Unprovoked road rage

[NUKe]

Why is this happening, Motorists seem to be getting more aggressive again, twice this year, I have been abused because the other person doesn’t like the bike I ride?

This morning’s incident
I was assaulted for nothing more than he thought I should learn to ride a proper bike, I only got a partial plate but I am alright.

Passed me with horn blaring and got the required one finger salute
He stops “Why don’t you learn to ride a @@&&&& real bike”, (I was on the Grasshopper) took a swing at me hit my shoulder, not much power, still assault though. Then I think his wife or female shouted Michael get back in the car, he did. I reached in through the open window and grabbed his keys. Couldn’t quite get back on the bike (did try) he starts whining give me my keys back. I just said you’re not fit to drive, and threw them over the hedge, they must have been easy to find as he came past again later on. He braked in front of me drove off. Checked the number I remembered but it wasn’t the car on the DVLA Website.

The other incident was earlier this year when a motorist drove alongside telling me to get off the road now I was in the cycle lane at the time and so was he , I think his claim was I wasn’t allowed on the road.

[roubaixtuesday]

Absolutely shocking.

I rode a recumbent for a year and found it did attract a lot of abuse, but nothing like that.

An awful demonstration of the power of “othering”.

Hope it doesn’t affect you too much, and also that it isn’t repeated.

[Cyril Haearn]

Best to ignore them if possible, arguing and explaining is very unlikely to work

Mind, someone said that it is impossible not to communicate, ignoring can be quite effective

Got arguing with a traffic warder once, she used the phrase 'this conversation is finished' and turned away from me

[Psamathe]

I've experienced one road rage incident (where the driver stopped, got out and walked back to shout at he just inches from my face) and it is complete madness and makes me wonder about human nature. Is it something wrong with the individual or is it something that happens to (some) people when they get behind a wheel (on occasions) or both? Is there a solution beyond finding alternatives to motor cars?

Ian

[velotrev]

probably not unrelated to the obvious increased use of recreational drugs...as backed up by the increase in driver s being caught under the influence!

[cycle tramp]

There are a lot of very angry people around at the moment. Iit sounds weird but I don't think they're shouting at you, personally.

I suspect that most angry people have found themselves leading a life they don't understand, are in a relationship with someone they no longer love or recognize, have children who don't respect them, are in a job which they no longer enjoy, understand, pays well or has not got the prospects that it once had, and have mortgages and finance costs way above their means...

...they only thing left which is reasonably enjoyable, for a given measure of enjoyment is driving backwards and forwards...

...even this has been eroded by the amount of traffic on the road....

. And now there's a cyclist infront of them looking a damn sight happier than the driver is...

...ITS JUST NOT FAIR........

Envy is a terrible thing

[reohn2]

There are a lot of very angry people around at the moment. Iit sounds weird but I don't think they're shouting at you, personally.

I suspect that most angry people have found themselves leading a life they don't understand, are in a relationship with someone they no longer love or recognize, have children who don't respect them, are in a job which they no longer enjoy, understand, pays well or has not got the prospects that it once had, and have mortgages and finance costs way above their means...

...they only thing left which is reasonably enjoyable, for a given measure of enjoyment is driving backwards and forwards...

...even this has been eroded by the amount of traffic on the road....

. And now there's a cyclist infront of them looking a damn sight happier than the driver is...

...ITS JUST NOT FAIR........

Envy is a terrible thing

And some of these people are potentially very dangerous,they are sat in their weapon with a lot of pent up anger.
Loonies in cars are a bad mix for us 'lesser' beings

[MOARspeed]

Absolutely shocking.

I rode a recumbent for a year and found it did attract a lot of abuse, but nothing like that.

I think this is quite telling, the real problem is a tribal mentality, if your doing something different you'll get abuse, if your doing something even more different you'll get even more.

[Oldjohnw]

Can you clarify who gave whom the one fingered salute?

[Stradageek]

Can you clarify who gave whom the one fingered salute?

+1 for this question

I usually respond with puzzled look (occasionally with a little smile and wave, as you would to someone who was hooting because they knew you, or were admiring you bike).

You do have to be careful with your gestures. I once tried to gesture "what do you think I'm doing wrong" (in a similar situation to the OPs) by putting a hand to my head and lifting it away. This was interpreted (by the now furious motorist) as a fist to the forehead drooping forward (i.e. "d**k head).

The abuse that followed "come here and say that old man" was what really hurt - I was only 55

Fortunately a park cycle path was where I was heading and became an escape route.

[Oldjohnw]

Clearly I wasn't there and the whole situation may have been much more nuanced than I am able to read. But as a means of safer cycling I'm not convinced that one fingered salutes and taking keys and throwing them over hedges is the best approach.

[Cyril Haearn]

..
The abuse that followed "come here and say that old man" was what really hurt - I was only 55
..

I am still addressed as 'young man' but someone asked me recently whether I have grandchildren, I dinnae what to think
Guess I am a kidult

Most mortons keep their windows shut because of the curse of air-conditioning, maybe one could learn sign language

[Oldjohnw]

As variously a motorist, cyclist and pedestrian I do occasionally get it wrong. Split second decisions can go either way and minor distractions can have major consequences. My general practice is to apologise when wrong and escape intact when wronged.

Obviously, an actual impact triggers a whole other set of action, governed by law.

[NUKe]

As variouly a motorist, cyclist and pedestrian I do occasionally get it wrong. Split second decisions can go either way and minor distractions can have major consequences. My general practice is to apologise when wrong and escape intact when wronged.

Obviously, an actual impact triggers a whole other set of action, governed by law.

Yes it was me that gave the one fingered salute.

and in answer to the above there was nobody getting anything wrong, this wasn't road rage out of an incident. this was just a person getting uptight because he couldn't Speed along the road because the road was filled with bicycles of the kids going to school is my guess.

[NUKe]

I did have a separate incident, back in June when a man in car decided I should not be on the road I was in one of the white dashed optional cycle lanes at the time, he was driving in the cycle lane to tell me I shouldn't be on the road, it was getting quite hairy I told him to pull over and we would discuss it. fortunately he didn't for his sake, he didn't I would have probably have punched him the Adrenalin was at max, flight or fight, reactions had kicked in, largely because he had left me nowhere to go. I reported him at the time, He came past me again on Friday, he took the time to wind down his window, calling me a word beginning with W, repeatedly that I cant write on here, but he did keep his distance this time and give me space, so perhaps the Police having a word with him he did learn something.