actually remove the valve stem cores and throw them into the grass. Considering his sense of humor that HAS to be funny to him. I wouldn't tell anybody else.


Nice one. Another is to jack it up so there are blocks under the suspension with the wheels barely off the pavement. The blown transmission that isn't is bound to hit his funny bone.

Tested on a '69 Road Runner 383. Very effective. No damage, except ego.

BrianMc


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## PapaBlunt (Apr 9, 2012)

The other day I was riding home on a route I take regularly. I was about 5 feet to the right off the road riding through the dirt coming up to a stop sign. There was an elderly man on a big ass yellow Goldwing motorcycle looking the other way for incoming traffic. When he started moving and looked in my direction, he slammed on his brakes with this look on his face that was hilarious.

Apparently he thought I was in his way, regardless of me basically being on an invisible sidewalk 5 feet off the road. 

He yelled "BICYCLES AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE ROAD!"
I say "Yeah yeah, I'm not even in your way." as I ride by him
I hear him yell back to me "HEY F*CK OFF!"

Needless to say, he made me laugh for the next 5 minutes on my way home.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^
My first thought was, "It's legal, but I'm not ON the road, am I?"

1 He seems to have a vision or perception issue.
2. He is woefully ignorant of the traffic laws concerning bicycles
3. He is not the world's most eloquent debater.

Sounds drunk to me. A 911 call might have saved his life.

BrianMc


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## Trail Addict (Nov 20, 2011)

Wow, reading all these experiences makes me lose hope in the human race.

There are too many scum bags in this world. People who randomly yell out obscenities or throw things at others while driving deserve execution.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

BrianMc said:


> Sounds drunk to me. A 911 call might have saved his life.


You missed a pertinant clue, Brian. Since he was on a GW, more likely senility than intoxication.


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## Abe Froman (Jan 12, 2011)

One of the best moments was when riding back from the trail with my friend some girls pull up and start cat calling, commenting on how our buts look in the spandex. At the next stop light my friend has a number! 

They went on a date that weekend. I still give him crap about it. 

Now it seams his ego has gotten so big its embarrassing to ride with him on the roads like the roles are reversed. Cyclist cat calling the motorist.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

Clearly the ladies didn't know that you are the sausage king of Chicago :lol:


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## Fiskare (Sep 5, 2008)

Some jackwagon in a pickup yelled "c#ck sucker" at my wife, she replied "is that so wrong?"

Another jackwagon in a pickup told me he wanted to make me his girlfriend. I declined.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

It's been shown clinically proven that climbing into the cab of a pickup truck lowers your IQ by 30 points, another 20 points if it has a lift kit and another 10 points if it has an aftermarket exhaust system.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I took a chance that the pilot car driver was a nascar fan the other day in my road construction zone... it was a really long (2 miles or so) section that they were working on, so when he took off, I didn't waste any time getting right onto his bumper and taking advantage of the draft. It was a pickup with a camper shell, so a nice big brick to draft behind... I could see through the camper shell and through the window, so I felt totally safe, but I wasn't sure how he'd feel about me sitting 6 inches off of his rear bumper... There was a line of cars behind me, and the guy in front of the line was giving me lots of room... he looked a bit concerned. Pilot car guy creeped up to 35 or so and stayed about there. I think I pedaled 3 or 4 times the entire 2 miles. It was beautiful. When he drifted to the left at the end of the construction zone and I passed him on the right, he yelled "Nice draftin!" out the passenger window. I gave him a thumbs up and the lady that was stopping traffic going the other direction was laughing when I went past her.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^^^ Grinning here. Simply awesome! 

BrianMc


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

CB, :thumbsup: with that kind of experience, you should come out next week for the bike race an the local speedway, Thunder Road (even the VT Lt Gov races cars there). Should be fun, http://www.spartasynergy.com/2012 Thunder Road june 06 flyer.pdf


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Damn, CB- I bet you had a ball! 
Will you find yourself lining up for the pilot car game even when you don`t have a job to report to between the end of classes and the wrap up for the construction?


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## Colo Springs E (Dec 20, 2009)

"You got some nice legs old man! I wanna do you with my 23-yr old body!"


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^^ If I heard that, I'd have to wonder if she needed an appointment with an optometrist, a psychiatrist, or both!


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## Colo Springs E (Dec 20, 2009)

BrianMc said:


> ^^ If I heard that, I'd have to wonder if she needed an appointment with an optometrist, a psychiatrist, or both!


LOL I'm sure they were effing with me (they were literally half my age) but it was kind of cool


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

rodar y rodar said:


> Damn, CB- I bet you had a ball!
> Will you find yourself lining up for the pilot car game even when you don`t have a job to report to between the end of classes and the wrap up for the construction?


No. No I won't


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## Fiskare (Sep 5, 2008)

bedwards1000 said:


> It's been shown clinically proven that climbing into the cab of a pickup truck lowers your IQ by 30 points, another 20 points if it has a lift kit and another 10 points if it has an aftermarket exhaust system.


Another time two wood cutters jumped out of a short bed chevy gas 4WD pickup loaded with firewood at an AMPM. As I was bending over to lock up my townie one of them walks up to me and tells me what he thinks of people who ride bikes. Mostly that I must be gay. I looked at his boots - White Smokejumpers - I know because I own a pair for just that kind of work. I then looked over at his truck and thought to myself that my truck (Ford 7.3L diesel long bed double cab that weighs 8k lbs, his weighs 5k at best) could drag his truck all over town. Then I noticed goon number two standing ten feet back. Goon number two didn't look like he wanted any part of this, but there were two of them and they were both wearing heavy boots. I finished locking up my bike by unlocking my bike and rode away without saying a word. The irony of this is that on any other day I might look exactly like them. I was even there to buy beer, and I bet they were too. The b#llshit of this kind of thinking just baffles me. Onward and upward.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

Fiskare said:


> The irony of this is that on any other day I might look exactly like them.


There it is, right there.

I'll never understand people


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Fiskare said:


> Another time two wood cutters jumped out of a short bed chevy gas 4WD pickup loaded with firewood at an AMPM. As I was bending over to lock up my townie one of them walks up to me and tells me what he thinks of people who ride bikes. Mostly that I must be gay. I looked at his boots - White Smokejumpers - I know because I own a pair for just that kind of work. I then looked over at his truck and thought to myself that my truck (Ford 7.3L diesel long bed double cab that weighs 8k lbs, his weighs 5k at best) could drag his truck all over town. Then I noticed goon number two standing ten feet back. Goon number two didn't look like he wanted any part of this, but there were two of them and they were both wearing heavy boots. I finished locking up my bike by unlocking my bike and rode away without saying a word. The irony of this is that on any other day I might look exactly like them. I was even there to buy beer, and I bet they were too. The b#llshit of this kind of thinking just baffles me. Onward and upward.


As a matter of full disclosure, I own a pickup, Chevy, Duramax diesel, aftermarket tune... I just have to resolve the fact that I'm going to cat-call girls and tailgate people when I drive it. Speaking of A-holes in diesels several people have attempted this when they pass me on the bike. Not exactly a yell but the same idea.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^^ One, but his timing was off given the headwind. He also tried to mirror me but I went right and it missed. Zero for two may have hurt his fragile ego. Or he saw my graying handlebar mustache and realized I was his father's age at least.

BrianMc


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## Fiskare (Sep 5, 2008)

CommuterBoy said:


> There it is, right there.
> 
> I'll never understand people


I appreciate the kind words, but I live here, today.

UPDATE: One arrested in recent armed robbery » Redding Record Searchlight

Not the same AMPM, but real close. I am reasonably well armed, but that don't mean **** if the other guy gets there quicker. I think I prefer the wood cutters.


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

I haven't been yelled at much, but when it happens I usually can't understand what "iuhweiUI FFKK UIWHIUWhi ui uh" means--so I just wave, smile, and ride on.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

"Nice unicycle!"
wtf?


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

"Studmuffin!"

Whoa! Only my Kathryn knows for sure.  

I think it was in jest. But nicer to hear than most.

BrianMc


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

bedwards1000 said:


> As a matter of full disclosure, I own a pickup, Chevy, Duramax diesel, aftermarket tune... I just have to resolve the fact that I'm going to cat-call girls and tailgate people when I drive it. Speaking of A-holes in diesels several people have attempted this when they pass me on the bike. Not exactly a yell but the same idea.


Huge amount of latent homosexuality there.....kinda goes with the truck????


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## blockphi (Mar 26, 2012)

bedwards1000 said:


> It's been shown clinically proven that climbing into the cab of a pickup truck lowers your IQ by 30 points, another 20 points if it has a lift kit and another 10 points if it has an aftermarket exhaust system.


And what about the hanging testicle attached to the tow hitch? I would venture that takes the IQ into the negative range...:madman:


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

blockphi said:


> And what about the hanging testicle attached to the tow hitch? I would venture that takes the IQ into the negative range...:madman:


I am tempted to carry a can of black spray paint when I see those. It would change the meaning significantly. One man's vandalism is another's free speech? 

BrianMc


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

blockphi said:


> And what about the hanging testicle attached to the tow hitch? I would venture that takes the IQ into the negative range...:madman:


I've always thought that those were pretty damn funny. I briefly thought about adding them to my commuter bike and/or Honda Fit. Not sure why, but I haven't followed through.


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## phirebug (Apr 20, 2012)

i got a great one today. i waited for like 10 minutes for a break in traffic so i could make a turn, and when i finally got one, i sprinted like crazy to get up to speed because i had to get over a couple lanes. as soon as i get up to speed and in my lane, the light turns red. i cursed audibly as i slammed on my brakes, and the driver of the car next to me, who had his window down, chuckled and offered this sage wisdom:
"hey man...s*** happens."


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

"You can't pee there!!"

Which was fair enough because I was urinating on a tree at the side of the road.

But I don't mean to derail the thread but where else am I going to pee when I'm on an hour long commute and there's now bathrooms for miles?


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Was the tree in the woods or in somebody's front yard with kids standing around waiting for a school bus?  Maybe just a little further off the road. Actually, Bicycling had an article about this a while back. Hang on, I'll go get it. When Nature Calls


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## junior1210 (Sep 9, 2011)

oops


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Buster Bluth said:


> "You can't pee there!!"
> 
> Which was fair enough because I was urinating on a tree at the side of the road.
> 
> But I don't mean to derail the thread but where else am I going to pee when I'm on an hour long commute and there's now bathrooms for miles?


I always toot my horn when I see someone peeing on the side of the road....

Mostly they wave.


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## IntensevCare (Nov 24, 2004)

"F-you for riding!"
From a buddy who could not get home from work soon enough to join us for an evening jaunt up El Cariso Truck Trail, and the ranger station loop.
Sorry buddy.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

bedwards1000 said:


> Was the tree in the woods or in somebody's front yard with kids standing around waiting for a school bus?  Maybe just a little further off the road. Actually, Bicycling had an article about this a while back. Hang on, I'll go get it. When Nature Calls


Good article. Thanks. 

I still don't know what I'll do if I ever get a surprise diarrhea attack in the middle of a ride. I've had some close calls I know.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Somebody gave me the finger yesterday - Except, I was in my car and he was on the bike. I can't figure out what I might have done to slight him. He was going up a hill on a narrow very crappy road and I slowed down and followed until I could see over the hill to move to the other lane. The only thing I can think of is that he thought I cut in too fast but he was behind me, physics says there is not way he could have hit me. Not the kind of road you can hang out in the other lane for long. He was probably double pissed when he saw the 2 bike stickers on the back of my car.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

bedwards1000 said:


> When Nature Calls


Or this...









A couple years ago I pulled into a still closed for the season picnic area next to a mountain highway and took a long break. When I headed back towards the road, I noticed a car stopped at the closed gate with nobody in the drivers seat. I didn`t think much about it until I short-cut the exit to avoid hoisting my bike over the gate bar, crossed right between the gate and the locked restrooms, and saw the lady who had undoubtedly been driving that car squatted in the doorway of the restrooms, about six feet to my left. I just imagine what she must have thought- dying to go and no good options available, finally finds "good enough", then suddenly this bicycle comes out of nowhere (don`t they always?) and nearly runs over her toes! I didn`t acknowledge her, but really wanted to nod and say "good morning" as I went by.


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## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

I actually had a cop about a year ago over the car loudspeaker say he was gonna run me over.

He just kept driving and didn't bother me but it was a pretty shitty thing to do.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Toff said:


> I actually had a cop about a year ago over the car loudspeaker say he was gonna run me over.
> 
> He just kept driving and didn't bother me but it was a pretty shitty thing to do.


If he had sirens and lights flashing and you were't getting over and stopped, he may have had a point. 

They now have dash cams in many cruisers. I would hope a supervisor would take a dim view of such actions.

BrianMc


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## CrazyCanuck1969 (Jul 1, 2012)

Toff said:


> I actually had a cop about a year ago over the car loudspeaker say he was gonna run me over.
> 
> He just kept driving and didn't bother me but it was a pretty shitty thing to do.


I had a unmarked cop car speeding up while I was turning. I was sh*tting bricks, I obviously pedal my butt off. He stopped at the lights and it was obvious he wasn't following anyone. I have zero respect for police officers in Toronto. I honestly don't know where they got their education but they lie to you when they left a message on my machine.

I have told to get off the road to f*** off. Even walking on the side I get yelled at by drivers. All in all my drivers are respectable but there's plenty of rude people that's for sure.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

Recently a kid yelled "Are you my real dad??!!" I rode like hell after that.


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## doodoobaby (Jun 19, 2012)

Had someone in a car yell for me to watch where i was going when i had one foot on the ground waiting for a green light to cross in virginia beach. The sun is killer here...


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

This didn't happen while I was riding, but waiting to load a transit bus (my bike on rack)...
Her: (Gesturing to another and myself with the finger) "Fcuk you and you for never smiling!"
Me: (uhh?) [outward gesture- smirk/nod]

I smile when there is something pretty, or there is humor, etc.
Not when there is a pear-shaped,mascara-lined, hair-fried, lip-smacking tweaker in my presence.

I've ridden with this C.unt many days lately when it gets over 100 - and keep to myself. What drives this behavior in people is beyond me man.


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## Trail Addict (Nov 20, 2011)

I had a guy shoot his gun at me when I was riding one day. Thankfully he didn't hit me. I actually don't think he was really aiming at me. I think he may have been drunk and just wanted to scare me, because he was swerving big time and laughing as he drove away.

He sure as hell succeeded though. People like that are the reason why I never ride on the streets anymore.


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## Kazpa (Jul 10, 2012)

Best one i got is "your back wheel is catching up with your front wheel"


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## cerpindicular (Apr 4, 2012)

Helicopter.....only thing i can come up with as to why was because it was night and I had the tail light on my bike on flash....guess at least I know they saw me so they were worth the money.


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## Trail Addict (Nov 20, 2011)

rodar y rodar said:


> A couple years ago I pulled into a still closed for the season picnic area next to a mountain highway and took a long break. When I headed back towards the road, I noticed a car stopped at the closed gate with nobody in the drivers seat. I didn`t think much about it until I short-cut the exit to avoid hoisting my bike over the gate bar, crossed right between the gate and the locked restrooms, and saw the lady who had undoubtedly been driving that car squatted in the doorway of the restrooms, about six feet to my left. I just imagine what she must have thought- dying to go and no good options available, finally finds "good enough", then suddenly this bicycle comes out of nowhere (don`t they always?) and nearly runs over her toes! I didn`t acknowledge her, but really wanted to nod and say "good morning" as I went by.


Was she hot at least?


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## cerpindicular (Apr 4, 2012)

sadly i wondered the same thing when i read that lol


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## ridemtn (Aug 25, 2009)

I got "Get out of the f^*%!ng road" the other day, country road with nothing else in sight. Guess he just would have preferred that I had stayed home while he is out driving on his roads...

Also had a cop yell out his window that I had to stay on the outside of the white line on the edge of a country road...most of the paint was hitting the dirt with an occasional inch or two of asphalt shoulder. I'm still trying to figure out what was going through his head.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I got a "Way to go, good job! You're doing 24 mph!" It was nice to have a positive yeller for a change.


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## Dalton (Jun 30, 2004)

bedwards1000 said:


> I got a "Way to go, good job! You're doing 24 mph!" It was nice to have a positive yeller for a change.


Closest I've come to positivity was a Jimmy Johns delivery guy give me the thumbs up. Why can't more people just be positive? Such a negative world for the most part. Why are you inconveniencing me by riding your bike and slowing me down for 10 seconds? I need to get to work. Do you really want to get to work anyway? And do those 10 seconds mean the difference between on time and late? If so, you may be cutting it a little close from the start. Time to loosen up the schedule buddy.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Someone rang their dinner bell/schoolbell for me last week as I passed their house and said hi to folks on the deck. That was nice.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Trail Addict said:


> Was she hot at least?


Honestly, I couldn`t say- just noticed she was there and didn`t stop to oggle.


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## mk.ultra (Jul 17, 2012)

bedwards1000 said:


> I got a "Way to go, good job! You're doing 24 mph!" It was nice to have a positive yeller for a change.


I gave someone an "I LOVE YOU!" out the window when I was slightly inebriated last night...then I realize how annoying it really is to have anything yelled at you while biking.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

"*Hey its bikeman*", from a toddler being carried across the road to daycare. Yelled with enthusiasm as if "bikeman" is "Superman". Technically that's bikewoman, but it's the thought that counts. :thumbsup:


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

mk.utlra said:


> I gave someone an "I LOVE YOU!" out the window when I was slightly inebriated last night...then I realize how annoying it really is to have anything yelled at you while biking.


I'd take it! - that would probably make me smile all the way to my destination and then some! - not because someone loves me, but how off-beat it is! (in a good way) :thumbsup:


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Something unintelligible and likely in a German dialect by an Amish boy on a bike on a narrow Ohio road as I exited a sharp left hand curve definitely on my side of the road. The gesture was "Get over!" Interesting as I was. He was moving at a good clip (20-25 mph) on the downhill with his coaster bike and five others following.

I suspect that so many drivers cut that corner (and it is a very narrow one at that) that if he hears tires on the loose flint coat stone and so knows a car is coming he just assumes it won't be sharing the road. I have to signal my neighbors to share the road in like fashion, but I only do it to the ones traveling down the center of a 20 foot road straight at me with no hint that they are going to give me half the road. 

I feel for him but I am innocent, innocent, I tell you!  

BrianMc


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

^^Terror and self preservation being omnilingual, I wonder why he would yell at somebody he didn`t know in a language foreign to the area. Were you on a bike or in a cage?


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

I was in a car in southern Wayne County almost Holmes County Ohio, definitely Amish country. Lots of road muffins and the horse powered vehicles they come from. Semi blind corner and possible oncoming buggies meant my speed was down to about the same as the cyclists', and I took a wide line. Maybe I surprised him. He was also in those early teen years and that could explain a lot, Amish or not. Being an idiot with extra testosterone running rampant is par for the course. 

BrianMc


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

*Not a yell*

At my destination: "Are you a bicycle courier?"

I had a zipped folder in a ghetto panier, not a courier bag.

She got the 'green thing' to ride to a meeting, rather than drive. The times they are a changin'. :thumbsup:

BrianMc


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

"I wish my legs looked like yours" while trackstanding at a light. I almost fell off the bike laughing.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

"I still love you, Lance!"
Laughed so hard I almost crashed.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

Buster Bluth said:


> "I still love you, Lance!"
> Laughed so hard I almost crashed.


:lol: that's awesome.


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## Mad Dingo (Feb 9, 2006)

Not so much what he yelled, but what he did and the outcome. I was crossing at a yield and this suped up truck had to slow down. Once I crossed he pinned it to act all cool. Little did he know the roads were slick from a rain and he spun out his nice truck onto the median. He was so pissed and freaking out in his truck. I pointed and gave him the nelson 'haha' and was on my way. Totally made my night.


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## SpecializedJim (Mar 8, 2012)

Two days ago I had a lady slow down beside me as we was heading toward a hill. She asked if I wanted to grab on and have her drag me up the hill. I just said not thanks that'll defeat the purpose and she just laughed and pulled away!


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## h2ored (Oct 3, 2008)

"Nice wheels!" - I think it was hooker.


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## Spykr (Feb 17, 2011)

Something along the lines of "WOOOOOOOOO!" or "HEY YOOOOUUUUUU!" followed by a cacophonous chorus of barking dogs from the backseat of their mini-SUV.


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## ihaveagibsonsg (Nov 29, 2010)

Someone threw a large soda at me while I was waiting at a stop light but they missed. I caught up with them at the next stop light and they had that "Oh $h1T" look on and peeled out when the light turned green and hit a curb. Karma responds quickly!


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## aph72 (Jun 28, 2006)

About 8 or 9 years ago I did something bad while driving my car. The situation was just too perfect, I couldn't help myself. It was late winter and there were alot of puddles around from the melting snow. 
There were these two heavy-metal looking dudes walking alongside the road. They both had long black hair, ankle length black leather trench coats, and their black jeans tucked into their combat boots. They looked like they just walked out of the Matrix. 
I had just a couple of seconds to decide if I was going to do something mean and I decided to just go for it.
I drove through a long, deep puddle going around 30 mph and threw a big 4-5 foot wave of water on those two dudes. I looked in the rearview mirror and they were looking at eachother with shocked looks on their faces as dirty puddle water was dripping off their trench coats.
I'd never done anything like that before and I've never done anything like it since. But, there's something about a couple of tough guys getting soaked that makes me laugh.
My friends and I used to go to a lot of metal concerts and we were all in a bunch of mosh pits, but we've all got short hair (or no hair) and have long since retired the combat boots. They love it when I tell them that story.


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## h2ored (Oct 3, 2008)

aph72 said:


> About 8 or 9 years ago I did something bad while driving my car. The situation was just too perfect, I couldn't help myself. It was late winter and there were alot of puddles around from the melting snow.
> There were these two heavy-metal looking dudes walking alongside the road. They both had long black hair, ankle length black leather trench coats, and their black jeans tucked into their combat boots. They looked like they just walked out of the Matrix.
> I had just a couple of seconds to decide if I was going to do something mean and I decided to just go for it.
> I drove through a long, deep puddle going around 30 mph and threw a big 4-5 foot wave of water on those two dudes. I looked in the rearview mirror and they were looking at eachother with shocked looks on their faces as dirty puddle water was dripping off their trench coats.
> ...


You terrible terrible person!


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## bikedreamer (Mar 27, 2010)

I think I've only been yelled at twice. Both times it was something loud and incoherent, more to scare me than to express a point of view. The funny part was watching one of these yahoos get a strip torn off of him by his mother, who was driving the car.


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## motomuppet (Sep 27, 2011)

SpecializedJim said:


> Two days ago I had a lady slow down beside me as we was heading toward a hill. She asked if I wanted to grab on and have her drag me up the hill. I just said not thanks that'll defeat the purpose and she just laughed and pulled away!


