Dangerous Motorists

DBTU

Have you had a driver or motorist attack you or push to ground forcefully ? If so what so I do for defense the next time he or she shows up ?

NickDavid

Learn to defend yourself. No other option, other than crying and begging, but after that, you'll realize you rather would of had a beating.

Don Shipp

Report it to the police.

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"Boudreaux pissed me off, what should I do?"
"Nothing, just shut up and take his advice."

rstewar1

I carry a can of mace. Just enough to make them think about it.

NickDavid

thats a good idea... i usually encounter one motorist per riding session that chooses to be a dick. I've been boxing for years, so i'm never worried, but you never know what someone will do. They might use their auto as a weapon... crazy fuckers out there.

RedHotIron

I've stopped riding on the main drags due to a few too many very close calls, deliberate from what i could tell. It's not that anyone gets out of their vehicle.

There is no serious traffic enforcement in this state (Connecticut) & the sight of a police cruiser is a rarity, so i decided discretion is the better part of valour. The joy had gone out of cycling because of these common incidents. I'm a "utility" cyclist & now use public transport where i don't want to ride.

RedHotIron

Sorry for the double post on this, but i needed the therapy.

Skyhawk

Several times! Red necks and crazy people! One guy actually told me to get the #$%*! off the road because he is paying taxes!

Always be ready to ditch if you see a vehicle with a suspect driver or movement. I have oversized tires (schwlalbe tires); I feel confident moving to the grass. Keep a cellphone; get a good mirror and keep your eye glued to it.

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DK Hiltz

riverfever

I second the mace. Gotta watch it though...too many hand guns out there now days and trigger happy crazies that want to use them. Even living up in the mountains (which I thought was going to be bike friendly) there are quite a few turbo diesels. They like to blind you in a black cloud of unburned fuel. Bass turds. That's the most I've had to deal with up here...so far.

bigpedaler

2 years ago, riding home on a side street -- car came up, tried to squeeze past me about 6 inches away. i bellowed at him --he ran me in between parked cars with his car, gave me three blocks of profanity, threats, and thrown objects as he paced alongside me (and i had hopped onto the sidewalk!) remember the movie "green mile", and the HUGE convict? his stunt double was the driver, the only reason i didn't call him out. made me think of packing heat....

last year, didn't move over to the curb between a string of parked cars for a driver, he honked excessively, and yelling past his girlfriend, threatening to run me over, while i was bellowing to "share the mother-f***ing road!" his girl saved him that day -- i'd have snapped his spine for him had he gotten out the car....

other than that, i just get yelled at and cussed, which i return -- and then hammer after them, which makes them speed up and run red lights.

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"you may only be one person in the world -- but you may just be THE WORLD to one person."

vio765

if you get shit from a motorist, no matter how bad they wronged you, do your best to memorize everything you can about the vehicle and driver. sounds easy, but when you are extremely pissed, logic is right out the window. some things you wont forget. but get the plate number if you can. call the cops immediately. chances are, you wont get anywhere in the way of the coward that wronged you, but you might get lucky. also, mace isnt enough. get a small lightweight pistol. if the driver gets out of his or her vehicle and poses an immediate threat to you (which is pretty clear if they are screaming at you in a hostile tone), shoot them in the head. look really scared, tell them to back off etc etc so if there are witnesses that you dont notice, they will testify that you warned the prick to stay away. in the end, you are free to ride again and there is one less asshole out there. and if you are truelly lucky, all the local media will basically say "cyclists kills motorist in self defense". great PR if you ask me.

mongooseboy

small caliber pistol? NO WAY go with a .45 all the way. a bad guy with a hole through him can still attack, a bad guy flat on his ass bleeding out isnt going to be a threat anymore!

get off the bike, then your a pedestrian. Driver will lose that battle in court, guaranteed. I live in a "redneck" area and people are pretty considerate, mostly big trucks and busses are the ones to watch for around here. they all drive 70+ in the 55 zones, and the same on the windy backroads. Dangerous...I get "cool" kids yelling things out the window but most of the time im going too fast to understand them