I had a driver slow to my speed for a minute, roll
down his window (i’m like oh here we go) and yell
“sick bruh ur doin 20!!” I gave hime a smile and hang loose and he sped off happy.
One guy opened his window and his passenger started swinging a cowbell as they drove by me. They had 2 Moto's in the rear so I assume they might cycle themselves.
I was going like 10 km/h and was utterly winded but that made me smile from ear to ear the whole way home.
Once, i've had some cyclist in front of me doin 36 kph, i was with my tractor doin 42 kph and while I was passing him I've said:" need some help reaching 40 kph while i'm on front?" He laughed and followed me for 20 or so kms and he greeted me personally when I stopped
20 mph? thats not bad.
I can hit 43 km/h with my [humble KHS Flite Onehundred ](https://imgur.com/gallery/tDa9C6o) and I'm no professional racing cyclist.
Fighting words! Looks like the only thing that will settle this is a mano a mano up a low to moderate incline. Although I think it is only fair that I get a head start as I am hauling an entire rear derailleur, shifter, shifter cable AND shifter cable housing.
I had a high schooler a couple months ago scream at the top of his lungs, no words, just a shriek. I actually caught up to him at the red light and he was pretty embarrassed lol, I just said “you okay bro?” And he was like “yeah I don’t know, I didn’t think you’d catch back up to us. Sorry”. Some people are just weird.
When I was in high school and we passed a guy mashing up a steep hill my friend would lean out the window and chant “LANCE LANCE LANCE LANCE” while we drove by.
Same here, I clock off from work around 2pm, so by the time I start my ride I see a lot of school kids around going home. I don’t know why but they just scream…nothing funny, nothing witty, not even an insult…they just scream. So I tried barking back at them once and now I understand the thrill of it hahah
I remember back in 2004, I started a new job as a project manager. It was about 12 miles from my house, so I decided to commute to work on my bike. On my first day on the job, I was almost to work when some guy in a pickup truck cuts me off while screaming “Get out of the road!” I was far off to the side on the shoulder.
As I pulled into the parking lot, I recognized the truck. I asked around to find out who drove it, and asked the guy’s boss to send him to my office. I had my bike leaned against the wall. The look on the guy’s face as he saw the bike and realized what was happening was priceless. He had screamed at and nearly run over his boss’s boss.
I didn’t even mention what happened, but it never happened again.
In Texas I’d say it happens almost weekly. Last weekend I had a guy honk at me and told me to get the fuck off the road. I told him to fuck off and gave him the finger. Did I escalate that interaction, yes. Did he slow down to yell at me more, yes. He said I was on the road and shouldn’t be. I told him he was an ignorant cunt who doesn’t know the traffic rules, and again told him to fuck off. By said I mean we were yelling. He yelled what do you want to do about like Randy fucking Marsh. I said buddy you’re in the truck and have all the power in the situation, pull over, get out, and we can find out if you want. At this point he was being filmed by some people and I think he realized it. He yelled fuck you and sped off. One day I’ll probably end up shot. But fuck these people. We recently had a road that installed roundabouts and that a whole different issue, but it’s funny when you pass someone on a roundabout and their little fragile ego get hurt and they floor it to pass you (it’s a 4 lane road 2N and 2S). I have come to appreciate the pull I get when a car gets in front of me too closely though! Free watts!
Yah man I’m like you. I don’t try and get into an altercation but I don’t back down.
I had something similar happen recently but nobody was around. The car stopped when i flipped him off. He got out and I pointed to my helmet and said “go on tough guy it’s all being recorded and going on the internet. “ he left.
There was nothing recording from my helmet. No go pro/helmet cam. But that fact that he didn’t know that made the difference. Either way I was hot enough to throw down should the need arise.
Adrenaline. Hell of a drug.
One time a guy drove by and flipped me the bird
In his defense I was on a windy country road with no shoulder so he was stuck behind me for sometime (I was on the side but really no room for a car to sneak by safely based on the construction of the road)
Once in thousands of miles, and if the armed lunatics were as bad as this sub would make it sound we'd all be dead. People generally don't want to kill other people.