^ thats awesome! Very cool lady. Have not had anyone shout at me in ages, but then, I have changed my commute so I ride to work mostly off road now, and am loving it!


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## Grinderz (Aug 31, 2012)

STRAAAAAAVAAAAAAA!

I had this from another rider on a commute into work one morning. He was being such a dick about it and riding like a fool that I decided to just burn past him. Tried to figure out who he was through the app, but didnt have much luck. I dont think he placed very highly.


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## twowheelmotion (Feb 10, 2010)

Someone threw their Super Huge Slurpee at me in traffic.. A week later someone threw a Latte at my friend while we were JRA... 
I hate being yelled at by anyone in a car at all ever. 

I totally run every stop sign there is no car at, but I still look both ways. Stop lights, not too often. I will ride on the sidewalk if I have to. When I ride, I assume there is no way that a person in a car can see me, so I ride accordingly. I never ever ever rock the headphones, but I do run a single i home speaker off my backpack. 

My question without starting a new thread is "Does anyone commute in the wee hours of the morning?"

I ride to work in the dark at 5am on a rural highway, I'd like to know if there is someone that has a commute like this and has a preference in illumination I.E Reflectors and what-not. Currently running 3 red blinkies, a Stella and reflector tape all over and a hi-vis jacket.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

twowheelmotion said:


> I totally run every stop sign there is no car at, ...
> 
> Stop lights, not too often...
> 
> ...


Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results :lol:

As for the "0-dark 30 commute, yes...I'm out there on rural highways in the dark for most of the winter... I don't have much traffic or other lights to fight with for attention. I run a single Superflash taillight, and some reflective bits on clothing/backpack. I've never had a close call. If there was more other sources of light to distract drivers coming up from behind me, I'd be more concerned...but I'm basically the only source of light they're seeing out of the windshield. I'm more concerned in the daylight, honestly. I KNOW they see me in the dark. You're already doing more than I am as far as visibility.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

twowheelmotion said:


> ... I ride to work in the dark at 5am on a rural highway, I'd like to know if there is someone that has a commute like this and has a preference in illumination I.E Reflectors and what-not. Currently running 3 red blinkies, a Stella and reflector tape all over and a hi-vis jacket.


I like to use a headlamp with the flash feature for the time of day between real dark where you need the headlight, and full daylight. I think it helps keep oncoming traffic from cutting you off. When it's solid dark I use the solid-on helmetlamp so I can shine it right at drivers that I suspect might be about to cut me off.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Holy off topic Batman!!!!

I don't want to start a new thread but do you guys boil your eggs for 1 minute and then let them sit for 20 min or boil them for 2 minutes and let them sit for 10. I have a problem with my yolk turning dark.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

^^ You're tempting fate with salmonella... wait, what's your altitude? You might be OK at sea level, but otherwise I'd just deal with the dark yolk :lol:


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## twowheelmotion (Feb 10, 2010)

CommuterBoy said:


> Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results :lol:
> 
> You're already doing more than I am as far as visibility.


 At that time of I day all I can think about is how I seem to be the only one that rides that early. Leave it to MTBR to make me feel less alone on the road..


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## twowheelmotion (Feb 10, 2010)

I never even knew a commuter thread existed and was stoked to see one. Not trying to ruin anyones day, though my random post was oh-so troll-esque.. 

I like bikes- Carry on.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

twowheelmotion said:


> My question without starting a new thread is "Does anyone commute in the wee hours of the morning?"


Always one way in the dark, only occasionally in the "wee hours". Have been known to JRA from dusk til dawn, though.



CommuterBoy said:


> If there was more other sources of light to distract drivers coming up from behind me, I'd be more concerned...but I'm basically the only source of light they're seeing out of the windshield. I'm more concerned in the daylight, honestly. I KNOW they see me in the dark.


^^My view too, but I light up pretty well. One fairly bright headlight and solid red tail light, reflective vest, reflective tape on bike. If weather is bad or if I just don`t like the situation, augment with the Superflash that stays bungied to the back of my helmet.



bedwards1000 said:


> I don't want to start a new thread but do you guys boil your eggs for 1 minute and then let them sit for 20 min or boil them for 2 minutes and let them sit for 10. I have a problem with my yolk turning dark.


Eggs in a pot of cold water, light stove and heat, turn off as soon as it boils. When the water is cool enough to reach in and grab the eggs, they`re done. If the yolks get dark, decorate with reflectors.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Not much yelling here lately, but I did overhear a possibly drunken comment from the owner of "Hunter", an aptly named dog that always runs out at full snarl when I bike past. My routine for Hunter is to get off the bike and walk out of his territory with the bike between us, usually to apologies by his owner, and sometimes even apologies from his neighbor at the next house uphill. Friday was no different, except that after apologizing he invited me to his weekend yardsale (a captive audience I guess), and then as I remounted the bike and pedaled off, he yelled to the wife or GF "Did you see those muscles - she just started in the middle of the hill like nothing!" OK, he and Hunter got a few brownie points for that one.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

That`s a nice compliment, Xplorer, but how can you be so calm and forgiving of somebody who tries to privatize the public road that you have to ride? Sheesh, I`d be irate!


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

rodar y rodar said:


> That`s a nice compliment, Xplorer, but how can you be so calm and forgiving of somebody who tries to privatize the public road that you have to ride? Sheesh, I`d be irate!


Loose dogs are pretty engrained in the country culture here, complaining about them is considered a bit city-fied. Plus, even though I don't trust the dog enough to try to ride by, he's not really scarey. And this is only a few houses down the road from me and I'd rather keep the peace where possible.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Take the positive comments even if they come from the mouths of drunks.



twowheelmotion said:


> I never even knew a commuter thread existed and was stoked to see one. Not trying to ruin anyones day, though my random post was oh-so troll-esque..
> 
> I like bikes- Carry on.


No problem. I was just amused that there are dozens of hi-vis / lights threads here and you brought it up here. It was pretty random.



bedwards1000 said:


> Holy off topic Batman!!!!
> 
> I don't want to start a new thread but do you guys boil your eggs for 1 minute and then let them sit for 20 min or boil them for 2 minutes and let them sit for 10. I have a problem with my yolk turning dark.


LOL, somebody took that seriously? I should have used the sarcastic font.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

MtbX, you make a much better peace keeper than I would. :thumbsup:


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## SpecializedJim (Mar 8, 2012)

Second time for someone saying something to me happened within a week or so of the other time. Today on my way home I was smoking down this small hill leading to a straight and this truck with two guys in it rolled up beside me and said "do you know you just hit 45 mileanhour just now". They were so amazed that someone could go that fast on a bike. That made me push harder down the next hill and I hit my fastest speed of 48.7mph


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

SpecializedJim said:


> ...this truck with two guys in it rolled up beside me and said "do you know you just hit 45 mileanhour just now"....


The next time this happens, yell back, "That's what she said!"

It's funny for both parties, but - they are gong :crazy: for a few days relaying the story about some guy on a bike - being loopy!


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

SpecializedJim said:


> That made me push harder down the next hill and I hit my fastest speed of 48.7mph


You pedaled up to that speed !?!
Do you have some serious gears, or a serious spin cadence?


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## SpecializedJim (Mar 8, 2012)

rodar y rodar said:


> You pedaled up to that speed !?!
> Do you have some serious gears, or a serious spin cadence?


I was going down a hill and when I got to a point where I could see the only intersection that someone could pull out of I gunned it. So I was pedaling pretty much as fast as I could while going downhill. Stock gearing and 29" wheels. Not sure if I could get any faster than that but I was trying for 50mph!


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^ As are we all. Carpe diem!

BrianMc


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

bedwards1000 said:


> LOL, somebody took that seriously? I should have used the sarcastic font.


:lol: I went to my feedback to look, and no one jumped on me for offering you an answer... clearly you are the problem.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

From our local biking advocates: When Someone Yells At You From Their Car...


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I didn't have somebody yell at me, but on Friday's ride home I did have someone offer a baby bottle out the window. I didn't have time to enquire if it was formula or the real deal. Pretty funny actually.


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## austin_bike (Apr 2, 2005)

This morning I saw a bike commuter yell at a lady walking her dog in the bike lane. On a leash, covering the whole lane. There is a sidewalk right next to the bike lane.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

bedwards1000 said:


> I didn't have somebody yell at me, but on Friday's ride home I did have someone offer a baby bottle out the window. I didn't have time to enquire if it was formula or the real deal. Pretty funny actually.


Either they thought you were nursing an injury or you were ready for Formula 1 Racing. Not sure which.


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## gt.speid (Mar 5, 2012)

I don't typically have drivers do anything ignorant, but I do have a couple "interesting" stories.

The first time I ever had a driver mess with me was when these two backwoods hicks tried to run me off the road in their giant POS pickup truck. One more inch closer and they would've hit me with their mirror. As soon as they passed by, the passenger leaned out the window and looked back at me and flicked me off.

Another time, I had this lady honk at me 4 or 5 times rapidly as she rode my butt because she couldn't pass me at the moment. When she had a clear opening to get around me she whizzed up in front of me then slammed on her brakes for absolutely no reason and nearly made me wreck into her bumper. She then sped off real quick down the road. I caught up to her at a backed up intersection, stopped beside her, got off my bike, propped it up on the side of her car, then walked up to the hood of her car and slammed both of my fists down onto her hood like a crazed ape. I then got back on my bike, looked at her with her absolutely horrified face, and screamed "YOU COULD'VE KILLED ME!" at her before riding off.

I feel kind of bad about letting my anger get the better of me, but I was so infuriated with her.

One other good story, I was riding on my commute into work. There was absolutely no cars on the road, so I was goofing around and swerving back and forth slowly in my lane when all of a sudden I hear this voice from behind me "You wanna get your piece of **** out of the way?" I turned around to see some hard core roadie on his carbon cervelo behind me. So I pulled to the side and let him pass. When I got to work (I work at a bike shop) I told the guys I work with about it and described the bike, and apparently the guy is known to be a complete a-hole. I just wrote it off and didn't let it get to me. The thing that just irks me a little is the fact I was riding my Surly Cross Check(which was brand new that year) with my racks, fenders, and ortlieb panniers, so I was by no means riding a POS.

Overall, people around my area are very bike friendly, and bicycle riding has increases marginally every year.


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## SenorSerioso (Apr 22, 2011)

gt.speid said:


> "You wanna get your piece of **** out of the way?"


Haha. Justice will be served if he ever comes back into the shop.


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## gt.speid (Mar 5, 2012)

SenorSerioso said:


> Haha. Justice will be served if he ever comes back into the shop.


I've thought about that a couple of times, and what I would do if he ever did come in. I wouldn't let my personal feelings get in the way of my professionalism, so I would work on his bike to the same level I do every other, but I think my labor charge would be a little inflated that day. Say, $40 for a derailleur adjustment? :thumbsup:


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

gt.speid said:


> I've thought about that a couple of times, and what I would do if he ever did come in. I wouldn't let my personal feelings get in the way of my professionalism, so I would work on his bike to the same level I do every other, but I think my labor charge would be a little inflated that day. Say, $40 for a derailleur adjustment? :thumbsup:


You should have tried to drop him. That would have really bruised his ego.


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## austin_bike (Apr 2, 2005)

gt.speid said:


> I've thought about that a couple of times, and what I would do if he ever did come in. I wouldn't let my personal feelings get in the way of my professionalism, so I would work on his bike to the same level I do every other, but I think my labor charge would be a little inflated that day. Say, $40 for a derailleur adjustment? :thumbsup:


Actually, there is a better way. Kill him with kindness. Preferably when there are others nearby.

When he comes to pick up his bike, say "hey, how are you, remember me?" then, in very nice, non-confrontive tone, tell the whole story. Take as much time as you need. Remember at this point he is waiting for his bike, so he will have to listen to you and say "yes" to everything. He just wants to get out, and that is the fastest way out. The more he stonewalls, the longer it takes to get his bike.

You can't get in trouble for being totally polite to him. What is he gonna do, never come back to the shop because you were nice to him. If you do it right, even the biggest a-hole becomes sheepish - especially if there are people around.

And, note, that after you have given him his bike, he will immediately become a jerk again. But, whatever time he saved by going around you was just lost forever.


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## charron34 (Jul 11, 2010)

Bylaw officer..... yelled at me to slow down, I was doing 25 km/hr (15.5 mph) in a 20 km/hr (12.4 mph) zone on the bike path. He wasn't radaring but maybe he had a trained eye???? Pissed me off, I wasn't speeding that much.


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## cerpindicular (Apr 4, 2012)

charron34 said:


> Bylaw officer..... yelled at me to slow down, I was doing 25 km/hr (15.5 mph) in a 20 km/hr (12.4 mph) zone on the bike path. He wasn't radaring but maybe he had a trained eye???? Pissed me off, I wasn't speeding that much.


This as me wondering (its probably the pain killers for my busted tooth talking but anyways). Can you actually get a speeding ticket on a bike? I know i have broken speed limits before because i regularly pass cars on downhills so just wondering.


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## mck.brad (Jun 28, 2008)

cerpindicular said:


> This as me wondering (its probably the pain killers for my busted tooth talking but anyways). Can you actually get a speeding ticket on a bike? I know i have broken speed limits before because i regularly pass cars on downhills so just wondering.


I've heard of ppl getting ticketed on a bike. They are classified as vehicles.

I'd actually be proud to get a speeding ticket on a bike. Probably frame it too.


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## charron34 (Jul 11, 2010)

Yes cerpindicular, you can get a speeding ticket, on a pathway anyway. They actually had one guy pulled over and were giving him a ticket, it was the guy that shot by me on a road bike.


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## Fiskare (Sep 5, 2008)

cerpindicular said:


> Can you actually get a speeding ticket on a bike? I know i have broken speed limits before because i regularly pass cars on downhills so just wondering.


Back in the day, Mt. Tam was (in) famous for this. They even used radar guns. They never got me though. I learned early to not wear anything distinguishable, and above all else, never stop.

But I have since seen the light, have repented for all my past transgressions, and am now on the straight and narrow....oh, and and I moved to the real Northern California where there is no such foolishness.


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## fahza29er (Jun 26, 2012)

Only thing people have yelled at me was "Nice Tatts" or "did you see the arm's on that guy " LOL


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

Fiskare said:


> the real Northern California where there is no such foolishness.


Where are you at in the real Northern California? I've been pulled over once (ran a stop sign and deserved it) and lectured via PA system once (ran a stop sign and deserved it).


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## cerpindicular (Apr 4, 2012)

mck.brad said:


> I'd actually be proud to get a speeding ticket on a bike. Probably frame it too.


come to think of it i could see me doing this also lol


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## campredcloudbikes (Feb 22, 2008)

The other day I was riding home through town on my 10 mile commute (each way), and pass this homeless looking guy on a bike....
about 100 feet after that, he totally flips out - just gets super pissed and irate with me like I just punched him in the face..... so he starts sprinting after me. I'm cruising at 18 mph and he's catching up. Ok, buddy, you wanna race? So I lay on it hard, up to 28 mph, and drop him. I think he's gone, so a few blocks later at a T intersection, I stop at the stop sign to make a left, he catches me again, comes skidding in through the intersection...
"You'd better pull over or I'm calling the cops!" He yelled out, followed by more irrational screaming and cursing. So I stomp on it again, this time he doesn't pursue. 
I was more scared of him than of the cops... if he did call them, he was so sketchy, he'd be the one in trouble.
I think he was high on meth or something to have that kind of temper flare over nothing combined with that level of paranoia and bike speed from him. 
This is of course with the full commuter textbook load in panniers on the back.


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## junior1210 (Sep 9, 2011)

I had one of my co-workers yell "nice shirt!" , to which I replied "thanks I'm trying to stay low profile.". I was wearing one of these;
High Visibility 3M ANSI II 5510 Micromesh T-Shirt Lime LG | 3M Scotchlite


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## L.t. (Jul 20, 2012)

I recently got "get a ******* car fat ***" which makes no sense since I'm the one on a bike and they're the ones in a p.o.s. car.....go figure.


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## Cash Hunter (Aug 28, 2012)

get out of my way


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## HereWeGo (Jan 8, 2011)

While commuting in Southern California I have heard "eff you", "f*ggot" many times. In the '90s when every bozo went out and bought a Harley they would love to pull in the clutch and hit the throttle to try to startle me when they passed. Seems all the jerks don't ride their Harley's anymore...tee hee. I had a guy want to beat me up once because I was making a left turn from the left turn lane. We came to an agreement though. I had a passenger in a car throw a half full (maybe full?) can of coke at my back as he passed, while yelling "arrrrgggghhhh(?)"...unlucky for him the car got stuck behind others at the next red light....there are somethings I can't just brush off. There have been so many times, and so many things that have been yelled at me I can't remember them all...sad.


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## junior1210 (Sep 9, 2011)

I had two girls yell "[email protected] Dude" at a light on my way home this morning. Kinda flattering.:blush:


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## scubaklook (Apr 20, 2005)

I was waiting at a stop light and when it changed I took off with a van next to me. The van speeds up and matches me. I was in the bike lane and was getting worried they were going to do something stupid like try to swerve into me so I started slowing down. The guy looks over and yells out the window, "You are going 20mph. Right... Now. Better speed up!" And then he drives off. Umm..thanks?


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## brigadier (Oct 1, 2012)

this morning a driver hassled me this way :"
- Get the f**k out my way, I am working and you make me lost my time
- hahaha
- What makes you laugh b*st*rd ?
- I f*ck*d your mother
- !!//l%*£¨¨

and then I pedaled away............everytime a driver annoys me I insult his mother and that's a real pleasure


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## Spykr (Feb 17, 2011)

brigadier said:


> this morning a driver hassled me this way :"
> - Get the f**k out my way, I am working and you make me lost my time
> - hahaha
> - What makes you laugh b*st*rd ?
> ...


As much as I want to criticize you for how immature that was...I'm too busy laughing my to care!


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## brigadier (Oct 1, 2012)

of course that's immature, but who cares ? drivers hassle me, I am not gonna be a pacific hippie, let's insult their mothers for make so dumb and hating people

and the good point is that you laughed ! and a a laugh a day keeps the doctor away


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

brigadier said:


> of course that's immature, but who cares ? drivers hassle me, I am not gonna be a pacific hippie, let's insult their mothers for make so dumb and hating people
> 
> and the good point is that you laughed ! and a a laugh a day keeps the doctor away


ing


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## Jonesy33 (Mar 18, 2008)

Living in Germany (which is rated 3rd in Europe for most bike friendly country... whcih probably also means 3rd in the world) I don't often have these sort of hassles or interactions.

I have had two times where I had cars come close enough to me or honk that made me genuinely scared or mad... one time was an elderly gentleman, and the other was a fellow American...

I did however have a motorist pull up besdie me the other day while I was out in the road instead of the shared bicycle and pedestrian path (which is a little too crowded for 30-35kph cruising).

MOTIRST: "Dort gibt's ein radweg, das kannst du mal benutzen"
ME: "Dort gibt's mein asch, das kannst du mal lechen."

Rough translation:
MOTORIST: "There is a bike path you know you can use it!" (but with very snyde tone)
ME: There is my ass you know you can kiss it."

The translation does not do it justice, but in German it has a little more impact, as does the rudeness of his tone.

His response was a typically german scowl, and driving off very quickly....

The bike path ended and dumped into the road anyway 25 meters later---


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## brigadier (Oct 1, 2012)

Hahahaha ! I love it ! Add me to your friends

"Hooligan bicycles"


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## Stosh (Canada) (Jul 19, 2005)

Jonesy33 said:


> MOTIRST: "Dort gibt's ein radweg, das kannst du mal benutzen"
> ME: "Dort gibt's mein asch, das kannst du mal lechen."
> 
> Rough translation:
> ...


Ahh the efficiency of the German language. Thanks for the Smile:thumbsup:


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## scorchedearth (Aug 30, 2011)

cash hunter said:


> get out of my way


x 2


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

I'm crankin along @ ~85rpm (SS) and I hear, "woo work it" - "Go boy" 
-at this point I had just caught a light right, and they were barely eclipsing me. I glanced over and it was a SUV with 4-5 nice lookin dames. - There was some laughter... then I heard (after they passed me by a car-length) "Damn. he was kinda cute" - more laughter.

I had never wanted to catch a vehicle at a light so much at that moment 
More than someone cutting you off, etc.

alas, the next light was a half-mile and @ 40mph, I lost all 5 'soul-mates' for the night


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## brigadier (Oct 1, 2012)

argh ! You lost A CFNM party ticket !


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## Spykr (Feb 17, 2011)

"Your fixie sucks!"
My bike doesn't look even remotely like a fixie...


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

Spykr said:


> "Your fixie sucks!"
> My bike doesn't look even remotely like a fixie...


so they were totally right :thumbsup:


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

I got a good one the other day. I was trying to turn left at a light. I started across the intersection as the light turned yellow, then an oncoming driver decided to gun it through the yellow, forcing me to hit the brakes and come to a stop in the intersection as the light turned red. I yelled something at him, and the driver behind me, who had seen it all, rolled down his window and yelled "I f*cking hate cars!"


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

as a cyclist myself I hate it when I'm driving either the fire engine or the ambulance emergent (lights and sirens) and the asshat cyclists don't pull over but stay 3-abreast taking up a lane.. That gets under my skin, because IMO it's blatant disrespect for anyone else in the world.

There's only a few guys around here that do it, most are good to move over, but damn it's pretty dumb.... for all they know I'm responding to put out a fire at their house or save their 5 year old who's choking to death.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

ong said:


> ... I was trying to turn left at a light.* I started across the intersection as the light turned yellow*,...


this is confusing the fcuk out of me.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

Hollyw00d said:


> as a cyclist myself I hate it when I'm driving either the fire engine or the ambulance emergent (lights and sirens) and the asshat cyclists don't pull over but stay 3-abreast taking up a lane.. That gets under my skin, because IMO it's blatant disrespect for anyone else in the world.
> 
> There's only a few guys around here that do it, most are good to move over, but damn it's pretty dumb.... for all they know I'm responding to put out a fire at their house or save their 5 year old who's choking to death.


that's asshat roadies - not commuters


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## Spykr (Feb 17, 2011)

highdelll said:


> so they were totally right :thumbsup:


Touch`e my good sir. Touch`e.


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

highdelll said:


> that's asshat roadies - not commuters


:lol:

I stand corrected. :thumbsup:


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## junior1210 (Sep 9, 2011)

Hollyw00d said:


> as a cyclist myself I hate it when I'm driving either the fire engine or the ambulance emergent (lights and sirens) and the asshat cyclists don't pull over but stay 3-abreast taking up a lane.. That gets under my skin, because IMO it's blatant disrespect for anyone else in the world.
> 
> There's only a few guys around here that do it, most are good to move over, but damn it's pretty dumb.... for all they know I'm responding to put out a fire at their house or save their 5 year old who's choking to death.


