Getting harassed while training!
- Thread starter Strumpetto
- Start date
CAMPYBOB said:
Sad thing is, I'm concentrating, so when someone screams at me, I jump like a little girl. They love it.
I've not had any problems since I found a bunch of back roads near where I live to ride on. Maybe get one car an hour and there is plenty of room for them to pass me. Another good place to train is in an Industrial Park on a weekend. Nobody's there!
I'm fortunate to live about 1/2 mile from a bike trail so I rarely encounter idiots in traffic anymore, although we probably all have at one time or another. I still do once in a while when I'm crossing streets along the path. I wait for lights, cross in crosswalks, yet I still find a knucklehead every so often who thinks I'm in his way. I've learned to shrug it off and not let it interfere with what I'm trying to accomplish.
The most common thing I get is "hey lance!", although motorists do occasionally do some harassing. I actually had one guy start to get out of his car after I yelled at him for almost pushing me off the road. I immediately got off my bike and started walking towards him, and he got back in and blew a red light. Guess I looked smaller when I was bent over in the drops,but I'm really 6'1", 190 pounds and fairly muscular.
I think this happens to most if not all of us.
I have a riding buddy that had an incident a year ago. Someone grabbed his ass and tried to throw something into his rim on a hill. He remembered the car model and make and about a year later, he ran into the car again after confirming the car had done several things to other riders in the area. This car was notorious in their local club. Now that he knew where this guy lived, he paid it a visit at 3am. He and another guy let out all the air out of the cars tires & left a note stating "don't screw with any of the cyclists in this area - we know where you live now!"
No problems since! In fact, the club members have seen the car out and about and not even the slightest bit of toying around.
Personally, I wouldn't go that far, but I make note of those cars that intentionally play games with out there. Mostly, I get away from the traffic as quickly as possible, or use the high traffic areas as a warm up.
Now, I don't want to promote violence in anyway, but I wouldn't want to be the guy getting out of the car with a cyclist who is already amp'd up and could probably turn over a small car. Adrenaline is an amazing thing!
dave
I have a riding buddy that had an incident a year ago. Someone grabbed his ass and tried to throw something into his rim on a hill. He remembered the car model and make and about a year later, he ran into the car again after confirming the car had done several things to other riders in the area. This car was notorious in their local club. Now that he knew where this guy lived, he paid it a visit at 3am. He and another guy let out all the air out of the cars tires & left a note stating "don't screw with any of the cyclists in this area - we know where you live now!"
No problems since! In fact, the club members have seen the car out and about and not even the slightest bit of toying around.
Personally, I wouldn't go that far, but I make note of those cars that intentionally play games with out there. Mostly, I get away from the traffic as quickly as possible, or use the high traffic areas as a warm up.
Now, I don't want to promote violence in anyway, but I wouldn't want to be the guy getting out of the car with a cyclist who is already amp'd up and could probably turn over a small car. Adrenaline is an amazing thing!
dave
Strumpetto said:
Happens every so often. I just try to ignore it. Annoys the car drivers a lot if you do not give their ranting importance.
Hey Pplz.
Doesn't really bother me because I train with 20 other people!
Probably to scared to even honk the horn as they wouldnt want 20 cyclists rushing at them at 30km/h!
Doesn't really bother me because I train with 20 other people!
Probably to scared to even honk the horn as they wouldnt want 20 cyclists rushing at them at 30km/h!
Seems to me like I only get the wierdo's on Sundays...went out for my normal Sunday recovery ride...got into town and be damned if the car in front of me didn't stop for the GREEN light...had to grab onto the side of his truck to keep from falling over due to the sudden stop...rolled up to his window and asked him if he stopped for many green lights and he kindly told me he just wasn't paying attention and to hold on and he would pull me through the intersection when the light turned green again...I declined and slid back behind him...then on the trip home some a__hole passed me and then stopped in front of me to take a left turn...there were a line of cars coming so he had to wait...I passed on the right and gave him the evil eye while his wife was chewing him a new one...guess she took it the same way I did...then I got about a half mile down the road and a damn motorcycle rode by so close the wind bout blew me off the road...no kidding...had I swerved even an inch we would have crashed...his buddy gave me at least 8 inches when he went by...
I looked at it as not to ride on Sundays...thats now my rest day
I looked at it as not to ride on Sundays...thats now my rest day
The worst I've had is an 80 something year old blue hair who passed me with a few inches to spare. Shocked the hell out of me. I was going about 20mph, next thing I know, the front of cadillac tank is on my hip, maybe going 25mph. I ended up in the ditch, luckily with me and my bike still intact. The kicker? It was a four lane parkway style road and she was the only car around.
Ofcourse, that's just some one who was oblivious. I get to deal with a lot big ass pick ups that feel like if they aren't going 20 over the speed limit, then they aren't burning enough gas. Honked at, cussed at, many many middle fingers. I always flash the peace sign and let it go.
I will say I've been pleasantly surprised at the number of cars I've had give two quick honks to let me know they are there and coming around.
Ofcourse, that's just some one who was oblivious. I get to deal with a lot big ass pick ups that feel like if they aren't going 20 over the speed limit, then they aren't burning enough gas. Honked at, cussed at, many many middle fingers. I always flash the peace sign and let it go.
I will say I've been pleasantly surprised at the number of cars I've had give two quick honks to let me know they are there and coming around.
Sundays are the worst for me, too: my theory is that the 'road ragers' on their way to/from work are less dangerous than the oblivious out for a Sunday drive. But lately it's been the guys pulling trailers full of ATVs and boats that have been giving me grief: maybe they're in rage mode because their fun weekend is ending. But they pass at thunderous speed with no room to spare and massive aerodynamic consequences.tiggere said:
But there are roads in my area I simply won't ride on a Sunday, anymore. Pity, cause it used to be my favorite riding day.
I'm also thinking there's a fortune to be made by some clever person who can rig up a lightweight air horn that would work from a bar mounted push button...
Sunday is a good day to ride bike trails and hope that it is too hot for the weekend warriors. This is also a good day to ride in Industrial Parks. There's still some traffic but it is usually very light. It is always interesting, though, when a parent brings their student driver there for practiceOruboris said:
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I started riding 3 months ago. I race vet motocross and wanted to get into better shape.
Anyway, I got heckled for the first time last thursday about noon. Two passengers in a pickup called me a ******, as they were driving by? WTF? Was it the tight shorts?
I mostly ride counrty roads, and seem to get challenged quite a bit for space. Seems like every other car that go by is either going 80mph or want to see just how close they can get without killing me.
Anyway, I got heckled for the first time last thursday about noon. Two passengers in a pickup called me a ******, as they were driving by? WTF? Was it the tight shorts?
I mostly ride counrty roads, and seem to get challenged quite a bit for space. Seems like every other car that go by is either going 80mph or want to see just how close they can get without killing me.
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