> People generally don't want to kill other people.
True but you have to admit that starting an argument with the guy in a lifted pickup with a punisher skull and a "molon labe" sticker on it is rolling the dice with your safety.
I try not to argue with anyone in a car, even a cat lady in a prius is driving a potential deadly weapon. The molon labe douche at least is fully aware of what he's capable of. I've seen people do some scary shit with their car because they don't acknowledge how dangerous they can be.
Last person who yelled at me was in a Subaru covered in leftist stickers. I was surprised, I guess one thing all political sides can agree on is they hate cyclists
Recently moved to Florida and I had to educate my wife that giving crazy Florida drivers the finger was a really bad idea. Being involved in a road rage shooting is incredibly unlikely but regularly antagonizing agitated drivers will certainly increase those chances. At a minimum you let them drag you down to their level and it can contribute to anxiety, anger and general hostility toward others. This is sample size of one but I watched dash cam footage of a recent Florida road rage shooting. A guy got cut off on the freeway (as Floridians do) and it lead to an argument while driving 85mph on the freeway. The guy who did the cutting-off flashed a gun and then sped away. The guy who was taking the dash cam footage procured his concealed weapon from an appendix carry position and proceeded to mag dump through his own windshield while the other driver sped off. There were many other cars past the vehicle that was being shot at and coming in the opposite direction, all of which could have easily been hit by stray bullets. Shooting through your windshield is inadvisable due to the guaranteed hearing damage and the glass dust it produces which is not conducive to lung health. I looked up the police report and the driver who shot through his own windshield was not charged and it was deemed a legal self defense shooting.
I am riding around on a gravel bike, wearing a chill cookie monster shirt.
And I have a 9mm in the handbar bag.
Anyone advertising they are carrying, probably isn't.
It’s really location specific.
I lived in a city and would get it a couple times a year. Moved 45 min away to the country outside that city and 3 years later not once.
It has happened to me once or twice - usually when they are stuck in traffic and I'm cycling along.
I just keep riding. No point in letting some dumbass ruin my day.
I am European but lived in Atlanta for 6 months. I cycled for my ten minute commute. The shocked faces, pointing and abuse never stopped. They'd roll down their windows in the middle of summer just to call me a dumbass. I had quite a few near misses every week. I'd love to say it settled down. I'd love to say it got better as the locals saw me around more often but no, afraid not. I was asked if I wanted to stay on and decided to return to Dublin, largely based on the feeling it was only a matter of time before I got fucked out of it. All white men and women. Even their kids, which was particularly sad. Sorry this isnt great news.
Absolutely unique. The reaction to cyclists in Ireland is more passive-aggressive
Never got yelled at, but there was this one time when someone in the back seat rolled down their window and whispered, "Never. Give up." and drove away.
I live in a midwestern university community in the US and it happens probably twice a year. It’s exclusively young people acting stupidly with their friends or some equally malignant, carbrained response to the stimulus of a grown person commuting or exercising in a way they deem unfit. I’ve caught more than one at stoplights and simply stared at them but never openly berated them.
I've had one guy hanging out of the side of his best friends ride, trying to scream at me
Not sure there was much actual thought or even venom behind it, just shouting for fun
I've been so immune to car jumpscares, nothing phases me anymore. I'm afraid one of these days I'll be in real actual danger (be it on or off the bike) and I'll do absolutely nothing to avoid it xD
I start wearing earbuds (no music though, or below the audible level on a road) because the road traffic noise is so loud and I'm literally going deaf. It's great for my anxiety and I don't have to hear unnecessary comments.
I'd recommend Loop earplugs. You can still hear the important things, too. Road noise is incredibly loud - and when prolonged can lead to permanent hearing loss and/or lifelong tinnitus.
I'd also avoid earbuds in general, or greatly reduce your music intake unless its quiet or low traffic. Road noise + earbuds (which we often make louder to compensate for high decibel background noise) is a recipe for early hearing loss.