A sheriff's deputy I know told me a couple of weeks ago he handed two tickets to two roadies who didn't pull over and stop for an ambulance. I'm not sure I believe him but it did make me feel good at the time.


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## nineracerxer (Sep 21, 2007)

*Road [rider] rage?*

I had a road rider - don't think he was commuting, must have been training or stava-ing - yell something as he passed me as I stopped, unclipped, and put a foot down to wait for the pedestrians who had entered the cross walk to pass in front of me. I still don't know what he was trying to tell me but I have some choice words for him.


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

junior1210 said:


> A sheriff's deputy I know told me a couple of weeks ago he handed two tickets to two roadies who didn't pull over and stop for an ambulance. I'm not sure I believe him but it did make me feel good at the time.


The do that up here quite often. Haha. And there's a cop that always writes speeding tickets to the roadies at this one particular spot on a hill. Makes me laugh every time. :lol:


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## junior1210 (Sep 9, 2011)

Hollyw00d said:


> The do that up here quite often. Haha. And there's a cop that always writes speeding tickets to the roadies at this one particular spot on a hill. Makes me laugh every time. :lol:


Almost makes me envious being able to pedal fast enough to get a speeding ticket. Almost.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

What particular spot, Hollywood? I still have one vacation day to burn this year!


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

hahaha Boulder, CO. There are a few spots he rotates thru, but he always gets roadies at his secret spot.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

When I'm downtown, I'm the dweeb yelling, "get a bike light!" at people. 

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

junior1210 said:


> Almost makes me envious being able to pedal fast enough to get a speeding ticket. Almost.


ah hell coming down this hill you could exceed the speedlimit on any bike.


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## monzie (Aug 5, 2009)

ehigh, I do that too! 

I was headed to the bus stop the other day and someone in an SUV honked at me. So I gave them the one finger salute. I do that when I get honked at for no reason, sorry folks. I caught up to her at the red light and we actually had a civil disussion. Here's most of what I remember of it, it'll give you the gist of it:
Me- don't honk at me when I'm not doing anything wrong.

Her- I was just trying to let you know I was behind you.

Me- I'm in the road, I just assume there's cars behind me. All honks seem like mean honks and it upsets cyclists. The best thing to do is just treat us like cars. 

Her- I thought you were supposed to ride in the right hand lane.

Me- not when I'm making a left hand turn. 

Her- okay, sorry, have a good day!

Me- Thank you for understanding and not being aggressive! Have a great day too! 

All this at a red light at about 7:00am. It was awesome and refreshing. Especially in a decidedly bicycle unfriendly city.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I was sitting at a red light, waiting for it to change. I was the first in line and I wanted to go straight. first car behind me honks at me (light is red). I never said a word, but I wasn't going to be intimidated by some fat chick who wants to turn right. the light turns green and before I have a chance to go, she starts getting belligerent trying to scare me to move. there's no way you could be dumb enough to intentionally run someone over directly in front of the courthouse and less than a block from the police station. bluff: called.

I hold my ground and am ready to throw my steel bike through her windshield if things get nasty. she leans out the window and yells, "move yo ass, cracker!" I gotta say, that's my first racial slur. it's also my first time getting a negative yell in 4.5yrs in this town.

I wish I had gotten her plate number so I could report her to the cops. a little visit might have been educational. if there wasn't a bunch of traffic behind her, I'd have called the police right there in the intersection. I'm sure every cop in town recognizes my bike because I'm lit up like a UFO at night.


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## R+P+K (Oct 28, 2009)

Got this today:

"no wonder you pricks get run over"

From a dude driving a van who was angry because I took the lane for about 40m.

Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

^^ That's awful. Hope the rest of your day is better.


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## aizu1 (Nov 28, 2005)

Some old guy on his porch yelled at 4 of us as we rode by, "get outta the road, you don't pay taxes!"


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## Nickt30 (Nov 22, 2007)

*many just beep*

my response.....

put out my left hand showing my palm as if i am going to stop......as i do this i drift in front of them.....causing the beeping to stop becasue they are surprised i am doing that.....
then my open palm turns into "the finger" as i wave them by me.......screaming at them.....
"dont worry....youll be OK.....you can pass me now"....as they pass I am laughing at their scowling faces.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I think this:


R+P+K said:


> "no wonder you pricks get run over"
> 
> From a dude driving a van *who was angry* because I took the lane for about 40m...


Is because of this:


Nickt30 said:


> .....then my open palm turns into "the finger" as i wave them by me.......screaming at them....."dont worry....youll be OK.....you can pass me now"....as they pass I am laughing at their scowling faces.


Vicious cycle here.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Terrible, RPK. I hope that isn`t the norm for you.

I got yelled at twice on last night`s commute. I think that just about doubles the number of midcommute yells I`ve recieved 
1st: "Hi, honey!" from my wife, who stopped in the middle of the road on her way by in the other direction.
2nd "Gklr...frudsw....drkts...bike!" from one of the Job Corps kids whose campus I ride past every night.


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## Nickt30 (Nov 22, 2007)

monzie said:


> ehigh, I do that too!
> 
> I was headed to the bus stop the other day and someone in an SUV honked at me. So I gave them the one finger salute. I do that when I get honked at for no reason, sorry folks. I caught up to her at the red light and we actually had a civil disussion.
> 
> ...


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Understood. The a-holes in cars are the enemy, we all know that. Giving them the finger just fuels the fire. A nice overly friendly wave usually pisses them off just as much but then you don't look like the bad guy.

Agreed that civil talks aren't the norm both because it is logistically hard and people in cars are mostly idiots.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

rodar y rodar said:


> I got yelled at twice on last night`s commute. I think that just about doubles the number of midcommute yells I`ve recieved
> 1st: "Hi, honey!" from my wife, who stopped in the middle of the road on her way by in the other direction.


Clearly, your wife should go on a global goodwill tour, providing random "Hi, Honey" 's to uplift the spirits of shopworn cyclists everywhere.


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## blockphi (Mar 26, 2012)

Riding home the other night some crazy old dude on the multi-use path screamed at me "Someone's gonna kick your [email protected]@ for blinding them with that light" 

I just smiled and waved, thinking to myself, if they're going to kick my [email protected]@ at least that means they see me. 

Some people.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

blockphi said:


> Riding home the other night some crazy old dude on the multi-use path screamed at me "Someone's gonna kick your [email protected]@ for blinding them with that light"
> 
> I just smiled and waved, thinking to myself, if they're going to kick my [email protected]@ at least that means they see me.
> 
> Some people.


I get all kinds of comments from pedestrians about how bright my light is. I ride through a college campus on my commute, so there are a lot of them. Nobody's gone that far before, but every evening on the 1/2 mi of campus I cross, I get a few complaints almost always in front of the library where there's a bit of a bottleneck.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

blockphi said:


> Riding home the other night some crazy old dude on the multi-use path screamed at me "Someone's gonna kick your [email protected]@ for blinding them with that light"
> 
> I just smiled and waved, thinking to myself, if they're going to kick my [email protected]@ at least that means they see me.
> 
> Some people.


I ride with a helmet mounted light and one on the bars....

The one on the bars can move up and down with just a push....

So I can dip the lights easily to avoid blinding people...or to help make a motorist notice me...

Blinding people is kinda of rude in my opinion.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^^ "Can you still see?", you ask

"Yeah, no thanks to you!", says he.

"Then I did not blind you.", says you.

Expletives follow in response to your impeccable logic. 

Several conditions reduce the speed the iris contracts or make it flutter. I know I had one, now cured. If he is sensitive to bright lights he should know. The bright blue headlights used to mess me up for a dangerous amount of time after they passed. No longer.

BrianMc


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## iamJ4R0N (Nov 7, 2012)

I haven't been commuting regularly but for a couple of months. The only thing I've had yelled at me was "good use of hand signals!" with a smile and thumbs up from the driver, as I crossed two lanes of traffic to get in the turning lane.


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## OldschoolReloaded (Nov 20, 2012)

I had a carload of guys yell F_g_ot at me and I smiled real cute and yelled back, "Is that your boyfriend?" as I pointed to the guy next to him. The others in the car laughed like hell. 

When I lived in Tucson, I carried a pistol in my water bottle carrier...nobody yelled at me. 

One guy asked me once if I was a recovering alcoholic. I said no and asked him why and he said that he figured that only reason I rode a bike was that I could not get a license. Idiot! 

Karma?? Once I was ridding down a side street when I saw this big fuzzy cat walking across the street. I glided right up behind him and did the mad cat hiss and howl, as if a cat myself. The cat puffed up and jumped a foot and pivoted like he was expecting to face a mountain lion. I laughed like crazy as I looked back at him. Then still laughing I rode by this house and doberman charged the fence barking at me as if he was satin. Scared me so bad that I almost fell over. :yikes: That was a quick turnaround for Mr Karma. Human scares cat...dog scares human. :lol:


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## nemhed (May 2, 2010)

OldschoolReloaded said:


> I glided right up behind him and did the mad cat hiss and howl, as if a cat myself.


Oh, that's too funny! I did the same thing to a cat the other day that was casually strolling up a driveway. He jumped 3 feet up in the air and took off running without even looking back. I laughed so hard I almost wrecked. I don't thing he had a clue there was another living creature close by.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

iamJ4R0N said:


> I haven't been commuting regularly but for a couple of months. The only thing I've had yelled at me was "good use of hand signals!" with a smile and thumbs up from the driver, as I crossed two lanes of traffic to get in the turning lane.


 Look out for a mass influx of cyclists to Hayward CA!


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## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

blockphi said:


> Riding home the other night some crazy old dude on the multi-use path screamed at me "Someone's gonna kick your [email protected]@ for blinding them with that light"


When riding at night on the MUP it's good form to cover your light when approaching oncoming peds and cyclists.


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## Spatialized (Aug 23, 2012)

I got the "Hey Baby! Loking good!" the other day. It was my wife. 

I usually resond to yells with witty repartee after they're long gone, for instance...

Them: "A car's only $16,000!" 
Me (5 minutes later): "If I spent all that on a car I couldn't afford your mom."

Them: "Yaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!"
Me (5 minutes later): "Oooo...good one! No one's every yelled at me like that before!"


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

"Thanks for the blinding light, *******"
"Anytime!!"

*sheilding eyes* "Lights!!"
"Yeah, you need some."

Most of the comments I get are about my lights come to think of it. I have a Vis360 on the helmet, Seca 400 on the bars and now a Supernova E3 on the crown nut. Honestly, I don't know how these people ride in traffic. My Seca 400's are 100 Lumens on low... that's barely anything.


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## 2fargon (Jan 22, 2011)

This September I was riding home from some singletrack and pulled up next to a car full of teenage girls at a stop light. As I pulled away, the one in the passenger seat yells "NICE BUTT!" I'm positive she was being sarcastic as I'm 140 lbs and 5' 10" and have absolutely no butt. Either that or she just likes dudes with no butt in spandex. The first time I commuted on a bicycle, I crossed the first road leaving my house and a guy in a lawncare truck yells "****@T!" I looked up and it was a customer from the shop I work at. He had no idea it was me. He probably wonders why his motorcycle parts are so much more expensive now. The third time was last summer. I was riding my road bike home and passed a young couple. The dude was the standard Central Ohio Thug-billy, wearing tight Wrangler type jeans and big cubic zirconia earrings. His girlfriend was smoking hot. Anyway, as I passed them, he looks up and says "You look gay, dude." I started to lash out but then thought, "I am dressed like a di#k right now." and rode home. Have also had several undecipherable screams.


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## jamisdakarxlt (Feb 16, 2011)

I was in the City and a Sheriffs Helicopter started to hover above with the loudspeaker blaring "cyclist in the.....( inaudible )!! I didnt immediately "do" anything because I had my headphones on and was listening to some Generic Trance playlist, and was waiting for the breakbeat.
There was literally a whole bunch of people on bikes, some I had never seen B4. Ethnic types because I was in a *NEW* section of town. I am versed in English, had nowhere to go and by the tone of the voices around me behind the chop-choppa of the helicopters blades sensed that someone, possibly me was going to Jail............


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## Jag Brah (May 14, 2012)

jeffscott said:


> So I can dip the lights easily to avoid blinding people...or to help make a motorist notice me...
> 
> Blinding people is kinda of rude in my opinion.


+1

It's also very dangerous.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I put my hand in front of my light to alert drivers to something.

Pedestrians can get over it. My lights are no brighter than car or motorcycle lights and you don't see pedestrians cursing at every one of them that passes

My light aims down from the bike to maybe 20-30ft in front of me so I don't blind people on the road. And nobody complains there.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

NateHawk said:


> I put my hand in front of my light to alert drivers to something.
> 
> Pedestrians can get over it. My lights are no brighter than car or motorcycle lights and you don't see pedestrians cursing at every one of them that passes
> 
> My light aims down from the bike to maybe 20-30ft in front of me so I don't blind people on the road. And nobody complains there.


For someone who is always on other people o=about what they are doing wrong...

That is a very belligerant attitude....

Your light is bright and it bothers people.....there are many easy fixes you should pick one and start using it.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

jeffscott said:


> For someone who is always on other people o=about what they are doing wrong...
> 
> That is a very belligerant attitude....
> 
> Your light is bright and it bothers people.....there are many easy fixes you should pick one and start using it.


My point was that I don't think pedestrians are actually blinded by my light because because I have taken steps to ensure I'm not blinding people with it. they're not saying the same things when cars and motorcycles drive by. I think they're just surprised to see such a light on a bicycle, and people (as this whole thread illustrates) like to yell at people on bicycles for stupid reasons.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

NateHawk said:


> My point was that I don't think pedestrians are actually blinded by my light because because I have taken steps to ensure I'm not blinding people with it.Clearly not so they're not saying the same things when cars and motorcycles drive by. I think they're just surprised to see such a light on a bicycle, and people (as this whole thread illustrates) like to yell at people on bicycles for stupid reasons.


They are noticably upset that your light is to bright.....you are getting yelled at because you are unneccessarily bothering people...

There is no need to upset people...

Just because you are not permanently blinding someone....does not mean that you are not temporally compromising their vision...

Again there are easy ways to avoid doing this, you should pick one and start doing it.


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## Bikcomuter (Aug 19, 2012)

I commute through a city park that connects to an apartment complex just about every day. One time as I was getting ready to turn into the park these two young guys yelled "Get off the road ******!" I've seen this car nearly every time I pass through there complex so I am sure they live there. Sure enough they get home before I pass through and they are out of the car talking to two girls. I pedal casually by and in my best effeminate voice say "Looking good boys!" to all their astonished looks.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Passed a blind guy to today in an intersection.....

He yells hey make some noise....

Guess I must have been riding a little too smooth so my bearbell wasn't dingling.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

jeffscott said:


> They are noticably upset that your light is to bright.....you are getting yelled at because you are unneccessarily bothering people...
> 
> There is no need to upset people...
> 
> ...


Jeff, I agree we don't need to be any more offensive than we are to some people. I also think that some people just like to complain especially about cyclists using their MUP. I would like to see pedestrians carry some lights and not be ninja. So this share the road or MUP goes both ways.

Assuming that NateHawk has experienced his lights first hand and found them tolerable, then it is the other guys issue. We can't please everyone all the time. Our safety and theirs kicks in over a mild discomfort on a few. I spent a lot of time getting my lights to work well and not blind drivers. I can aim them away from walkers when I need to. I did this by standing the bike up with lights on and walking toward them at normal height and bent low for a shorter person and found them tolerable. This is a bit of a problem with a generator system, but it can be done.

I don't buy into the argument that we must avoid upsetting everyone at all costs. Otherwise I would not risk posting in forums!

BrianMc


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

BrianMc said:


> Jeff, I agree we don't need to be any more offensive than we are to some people. I also think that some people just like to complain especially about cyclists using their MUP. I would like to see pedestrians carry some lights and not be ninja. So this share the road or MUP goes both ways.
> 
> Assuming that NateHawk has experienced his lights first hand and found them tolerable, then it is the other guys issue.From my reading I beleive it is more than likely Natehawks issue We can't please everyone all the time. Our safety and theirs kicks in over a mild discomfort not neccessarilly mild if you temporially blind some one and they twist an ankleon a few. I spent a lot of time getting my lights to work well and not blind drivers. I can aim them away from walkers when I need to. I did this by standing the bike up with lights on and walking toward them at normal height and bent low for a shorter person and found them tolerable. This is a bit of a problem with a generator system, but it can be done.
> 
> ...


Of course the world lives by compromise....

What I see here is lack of compromise and arrogance.

Safety is also a world of compromise, mitigating hazards for yourself and everyone around you is the best course.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

NateHawk said:


> My point was that I don't think pedestrians are actually blinded by my light because because I have taken steps to ensure I'm not blinding people with it.


Are you on flashing or solid mode? A fairly bright flashing can be a lot more annoying than a really bright solid. I've had someone's oncoming helmet-mounted strobe leave me pretty much completely blind because the eyes can't adjust quickly enough.

But anyway, earlier this week I got "Get off the grass!" even though the grass is under a foot of snow, and I was _clearly_ riding on the sidewalk. Pffft, people.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

"Hey ******!"

Not exactly original.
:skep:


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Got my first "get on the sidewalk" yell in a long time. Came from some kind of luxury/semi luxury car. I needed to make a grocery run, so my usual road stretch on this road was a hair longer than usual. I usually only ride it for a hundred yards or so before heading off onto a side street. I still went less than a mile. Maybe half a mile. Multiple lights, but I hit green through them all. I was cruising around 20mph, I'd figure. I was pushing myself a bit, and my relaxed cruise is usually about 16-17. A lot of cars don't go faster than 20mph on this road and nobody yells or honks at them.

I got the yell right about when I extended my right arm to signal my turn.
*eyeroll*


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

I got one last night too. Bunch of guys and beers silhouetted against the open garage door of the local Jeep repair/jackup joint, one yelled "Buddy go Buddy go!", no meanly, not nicely, kinda teasingly I guess. Since I had been contemplating evil earlier in the ride I opted not to reply, as it would reveal me as a female Buddy ("budd-ette"?).


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## Spykr (Feb 17, 2011)

I'm not sure if this counts, but when I was riding home from my LBS yesterday some lady started spastically flailing her arms at me as if to inform me that I should not be riding in the street and should instead be on the sidewalk. I could see her lips moving so I can assume she was yelling "Get off the road!" or something similar, but as her windows were closed, I couldn't hear her, and it just looked like she was was chewing on an enormous chunk of bubble gum. Or maybe a bran muffin; doesn't matter. But I digress, after a quick, confused expression on my part, I shot her the biggest, toothiest, dorkiest grin I possibly could and then kept on going!


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

Spykr said:


> I'm not sure if this counts, but when I was riding home from my LBS yesterday some lady started spastically flailing her arms at me as if to inform me that I should not be riding in the street and should instead be on the sidewalk. I could see her lips moving so I can assume she was yelling "Get off the road!" or something similar, but as her windows were closed, I couldn't hear her, and it just looked like she was was chewing on an enormous chunk of bubble gum. Or maybe a bran muffin; doesn't matter. But I digress, after a quick, confused expression on my part, I shot her the biggest, toothiest, dorkiest grin I possibly could and then kept on going!


Mime, "Call me" next time.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Spykr said:


> I'm not sure if this counts, but when I was riding home from my LBS yesterday some lady started spastically flailing her arms at me as if to inform me that I should not be riding in the street and should instead be on the sidewalk. I could see her lips moving so I can assume she was yelling "Get off the road!" or something similar, but as her windows were closed, I couldn't hear her, and it just looked like she was was chewing on an enormous chunk of bubble gum. Or maybe a bran muffin; doesn't matter. But I digress, after a quick, confused expression on my part, I shot her the biggest, toothiest, dorkiest grin I possibly could and then kept on going!


:lol: Sounds like she was about to have a heart attack over a cyclist invading the street! Too much bran muffin in her diet? Preceding some of that blogger Chipseal`s imfamous arrests, a few people were so excited they went as far as calling 911 to report a bicycle in the middle of the road.


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## kasperilio (Oct 27, 2006)

"Get a car", "Get off the road", "Get on the sidewalk", all sorts of derivatives of being gay (which I just don't get). "Nice clothes dork". 

Then there's the getting cut off or pinched off the road, honked at.

Just wave and smile boys (and gals), just wave and smile!


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

Guy tried to fight me on the road this morning.... He was in his turbo subaru, I was in my slow jeep... He nearly crashed, blamed me. (not my fault). Pull up to a light and he's hanging out his car screaming that he's gonna kill me, so I tell him to pull over and I'll join him.

We pull over, he forgets to set his e-brake and jumps out and starts running towards me yelling, I calmly tell him his car is rolling away.... Car rolls into the ditch and he catches it in time to dive thru the window and pull the e-brake and prevent it from dropping all the way into the ditch. He runs back to me yelling he's gonna beat my ass..........

I calmly stand next to the jeep with my hand on my .45 (hidden from his view) and he starts yelling.. I extend my hand to shake his and say, "Dude I have no beef with you, I didn't pass 8 cars on the shoulder at 100+, you did. If you have a problem perhaps it's you. Now if you still want a fight I'm ready." He shook my hand, acknowledged he was driving like an ass, and apologized. Then we chatted for a minute, and I told him that I have no problem with the way he drives and I would drive that fast too if I had a car that could do it. Then I advised him that I'm a medic with ******* Fire Rescue and just 3 weeks ago we pulled a dead girl out of a subaru like his in the EXACT same spot for loosing control and crashing.

He kinda freaked out a bit, shook my hand 3 more times apologized and thanked me for not coming out of the jeep swingin and lookin for a fight.

Then we went on our separate ways. Now I'm at work saving other lives. HAHA

situation averted.


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## Blister Butt (Jul 20, 2005)

I'm a guy. The other day I was standing up while pedaling uphill and some guy in this really manly Ford F250 slows way down alongside me, rolls down the window, and shouts, "nice ass!"

"Thank you!" I said.

He sped up and drove away.

You meet the nicest people while out biking. Or something like that I guess.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

^
Must be a "leather daddy."


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

Buster Bluth said:


> ^
> Must be a "leather daddy."


