Thick Skin
It’s not good to honk at a cyclist because, well, it’s startlingly loud:
I can understand the need to communicate, but horns don’t do the trick. But even when some folks use their words, they don’t really do much better…
So when find myself the target of horns or yells, I simply don’t respond.
They’re not looking for a reasonable conversation. And engaging with them might make it worse. I don’t really want to see how unreasonable things could go.
After all, does this ever happen?
So I try to let it go.
Drivers Ed focuses too much on just cars & motorcycles. Should be more mandatory education of driving laws in regards to bicycles. Pass all of it or your license is denied.
Yes Janice! Every state should legislate the DMV to include focus on bicycles since they have been ‘vehicles’ since 1990. Thank you
A perfect expression of how crazy some drivers really are.
I actually had that last frame happen to me. A driver passed me while yelling “You’re supposed to SHARE the road, not TAKE IT UP” then speed off to stop at a red light. He still had his window down, so three seconds later I calmly explained that I can’t NOT take the lane because the lanes are too small for cars AND me to occupy, so in order for cars to pass me safely (especially with the 3′ passing law), I need to assert my position in the middle of the lane. He said “Oh. I didn’t know there was a 3′ passing law.”
Then the light turned green, I said have a great one, and I never had any problems from him again. Even saw him on my commute nearly every day after that.
Granted, this is one instance in an entire year of the frames before that.
I don’t trust aggressive drivers (honkers, revvers, …); so, when I hear them, I typically move left to ensure I won’t be trapped and won’t be brushed. At one 90 degree sharp turn, I always move into the travel lane because there’s no way for a car to see on-coming traffic and ensure they leave me enough room as I corner (steep lean). Most cars have no problem (it’s all of 3 seconds) but occasionally one will try to go around me by going in the on-coming traffic lane. Almost always, I pass them a few seconds later as their car’s nose is in the rear of the same one they’d have been in anyway.
Motorists need to remember they’re operating a dangerous weapon. Cyclists need to be visible and predictable.
Had one of those situations just yesterday when commuting by bike for only the second time.
I was at a light, waiting to go straight at an intersection with a turn lane to my right. I was far enough up that the right turning vehicles could safely get by and I was giving them a little wave to indicate I was aware of them and they could come up on my right and turn. One guy blows by and yells out the window “Your not supposed to be there!”
Oh really? I should stay to the right edge of the turn-only lane so he can right hook me? Must be a new traffic law.