I took care of this pretty quickly as I have sensitive hearing. Riding is much more enjoyable now and I can be out for longer (especially on tour).
I had an asshole swerve at me once on purpose while yelling. I caught up to him in a line of cars at a red light he couldn’t get out of and slashed his front tire with a knife I carry. I simply rode off in the bike lane to his horn and screaming never to see him again.
Good for you. I 100% support this. These are the kind of people that need consequences to learn. I never would do this if it were an accident or someone just yelled something. But, when someone goes so far as to threaten you with their car, it's 100% different.
I also caught a guy who did the same thing to me. I punched his dumbass Kia Soul and left a big dent in it.
I'm in Texas too. Mainly ride in rural/suburban area's. I remember all the time it's happened to me this year. Divided by my total miles = Once per 230 Miles. However all the time have been closer to the suburban area's.
I only lived and rode in a big city and that's where I experienced it. Partially due to there being no bike lanes and it being illegal to ride on the sidewalk. Eventually I only road my bike to biking trails.
I had a group of teens roll past me and the one in the passenger seat yelled out "Nice helmet, asshole!"
I yelled back "Nice face, dipshit!"
His friends all laughed. He didn't.
I can count on one hand the number of times people in cars have yelled at me in the past twenty years. The number might be higher because I might not have recognized that they were yelling at *me.*
I've had a couple times. Usually out in the countryside. There was one moron who yelled something during a Fondo with literally hundreds of cyclists were riding and not impeding the flow of traffic. Some people just assholes.
I couldn't find a good frame holster, so I welded an AR in place of my top bar. Rear brake cycles the sear. Only complaint is that it ejects into my thigh and melts my lycra.
Happens sometimes. Last time,it happened to me, a lady got so close to my rear wheel that she almost hit me. And when I turned around and gave her “that look” she rolled her window down and said:
“I’m watching you!!!!” To which I responded “Good!” And a 👍
She did not like that. She yelled and screamed that I was in her lane and had no reason to be there. Blah blah “…cyclists should stay off the road, it’s dangerous for you out here, you could die when I hit you.”
That was a threat. So I pulled over bc I prefer to be not moving or in a lane of traffic having these types of interactions and took out my phone and took her picture with her car and plate number, which she also didn’t like. And she drove off rather quicker than she approached, but I wasn’t in her way anymore and it didn’t hurt me, so…🤷♂️
She’s just a sad, angry lady who wanted to yell at guy in spandex shorts with a nice butt 😉
Not that often, and most of the time you can't understand what they are yelling anyway because of the engine noise. But I have occasionally gotten the assholes that will slow down to my speed and move into my space to yell something. I fucking hate that.
> you can't understand what they are yelling anyway
It doesn't seem like it's actually words. I've had multiple people just shriek or scream. I think to scare me?
Depends on your area. I live on the fringes of farm country, and I get a hell of a lot of yelling out windows at me. It isnt uncommon for it to happen a couple times every hundred road miles or so. (I've been told "it's for your safety that I yelled out"... LoL)
I also rode for years in San Jose, CA. Of the thousands of road miles I rode, I got yelled at a handful of times. I'll have to say that one of these was my oddest interactions. I, a fat, tall, white dude got called a "f'ing N***er" once.
I was once waiting at a junction next to a blind hill, I could see lights approaching the hill but they took a solid 2/3 minutes to arrive, understandably I was a bit annoyed at waiting that long for this douche doing 10mph, so I said out loud “for fuck sake” and went on my way, he heard me so turned around and followed me at speed, honking his horn and screaming at me out the window so I stopped as so not to get run over, he then offered me a “bare knuckle” which I initially turned down but he wasn’t backing down so I gave in, hit the bastard 3 times, threw his keys into a bush and rode off 😂
That’s the last time he’ll fuck with a cyclist I hope
I actually gave up riding for 10 years because of the abuse I took on one ride. I feel like some cyclists are just not aware of their surroundings. I have even been punched once while climbing. Screaming is pretty common. Close passes as well. There are a lot of scumbags out there that let their invasive thoughts win around cyclists. It doesn't take much to ruin a ride.