"I'd like to go to the Gothic Castle"
"Gothic A$$hole?"
"That's what I said"

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## sasquatch2 (Jun 28, 2004)

Driving in a rental car visiting U-Wisconsin campus with the family in the car and I pulled to the right into bike lane to ask directions from a person waiting for a bus, cyclist said "ummm, can you NOT be in my lane???" holy crap did I feel like a jerk while laughing.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I was coasting downhill on a 4 lane street, which was entirely empty at 6:45 in the morning, and I needed to get to the store, which was on my left. So I checked behind me and drifted across "my" lane, into the left-hand lane to prepare to make my turn. There was one car in sight.... a lady coming towards me in the lane closest to the center line. She started flashing her lights and honking her horn and waving her arms in an absolute freak out panic mode... She came almost to a complete stop in the middle of the road, and I stared at her as I coasted by with what I hope was a look of utter confusion and a little bit of "you're a moron"... then I made my left turn across the empty street into the store parking lot. 
Apparently a bike in the the traffic lane means that they are going to ride directly into your car and kill everyone in sight...even if you're the only one in sight :lol: 

Not sure if this is OK to post here because I didn't hear her yelling... I'm sure there was some yelling going on in there though, with the panic and the lights and the horn and what-not.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

^^I'm glad you survived!


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

It was intense :lol:


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

Great story CB.

Not yelling, but I was volunteering at the local bike co-op on wednesday, when we'd gotten maybe 3" of fresh snow. This was on top of roads that are basically solid ice, and temperatures were around 0F so the snow wasn't melting but was just sort of sliding around. So it certainly wasn't a great day for cycling, but it wasn't horrendous.

Guy comes in with his bike, so props to him for riding. And then he says "Calgary is a cycling paradise compared to here. When it snows they clear all the bike trails _immediately_." And yeah, that's clearly not true.

He wanted a cheap road bike to stick on a trainer for the winter. We didn't have any. I didn't feel too bad about that.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Blister Butt said:


> "Thank you!" I said.
> 
> He sped up and drove away.
> 
> You meet the nicest people while out biking. Or something like that I guess.


:thumbsup:



CommuterBoy said:


> She started flashing her lights and honking her horn and waving her arms in an absolute freak out panic mode... She came almost to a complete stop in the middle of the road, and I stared at her as I coasted by with what I hope was a look of utter confusion and a little bit of "you're a moron"... then I made my left turn across the empty street into the store parking lot.


Cool! Sounds like Spyker`s gal from a couple days ago.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

CommuterBoy said:


> There was one car in sight.... a lady coming towards me in the lane closest to the center line. She started flashing her lights and honking her horn and waving her arms in an absolute freak out panic mode... She came almost to a complete stop in the middle of the road, and I stared at her as I coasted by with what I hope was a look of utter confusion and a little bit of "you're a moron"... then I made my left turn across the empty street into the store parking lot.


I'm sure it was the driver from the bikeyface cartoon...


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

:lol: Nailed it.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

I think the same lady slowed and turned left out of the right lane of a one-way street with no signal other than her brake light. Her previous driving held me back for passing her in the left lane. Good 'Carma' or 'CarGarndma', I guess. I was vocalizing so it coutnts, but I was driving, not riding, so maybe it doesn't.

We may not need all kinds to make this world, but we got 'em anyway. Don't let 'em get you.

BrianMc


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## ALBM (Jan 16, 2012)

Encountered 4 people riding the wrong way in the bike path today, when I said "wrong way" 3 of them said "F**K YOU" , the other one said nothing. If someone rides towards me again going the wrong direction in the bike path...they will be picking themselves up off the ground.


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## mcscars (Sep 3, 2011)

First icey commute. I'm definitely the only one out there stupid enough (or badass enough depending on your perspective on cycling) on Texas tech campus to ride to school today. I pass a couple of girls on campus and they yell out "you're a trooper!"

Smile and wave 

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

Ice riding is an art. Painful, but beautiful art.


Come on Trooper Jones, we have a mission of great destiny to pursue : to get in class on time and like a boss.


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## mcscars (Sep 3, 2011)

David C said:


> Ice riding is an art. Painful, but beautiful art.
> 
> Come on Trooper Jones, we have a mission of great destiny to pursue : to get in class on time and like a boss.


more like a final exam but yeah haha


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

Blister Butt said:


> I'm a guy. The other day I was standing up while pedaling uphill and some guy in this really manly Ford F250 slows way down alongside me, rolls down the window, and shouts, "nice ass!"
> 
> "Thank you!" I said.
> 
> ...


One of my buddies rides with Team Soft Like Kitten. They have a kitten on the kit and it's all pink. Apparently the worst aspect about their kit is they'll be riding along, some motorcyclists will ride up behind them, pass, and when they stop next the motorcyclists will pick a fight with them.

So the big question is, "Why?", right?

Ends up the big badass bikers see pink shorts... booty pointed back... naturally assume it's a chick. And... they... they don't really like getting caught perving at a guy's butt.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

ALBM said:


> Encountered 4 people riding the wrong way in the bike path today, when I said "wrong way" 3 of them said "F**K YOU" , the other one said nothing. If someone rides towards me again going the wrong direction in the bike path...they will be picking themselves up off the ground.


Chill out.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

newfangled said:


> Great story CB.
> 
> Not yelling, but I was volunteering at the local bike co-op on wednesday, when we'd gotten maybe 3" of fresh snow. This was on top of roads that are basically solid ice, and temperatures were around 0F so the snow wasn't melting but was just sort of sliding around. So it certainly wasn't a great day for cycling, but it wasn't horrendous.
> 
> ...


Acutally pretty quickly.....but the idoits don't clean the bridges and overpasses for some reason for several days to a week????


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

^ yeah, I've actually sent our city a few thank-yous this winter because they've been doing a really good job. We've gotten a few big dumps, and by the next day my route is completely clear. Expecting it to be instantaneous is silly, though.

Basically, the guy sounded like a whiny driver (and a whiny Calgary driver at that ). I expect people in cars to have ridiculous and unrealistic expectations of snow removal, but when you're riding a bike in the winter you kindof need to recognize that every so often it's really gonna suck.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

"more cowbell!"


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I got a "You're late!" from one the regulars I see on my very rural commute when I slept in the other day... obviously they were late too.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

^^ haha, that's awesome.


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## muayteg (Apr 3, 2011)

I get more people honking than yelling. Just yesterday, I was stopped at a red light. 2cars in front of me, far right lane. A car pulls behind me and honks. We were stopped, so I thought he was honking at something else, maybe he knew someone at the adjacent gas station, ect. So, we are all stopped waiting,light turns green, first and second car goes, im pedalling straight through the light and he starts honking right behind me just before he makes a right at that same light.??? The light literally turned green, and I was through it in 3-4 seconds. Why were you honking? I was far right in the lane. I dont understand these people. I think they expect me to be on the sidewalk because thats what everyone else rides on in that area? They see a bike and freak out. I hate it when people honk for no reason. Idiots.


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## Sanath (Jul 20, 2012)

muayteg said:


> I get more people honking than yelling. Just yesterday, I was stopped at a red light. 2cars in front of me, far right lane. A car pulls behind me and honks. We were stopped, so I thought he was honking at something else, maybe he knew someone at the adjacent gas station, ect. So, we are all stopped waiting,light turns green, first and second car goes, im pedalling straight through the light and he starts honking right behind me just before he makes a right at that same light.??? The light literally turned green, and I was through it in 3-4 seconds. Why were you honking? I was far right in the lane. I dont understand these people. I think they expect me to be on the sidewalk because thats what everyone else rides on in that area? They see a bike and freak out. I hate it when people honk for no reason. Idiots.


Some people honk "to let you know" that they're there. It's irritating.


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## campredcloudbikes (Feb 22, 2008)

Today someone yelled, "Get on the sidewalk!!!"
That's not very original, I've heard it before, but this time, _there was no sidewalk_.

A couple weeks ago I had a soft drink cup fly by my head in the dark... I felt a few drops of liquid and that's it.

A couple months ago I passed a sketchy looking homeless guy, also riding a bike, and about 100 feet after I pass him, he goes ballistic, cussing me out for some unknown, imagined offense. He starts sprinting at me, so I was more than happy to join the race. I gunned it from 18 mph up to about 28 mph and dropped him, even though he was probably doing over 20. At a stop sign a few blocks away, which I followed standard traffic rules for as usual, he comes flying up behind me yelling, "If you don't stop I'm gonna call the cops!!!!"
Truthfully, if the cops did come, he'd be the one in trouble, and I was less scared of them than of him! So I stepped on the gas again and he didn't follow. I'm guessing due to his irrational high energy he was probably on meth.............


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## Davey Simon (Dec 10, 2012)

"Share the road!" LOL I was mostly just shocked...


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^^ Was it in fun? Or was his idea of sharing that you have none?


BrianMc


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

campredcloudbikes said:


> I'm guessing due to his irrational high energy he was probably on meth.............


Bath salts.. I would say he's a face eating zombie, but everyone knows zombies don't ride bikes...


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

campredcloudbikes said:


> A couple months ago I passed a sketchy looking homeless guy, also riding a bike, and about 100 feet after I pass him, he goes ballistic, cussing me out for some unknown, imagined offense. He starts sprinting at me, so I was more than happy to join the race. I gunned it from 18 mph up to about 28 mph and dropped him, even though he was probably doing over 20. At a stop sign a few blocks away, which I followed standard traffic rules for as usual, he comes flying up behind me yelling, "If you don't stop I'm gonna call the cops!!!!"
> Truthfully, if the cops did come, he'd be the one in trouble, and I was less scared of them than of him! So I stepped on the gas again and he didn't follow. I'm guessing due to his irrational high energy he was probably on meth.............


Dood! I have had the almost exact same experience 
Seriously - down to having to stop @ lights when he didn't.


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## mcscars (Sep 3, 2011)

This kinda counts as something someone yelled at me.

I was riding home from my last final exam and a black Jeep Grand Cherokee passes me and the guy in the passenger seat sticks his head out the window and starts yelling “Go, Lance!” etc etc. I take a short cut to avoid a red light while they stayed on the main road and they started yelling something along the lines of “Oh no! Lance is gonna beat us!!”

Needless to say, I got ahead of them , but they caught up with me at the next light and got in the right turning lane and started talking to me. The guy in the passenger seat said they were gonna make a beer run real quick and catch up with me later. (There is a liquor store right on the corner.)

So I go on ahead and I didn’t see them for awhile and I figured I lost them. But then right before I took a right turn into my apartment complex, the black Jeep pulls up next to me and, while we’re moving, hands me Natty Light out the window.

I know it was only a Natty Light but it still made my day!!


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

mcscars said:


> This kinda counts as something someone yelled at me.
> 
> I was riding home from my last final exam and a black Jeep Grand Cherokee passes me and the guy in the passenger seat sticks his head out the window and starts yelling "Go, Lance!" etc etc. I take a short cut to avoid a red light while they stayed on the main road and they started yelling something along the lines of "Oh no! Lance is gonna beat us!!"
> 
> ...


hahahaha that's great!!


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## cormy (Sep 11, 2010)

I have never gotten yelled at by a car, but the other night while riding home in the snow and dark, I accidently forgot my taillight, which was a bummer, but a mile down the road, a car stopped and offered me one of those cheap but effective clip on tail lights that you get at bike gatherings, and from cities incouraging safety by bike. I was pretty suprised.


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## Hollyw00d (Oct 8, 2012)

cormy said:


> I have never gotten yelled at by a car, but the other night while riding home in the snow and dark, I accidently forgot my taillight, which was a bummer, but a mile down the road, a car stopped and offered me one of those cheap but effective clip on tail lights that you get at bike gatherings, and from cities incouraging safety by bike. I was pretty suprised.


That's awesome!!


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## ridemtn (Aug 25, 2009)

Hollyw00d said:


> That's awesome!!


Yeah, I want to move to where he lives... where do you live roughly btw?

Edit: Colorado, hmm interesting.

Posted w/ Tapatalk via Android


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

*"did the car lights help you?"*

...but that is really the end of the story. I got creeped out by a Jeep on the way home tonight. On the desolate 2.5 mile section with no houses, the Jeep passed r e a l l y slow. I said OK, probably an older driver worried about black ice, or someone lost and trying not to miss any intersections. But they kept going s l o w e r and s l o w e r until I had to slow not to catch up with them.

Few cars went by, but even then, they stubbornly stayed at sub 15 mph. On the curves I slowed even more, hoping they would give up on this cat-n-mouse. But no, there they were, "waiting" for me around the corner. I even took one side road, thinking they might give up if I was going another way. But when I turned back to the right route a minute or so later, they were still there. Too weird...and too vulnerable.

Unsure of what to do, I considered waiting and flagging down a passing car, explaining my concern, and requesting an "escort". But this seemed too silly for something that was not a clear threat, and would they stop or think I was nuts or what? So I got out my phone and put it in my pogy (bar mitt), undecided if I would call a friend or 911, but feeling better with it handy. I was not sure if there was service there, but did not check. Finally, as I approached my left turn at the end of the reservoir, there was the Jeep, again, at a turnout near the intersection, but with the backup lights on. Damn.

A passing car (here & gone) embrazened me to pedal past for my turn. As I did, I hear "Did the blah de blah" from the friendly female voice in the Jeep. What?!? I circled back, at a distance and said "What??" "Did the car lights help you? Apparently she thought I needed her taillights to find my way home. "I've seen you go by at my friends and I know its hard to restart on the hill (probably when his dog runs out, and uh, this was pretty flat). I said, no, these bike lights are pretty bright, I wondered why someone was going so slow and it kinda creeped me out. This seemed like it went over her head, but she said, 'I guess you're used to it anyway' - "yes, have a good night". It was quite amazing that she could be so far out of touch with both cyclists and women alone on an empty road. But thankfully, she thought she was being helpful. All's well that ends well.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Helpfully weird. That`s a new one.


mtbxplorer said:


> But this seemed too silly for something that was not a clear threat, and would they stop or think I was nuts or what?


Sometimes its hard to keep in mind that I don`t actually know any of you (general) on the boads, but you (specific) don`t strike me as somebody who easily freaks out over silly things. I hope you don`t ever regret talking yourself out of taking sensible action because you didn`t want to overreact. It can be a tough call sometimes, no? Cell phone makes a lot of sense for a commute like yours.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

^^ Thanks Rodar (& just re-noticed your "weirdo" sub-title -lol !)


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## aph72 (Jun 28, 2006)

I was living in the suburbs and was happy to have found a paved bike path to ride my road bike on and not have to deal with cars. The path was an out-and-back loop that went over a dam, through corn fields, and around a large city park. It totalled almost 40 miles. Mostly, there were no cars, except when I entered the city park. In the park I felt comfortable riding on the road and not the bike path because I didn't have to deal with passing slower bike/pedestrian traffic and there wasn't much car traffic in the park to begin with.
So one day I am riding along the road and fly past the paybooth where cars need to pay a fee to enter the park. I had done this many times before without incident. But this time was different. Shortly after passing the paybooth, a red pick-up is racing up behind me honking the horn with some guy hanging out the window yelling some non-sense. I do not like this situation at all and put the hammer down to beat the pick-up to the dead end where the road ends, but the bike path keeps going. This pick-up is not going to be able to follow me on the bike path because there are steel barriers at the entrance blocking cars and trucks. The driver is really getting on the horn and his yelling is more shrill.
I am within an arms reach of getting off the road and on the bike path, so I loop around the dead-end and yell "What to you want?!" 
It was just a park worker in an unmarked truck and he says "You can't ride bikes on the road."
I think to myself, "Seriously? You put a V-8 pedal to the metal chasing me down like Roscoe after the Duke Boys and freak me into doing a 3 minute sprint towards a dead end trying to escape some unknown persuer to tell me I'm on the wrong strip of asphalt?" Sheesh! Do these guys take the rules seriously or what?


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^^ Act dumb and ride away, "Really? I seemed to ride it just fine! Thanks for your concern for me!" Wave. 

Unless the state or the park has specific law he was a moron. 

If there is a next time and he says. "Everybody knows..."

Interrupt and say "Obviously you are misinformed." 

BrianMc


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

mtbxplorer said:


> ...but that is really the end of the story. ...All's well that ends well.


maybe she wanted a date :arf:


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2012)

When I'm in the mood shout joyfully.
I've been a kayaker for over twenty years, in european alpin creeks and rivers there is a long tradition of canoeists screaming ...
I always howl when I get a pass or a suitable place...
Years ago a friend, singer and actor, great paddler and very good biker has expanded my musical culture while kayaking and biking.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

mtbxplorer said:


> ...but that is really the end of the story. ...


I always find the people trying to be helpful to be more annoying than helpful. Like the people that crawl along behind at 18mph you to give you enough room when there are 2 lanes of road long enough to pass a semi. My thought is always "Just pass me so I can move out of the ditch"

Glad you weren't abducted Maybe it's time for some pepper spray in the pogie. Or maybe an AK-47


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## thebigfish (Dec 3, 2012)

This kind of goes against the title of the thread, but in two years of the commuting year round I have never been yelled at.


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## supersedona (Dec 17, 2012)

The other day I was riding to work (as I do most times on the 10 mile route). It is a mix of open straightaways with wide shoulders and hairpin no shoulders and ends in a city with wide laned one-way roads. Usually by the time I get to the city part it takes a bit of work to make it up the plateau but once on it I can finish the game above the 25mph speed limit(3 miles solid) on the mtb. 
This saturday morning I was riding in for some overtime work and as I got to the wide part of the first city limits hill a car wizzes past me at a couple inches. I gestured in disgust since he had 10 ft to the yellow line and had to hit a set of potholes to be that close. He pulls over in front of me, stops then waits for me to pass. Then pulled beside me with his passenger window down and procedes to give me a tirade of how I was blocking the lane and shouldn't be in the road. Well dressed middle aged white guy in a nice late model car, hardly the stereo type of the ******* of the area(We have a lot of them). The guy carried that on for 2 miles solid, meanwhile I was tailgating the car in front of me in the 2 lane one way section and cars were piled up behind him. 

I said "who's blocking?!" 
"You are. I have an engine!" 
"I have a camera. Stop harrassing me." 
"Screw the camera! I'm bigger" and swerved at me. 

He got a police report....


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

Hollyw00d said:


> "I'd like to go to the Gothic Castle"
> "Gothic A$$hole?"
> "That's what I said"
> 
> :lol: :lol: :lol:


"I just blue myself."


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Loudly, "Go Potty" huh?!?! "Yeah you, go potty" "Go Potty!". I finally realized someone was outside trying to get a little dog to "Go Potty" in the cold, but perhaps he saw me turn his way and got caught up in the moment.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

mtbxplorer said:


> Loudly, "Go Potty" huh?!?! "Yeah you, go potty"


:lol:


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## R+P+K (Oct 28, 2009)

I had someone shout something at me the other day, but as they were coming towards me, all I got was a brief shriek of noise. I'm not sure why they bothered.....


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## cjohnson (Jul 14, 2004)

*hieroglyphics*

I was behind a car at stoplight. No car was next to me. A car was behind me. Light turns green and after a few seconds elapse, the car behind me guns his engine and flys by about a foot away from me. He had two full lanes to work with and that guy decides to see how close he can get to me.

One block later I pass the same car stopped at another red light. The light turns green, he changes lanes and he does the same damn thing. WTF?

A few miles later I see this same distinctive car parked, same coffee mug visible through the rear window, same bumper sticker.

I think about bike safety, giving bikes 3 feet of space and decide I'd like to leave the driver a note. But I didn't have a pen. I settled for a studded tire and hieroglyphics.


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## meSSican (Aug 8, 2010)

I think I heard "GET A JOB!" today while I was riding to work. Not completely certain since I had one ear bud in but I laughed all the way to work.


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

"one your left" in a sweet voice. Then she blew by me like i was standing still.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

I got to do some yelling this morning.

I'm stopped at an intersection waiting to turn left. The mitsubishi outlander that I'm waiting for pulls into the intersection...and then it stops. And then the driver looks down at something in her lap, while her car is sitting in the middle of an intersection, and completely blocking me.

Neither of these are major roads, but c'mon. I'm maybe 15' directly to her left, with helmet and handlebar lights pointed right at her. It's a little below 0F, and I'm pretty toasty, but she doesn't know that - I could be freezing my ass off. So seriously, wtf?

So I yell "W.T.F.?" "Goooooooooo!" And that gets her moving.

But she's not moving very fast, because I get to follow her for almost 15 blocks. 15 blocks should be plenty of time to put some distance between yourself and a cyclist, but no. I get to watch her inexplicably driving down the middle of the road, faking left, faking right, and blowing through a stop sign. Then she spends 6 whole blocks driving on the complete wrong side of the road because...she's from england? Or she was intimidated by me and expected me to pass?

As she's driving in the oncoming lane she reaches a tee-intersection where we both have to make a right, so of course she hits the brakes, jack-knifes her car at 45, and just sits there in the oncoming lane. I think she was waiting for me to pass on the right, except why would I pass someone who's obviously an idiot on the right. I just stop (in the correct lane) and yell "W.T.F.?" "Goooooooooo!" And thankfully that's where our paths diverged.

I'm 100% sure that the reasonableness of my message was lost on her, but bellowing at her every time that she did something bafflingly and idiotically illegal sure made me feel good. Being lost is fine, but being an idiot about it is not.


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## musikron (Jan 16, 2013)

You sir are a Richard that IS making us all look bad. Follow the law stupid.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

^^ And you apparently have reading comprehension issues.


:lol: Newf, Nice that you two got to hang out for so long. 

I passed at the opportunity to do some yelling yesterday... I was on a two lane highway, and I had crossed my lane and was moving at a pretty good clip in the left turn lane, about to make a left off of the highway. A car was coming at me in the other lane of the highway, but far enough away that if I kept my pace, I could make my left safely before he would have to worry about me...but he's going 60, so it's not like there's a lot of leeway there. So as I'm in the turn lane a guy pulls up to the stop on the street I'm turning onto wanting to turn left onto the highway. He looks left and sees the car coming, looks right and fully makes eye contact with me...waits a sec...and then starts to pull out to make his turn! So he's halfway out into the lane and he hits the brakes and stops...so now the only escape route for the oncoming car to avoid hitting him would be to go left and hit me. There's still time, so I hammer it and make my turn right in front of him, and kind of give him 'the look' and shake my head as I go by. I wanted to do some yelling, but I realized afterwards that I sort of know the guy from work, so I'm sort of glad I didn't.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

:lol: That was an interresting follow, Newf. Thanks for relating it.



CommuterBoy said:


> I wanted to do some yelling, but I realized afterwards that I sort of know the guy from work, so I'm sort of glad I didn't.


I believe it. You teach special ed, right?


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

On the way to work yesterday I was super grumpy from several consecutive days of sleep deprivation (2-3 hrs of sleep each night), due to a very sick girlfriend*. It's dark but there's a little ambient light, so visibility isn't great, and I can see someone ahead with a red light, and I can't see a face. The light isn't moving fast, so I thought it might be a walker, or a rider riding away from me. No, this idiot has a red light on the front of his bike, and was shielding his eyes from my light so I couldn't see that he was heading towards me. As I pass him, I reach to cover my lights as I realize he's riding towards me and he says, "A**hole".

