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.
In the city where I live in Sweden, some crazy young men (it’s always young men) actually will try to run you over if you get in their way while on a bike. Kind of scary. I also got sprayed on purpose the other day with windshield wiper fluid, for taking the lane, and not letting him get by before some roadwork…. He sped past me after the obstacle, very close, while spraying me…. Nice.
Wow. It’s like you read my mind with this comic. I’m feeling particularly vulnerable because of an experience I had the other day with a driver and his friend and their verbal abuses, that scared the pants off of me because of it’s similarity to an incident I had in May. At that time, my taking the lane SO enraged a driver that he zoomed by my, pulled in front of me, and then slammed on his brakes in what I could only see as an attempt to cause me to collide with the back of his truck…. I have no idea what caused you to write about this now, but I really appreciate reading the comments and feeling like I’m not alone. Because the odd person that almost accidentally hits you is one thing, and people who nearly do so out of rage are another type altogether. The mean ones can really stick with you if you don’t “try to let it go”.
Those conversations don’t usually go well, so on the bike I tend to keep a low profile.
One thing that’s important to know is that a horn is legally (many jurisdictions) a SAFETY device, for alerting you of a hazard that you might not have noticed. This is important when you are driving a car, because they are so big and heavy and dangerous. So, if you are driving, and someone honks to alert you about an unknown hazard, what can you do, but slow down, maybe even stop, till you figure out what the danger is? To do otherwise would be irresponsible, right? So when I am driving and I hear a horn, ANY horn, I slow down.
Safety first!
I ignore short single honks. Anything longer, or any verbal comments denying me my right to use the road, gets reported to police. Having a thick skin helps, but getting the police call the motorist to stop the harassment is even better.
Andrew: The police don’t call; they are just being nice to you. Honking incidents aren’t high on their priority list.
An acquaintance was the victim of an intentional vehicular assault (accompanied by horn) that caused him to crash, with resulting injuries. Other than his injuries, he had no evidence and no witnesses stopped to help. Even after prociding the plate number of the vehicle, police refused to pursue the matter, as there was no evidence the motorist did anything wrong, and no physical contact was made.
In August (On the 18th) I was struck by a car in Orange County, CA. The car intentionally passed me on a 25MPH road at about 40MPH (I was doing the speed limit, maybe a bit above.) and passed so closely that his “I’m hammered extendo-mirror” from a F^%KING TRUCK that was bolted to his honda hit me and sent me into a curb and a tree simultaneously. I proceeded to curse in agony for 30-45 seconds, while a load of people just watched, didn’t ask if I was okay, then I got up and went idiot-hunting. I ran into him at a Starbucks a week later and he said (and I quote!) “You non-car driving pleb, you should kill yourself.” when I asked him “Do you remember striking me with your car two miles from here exactly 7 days ago?”
My question to you guys is: I recently found out this guy lives close to me and I see him often. Police have refused to do anything (went to PD with plate number, explained what happened, they said they have no witness etc) and he verbally assaults me if he passes me, should I get a helmet cam to record the idiots for the police?
Cagers annoy me sometimes. BTW I’m 16 years old and follow all state laws regarding cyclists (When it’s 4AM and nobody’s around ill run a stop sign but whatever)
After experiencing bike rage (me going off at cars, usually after avoiding death by them by a whisker) I have decided that where necessary, I will let the person know as calmly as possible, as me yelling or making throat cutting gestures is really not helpful. I have also started waving and smiling thanks to car drivers who do treat me like another vehicle- I figure rewarding for good habits is better than being seen yelling at the idiots- because people just see another angry, crazy cyclist, and I end up stressed out.