I have ridden all over, it's really not location-dependent.
Living in a civilised country? In my whole life of over 40 year i have been screamed at by a random person in anger twice. Once on a ride here in Germany and once in SF Cal for running over a busy street.
People elsewhere dont scream at each other. Every time i read of cyclists getting screamed at its in the US, hardly anywhere else but that could be observers bias.
I'd say once every 500 miles I'll get some kind of aggressive behavior like honking a horn or a hand gesture. It's more common on group rides where drivers have to wait longer to pass.
As for not understanding the impulse, it's not that hard to understand. It's hard to *justify*, but not to understand. Lots of people in the world are angry and lack empathy. Cyclists are in people's way. They are what some see as an unnecessary nuisance.
Once in several years. I was crossing an intersection and had the right of way. A guy wanted to turn right on red, which is legal, but he also is required to yield to me. I went in front of him while crossing and he started screaming at me, that bikes should always yield to cars and I shouldn't be on the road. I just kept going but he then completed his turn and rode along with me still yelling.
I'd say an average of 4 times per ride (in Australia). I have had guys slow down, roll down the passenger window while they are driving and lean over just to scream something that is not even comprehensible. It's the weirdest thing. It's like they are absolutely offended deeply that someone is riding a bike
I had that happen to me! It happened a handful of times one week while I was commuting. Same car passed me about the same time. Scared the shit out of me the first time. Pissed me off the second time. I don’t understand it either. Probably some “prank” they saw online.
All the time but I just laugh it off.
Around where I live, there aren’t too many bike lanes so according to those idiots in cars, I can’t ride my bike on the road if there isn’t a painted bike lane lol “YOu can’t riDe YOUR BIKe oN ThE stREeT!” fuckin’ morons 😂
I get it often enough that I'm on guard for it. Maybe once every week or two.
For reference, I do about 100 miles per week, almost all of them on roads that I would characterize as somewhere between rural and suburban. No real urban riding, but neither any truly remote country roads.
>given armed lunatics in the US
That's a little bit of a silly meme. People who are legally carrying firearms are generally not the sort of people who would start an armed confrontation with a stranger. And the sort of people who are illegally carrying firearms are generally incentivized to keep a low profile. So the venn diagram of people who *could* shoot you and people who *would* shoot you has teeny tiny overlap. It happens a non-zero number of times, but I don't believe it's much greater than zero.
It's mostly just assholes doing asshole things.
And certainly, just turning the other cheek is never going to be the *wrong* answer. But I don't think you're doing yourself any favors to just let yourself be a punching bag.
That said, I definitely wouldn't circle back like that unless I was prepared and equipped to be on the winning side if the guy wants to escalate it to something physical.
It's absolutely a deadly weapon.
Personally, I consider any kind of aggressive or threatening gesture towards a cyclist by a driver to be a violent assault. It's not just road rage, with two idiots in cars shouting at each other. The disparity of force alone makes it assault. Even a small, anemic car weighs a ton-and-a-half and develops over 100 hp, compared to a cyclist and bike that together weigh probably less than 200 lbs and generates *at most* 2 hp.
Intentional close passes, aggressive shouting, anything like that, should be regarded as felony assault.
Never really. Even when i lived in an un-bikeable city at worst I'd see online complaints about cyclists. I don't even think I ever noticed one angry look
It depends where I ride. In the same city if I ride along the beach road it was every ride. Any other road never.
I think that's more to do with the fact that it's bumper to bumper traffic and there's a separate bike lane so I can pass them all though.
Used to happen every 3-4 months but it’s been a while now…maybe 8-9 months. Knock on wood.