It's one of those days. I'm already pissed off & I lose my temper. I hit the brakes, turn the light off to be stealthy, turn around and ride up behind him. Right as I draw level, I put my arm around his shoulder and say, "Say that to my face."

I didn't need to have my arm around his shoulder to see him jump. He pauses, startled, then started to say something about my light, and I interrupted, "I'm tired, pissed off and I'm deciding whether you're about to have a really f*cking horrible morning. So, say it to my face. I dare you."

He seemed pretty freaked out at this point and said nothing. Might have mumbled something, but it sure as hell wasn't "A**hole".

"You don't know a f*cking thing about me. Think twice before you insult a complete stranger, you don't know what they're going to do about it." I slowed, turned around and rode off in the opposite direction.

I worked Telemarketing for over 4 years, inbound and outbound. I took a lot of abuse on the phones. I'm usually so ignorant about insults that my manager has had to step in at my current workplace to prevent situations getting out of control because I don't realise someone's insulting me at work. But this interaction, which I normally wouldn't post about nor am I proud of it, highlights a few things that I feel are important on this thread.
*1) It's probably not the smartest idea to insult or intimidate a complete stranger.* I almost always have a knife close on hand. He could have been carrying concealed too. At that distance and position, an unhinged psychopath probably would have been able to really f*ck someone's day up before they could pull a gun.
*2) Corollary: Sometimes you just have to let it go.* Some things aren't worth it. Bicycle rider with bright lights? Probably not worth it.
*3) Be kind to everyone you meet.* I'm not saying that you should be a pushover, but don't be a d*ckhead about it either.
4) For the love of god... *If you absolutely must, only insult people who are slower than you or at the very least, not as lucky and/or skilled as you are.* The other way around is just asking for trouble. Encouraging them to have bad behavior in front of a police officer is a form of luck/skill. In October 2011 I had a rider body check me twice after yelling abuse at me, attempting to ride me in to the curb. He was neither skilled nor lucky, and on top of a broken wrist he also had a police report filed against him.

*EDIT: Clarification point here - she got the flu & has been having a bad case of sleep apnea, meaning she is either coughing, sneezing, or randomly stops breathing throughout the night. So yeah, things are kinda stressful at the moment.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

" S o o r r y"

In a nice lilting Carribean accent, after almost pulling out of Cumby's into my path, and being chastised by me with an arm flung in his direction (kind of frisbee-throw-like). When he then pulled out and passed me slowly, I was sure I was in for an earful of abuse. But no, I think he truly was sorry.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

"GET OFF THE ROAD" from some dope going down Main St. in the opposite direction, 100% unimpacted by my travels. I guess he spotted my lights well in advance, since he was able to roll down the window and come up with such a snappy remark before I was out of range.


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## nemhed (May 2, 2010)

While in the middle of a rain-soaked 11 mile commute, I had a guy in a pickup pull up along side me with a concerned look on his face, roll his passenger window down, and in a slow drawl ask: _"Are you just ridin' for fun?_". I started laughing and just said yeah. I laughed the rest of the way to work. I'm sure he was going to offer me a ride, but he actually kind of made my day. God bless him where ever he's at.:thumbsup:


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

"Hi, bicycle!" in the cutest little preschooler voice.


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## sasquatch2 (Jun 28, 2004)

*censored post now makes little sense!*

the censor below "*******" is the other word for "bundle of sticks"

a few weeks ago I was on an afternoon training ride in an area with tons of people doing the same and some dude in a brand new top of the line range rover with temporary plates slowed down and screamed "******" then sped off... why??? was he fed up with all the cyclists in the area or was it more manyl to scream an insult then run and hide than it is to ride a bike... so confused!


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Wow, surprising that nobody has been yelled at since 5/31! 

The offering to me today, from an SUV's backseat passenger, was "A skunk is chasing you". This may have actually been true, but I did not look back to check.


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## Spykr (Feb 17, 2011)

Was riding to work a month or so ago, stopped at a red light behind a Camry. Guy in a lifted pickup pulls up next to me and leans out his window and yells this piece of advice to me in a very thick eastern European accent: "HEY FRIEND! HOW ARE YOU? WATCH OUT FOR CAMRY DRIVER, ALWAYS WORST DRIVERS! YOU RIDE SAFE NOW YES AND HAVE A GOOD DAY!" And then he gave me a thumbs up as the light turned green and he drove off. Thank you loud, friendly Russian man in your lifted pickup. 

And then there were lots of mumbled bits gibberish from various irate suburbanites in their luxury sedans!


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Not a yell but I was in a group ride, supporting a cancer community center no less. The group was riding single file up a hill in a 35MPH zone and some a-hole in a decent looking car decided it would be a good lesson for us if he laid on the horn for the entire 10 seconds it took him to pass us. (a long time to be on the horn, a pretty short time out of this poor saps life) His mother must have beaten him as a child...I'm sure there are more people that would love to beat him as an adult too. Some people just suck.


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## pedalitup (May 30, 2007)

"Get in the damn bike lane" spews Ms PMS out her passenger window.

I grin back thinking "whatever" as I approach 3k miles flat free. . .


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## sasquatch2 (Jun 28, 2004)

"there he goes... riding his bike..." from a girl sitting with a bunch of other teenagers as I rode through downtown just about home. It was either a very mellow insult, ironic, stoner comment or something but I took it as a compliment and I smiled at them. A week before that, a bunch of high-schoolers leaned out of their car window driving past and shouted YEAHHHHH as I was climbing a steep hill and I shouted back WOOHOO but felt really dorky so I promised myself to either wave or just smile next time...


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

I was stopped at a red light this morning. I heard a nasty “Get a car” and turned around to see a guy rolling up the passenger window. Seeing as his window was now closed I yelled back. Something along the lines of “What is wrong with you?” and “Moron” . Then I got “You shouldn’t be in the middle of the road” and the finger. I noticed he carefully shielded the finger from the driver, presumably his wife, who was clearly embarrassed at all the public fuss. Well FU too. And the light turned green.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

mtbxplorer said:


> Then I got "You shouldn't be in the middle of the road" and the finger. I noticed he carefully shielded the finger from the driver, presumably his wife, who was clearly embarrassed at all the public fuss.


 That`s funny 

And the light turned green...


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## ZeroGhost (Apr 13, 2012)

Boy driving a company pickup truck cut me off on a right turn. I yelled "nice signal light".
The girl sitting in the middle leaned over the girl on the passenger side to flip me off.
I called the company number and learned the truck belonged to the girls father. At the 3rd stoplight I caught up to them and informed her that her dad didnt believe she was old
enough to fly that bird and why was that "boy" driving his truck ?


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

mtbxplorer said:


> I was stopped at a red light this morning. I heard a nasty "Get a car" and turned around to see a guy rolling up the passenger window. Seeing as his window was now closed I yelled back. Something along the lines of "What is wrong with you?" and "Moron" . Then I got "You shouldn't be in the middle of the road" and the finger. I noticed he carefully shielded the finger from the driver, presumably his wife, who was clearly embarrassed at all the public fuss. Well FU too. And the light turned green.


Note down the License Plate number and a description of the driver....keep this list...

Make sure another cyclist know of the list....

The cops can check the list if you ever hit up on the bad side of a hit and run...

A little macbre but might work someday.

Also a good witness document if this guy ever needs a road rage investigation.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

jeffscott said:


> Note down the License Plate number and a description of the driver....keep this list...
> 
> Make sure another cyclist know of the list....
> 
> ...


I did get the plate and posted it on the VT Bike Commuters facebook page


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## Fiskare (Sep 5, 2008)

"c###sucker". To wit my wife replied "is that so wrong?"


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## Moby P (May 31, 2013)

Last week after a fresh few inches of snow I was trudging along and an older guy in a white Accord rolled down his window and yelled "You're a effing badass!" Made my day.


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

"What!? Do you think you're a car!?" - some young driver in an old car modded to be lower, with tinted windows, etc. at me while I'm in the left hand turn lane waiting for the light to go green.


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## hang_on (Nov 30, 2013)

I got called a fing idiot by a old fart for no reason other than riding a bike I guess. 

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

I've had two unusually funny encounters in the last week. The norm is that people are pretty harsh to commuting cyclists, so both of these (to me) seemed like they would end poorly, but they didn't. 

I was riding my bike up this hill, commuting on a pretty busy stretch of road which most people go pretty fast on (45 mph is the limit, so they're going about 50-60), and I hear this loud noise, which I assume is yelling, because it's all indistinguishable at that speed. I glance over to mean mug them or whatever, and I see this huge dog barking at me. I laughed the whole way up the hill. 

Yesterday, my brother and I were riding a little further north on the same road. The speed limit's a bit slower, more relaxed and that's fine by me. But this big ol' truck pulls up along side my brother and he's like "damn it" because that usually means you're about to get insulted or jake braked. But the dude rolls down the window and yells at him "You're going f***ing 20 miles and hour!". 

It's nice, when you expect the worst, to not have your expectations met.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

"*yer crazy!*"


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## leider (Dec 29, 2013)

Me and my buddy's were riding down the local bike path and a kid riding by in a car yelled out "do an ollie!"
I yelled back, "it's not a skateboard you f**k''!


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Dude rolls down his window to yell "It's called a sidewalk!". Sigh.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

NDD said:


> Dude rolls down his window to yell "It's called a sidewalk!". Sigh.


"I'm not walking !"


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

shiggy said:


> "I'm not walking !"


I know, right! That drives me so bonkers. I mean, I guess if you're a kid going 4mph on his bmx bike down the sidewalk, then whatever. When you're an adult, you should act like it and just get on the road and go fast.

Funny thing is, getting yelled at happens so much more often when riding alone. I had just gotten done riding with a friend all over the roads and nobody yelled anything. Then I go to ride up to the coffee shop a mile away and someone yells at me. Aw hell. I was pissed. I shouldn't get that way but I do.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

NDD said:


> Dude rolls down his window to yell "It's called a sidewalk!". Sigh.


"It's called ignorance!" He may think it is self deprecating, but he'd be wrong. 

Or a favorite one is to wave with a smile, like you don't understand English. Half the tie the shouts are unintelligible anyway.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

BrianMc said:


> "It's called ignorance!" He may think it is self deprecating, but he'd be wrong.
> 
> Or a favorite one is to wave with a smile, like you don't understand English. Half the tie the shouts are unintelligible anyway.


The smile and wave is great, and I do it.


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## jasomurr (Oct 10, 2011)

Same kid a few times this past year: "get out of the road a-hole!"


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## Texan-n-Fla (Sep 22, 2013)

I had a grown man bark at me yesterday. Like a freakin' dog. Some folks need the kind of help I can't give.


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## aizu1 (Nov 28, 2005)

When I ride my Fat bike through the city in Villach, Austria I get a lot of "Waoh!", "Cool", and a bunch of expressions in a Carinthian dialect that I don't understand. But It's always total amazement since they have never seen such a bike like this before.


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## soulshaker (Sep 23, 2013)

On the heart attack stretch just short of the summit of my local hills, "You're almost there!" Hear that one from the workers dismantling old power transmission towers nearly every week.


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## SMorrison (Dec 17, 2011)

aizu1 said:


> When I ride my Fat bike through... since they have never seen such a bike like this before.


How cool! Your story lightened my day!


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

"You wanker" - a new one for me, in a not very convincing accent.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

It wasn't a yell. Yesterday on my way in to work, I'm in the bike lane waiting for the light to change. Pickup truck next to me has a middle-aged couple in it. They roll down their window, chuckling, and ask me if the kitty litter is heavy, referencing my kitty litter pannier. Instead of telling the long version of the story about how I've repurposed the container because it's waterproof and a good place to put bright, reflective stickers that grab people's attention (success!), I just told them that it was almost empty, which was also true.

I don't have any quantitative data on this, but I am starting to think that people pay better attention to me when I have one of those bright, yellow buckets on the street side of the bike.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^ I've noticed more consideration with my Ghetto pannier in the left as well.


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## Kleebs (Mar 18, 2014)

Figures, I had never had anyone yell anything at me until I read through this thread yesterday. On my way home, I had someone roll up behind me at a stop sign, honk, and yell "Hey biker, get on the sidewalk!" 

I ignored them, especially because that section of road is 25 mph and the right lane always has parked cars in it so they had to merge in with the rest of traffic. I beat all the cars through the next 3 lights anyway and turned off onto my side street without incident. Just a smile and a wave.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

It's been a while since I got anything yelled at me. Then yesterday I'm riding by some farm workers and I hear "suck a d*ck". Too much machismo, man. What the hell? 

That said, a few weeks back I heard some guy on a motorcycle snickering about "real bikes" but he said nothing to me. I guess that doesn't count?


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## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

I was riding on a shared path. I seen this lady walking at an angle towards path. The whole time i was watching her and i figured it would be close when she stepped on the path and i passed her. She just fully walked up to the path and proceeded to step on to the path and not look if anyone was coming. I rushed by her and she jumped. Then i hear "Get a bell!" I purposely didn't make an attempt to warn her to see if she would look both ways and she didnt.


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## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

I was actually driving the other day and i could see these kids on bmxs looking at every car driving by so i looked at them and the one mouths fawk you to me. It took me a second but i had my 16 month old so i didnt do anything. But i was full on ready to slam on the brakes and jump out or pull my truck onto the shoulder and chase them. Haha would have scared the piss out of those little pricks


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## InLimbo (Jun 30, 2014)

In the middle of my commute a few weeks back. As usual, I am following all laws and being cautious and courteous. I was at a stoplight and once it turned green, I looked around to make sure all was clear, signaled my turn and went. All of the sudden, I start hearing this guy doing this weird combination of yelling and singing. This douche in an orange VW bus is singing at the top of his lungs "You're breaking the law, you're breaking the law, you're breaking the ****ING law! **** youuu!". He then proceeds to follow me for two miles, singing this "song" the whole time while staring me down and veering towards me as if he is going to hit me.

I did absolutely nothing wrong, nothing illegal, nothing even remotely inconsiderate. I was scared for my safety. I really don't understand what is up with some people and why they are so hostile towards cyclists.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

InLimbo said:


> In the middle of my commute a few weeks back. As usual, I am following all laws and being cautious and courteous. I was at a stoplight and once it turned green, I looked around to make sure all was clear, signaled my turn and went. All of the sudden, I start hearing this guy doing this weird combination of yelling and singing. This douche in an orange VW bus is singing at the top of his lungs "You're breaking the law, you're breaking the law, you're breaking the ****ING law! **** youuu!". He then proceeds to follow me for two miles, singing this "song" the whole time while staring me down and veering towards me as if he is going to hit me.
> 
> I did absolutely nothing wrong, nothing illegal, nothing even remotely inconsiderate. I was scared for my safety. I really don't understand what is up with some people and why they are so hostile towards cyclists.


Holy crap, that's incredibly scary, and just plain weird. I have no idea what I would have done in that scenario. That's the type of story that makes me consider starting to carry a helmet cam with me all the time.


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## WiTrailRunner (Mar 1, 2011)

InLimbo said:


> In the middle of my commute a few weeks back. As usual, I am following all laws and being cautious and courteous. I was at a stoplight and once it turned green, I looked around to make sure all was clear, signaled my turn and went. All of the sudden, I start hearing this guy doing this weird combination of yelling and singing. This douche in an orange VW bus is singing at the top of his lungs "You're breaking the law, you're breaking the law, you're breaking the ****ING law! **** youuu!". He then proceeds to follow me for two miles, singing this "song" the whole time while staring me down and veering towards me as if he is going to hit me.
> 
> I did absolutely nothing wrong, nothing illegal, nothing even remotely inconsiderate. I was scared for my safety. I really don't understand what is up with some people and why they are so hostile towards cyclists.


Super creepy. Was it possible to pull off down a side street or something? Pretend to go to a house?


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## Sanath (Jul 20, 2012)

WiTrailRunner said:


> Super creepy. Was it possible to pull off down a side street or something? Pretend to go to a house?


I would think in such a situation your best bet is to stay in well populated areas, rather than cut down a side street where there may be nobody else around.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

^ or up onto the sidewalk, pull a quick 180, and doubleback a block or two against traffic to lose the psycho.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

^^ +1. I'd rather evade than deal with a nut like that for a few miles. 

Glad you are OK, InLimbo, that sounds very unnerving and downright dangerous.


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## Superleo (Mar 11, 2014)

i wouldve just pulled as far right as i can and stop. i hate riding where theres traffic


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

That's really just awful and abusive behavior. Unfortunately there's not much to do. I agree that the best bet is to let him pass you and wait a bit.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

Remember that SUV in Colorado last year that was following and harassing the cyclist and he ended up being cited for something? There was a video of it posted on here. If you had a phone you could pull it out and record the guy and go to the police like that guy did.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Some old fart yelled" learn the laws" I was taking the lane, lawfully. This stretch is a busy 2 lanes with the right lane going to hi way on ramps on both sides of the overpass. With 3 traffic lights. So I usually take the left lane, doing 20 -25 on a slight downhill, in a 30. Much safer. I yelled back " Jesus loves you". Without going down that road, it makes me feel better, confuses them and they then think your crazy/insane/ Jesus freak/ or all of the above. Or I yell back" I love jelly doughnuts"


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## miatagal96 (Jul 5, 2005)

I love the "I love jelly doughnuts" response. I might use it at work.

The best: "You almost beat me".

The worst: "Get a f'n car" (but he used the whole word).

Felt sorry for the second guy. He clearly had anger issues and I was riding along, happy as anything. Made me realize how good I've got it and made me feel sorry for his family.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Really monotone and not.loud, from a girl in the back seat, "**** -**** - ****-****-****-****-****.." Since I nearly didn't hear it, it was easy to ride on by as if I didn't, so I doubt she got much satisfaction. Vanity plate though, so if I figure out whose car it is maybe they will teach her some manners, if it's not too late. But when you are 52 that insult doesn't carry any weight.


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## Ridnparadise (Dec 14, 2007)

Texan-n-Fla said:


> I had a grown man bark at me yesterday. Like a freakin' dog. Some folks need the kind of help I can't give.


I've had that. I was last in a long train heading for the bush and said thanks (for waiting on the median) to this old wino looking dude. Not only did he bark, but he ran onto the road on all fours and tried to bite my leg! Distemper came to mind.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

"Nice as#"
From a guy though.


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## WiTrailRunner (Mar 1, 2011)

I was stopped at a T intersection waiting to turn left, when a big dually pick up truck pulled up on my right. The window rolled down and I braced myself.

"Nice wheels!" 

I said thank you and he gave me a thumbs up and drove off. Well, okay then! :thumbsup:


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Outside a hotel bringing the bike in for safe keeping, "That's a gorgeous bike!"

In the lobby, "Nice bike!"

On the MUP passing kids stopped on their bikes waiting for moms to catch up: "Wow! Cool!"

From a park maintenance worker I waived at before, as I later took a break, "Nice, how old is it?"

"Which parts?" I return widening the grin I had the last hour or so riding through the park he helped keep so nice. 

Beats the usual commuting crap.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I've had a few lately. Last week: "Hi.......I Love You"

Last night wasn't a yell but a gesture. I gave a girl the "thanks for not pulling out in front of me" wave and smile. She pulled out behind me, passed me and then pulled into a business driveway until I passed. As soon as I was by she pulled along side and gave me a big smile and thumbs up. Not even sure why.

Quite a few positive interactions in a row here.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

I had a guy this morning yell "Nice light!". I had my NiteRider 600 lumen light on flashing mode.


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## Smoke&Lasers (Feb 22, 2014)

Yesterday still irritating me 

Get a car you [email protected] 

I hate riding to woods by road but there no other way.


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## joshhan (Apr 1, 2011)

Kids were driving a big pickup and the passenger yells out "loser!" Responded with the one finger salute and kept pedaling.

Had a truck driver give me the thumbs up on one of the coldest days I've ever ridden in.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Usual "get off the street". Looking at his bumper stickers as I pulled behind him at the light, I thought, "wow, the marines really trained you to be an upstanding citizen". Didn't say anything though or flip him off because at least one sticker directly referenced marines being good at killing other people. Creep.


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## irishpitbull (Sep 29, 2011)

Got yelled at by a very angry lady in Prius while riding down dirt road in the middle of nowhere. She told me to get on the sidewalk.... City folk.


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## rogbie (Jun 20, 2011)

I had a line of boy racers come by me, about ten cars yelled the same thing: "Yo! Get out tha' way!" The whole group (~40 cars) proceeded to run two red lights on their way to a late night street race.

I stopped and called the police non-emergency number and let them know what I saw. Within 5 minutes the police helicopter was flying past and a minute of so after that a squad of ten+ cops cars went screaming by. I laughed all the way home.


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## honez1414 (Jan 11, 2011)

I had two young kids yell at me to get off the road. I just waved but this only empowered them to begin taunting and heckling. I calmly responded that it was just as much my road as theirs. This was a residential neighborhood. They sped on by and I thought nothing more about it till they returned from the opposite direction and decided to play chicken. 

At this point I lost it. The scene was right out of a thug gangster movie. The driver was bearing down on me head on. The passenger was standing through the moon roof with a bandana tied around his face. I think he was attempting to throw gang signs and such but I'm really not sure. 

I snapped and decleated from the bike. I gently rolled the bike to the ditch and charged the car. The driver slowed down and lost her nerve. I immediately envisioned charging the car, getting one push off the bumper on to the hood and snapping the neck of the passenger......but they took off and sped away. 

I'm not a violent person at all but I would have beaten both of them in that moment without hesitation. I know every deputy in the parish and never once thought of looking at the plates. I saw red and couldn't think straight. I was bit ashamed of myself after for what I would've done if they had stuck around.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

^^ I think becoming a bit irrational after an uncalled for assault with a Deadly weapon is forgivable. I suspect a water bottle (hopefully nearly full) thrown at the new light weight windshields on most cars of the last decade would have made an impression and qualified as self defense. Chances are they will rethink their actions. A GoPro record of the event would be nice to hand to police. I hope never to record one.


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## MrMatson (Oct 12, 2012)

For some reason I've noticed quite a few more people howling at me recently. I take the same route at roughly the same time every day so it's not as though these people ought to be surprised seeing a bike on road. Maybe they've always been yelling and I'm just paying more attention recently.

Wednesday riding home some deeply unhappy looking woman shouted "[email protected]#$ you!" as she drove past while gesturing rudely in my direction. Lucky for me there was a stoplight shortly thereafter and we had the chance to have a nice little chat.

I pleasantly asked how she was doing and if she was OK as she seemed rather irate.

to which she replied "go find a bike lane" in a somewhat sullen manner.

I politely informed her there were no bike lanes in the part of town I needed to go and asked if she'd like to petition the city council to build more bicycle infrastructure... She unfortunately did not seem to feel that would be the best use of her time.

Was a rather humorous little interaction all in all, the first time I've had the chance to talk to one of the 'yellers'; funny how quickly this one deflated when actually confronted.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

MrMatson said:


> Was a rather humorous little interaction all in all, the first time I've had the chance to talk to one of the 'yellers'; funny how quickly this one deflated when actually confronted.


I suspect this would be the case with a lot of people. It's easy to be "brave" when you're protected by a steel cage and can easily outrun someone, but when you're face to face with the person you just yelled at, it's not so easy. It's like people who are tough guys on the internet, it's rarely the case in person. I've never been lucky enough to confront someone, but it's not for lack of trying.

I had a guy yesterday pass me on the right when I had taken the left lane. He went in the right turn lane to pass me. I just took the lane maybe 50 feet before the turn, so he really had to hurry to get around me. Then as soon as he was past me, he looked at me in his mirror like he was looking for a reaction. He clearly knew he did something wrong. I tried to watch where he was going, but he turned onto another main street so he was long gone.


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## wlahey (Sep 17, 2009)

*Pasadena, MD.*

From a guy walking on crutches with his friend walking his bike on the shoulder of Ft. Smallwood- I said hi as I passed them well in the street so not to startle them- Don't F*cking say hi to me...you don't know me. I was kind of confused for a second, so I was delayed in my reply of "shut the f up, gimp"...I immediately regretted it cause the rest of my ride I was expecting someone to come run me over.


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## bigkat273 (Jan 16, 2008)

I was heading into school the other day (setting up my classroom) and someone called me a f*ggot as they passed me (way too close I might add). I had to resist giving them the finger because I was by the school where I work and knowing my luck it was a relative of a board member.


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## sasquatch2 (Jun 28, 2004)

It's pretty sad that the most manly thing these people can do is hide in their over-compensating trucks and shout a slur then speed away.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Coulda sworn I heard somebody yell "Hey, ho!" And I snapped my head like "wait... What". That's when I realized some dude on his motorcycle was blasting the Ramones. Woulda been a first.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

*** Not a shout, but in the store getting gear on, a man my age asked if I though the Hi-Vis vest would keep me from getting run over.

I said, "No but either me or my wife, showing this off in the a courtroom are going to turn the " I didn't see him" into "Why the heck not?" He is a motorcycle rider and liked that answer. Showed I knew what I was up against.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

Had a good one today, on 4 lane road (2 each way) a BMW driver (always seems to be BMWanker, LexAss or MerCrettin drivers or taxis), refused to change lane and tailgated me 500 meters to the next lights constantly horning. At the stop light he wound down his window and shouted that he has right of way and I am legally obliged to pull over to let him past as bicycles are not allowed on the roads. I pointed out both the logical flaw with his perception of the Road Traffic Act and that car drivers harassing cyclists is considered either Inconsiderate Driving or Dangerous Driving if serious enough both of which are offences as they are both defined in the RTA. 
Anyway the lights go to green and they guy pulls in behind me again about 1 meter off my rear wheel and continues to horn at me. After about 200 meters of this I was considering pulling over just to get rid of the idiot when a cop appears out of nowhere and pulls the guy over. I stopped but the cop just waved me on my way so not sure whether he got a ticket (the normal cops don't normally dish out road tickets here just refer it to the traffic police) But it has made my day, been chuckling about it to myself; my colleagues keep giving me strange looks.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

^classic.


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## MrMatson (Oct 12, 2012)

Yesterday on my way to work I had a guy on a Harley, wearing a black hoody and _*no helmet*_, yell "you're a [email protected]#king moron!" at me as he passed. About all could think after that was _"really guy? I'm the moron here?"_


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

MrMatson said:


> Yesterday on my way to work I had a guy on a Harley, wearing a black hoody and _*no helmet*_, yell "you're a [email protected]#king moron!" at me as he passed. About all could think after that was _"really guy? I'm the moron here?"_


Hahaha. Statistically you're probably much safer.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

So I'm approaching a 4-way stop - residential road, across the street from a school, 30mph limit, 30' from the intersection, taking the lane~ish, hi-vis vest, 2 rear superflashes - and honk Honk HONNNK from behind me.

I come to a stop at the stopsign, turn around and give my default "It's a f'n stopsign!" (I always point out whatever law the morons are breaking: stopsign, redlights, crosswalk, oneway, etc)

So the moron gets out of his suv and starts screaming at me.
"Read the bylaws, @#$%" I reply, which is my typical response to morons.
"No! You over there!" (points to the sidewalk? Or the curb? Rough english, so it was tough to tell)
"Read the bylaws, @#$%"
"You over there!"
"Read the bylaws, @#$%"

As the moron gets back in his suv I ask if he was even planning to stop, and the moron peels out around me and blows through the stopsign.

Sigh.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

newfangled said:


> So I'm approaching a 4-way stop - residential road, across the street from a school, 30mph limit, 30' from the intersection, taking the lane~ish, hi-vis vest, 2 rear superflashes - and honk Honk HONNNK from behind me.
> 
> I come to a stop at the stopsign, turn around and give my default "It's a f'n stopsign!" (I always point out whatever law the morons are breaking: stopsign, redlights, crosswalk, oneway, etc)
> 
> ...


That's what happens when you ride your bike do dangerously. All of the poor drivers have their lives put in danger. You should feel ashamed.


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## jamiep (Jul 10, 2009)

4 way intersection. I had a green light and a walk. I rode though the intersection, and the "nice girl" on the other side trying to make a left kindly said "I'll F*!*!n' run you over!!!" I waved and was on my way. They seemed pretty rational.


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## biker_soldier101 (Mar 15, 2014)

A teenager crossing the road on his mountain bike asks me as I am riding, "Yo you wanna trade bikes?" 
ME-"Ummm no I'm good with mine."
Not sure if him and his buddy wanted to rob me or not. I didn;t stop to find out. Something tells me though that there were some bad intentions.


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## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

I was crossing a bridge, like 8 ft wide. An older lady was walking her dog same direction as me. Two bikes coming other direction pass her so i slow down to not wizz between her and the bikes, as the bikes pass her she pulls her leash tight and looks to her side, as she does this i slowly pass her and she yells out " doesnt your ****ing bell work" rattled me. All i said was sorry i thought you seen me. I should have said not for you yah old bag. Man it still bothers me. If it was a guy he would have been told to eat a dick.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

solarplex said:


> I was crossing a bridge, like 8 ft wide. An older lady was walking her dog same direction as me. Two bikes coming other direction pass her so i slow down to not wizz between her and the bikes, as the bikes pass her she pulls her leash tight and looks to her side, as she does this i slowly pass her and she yells out " doesnt your ****ing bell work" rattled me. All i said was sorry i thought you seen me. I should have said not for you yah old bag. Man it still bothers me. If it was a guy he would have been told to eat a dick.


I had a similar situation once with an elderly lady walking a dog. For some reason people think cyclists need to announce themselves but cars don't. I really don't get it. As long as you went by her slowly and gave her enough space, I don't see an issue.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Today as a pedestrian I had a couple of close calls with cyclists who did not announce their presence. One nearly had me push him accidentally into a wall as the route narrowed. The squeaking downhill brakes helped.


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## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

Straz85 said:


> I had a similar situation once with an elderly lady walking a dog. For some reason people think cyclists need to announce themselves but cars don't. I really don't get it. As long as you went by her slowly and gave her enough space, I don't see an issue.


Yah. Like do joggers need a bell? Cause those ****ers can surprise you too,Lol. Do they need to ban headphones so walkers can hear my bell? Cant fix stupid


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## anik02 (Sep 1, 2014)

solarplex said:


> Yah. Like do joggers need a bell? Cause those ****ers can surprise you too,Lol. Do they need to ban headphones so walkers can hear my bell? Cant fix stupid


Get one of these and those headphone wearing walkers/joggers will hear you just fine
Hornit Bike Horn - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available


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## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

anik02 said:


> Get one of these and those headphone wearing walkers/joggers will hear you just fine
> Hornit Bike Horn - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available


http://www.mec.ca/product/4013-597/samui-air-zound-cycling-horn/

Thats louder than this one. I want to get a loud horn to lay on it at people stopped in the cross walk at corners. Haha


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## anik02 (Sep 1, 2014)

It also doesnt take up a waterbottle spot. 2 batteries is all it needs!


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

So had a first today. Tight traffic backed up by 2 rotaries on each side of a bridge. One lexus cuts close by me 1.5 '. He is stopped in between the 2 circles so naturally I cut in front of his car. He shouts" Get a car!" I reply, " So I can be suck in traffic like you ?" I though it was quite funny.


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## Medic Zero (Jun 8, 2011)

anik02 said:


> It also doesnt take up a waterbottle spot. 2 batteries is all it needs!


I mount mine's vessel in a cage strapped to the downtube of my bike (where some touring bikes have another cage). Since the vessel weighs virtually nothing just about any method of affixing a cage there works just fine. I've used both the Zefal one (not great, but worked) and the very simple aluminum strap kind of cage mounts (works great), oh and the Minoura one which is a little bulky but works well if the stand-off isn't a problem. I'd bet that zip ties would work quite well though.

My Airzound horn is an essential piece of safety equipment I wouldn't consider riding without just like my helmet, lights, gloves, mirror, and bell.

It also never needs new batteries!


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## Texico (Feb 23, 2009)

So I had my first experience with someone yelling at me while riding. Friday morning, as I was returning from class, some idiot in a mustang yelled "Sidewalk!" at me as he passed. He then immediately sped off. Obviously he doesn't know the laws here in Texas (I would say most people don't know the laws of the road here...). Spurred by his interjection into my ride I almost caught up to him at the light about a half mile later. I was going to tap on his window to talk, but I made it to the car behind him as the light turned green.

Anyways, I understand his point. Most of the cyclists I see around here are just out to ride for a little bit. We don't have many commuters using the roads in this area. I'm one of maybe four (of which I am aware) that actually owns lights to use at night. Most just ride on the sidewalk without lights and with no helmet. So we are just outside of the norm for this area. I would like to talk to some cops and see if they even know of the bike laws for this state. I imagine they might not, or they just don't care...


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## IPunchCholla (Dec 8, 2013)

So I am in the left lane waiting for a light to change and an SUV pulls up next to me in the right turn lane. The window tools down and the blonde, twenty something driver (there is a man in the passenger seat and people in the back too), looks at me and says "merp merp merp merp merp..." while rolling her tank top clad shoulders to the top forty music blasting on the radio.


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## jeffw-13 (Apr 30, 2008)

"Nice bike!" from a couple teenage girls. 

Had a guy on a motorcycle mock me by spinning his legs like he was pedaling. It made the bike swerve side to side and he almost spilled it :lol:


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## Ridnparadise (Dec 14, 2007)

My trailbuilding mate had a fatbike girl yell from a fire road next to the tech singletrack he was working on - "Don't make the trails too wide and smooth!"


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## cjohnson (Jul 14, 2004)

on my bike commute, some one in a passing car yelled, "be safe."
that was nice.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

Yesterday I had my headlight flashing. I took the lane behind a line of traffic. the guy right in front of me rolled down his window and started screaming at me about my light. I mean SCREAMING. I couldn't really tell most of what he was saying. Then when the light turned green and he started moving, then he brake checked me. Then he stopped in the middle of the intersection waiting for me to go by him with his window down, but someone pulled up behind him before I got to him and he went on his way. People are f'n crazy. Oh, this guy also flew by me a couple minutes earlier going about 50 in a 30 mph residential zone.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Oh, now I want to know what he said.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Young boy, excited, on the stoop with his Dad: WOW LOOKIT THAT THING! as I pedaled past with lights flashing and a wave.


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

I got a "Nice bike!" yesterday as I passed a dude on a bike of the generic variety. I wasn't sure if he was being ironic or not, but I'll take it as a compliment. My bike is nothing special, but it wouldn't be the first time to get compliments simply because it says "Cannondale" on the downtube.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

Yesterday morning I got "Nice light!" from a guy who was walking. Better than the light related experience I talked about a few posts up.


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## Sooner44 (Sep 29, 2014)

A while I back I had someone yell "hey shrimp d***!" at me.<k" at="" me.<="" html=""></k">


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## GRAVELBIKE (Oct 7, 2006)

"Whooooo! Hooooo!" as I was out of the saddle on a short/steep rise. Happened yesterday, and it's the first time someone has said something in years.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Sooner44 said:


> A while I back I had someone yell "hey shrimp d***!" at me.<k" at="" me.<="" html=""></k">


Retort: So sorry to hear of your affliction! or TMI, dude!


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## tbaier (Jun 25, 2008)

A few months ago I dedicated myself to "taking the lane." On the third day of doing so, a clearly annoyed minivan rode my butt for 1/4 mile and then when it got the opportunity sped around me to get to a stoplight but not before the guy rolled down his window and yelled:

"I am a Baltimore City police officer!! You need to get that bike over next to the curb where it belongs!"

Pretty sure that wasn't a cop driving that red 1995 Dodge minivan.


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## Sanath (Jul 20, 2012)

I got what I think was my first honk this morning! Driver still passed at a reasonably safe distance, though clearly very annoyed, so I just waved.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

"Go get 'em, Lance!" 

Sigh. I stop at the stop sign, a line of cars are passing. ******* guy on his porch keeps shouting:

"lance! Laaaaance!" 

I cross the street in silence thinking "shut the [email protected] up already". 

First time I get the lance thing and I'm so over it.


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## Ridnparadise (Dec 14, 2007)

Welcome then LA!! NDD is an interesting choice of username. We knew you were on this forum......:thumbsup:


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

I thought I was being so sneaky. Didn't even think anyone would recognize me on a rigid 29er wearing a flannel shirt instead of lycra. Foiled again!


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

The Lance thing is annoying. I get it once in a while but it has taken a hiatus currently for which I am grateful for. My friend and I were discussing this one time recently while riding. We decided to reply back with "No, I have both of my balls". That should shut them up, or crack them up.


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## Flamingtaco (Mar 12, 2012)

We did a 50 milers with our scout troop two weekends ago on the Little Miami trail in Ohio. It was my youngest's first time, and he was lagging, so I was riding with him to provide encouragement for him and another scout. Two miles from our campsite, two leaders were stopped at a road crossing. They told me a nasty downpour rolled up a half mile before the campsite, and they were sending a vehicle to pick us up. Since the boys had already passed the 50 mile mark for their merit badge, I was aok with being done.

Two vehicles pull up to the crossing, and I direct them to a wide gravel road just past it so they wouldn't block traffic while we loaded the three bikes. As they pull into what I though was a side access road, one of the vehicles stopped with the right front tire in the grass.

I am busy mounting bikes behind one of the vehicles in the gravel entrance to what I now know is a business, when I suddenly hear a man shouting "..et t... ****ING .... ... ... grass!

I step from behind the vehicle to see a man that's just under a buck fifty charging up the gravel road as fast as his skinny legs will let him. "GET THE **** OFF MY MOTHER****ING GRASS! DON'T YOU HAVE ANY ****ING RESPECT? YOU DON'T PARK IN SOMEONE GRASS, *******!"

I turned around and told the boys to get in the vehicles immediately, and told the leaders to roll up their windows as they weren't yet able to make out what was going on, but the man was continuing towards us. I turned around and starting walking quickly towards him, which gave him pause because he slow his pace. I told him there was no need to use foul language in front of minors, and that I was sorry that one of the vehicles had pulled into the grass and we would remove it. I was about to offer our information in case there was any damage when he yells at me from not ten feel away "I DONT GIVE A ****" (response to my comment on the presence of children) "I SAID GET THE **** OUT OF HERE YOU DISRESPECTFUL ****!"

After that, he turned around and started walking away because apparently he listens to the woman that came out the door and started yelling at him to stop harrasing the trail users. From what she was saying to him, apparently he does this all the time.

I can understand it being a pain when your property abuts a very popular MUP and people pull into your grass all the time, but we didn't pull all the way in, weren't parking there, and were obviously rushing to avoid and oncoming storm. No ****s were given by that guy on that day.

Way back in the 80's, when cyclists weren't an eyesore and traffic was practically non-existant, I was hit by eggs twice, was flour'd, and had a busted hammer thrown at me.

My only conflict since then is one guy yelled at me for rolling a stop sign. I am probably the most conservative stop-sign runner. Only if no cars at at an intersection, and I can clear it before any come to a stop, will I roll through an intersection with others around.This guy made a point to stop 20 feet shy of the intersection to inform me of my transgression as I rolled past. Good thing no one was behind him, they probably would have hit him when he slammed on his brakes.

I was doing a 30 miler with my oldest about three years ago and was feeling a bit stressed because he wasn't following instruction well. The residential streets had an awful lot of traffic for a Sunday afternoon. As we are rolling down a hill, a car coming up the hill towards us suddenly hit it's brakes, scaring the crap out of me, and laid on the horn. I gave a friendly wave back (no finger, but not a wave, son was with me), and yelled something to the effect of "DON'T HONK AT CYCLISTS UNLESS YOU ARE RUNNING THEM OVER!!!". I had to fess up to what I had said the next week when the scout leader that had tried to say hello to us asked what it was I had said. He was in his sister's car, didn't know the winder didn't work, and tried to hail mary it with the brake and horn. 

He now knows not to honk at cyclists just to say hello.

I had a farmer yell at me for pissing on his crops. I actually pissed on the easement, but the stressed look on his face told me to not fight the battle.

My wife yelled at me for riding with one of my boys after dark. Residential neighborhoods, and I have over 3000lm of lights and enough conspicuity tape to make a trailer builder grin, but, you know, moms. Mine do not embrace my passion for two wheels (Neither my mother nor my children's mother).


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Flamingtaco said:


> We did a 50 milers with our scout troop two weekends ago... a nasty downpour rolled up a half mile before the campsite, and they were sending a vehicle to pick us up. Two vehicles pull up to the crossing, and I direct them to a wide gravel road just past it so they wouldn't block traffic while we loaded the three bikes. As they pull into what I though was a side access road, one of the vehicles stopped with the right front tire in the grass.
> 
> I am busy mounting bikes behind one of the vehicles in the gravel entrance to what I now know is a business, when I suddenly hear a man shouting "..et t... ****ING .... ... ... grass! Etc, etc. .


Technically, if I remember correctly from my time in Ohio the municipality/state owns 33' from the center line either side of the road regardless of the lot survey lines. I doubt that the tire was technically on the property at all. I have people drive off the edge of the road onto the grass I maintain all the time. It is part of the cost of having road access. If it has rained a lot or is thawing out, it can make a rut, otherwise no harm no foul.

However a mentally unbalanced person is never easy to deal with. It is not easy for him to live in the world either. Fortunately, he was not armed. All's well that ends well.


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## Flamingtaco (Mar 12, 2012)

What amazes me about incidents like that is they have no idea what they are going up against. When I'm on my bike, I've always got some form of protection, and sometimes that is a handgun. That's why I never engage another driver unless they are a threat to my safety. My wife, when she was in college, apparently cut someone off (unbeknownst to her), who followed her off the interstate and got of with a bat at an intersection. 9am, college campus, and the other driver was female. Cop not 100ft away, but didn't notice a thing. People are plum crazy nuts. My wife carried pepper spray at the time, she carries something more powerful now.

Good to know about the ownership, but I'm not going to be challenging someone on that any time soon. We are there to have fun, not engage the lunatics  We were, in this case however, about 150ft from the trail, but it was a commercial business, and the grass wasn't exactly manicured. Maybe if it had been seeded and weeded and looked delicious, a guy can get upset. 

Which brings up another story. My wife can't manage to pull into a two car wide driveway without hitting the two decorative stones I have in the driver side corner. They are large stones that have been cut into 3" thick slices, about 4 feet long and 6 inches tall with the the exposed top uncut. I set them 3 inches in the ground to provide a decorative border and keep water runoff from removing mulch from a Lilly bed. She knocks BOTH stones over 3-4 times a month. The mailbox is a drive-thru process for her, and she takes a left before clearing the stones every damn day. That's when I shouted at someone. 

Didn't help.

Stay calm, ride on!


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

"Hey, there's a wide load coming up behind you" :eekster:

This was actually said in a not unfriendly manner by a young man in the big pickup accompanying the wide load. I was approaching the last light, where the road is about to go from 1 lane to 3 (for left & right turns), and I had moved over to the center line to enter the left turn lane before I had to cross a couple lanes of traffic. When he drove at my speed to my right and rolled down the window, I was like "uh-oh", but no worries. I'm sure he would not have singled out a driver in the same locale, but I think they just wanted to keep everyone safe. I said "OK, thanks", and soon got to my left turn lane way before the wide load arrived. I got the green and looked back as I turned, and saw the ginormous crane he was talking about.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

^ Well that's insanely polite. Unusual.


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

Today I was just out for a fun ride enjoying the 48F and sunny day. Was heading back home on a 3 lane road in a 25mph zone down by the campus. Waiting at a red light and noticed that the car behind me was extremely close. Didn't think much about it. Well, they decided that the lane was wide enough for both of us, so they crammed in there. It was a late model Ford Tauras. Passenger side window was cracked, and I am already off my bike on the left side so I leaned over and firmly said "If I was a car, would you be this close to me?" The light turned green, and I started pedaling. That lean was more like I looked in the window of the car because they were that close to me. Well, that must have pissed them off. They ended up passing me in the next lane over about a minute later, slow enough so I could hear the guy in the passenger seat yell out..."If you were a car, would you still be as big of an *******"? I yelled back..."Yes, because you would have hit me." They didn't say anything else.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

Here's mine (complete with pictures)



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https://flic.kr/p/pSH7jU


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https://flic.kr/p/pUWTf3


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https://flic.kr/p/pUNJvZ

I'm riding a gravel mup in an off leash area (but not a no-bikes area), and there are two guys talking while their dogs aree running around offleash. As I rode by the german pointer charged and nipped at me.

Now, I've got a dog, and she's nipped me plenty of times, and she also doesn't particularly like bikes. So I startled this dog - I get it. It nipped me, so I stopped, and I waited. No big deal.

I tried to head out again, and it nipped and clawed at me again. So I stopped and duckwalked my bike a few feet, and tried to head out again, and it nipped at clawed at me again.

The owner was maybe 10' away during this and was doing nothing, and after the 3rd nip I yelled at him to control his dog.

And that lead to a whole big argument about how it's an offleash area and he's had so many problems with cyclists and that people like me are what's wrong with the world and blah blah blah.

The two big things:

He was really hostile. He kept getting in my face and telling me to hit him so that he could call the cops. I told him of course I wasn't going to hit him, because he was already the one breaking the law. I was just going to take his picture and make him famous (hence posting this in a few places)

I don't care about the nipping. All I wanted was for him to leash or at least hold his dog so that I could safely leave, and he just called me a baby and a liar. He refused to do anything until I'd pulled out my camera (and it honestly took me forever to find my camera. Like minutes. I really need a better system).

So I've reported him to the city, hoping that it might be useful incase anyone else has had problems, or has problems in the future. But the city's initial response (from a generic 311 site) is that in order to file a formal bylaw complaint I need the person's name or license plate - which is obviously a completely ridiculous expectation. How would anyone get that information in the middle of kms of trails from a guy who won't control his dog and who won't stop being an *******?

I've responded that I have no intention of making a formal complaint, but just want a contact for the park rangers (because the city doesn't make any direct contact information available anymore) to warn them about this bozo. We'll see what the next response is, but if they keep stonewalling I'll have to complain to the councilor.

(and I know some people may suggest kicking the dog, but the nipping wasn't really the issue. I won't kick a dog unless I'm genuinely afraid for my safety. As I told this guy, the dog is not the problem - he is).


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

That really is not a good experience, sorry to hear about that. As a dog owner, no matter the conditions, and even though I have a small dog, he is always on a leash. I don't like off leash parks for reasons such as your experience. Dogs are dogs and some people forget that they are animals, and animals by instinct will bite. I think that you handled it pretty well given the situation. I have had to place the bike between myself and a dog before and thought that I may have to use it as a weapon to keep the dog away. The chain ring and crank arms make pretty deadly weapons if needed.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Yeah that dude seems like an irresponsible d-bag. My girlfriend and I were on a ride one time and these dogs were just chasing us down this country road. They started snapping At her leg and she kicked one in the mouth. The owners were nowhere in sight. The dogs just stopped.

What else do you do? This was a big ass dog. I've got a dog and walk him on the mup. I keep him on a chain and make sure he's in the grass beside the trail so he doesn't bother anyone or poop on the trail.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

This city has some issues, because most of the rivervalley mups are also offleash areas. These aren't "parks" - these are gravel doubletrack that go on for kms and kms. So on my 40km ride today, probably a solid half of it was through offleash areas. If you're going to ride here, they are impossible to avoid. 

But as usual I saw dozens of other dogs with no issue. And I take my dog to the offleash parks (which are intersected by these offleash mups) 3 or 4 times a week. But we've got an electric collar just-in-case her drive takes over.

This guy had a retractable leash (for a bigger dog, that's the mark of an idiot) and in 5 minutes of yelling he didn't give his dog a single command, or even say it's name (as far as I could tell).

Anyway, my biggest frustration is the city telling me that I cannot report this. That's asinine. All I want is someone, somewhere to have a record of this. But even if I do manage to get a complaint to someone, what's the point - no one else will ever be able to complain about him because the city will tell them it's impossible.

I'm half-debating printing a bunch of "Danger - Avoid this Maniac!" fliers with this guy's face and posting them around the valley.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

What a jerk, I'm glad you were able to avoid a fistfight, Newf. Dogs are never going to be 100% controllable, but when the owners don't even try to control them, and then blame you and get in your face, that's terrible. I feel bad for his dog too. Seems like a built in conflict, though, they should consider adding a fenced dog park to at least reduce the conflicts.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

mtbxplorer said:


> Seems like a built in conflict, though, they should consider adding a fenced dog park to at least reduce the conflicts.


The city's policy is that they won't restrict access to an area - therefore, no exclusively offleash areas, and no fenced dog parks period. When we got our dog for the first year we'd drive 15mi out of town to one of the burbs that actually has a fenced park so that we could build her recall. It's pretty bonkers.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

That's ridiculous. I can't imagine having a dog that's not trained at all. My wife and I worked very hard with professional trainers to properly train our dog. Anytime she's off leash outside of our yard, she's on her e-collar. We pretty much never need it though. She's a Lab/GSP mix with a high prey drive, she took off after a rabbit the other day when I let her into the back yard. One yell of her name and she was right by my side. All my neighbors are screaming at their dogs constantly either that or they can't have them off leash.

If your dog can't be around something without biting, it shouldn't be in public. I was at a state park (which has a leash law) snowshoeing last winter and an off leash pitbull came up to me and started growling. The owner yelled that he's afraid of my hiking poles because he used to be beaten before he was rescued. I'm sorry, but if your dog growls at people with hiking poles, he should NOT be off leash.

People just don't want to take any personal responsibility.



newfangled said:


> The two big things:
> 
> He was really hostile. He kept getting in my face and telling me to hit him so that he could call the cops. I told him of course I wasn't going to hit him, because he was already the one breaking the law. I was just going to take his picture and make him famous (hence posting this in a few places)


Try to record him next time. I'm pretty sure you can get in trouble for instigating a fight like that. You could also tell him if it happens again you will record the dog biting and report it to animal control. The fear of his dog being taken from him might make him think twice.



TenSpeed said:


> Today I was just out for a fun ride enjoying the 48F and sunny day. Was heading back home on a 3 lane road in a 25mph zone down by the campus. Waiting at a red light and noticed that the car behind me was extremely close. Didn't think much about it. Well, they decided that the lane was wide enough for both of us, so they crammed in there. It was a late model Ford Tauras. Passenger side window was cracked, and I am already off my bike on the left side so I leaned over and firmly said "If I was a car, would you be this close to me?" The light turned green, and I started pedaling. That lean was more like I looked in the window of the car because they were that close to me. Well, that must have pissed them off. They ended up passing me in the next lane over about a minute later, slow enough so I could hear the guy in the passenger seat yell out..."If you were a car, would you still be as big of an *******"? I yelled back..."Yes, because you would have hit me." They didn't say anything else.


Gotta love how drivers love to be tough guys when protected by a steel cage then they drive off as fast as possible and feel like they got the best of you.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

Straz85 said:


> Try to record him next time. I'm pretty sure you can get in trouble for instigating a fight like that. You could also tell him if it happens again you will record the dog biting and report it to animal control. The fear of his dog being taken from him might make him think twice.


The reason I got my camera out was mostly as a deterrent, and he had no idea if I was taking photos or video. I actually had no idea if I'd gotten any decent shots.

But I'm still getting the runaround from the city. Without the owner's name or license plate I cannot report this - period. Which is ridiculous, because we were 1mi from the nearest anything. And there's no way I was going to be able to read the dogtag or get the guy's license and registration.


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## 8TrackDirtPlayer (Apr 3, 2014)

I've had all sorts of fun comments, but my favorite went like this:

"As a cyclist, I ride on the sidewalk, that's where bikes go."

I gave him a smile and a wave, which made him politely do the same thing back by pure reflexes alone. As he realized what he was doing a surprised look of intense confusion came over his expression. I had trouble keeping i together, it was almost too much!


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

This morning a pickup truck passed me very closely when he had plenty of space give me more room. He got stuck in a line of traffic so I pulled up next to him, he rolled down his window and I said "Couldn't you have given me a little more room". He responded with "I gave you plenty of space". I said "you gave me about a foot" and he said "well you were in the middle of the street". So now his whole story is falling apart, did he give me enough space or not? I said "I wasn't in the middle of the street. I was as far over as I could be, there were potholes" and he said "you can't go around potholes, you have to go through them". I said "and crash?" and he said "I used to ride and I wasn't a pricker head like you" and he quickly rolled up his window and drove off. So, apparently I'm a pricker head, whatever that means.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

^^No Straz, you are a pecker head. Sometimes it's hard to hear people yelling at you. "Pecker Head" I'm sure that was it.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

bedwards1000 said:


> ^^No Straz, you are a pecker head. Sometimes it's hard to hear people yelling at you. "Pecker Head" I'm sure that was it.


Haha. It was definitely pricker head. I'm thinking he was undecided between prick and pecker head so he just mashed them together.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

Prickerhead... I like that. It really depends what you're riding, how big the potholes are, and how long want the wheels to last. 

Just bunny hop it, bro. Don't be a little sissy, prickerhead.


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## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

NDD said:


> Prickerhead... I like that. It really depends what you're riding, how big the potholes are, and how long want the wheels to last.
> 
> Just bunny hop it, bro. Don't be a little sissy, prickerhead.


Hahaha. It's actually a long section of pipe they replaced and the crappy patching job they did has been dug up by plows over the past few winters, so it's a long line of them, it would be one seriously long bunnyhop.


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## Ranman (Sep 17, 2005)

Got a thousand of them. Today a guy passed me and I could feel the wind from the mirror go by my head. When we got to the light I said "Why you cut me off like that." He said "Where's your license and registration" I said "Right here come get it." I got the f you and the bird. Funny there's a sign up the road that says "Give them 3 feet."


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

I encountered a guy walking the opposite way on the road. I said "hi", he quacked.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

"It must be freezing. You're a savage, Go gettem man!"



mtbxplorer said:


> I encountered a guy walking the opposite way on the road. I said "hi", he quacked.


Aflac


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

From a motorist: "You go girl!" 
Me: Wooh! (I am female)
Motorist: Woohoo!


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## hiscott (Feb 15, 2015)

Road 16 miles on the road today. Is there a Target on my back that says "AIM FOR CYCLIST!" I raced the banks of Daytona Speedway on Superbikes for years, however I have never been as terrified as riding my xtc on the road. Are drivers completely stupid or just that ignorant!!!!! Lord help them if i catch one at a stop light!


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## Kleebs (Mar 18, 2014)

Was riding home from a board meeting for our local bike co-op last night with one of my fellow board members. It was about 9PM in a quiet suburb with no traffic and we were both very well lit and riding side by side. We stopped at the one stop light on our route home to wait for it to turn green. In short, we were doing everything a responsible cyclist should do. After the light turns green, and we proceed through, a woman who was waiting in her car at the other side of the intersection rolls her window down to whine "Side by side?!!", apparently in complete shock that two cyclists would dare to ride two abreast on an empty road in a quiet suburb at night. We just laughed to ourselves because of who she said it to. My riding partner was the main "subject matter expert" that helped city council re-write the bicycle ordinances last year.


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## jeffw-13 (Apr 30, 2008)

Yesterday afternoon I was riding through a neighborhood and a couple teenagers were sitting out on the porch. One of them yelled "Papa! Papa! Come back Papa!" I lol'd


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

"You're amazing" from a guy driving a city car in our capital, Montpelier VT, aka "Montpeculiar".


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## SlipSpace (Feb 3, 2014)

I was riding a shared foot / cycle path (not a good start). Nice bright day. I was approaching two joggers coming the other way, they must have seen me but didn't yield; neither did I; we had a close call, he had to jump out the way, I had to swerve. Both at fault really. We exchanged unpleasantries and questioned each others parentage and I proceeded on my way. I was in way too big of a gear and was slowly getting moving when I hear footsteps rapidly approaching. I look back and the jogger is chasing me. I wasnt going to get going quick enough to outrun him and didnt want to be caught from behind, so I stopped and waited...

He ran straight up to me and punched me in the stomach. I was doing a lot of boxing at the time so reacted with a right hook and put him on his arse. He looked up at me and said 'what did you do that for?!' . Really. His mate then approached, uh oh I thought, he looked at the downed guy and told him he was an idiot. I remounted my bike and carried on home.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

SlipSpace said:


> I was riding a shared foot / cycle path (not a good start). Nice bright day. I was approaching two joggers coming the other way, they must have seen me but didn't yield; neither did I; we had a close call, he had to jump out the way, I had to swerve. Both at fault really. We exchanged unpleasantries and questioned each others parentage and I proceeded on my way. I was in way too big of a gear and was slowly getting moving when I hear footsteps rapidly approaching. I look back and the jogger is chasing me. I wasnt going to get going quick enough to outrun him and didnt want to be caught from behind, so I stopped and waited...
> 
> He ran straight up to me and punched me in the stomach. I was doing a lot of boxing at the time so reacted with a right hook and put him on his arse. He looked up at me and said 'what did you do that for?!' . Really. His mate then approached, uh oh I thought, he looked at the downed guy and told him he was an idiot. I remounted my bike and carried on home.


big mistake....need to outrun them...can be fun as they run out of speed and power...


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## Guest (Mar 20, 2015)

20 pages of story goodness for sure. 

My worst reaction (IMO) was the female passenger who yelled (Circa 1984) "We pay effing taxes, get your effing bike on the sidewalk!" Back then I did the roadie thing almost exclusively and my snappy comeback was always "Thank You, have a nice day." because it usually defused things. This woman's husband (prompted by his foul-mouthed sweetheart) slams on the brakes, forcing me to stop and gets out. Typical slob-type (fists balled) yells at me "What did you call my wife?" I figure I was giving him well over 100#s but you know how worked up you can get when someone forces you off the road. Shoes off, knife out, not sure where I thought that was going but he yells "Better watch yourself next time!" and gets back in the Van. The cops were not especially helpful, but that was the 80's in the midwest.

Best reaction I saw was a motorcyclist yelling the same thing at a riding buddy. So he chases the guy down at the next stoplight. Scared that my friend is headed for an beating, I spin up to help him disengage. He's ranting on the motorcyclist and the guy is apologizing like nuts. I'd say that's about a 50/50 call, we have our share of "tough guy" cyclists who would love to throw down.


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## solo-x (Feb 16, 2010)

Here is what we get to deal with around boston:
Carr: Spandex-loving speeders want to be king of road | Boston Herald

CN: Columnist spurs hatred of cyclists by citing examples of cyclists who are idiots.

My worst incident was on a rode ride through downtown in a small suburb 45 minutes west of Boston. I was traveling with the flow of traffic which was going about 10mph. The road is fairly narrow with cars parked on the side, so to give myself enough room to avoid getting taken out by an errant door being opened, and because I was easily able to keep up with traffic, I moved into the middle of the lane. I hear someone yelling behind me, then I realize this person is yelling at me. It's the driver of the truck directly behind me, and he's cursing at me, threatening to beat me to death with my bike, describing horrific things he wished to do to my bloody corpse, etc. I pulled off the road and let him by as I wasn't sure when he'd finish coming unhinged.

I've also had people swerve across the road from the oncoming lane towards me, throw stuff at me, honk the horn at me as the drove by, and scream at me to "get off the f%^&ing road!". Generally, I've come to the conclusion that all humans are a-holes and the only proper answer is rectalcide. (extermination of all a-holes)


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## SlipSpace (Feb 3, 2014)

I don't seem to get much yelling, more involved than that for some reason... here's the latest

I was gently riding my MTB through some woods near to me on a normal route for me. I slowed down some way behind a woman walking her dog. I was in no rush so didn’t hassle her or ring my bell. She stopped and let me past I said thanks then she said

-The cycle path is over there!
I stopped
-Excuse me?

-The cycle path you should be on is over there. (vaguely waving her hand in front of her)

-I know there is a cycle route there but I’m riding the trails today, I’m not sure I see the problem. 

-Bike tyres churn up the ground and slip and slide and ruin the paths for walkers, you’re not allowed here. :nono:

-Hmm ok; I am allowed here but aside from that what you’re saying is that my tires ruin the path more than people walking? :skep:

-Yes that’s right, as I just said they slide about and ruin it. :rant:

-I really do dispute that, I’m not hooning around and skidding all over the place. You may see where I’ve been as a tyre leave a obvious pattern but in no way does it ruin it, if anything its more gentle as it’s a constant roll rather than the plant and go of footprints. ut: 

-No you are completely wrong on that rft:

-Ok, can you explain why your boots have more mud on them then my tyres? :smilewinkgrin:

-Now you’re just being silly, that’s irrelevant. (trying not to look at her boots) :yikes: :blush:

-I thinks it’s very relevant but ok, just out of curiosity on a different issue, I assume that’s your dog running around? 

-Yes he is, but he won’t bother you, what’s your point? :???:

-I didn’t think he would but I assume you clear up after him? :thumbsup:

-No, this is the woods, it’s what dogs and animals do here. 

-You do realise that dog fouling is a big issue and their faeces carry all sorts of diseases, not to mention the unpleasantness if you happen to stand in some! 

-Now you’re just changing the subject so you can have a go at me :madmax:

-A little maybe but more trying to point out that we have different ideas of what’s acceptable in the woods. :madman: Still it’s a nice sunny morning and I really don’t want to argue so I’m off, have a nice day! (smile and wave boys, smile and wave) :ihih:

-Er, yeah, you too. :shocked:


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

Last night I wound up riding home in the dark... I enjoy a good peaceful night ride, it's way quieter out there. But last night a ******* decided to roll down the passenger window of the truck and scream the N word at me for some reason. That was a first.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

CommuterBoy said:


> Last night I wound up riding home in the dark... I enjoy a good peaceful night ride, it's way quieter out there. But last night a ******* decided to roll down the passenger window of the truck and scream the N word at me for some reason. That was a first.


Man, I hate people who do that. It's just not even acceptable.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

That's a new one on me, CB. I had recently been wondering about the lack of postings in "what did someone yell at you", but now my *lack *of faith in humanity has been restored with your experience. :sad:.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't even want to validate the terminology by saying this, so don't take it the wrong way... But I'm as white as they come. Just a weird thing to scream at at someone regardless. What better way to announce your idiocy?


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

That's the thing about being stupid - you don't even know how stupid you are.


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## formula4speed (Mar 25, 2013)

bedwards1000 said:


> That's the thing about being stupid - you don't even know how stupid you are.


John Cleese on this subject cracks me up.





To be on topic, I usually can't understand what anyone says when they yell at me while they travel 50+ mph but really, it very rarely happpens.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

formula4speed said:


> John Cleese on this subject cracks me up.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I can't understand what people are saying when they go 30 mph in the opposite direction, so it's just totally ineffective most of the time. I'm pretty sure someone told me once to get off the street or on the sidewalk, but all I heard was angry vowels with no full words.


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## ALUMINUMFALCON (Dec 8, 2015)

I'm a stay at home dad now so I don't have a commute but a couple years ago I did. About 8.5 mi on and empty desert highway into town then I'd carpool the next 20 miles into the city. I was riding crazy early, 3:30-4 AM-ish and every day a little red truck would honk at me. I'd get the occasional unintelligible yells, but that daily honk was driving me nuts. 

On a more positive note one of the first couple days after I started on my way home I had to pull off to rest. An AK- Chin reservation cop stopped and offered me a cold bottle of water. Told me to be careful, lots of crazies on that road.


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## stingray (Mar 12, 2014)

When anyone yells as they pass me in a car, I always respond with a big smile and a kind wave, the sort of response you would signal to your dearest neighbor. It is not an inappropriate response since most people who shout out of a moving car window are impossible to understand. For my mental health I just pretend they are shouting a compliment or expressing envy.


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## scottg07 (Jun 21, 2006)

Yesterday was a snowstorm up north, riding home was difficult in 4 inches of snow/sleet so had to be further in the road since sidewalks, bike paths and bike lanes pretty much impossible to ride on even with 29+ tires. Got a "get off the road!" and some honking. Responded with vulgarities and middle finger. Probably not the best way to handle it but was a very frustrating commute without being provoked. Most cars were courteous though. I should really just smile and wave, will try harder to do that next time...


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## stingray (Mar 12, 2014)

One winter day I was chugging home, uphill, standing on the pedals, on a side street during a snowstorm. Fortunately, I had installed my studded bike tires the night before. Just before the top of the hill a pickup truck pulled up behind me. There were nothing but parked cars and ruts in the snow so I got out of his way as soon as I could. When I did, he pulled next to me and rolled his window down. Instead of spewing anti-bike hatred, he praised me. He said, "Dude, you are a beast. I wish I could do what you are doing."


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

"That's the smartest thing I've ever seen!" (Referring to the light on the back of my helmet). Of course one of my thoughts was that he should probably hang around smarter people if that was the smartest thing he'd ever seen. But I was nice, gave him the thumbs up and told him I was just trying to be seen.

This thread needed a revival.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

bedwards1000 said:


> This thread needed a revival.


Well, given most comments, that is likely a good thing!


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## JJ Welks (Jan 15, 2015)

The only time I've had something yelled at me was riding through the streets of Amsterdam.... "get out of here you ****ing tourist!", apparently it was that obvious lol!

makes me appreciate the woods even more


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

"Where'd you steal that bike?"
:eekster:


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

My hearing is not so great and riding with a freind, we were in an area near a pond when a lady sitting on a rock wall said something (probably not yelling) and I smiled and nodded thanking her as I rode on.

I was on my new bright orange bike and just knew everyone was noticing me and thinking what a nice bike it was - lol. 

Riding buddy moments later, tells me she was advising us this was not a bike path. :blush:


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## rlee (Aug 22, 2015)

"On your left"
Not unusual except I was riding to the trailhead on a slight incline, spun out at close to 20mph. The dude was a cut-off and tank top wearing e-biker with a smoke hanging out of his mouth. And he blew by me.


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## astronauts (Aug 30, 2016)

"You're not a pedestrian!"


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

astronauts said:


> "You're not a pedestrian!"


Well...I guess that's true at least.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

I forgot about this one that goes back at least 20 or 30 years:
"Free James Brown!"


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## Northern dave2 (Nov 22, 2018)

Every Spring on the ride from work, I'd get the standard "get the f*** off the road!" . I started to think it was a club or something, and it didn't matter what they were driving. Last year, I didn't hear it once--the club must have folded!

My response--smile and wave, or yell "Merry Christmas!" , to mess with them.

To those who've suggested I ride on the sidewalk, I offer to follow them, if they'll go first.


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## RMCDan (Feb 28, 2008)

Thankfully I haven't experienced much of this in the two years I've been bike commuting now. Maybe it's because I'm usually in office clothes rather than spandex. I also ride a flat-bar bike.

One day last spring though I was on my way home when I approached a 4-way stop on two low-traffic side streets. Slightly uphill grade, speed was about 10 mph, with excellent visibility in all directions. I'm going straight, no peds in sight, no cross traffic in sight, only car around was a big diesel pickup in the oncoming lane 30-40 yds out from the other side of the intersection. So, like a reasonable person I rolled right through it.

I reach the other side of the intersection and the driver of the pickup, who is still 10 yards from the stop sign and does not have a blinker on, leans out his window and says, "Hey! There's a stop sign there, SH!THEAD!" at the top of his effing lungs, like I had just threaded the needle between multiple moms pushing baby strollers at 30 mph. I told him to have a nice day, after which I could hear him yelling, "You sumbitch! Get back here!" I fully expected him to make a U-turn and chase me down, but thankfully he didn't. That was weird.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I'm sure he was the model driver that never does no wrong and was fully in the position to judge you.

Just remember not to stereotype. Not all "people in big diesel pickup trucks" are asshats. Just like some not all cyclists are asshats. But the ones that are sure do create a bad impression for the rest of them, don't they. I actually drive a big diesel pickup .


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

RMCDan said:


> ...blah blah blah removed....
> 
> I approached a 4-way stop on two low-traffic side streets.
> 
> ...


a reasonable person would have stopped at the stop sign

YOU are the problem. not the dude in the truck.

for f***s sake people, follow the rules of the road.


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## IPunchCholla (Dec 8, 2013)

127.0.0.1 said:


> a reasonable person would have stopped at the stop sign
> 
> YOU are the problem. not the dude in the truck.
> 
> for f***s sake people, follow the rules of the road.


Depends on where he is. The Idaho stop is a reasonable rule.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk


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## IPunchCholla (Dec 8, 2013)

127.0.0.1 said:


> a reasonable person would have stopped at the stop sign
> 
> YOU are the problem. not the dude in the truck.
> 
> for f***s sake people, follow the rules of the road.


Also, actual driving has very little to do with the rules of the road. About 90 percent of drivers would be ticketed here if there laws were strictly enforced. Everyone speeds on arterials and highways at least a little bit. People cross solid lines, fail to signal when their intent is obvious, don't give the legal required amount of room, don't follow the right of way law at 4 way stops (opposite cars go when both are going straight regardless of right if way because it's faster for everyone), don't fully stop at stop signs when no other traffic is present, yield right of way when they shouldn't so that cars stuck in secondary streets trying to get in the arterial can, etc.

There are the rules and then there is the way we drive to actually make it work. One of the first things they had to figure out with autonomous vehicles was teaching them the right way to break the rules as following them strictly screwed everything up.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk


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## RMCDan (Feb 28, 2008)

IPunchCholla said:


> Depends on where he is. The Idaho stop is a reasonable rule.


Exactly. Idaho rules are reasonable, and have a 37-year track record of being so.

Now, I do not live in Idaho, but "Idaho Stop" laws have unanimously passed out of committee in our state legislature two years in a row. They just haven't gotten a floor vote because the full legislature has been too busy overturning ballot initiatives that were approved by a majority of voters that they happened to not like. Thus, I do not feel the least bit guilty about self-implementing those laws.

I've Idaho Stopped within sight of cops multiple times. They don't seem to care in the least.

Also, if I'm a pedestrian crossing a street I'll cross without a "Walk" signal if there's no cross traffic in sight. I've even been know to cross outside of marked crosswalks. The horror.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

my point is

you want respect for cyclists 

then act respectful of the laws when you are out there being a cyclist in public.


LOOK the part. that means don't be a scofflaw. 

doesn't matter though, most cyclists I see don't give a rats ass. 

I stop.
I follow laws.


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## IPunchCholla (Dec 8, 2013)

127.0.0.1 said:


> my point is
> 
> you want respect for cyclists
> 
> ...


And I respect drivers and cyclists who drive in a safe manner, even if it is technically illegal. Not a big fan of mindless rule followers though.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I'm in localhost's camp. (mostly) If I can see another car, cyclist, road user...I'll stop at a stop sign to show that cyclists follow the rules of the road. Unless I'm turning right. In that case I'll stop peddling, slow, obviously look around and perform an Idaho stop which often means actually stopping. Even though I'm in Maine. We're both big potato growers, close enough. Mostly making sure to act and look responsible. 

If I'm on a back road and there obviously isn't another car within 1/2 mile of me I'll roll through. I've probably also exceeded the speed limit by 5-10 once in a while, forgot to inspect my car for an extra month, shared a persecution (for legitimate, non-recreational uses) and even not licensed a dog. There are a lot of laws that truly fall into the harm none category.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

IPunchCholla said:


> And I respect drivers and cyclists who drive in a safe manner, even if it is technically illegal. Not a big fan of mindless rule followers though.
> 
> Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk


I am not a mindless rule follower...

just dumbfounded about stupid posts here 
someone posting they broke a rule and wonder why they get shade from a *******

for craps sake if there is traffic, follow the rules. if not following the rules and someone gives you **** about it... then eat that **** sandwich don't cry on MTBR about it

the only way (and it will never happen, it just useless) 
but the only way is if -everyone- plays the game correctly.


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## dbhammercycle (Nov 15, 2011)

As long as I'm not impeding someone else's turn/right of way to go through a stop sign, I will slow and roll. If there is a backup at a 4-way, I will take a turn like everyone else. I certainly applaud those whop stop every time, but I realized a long time ago the safest place to be is through that intersection. I do try to follow the rules of road as much as possible and I have called out some bikers for being asshats. That said, there are times when keeping myself safe can be discourteous to others if drivers believe they are more important. This has been an issue recently considering the snowbanks and road clearance for cars and cyclists. I will do my best to ride as far to the right of the lane as possible and I can't always choose to ride on the sidewalk, so sometimes I do get a yell to stay off the road. 

It's funny, I was talking to someone at work who is a runner and he was complaining about bikers in the road. I pointed out to him I had recently past him on my fat bike while he was running in the road. To which he replied that we weren't on a main road and the sidewalks are treacherous with the ice. I think we all have some personal rationalizations on the matter.


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## RMCDan (Feb 28, 2008)

127.0.0.1 said:


> for craps sake if there is traffic, follow the rules.


One guy 40 yds out from a 4-way stop in a non-crossing lane on sleepy neighborhood streets is not "traffic"



127.0.0.1 said:


> if not following the rules and someone gives you **** about it... then eat that **** sandwich don't cry on MTBR about it


Not crying about it, just telling a story about what someone yelled at me in the "What did someone yell at you" thread.



127.0.0.1 said:


> the only way (and it will never happen, it just useless)
> but the only way is if -everyone- plays the game correctly.


Let's say our Idaho Stop law gets passed this session or at some hypothetical time in the future. I guarantee you that >90% of drivers will never hear about it and will still think I'm breaking the law when I do a perfectly legal Idaho Stop. Hell, I bet if you polled drivers at random at least 1-in-2 think bikes are required to ride on the sidewalk and every cyclist on the road is breaking the law simply by being there.


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## Haggis (Jan 21, 2004)

Work mate was commuting on his wife’s ebike (complete with front basket) and a passing car passenger yelled “I want to f*uck you up the arse!” 
He was quite flattered.


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

I was riding and a car came by, a guy stuck his head out the passenger window and yelled "go dawgs!" (which just happens to be my college's instate rival). I caught up to them at a light and, remembering UGA had been upset the previous weekend by Vanderbilt, yelled "go Vandy!" at him. His girlfriend (?) who was driving laughed and he just muttered "aw" and slumped down in his seat.


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## IPunchCholla (Dec 8, 2013)

127.0.0.1 said:


> I am not a mindless rule follower...
> 
> just dumbfounded about stupid posts here
> someone posting they broke a rule and wonder why they get shade from a *******
> ...


Sorry. I wasn't calling you a mindless rule follower. I meant to refer to drivers and bikers who follow the laws when it is clearly culturally inappropriate and actually cause issues. But that wasn't clear from my post and I apologise.

But the op of the reply I was replying to was a guy going through a stop sign that in no way impacted the driver of the truck and the truck driver being pissed, not because it was unsafe or impacted them at all, just cause the biker bike the "rules". I take issue with that. If it doesn't effect you, even if technically against the rules, yelling and threatening is inappropriate.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

It takes a special kind of cowardly cager to yell "get out the road" to someone pedaling the opposite way that he is driving. I had taken the lane to enter the roundabout smoothly and this guy was exiting it. I had zero impact on his travels.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

But you could have had an impact on his travels. He was just planning for the future.


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## ray.vermette (Jul 16, 2008)

"You're a ****ing idiot" yelled from the window of a fishtailing sedan, as I rode my fatbike in heavy snow on a completely segregated and elevated bike path.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I thought I posted this in here but I don't see it...

I bike in NYC from the railroad station to my job, about a mile and a quarter or so straight up Eighth Ave. The bike lane is on the left side of the road. One morning, I'm pedaling along when I notice a taxi coming up on my right getting closer and closer. He's right alongside me and I figure he thinks I'm going to stop and give him right of way to make a left. Finally, he's about 14" from me. I'm directly next to the driver's door and the window is open. I look right at him and say Hey, Motherf**ker. He gets all flustered and yells YOU F**k You! 
I of course found that hilarious and pedaled a little faster and went straight ahead and he made his left behind he like he was supposed to.


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

"So you're the problem child!" a man yelled from a red jeep. A long line of cars had formed behind me on a country road. I wasn't really the problem though. The problem was the guy behind me who followed me for miles instead of passing. There were plenty of opportunities. For whatever reason, the driver just wouldn't go around me until someone honked at him. The rest of the cars got past me just fine.


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## JimF777 (Sep 23, 2018)

Usually people are yelling at me, "You ok?"


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

^^lol!


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## z1r (Apr 17, 2014)

JimF777 said:


> Usually people are yelling at me, "You ok?"


Ironically, this is the last thing someone yelled at me, lol.


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## ghettocruiser (Jun 21, 2008)

*" Cipollini!!!! "*

It was about 1999. I was riding a mountain bike with a low seat and wearing baggy shorts.

But I still got the reference, and appreciated it.


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## Kevin Van Deventer (Jan 31, 2015)

I was unaware of this thread. 
One of my favorites was a car full of college girls(I live in a college town) the one in the passenger seat screamed at me as they passed by trying to scare me. It was night time.
As I watched them continue on I saw her doing the same thing to an elderly person out for a walk with her walker. This pissed me off and thought I would teach her a lesson.
So I got on my horse and caught them a couple blocks later at a traffic light. I was originally mad and was gonna chew her ass but then last second I thought I would just scare her back.
So I rolled right up to her window and yelled GOTCHA I was like 4 inches away from her face.
I scared her so bad she nearly pissed herself as she crawled over the driver to escape.

The extra bonus as I rode away lmao was hearing the other three girls laughing as hard as I was.

But ya I get **** said to me all the time mostly dudes mostly jealous often if I'm graveling fat ******** will speed up to dust me as much as possible.
I've had a guy tell me to put some clothes on..I was wearing shorts and a tank top in the summer.

I had two guys in a pickup pull up next to me and one of them said unprovoked "I wanna suck your c**k they didn't look gay to me.

It seems alot of ******** like to tune their jacked up turbo diesels to belch the blackest smoke they can. Twice this week I've had them lay on it as they pass me enveloping me in a black cloud from the side exhaust pipes. These are brand new very expensive trucks so I'm assuming the amount and color of the exhaust is completely intentional.

If you are a fairly good looking guy in good shape be aware that other guys don't like that especially if they are unattractive and out of shape.


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## Kevin Van Deventer (Jan 31, 2015)

Probably because you were spun out at 20mph.


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

*F**k!*

after i said your riding the wrong way in the one-way bike lane... then i yelled "YAY" back..


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## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

Kevin Van Deventer said:


> It seems alot of ******** like to tune their jacked up turbo diesels to belch the blackest smoke they can. Twice this week I've had them lay on it as they pass me enveloping me in a black cloud from the side exhaust pipes. These are brand new very expensive trucks so I'm assuming the amount and color of the exhaust is completely intentional.


Yes it is, they even have a term for it, "rolling coal", assinine.
Better than have stuff thrown at you though.
Ive had "nice ass!", from a guy, back in my spandex days. Wasnt sure how to take that.


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## Kevin Van Deventer (Jan 31, 2015)

Taroroot said:


> Yes it is, they even have a term for it, "rolling coal", assinine.
> Better than have stuff thrown at you though.
> Ive had "nice ass!", from a guy, back in my spandex days. Wasnt sure how to take that.


 Lol good one. No I had a feud with some jackass when I lived in Vegas he would always pass me on my way home talking **** out the window so I flipped him off..the next day he threw a golf ball at me.


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## biker_soldier101 (Mar 15, 2014)

Mostly, use the effing sidewalk. Did get an eff you the other day. Had an apple thrown at me but it didn't hit me. Some just yell really loud to scare me.


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## bakerjw (Oct 8, 2014)

Kevin Van Deventer said:


> It seems alot of ******** like to tune their jacked up turbo diesels to belch the blackest smoke they can. Twice this week I've had them lay on it as they pass me enveloping me in a black cloud from the side exhaust pipes. These are brand new very expensive trucks so I'm assuming the amount and color of the exhaust is completely intentional.


Soot particulates in diesel smoke is a known carcinogen. I am working with legislators in my state to get it ruled as assault as it s no different than blowing asbestos in someone's face.

It is also altering the emissions of a vehicle.


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## Kevin Van Deventer (Jan 31, 2015)

biker_soldier101 said:


> Mostly, use the effing sidewalk. Did get an eff you the other day. Had an apple thrown at me but it didn't hit me. Some just yell really loud to scare me.


 Ya I stay on sidewalk even though it's technically illegal here. I'd rather a ticket then some college kid texting and driving kill me.


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## Kevin Van Deventer (Jan 31, 2015)

bakerjw said:


> Soot particulates in diesel smoke is a known carcinogen. I am working with legislators in my state to get it ruled as assault as it s no different than blowing asbestos in someone's face.
> 
> It is also altering the emissions of a vehicle.


Nice I should start taking pics of it and see what I can do.


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## urbsuburb2017 (Sep 1, 2017)

FedEx driver, as I had slowed down and PULLED OVER to let him pass me to make a right turn:

"Hey, get a move on - this isn't f*&^ing Communist China!"


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## Kevin Van Deventer (Jan 31, 2015)

urbsuburb2017 said:


> FedEx driver, as I had slowed down and PULLED OVER to let him pass me to make a right turn:
> 
> "Hey, get a move on - this isn't f*&^ing Communist China!"


 Should have got a pic of the plate and turned him in to FedEx.


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## urbsuburb2017 (Sep 1, 2017)

*FedEx rudeness*



Kevin Van Deventer said:


> Should have got a pic of the plate and turned him in to FedEx.


I guess I was so surprised at his "attitude" that I got lost in trying to figure out the reference. Maybe he thinks that everyone in Beijing is on a bicycle or something. By the time I could have retrieved my phone from my hip case, he was long gone down the street.

As a regular commuter, I've begun to feel that avoiding conflict is generally the best philosophy. I really don't need this driver being on the lookout for me - most folks out on the roads are likely to be either just plain nuts, or, maybe more significantly, looking down at their phones instead of at the road. (On a recent commute, neither blinking side lights, strobing rear lights, flashing headlight, the right of way (traffic light), and the fact that I was WALKING my bike across a crosswalk prevently a woman in a big SUV from nearly plowing into me...)


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## Kevin Van Deventer (Jan 31, 2015)

Well I'm fighting back I live in Ok so I have alot of necks to deal with I'm autistic and don't take **** off people very well.

But I am also very polite and patient and I stick to sidewalk 100% of the time it is possible.
I'm minding my own business they need to do the same.

I have a Moto phone with motion controls so I can flick my wrist and the camera opens instantly.


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## Jelako (Jan 14, 2015)

I"m Marine Corps Veteran, I have a Marine Corps "Devil Dog" cycling "jersey"; in just six weeks of commuting I have received:

* OOH-RAH!
* Semper FI, Marine!
* Are you a Marine? Thank you for your service. My dad was a Marine. (at a red light)
* Get Some Devil Dog!
* OOH-RAH DEVIL DOG!

No one says a thing when I wear my blue or yellow "jersey"...


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

urbsuburb2017 said:


> FedEx driver, as I had slowed down and PULLED OVER to let him pass me to make a right turn:
> 
> "Hey, get a move on - this isn't f*&^ing Communist China!"


That's the kind of stupid, nonsensical comment that makes people hate Americans. My brother got into some roadrage incident recently and the guy got out of his car to yell at him. Ended up asking if my brother was European or gay because he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Like...what is this macho garbage.

Sent from my LM-X212(G) using Tapatalk


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## S​​usspect (May 12, 2017)

"Run, Forest, run"!

This was years ago. When I had a long beard.


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## S​​usspect (May 12, 2017)

"Run, Forest, run"!

This was years ago. When I had a long beard.


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## ghettocruiser (Jun 21, 2008)

Yesterday's hostile exchange with a profanity-spewing Alfa Romeo driver started and ended with me yelling "Drive ON THE ROAD!".

It was kind of a twist on the good ol "Ride on the Sidewalk" thing they used to yell at me.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

A good one tonight, temps dropped to 36F so I was not in the mood for suffering fools. As the light changed to green a car passed and someone yelled "THANK YOU" which was totally not what I was expecting. Maybe for the bike lights but who knows, that was a new one!!


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

"You are an obnoxious f**king a**hole." To earn this title I was riding down a dirt road behind a full size pickup. I was keeping up with him for about a mile and we were doing about 20mph. Well, he must have thought my 20 lb bike was going to run his 3 ton truck off the road because he was pissed. When he rolled down the window to shout at me I actually stopped to ask why he was so mad at me. The only answer I got was "You're just another dick on a bike just like all the others" OK, so maybe he already had some preconceived notions. I think he was mostly embarrassed that I could keep up with him on my little bicycle.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

bedwards1000 said:


> "You are an obnoxious f**king a**hole." To earn this title I was riding down a dirt road behind a full size pickup. I was keeping up with him for about a mile and we were doing about 20mph. Well, he must have thought my 20 lb bike was going to run his 3 ton truck off the road because he was pissed. When he rolled down the window to shout at me I actually stopped to ask why he was so mad at me. The only answer I got was "You're just another dick on a bike just like all the others" OK, so maybe he already had some preconceived notions. I think he was mostly embarrassed that I could keep up with him on my little bicycle.


Ha way to be another dick on a bike!


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

bedwards1000 said:


> "You are an obnoxious f**king a**hole." To earn this title I was riding down a dirt road behind a full size pickup. I was keeping up with him for about a mile and we were doing about 20mph. Well, he must have thought my 20 lb bike was going to run his 3 ton truck off the road because he was pissed. When he rolled down the window to shout at me I actually stopped to ask why he was so mad at me. The only answer I got was "You're just another dick on a bike just like all the others" OK, so maybe he already had some preconceived notions. I think he was mostly embarrassed that I could keep up with him on my little bicycle.


Wow, just wow.


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## digitalayon (Jul 31, 2007)

outa the way fatass


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## Ecurb_ATX840 (Feb 27, 2014)

two days ago I very slower passed a man walking his horse, he complained about something twice, but I just ignored. I just cant really care when people complain.


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## ghettocruiser (Jun 21, 2008)

"SHOULD I LOOK AT THE R3 or the S3?"

It was a serious question, shouted out the window of a Lexus, that started a 25 kph conversation, which lasted until other, non-bike-shopping drivers caught up with us. 

Apparently I appear to passing motorists to be an .....expert on Cervelos?


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

ghettocruiser said:


> "SHOULD I LOOK AT THE R3 or the S3?"
> 
> It was a serious question, shouted out the window of a Lexus, that started a 25 kph conversation, which lasted until other, non-bike-shopping drivers caught up with us.
> 
> Apparently I appear to passing motorists to be an .....expert on Cervelos?


I too like to think of myself as an expert in cerveza, but what's that gotta do with bikes


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## DaveRider (Jul 14, 2014)

"Che, boludo...no asusta a mi perro!"

(Hey, *expletive*...don't scare my dog.) From a pedestrian dog owner on the bike path after I yelled at her offleash dog that ran in front of me.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

DaveRider said:


> "Che, boludo...no asusta a mi perro!"
> 
> (Hey, *expletive*...don't scare my dog.) From a pedestrian dog owner on the bike path after I yelled at her offleash dog that ran in front of me.


Whisky Tango Foxtrot! (Also applies to Bedward's pickup driver.)


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## Crazy 8s (Oct 12, 2019)

I can't tell you what awful things were yelled at me as I rode my bike...I didn't hear them!
I can't tell you what awful things I have yelled at drivers... NSFW!


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

*Cop pulls up to me @ a red light..*

in downtown oakland china town on a one way street...sez..hey buddy..you should ride closer to the right side of the lane/parked cars b/c youre blocking traffic. i say "well i have the right to take the lane..it's a LAW..dumas" He just pulled away w/o a word....i laughed..


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## Jelako (Jan 14, 2015)

*On my first "cold" weather commute, I got yelled at by a toothless backseat passenger*

I live in Florida, and today was the first day with sub-50° F (10°C). On my long stretch of road, going up a slight incline, the light at the intersection was red and traffic was starting to back up. I ride with a rear view mirror and saw this particular car approaching and as it was passing me, I see the back seat window begin to roll down. Oh boy I thought. So as they start to come to a stop and I begin to catch back up; I notice the back seat passenger is trying to gain my attention by feverishly waving their hand. Well as I come up alongside the car, the toothless back seat passenger at the top of her lungs shouts:

"Have a good ride! Stay Warm!" (With the biggest grin, ear to ear)

The nerve of this young, elementary school girl...shouting pleasantries, having a happy disposition, missing her two front teeth on her way to school.

sheesh...


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## digitalayon (Jul 31, 2007)

thx for the fart


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## Kevin Van Deventer (Jan 31, 2015)

Was on my way back home on a gravel road after riding my favorite trail. I had pulled over to the edge and was putting on a sweater because my shirt was wet and cold.

This guy in a red Chevy truck saw me and floored it. I thought great I'm about to get dusted. Then I could see his teeth bared and shouting something about get the **** out of the road. Which I was on the edge already it is a very wide flat section of gravel. So plenty of room no other vehicles around.

When he got to me he swerved at me doing 50-60 mph.

I just smiled and gave him a one finger statue of liberty salute.

Another day in Oklahoma. I don't know how all the gravel riders deal with it.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

"Cock-a-roooo!!"

Conan?


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

A new one last night on the commute home. My path takes me through a train yard that is open to vehicles. As I am getting off the MUP and into the train yard a mini van is backing up at the dead end where the MUP joins. He has his window down and blocks my path as I am coming. As I get near him he yells:

"Ride up the hill!"

To which I have to respond that I am not going that way. He responds:

"No ride up the hill that is an Ebike"

To which I then respond "Nope pedal bike and not going that way", then he yells

"****** (old derogatory term for a homosexual male or a French cigarette if you prefer), take your ebike up that hill. ******"

at this point I put some power into the old legs and get away, I can hear him behind me though.

"****** ride your stupid ebike up the hill. Hey ******, ride your damn ebike up the hill" etc.

I could hear him yelling as I rode away, thankfully he didn't get louder and wasn't following me. I got back onto the divided MUP was happy to do so. Some say to this day he is still trying to find someone to ride up the hill on their ebike.


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## rlee (Aug 22, 2015)

Was riding home and a ******* tried to coal roll me. Then the dumbass turned down my road. He was visiting someone in my neighborhood and stopped at our entrance trying to figure out the access gate. People are not so tough after they get out from behind the wheel.


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## Buster Bluth (Sep 11, 2008)

A woman in a truck going the other way yelled "Bear ahead!" She was right!


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

"lve had a p!ss that lasted longer than that"
an ex girlfriend

or did it have to be bike related?


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## DennisT (Dec 29, 2019)

I have a bell on my trail bike, and for the vast majority of encounters with pedestrians it's a positive thing. I get thanked 3-4 times per ride for having and using one. But every once in a while I get a walker who will move over then yell "You're welcome" as I ride by. I usually yell back "_you're_ welcome." Not sure if they get the point, but also not sure if I should give a sh*t.


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