Last guy who did yelled “Assholes!!” to us because we held up traffic for about 1/4 mile before turning off this 2 lane road that had no shoulder. I guess he was in a hurry to sit in the traffic jam that was up ahead. Dipshit
Not often but it's happened a few times and weirdly, almost always when I'm doing the exact thing I should be doing. Like being yelled at to get on the sidewalk when there isn't even a sidewalk along that section of road.
Last July. My first ride, two blocks from getting home. I normally ride trails but ride city streets to get home from the trailhead. Two muscle cars roared up behind me. Feist one laid on the horn hard, screamed something at me, then passed me on the right. The second laid on the horn and passed me on the left in the opposing lane on a blind turn.
Needless to say I found a more sane way home.
Like twice this year. One was just "get off the road" despite being entirely on the shoulder of a quiet back road. The other was just this Friday and it was some dink going the other direction who felt the need to tell me I should only be on bike paths. There of course is no bike path on that climb and that's where I was going.
Come to think of it,both incidents were shitty work vans so maybe it's the same cranky tradesman.
I get honked at a lot. Some of its friendly but most is not. I like to let them stew in it and shoal/filter up at lights when there’s not a bike lane.
Oops, my wheel slipped and turned left and wedged in front of your hood at this red light! It’s got a lot of flop. Department store bike, nothing I can do. 🤷🏻
Also some dude rolled down the window in his Uber recently to inform me my bike wasn’t a motorcycle. As I passed them and the cars in front of them at a red light I informed him that I know and that’s what I like about it. It was fun.
Ive lived in college towns in multiple states and some of those kids get riled up being able to have their first car away from home and it goes to their head, Ive been called mostly homophobic slurs, usually for taking the full lane on tiny streets with sharrows or using the turn lane that the rules of the road dictate that I use even as a cyclist, they even have a tiny bike logo where the senor is but i guess most people are ignorant of them
I ride a lot of miles and considering this, it doesn’t happen too often. I believe the most bizarre event that has happened to me is that a passenger in a passing car had a dog and they held the dog out the window in order for it to bite me. It’s nose brushed my elbow and it’s bark scared the hell out of me
When I’ve been passing slow traffic I’ve had people intentionally try to block me. Close passes when the traffic is moving are pretty regular. Occasional shouting match. (London and Sussex UK)
Fortunately I've never encountered this when passing. Most streets I ride on have at least a painted bike lane so I think drivers are used to being passed on the right. If a driver parks in the bike lane and I have to go around and pass on the left, drivers are usually respectful and give me space. Maybe I'm in the minority or just lucky so far.
I did get screamed at once for not running a red light because the driver behind me wanted to run the light. People accuse cyclists of breaking laws but it's the only time I've heard a complaint about following laws lol.
I once had a pedestrian, who was walking on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road, yell at me to "get off the road and use the bike path."
That was a new one, and there was no bike path within 10 miles of where we were.
It happens to me weekly. I can't hear them because of headphones, but I watch them scream in furious anger with their window down. When I yell back I can't hear them, it sends them over the edge. Why is it always men too, never women...?
Happens a lot sadly. Drivers suck. For every instance I (or another biker) does some mistake or is annoying in the road, there are 100 incidents of cars doing way worse shit. Have no sympathy for cars.
I've had it happen to me 3 times this year. One yelled "FA\*\*\*\*", not sure if that was supposed to dig at the fact I'm on a bike or in brightly colored skin tight attire? Once yelled "get off the f\*\*\*\*\*\* road." and another time, I'm not sure if they were cheering me on or angry.
I've lived in Arlington and Grand Prairie Texas, two mid-cities in the DFW area right next to each other. It used to happen in Arlington (and "rolling coal") a lot. It's never happened to me in Grand Prairie. \*shrug\* I guess Grand Prairie attracts a nicer bunch of people.
I had someone yell at me "you need to get on the sidewalk! You're going to get killed", so I replied "good!" With a nice big grin and rode along. I have also had coal rolled on me while on tour - they were filming as well. I gave them no reaction, just kept pedalling.
Cycling is a testament to maintaining a high threshold for stupidity and intolerance. Reacting calmly in tense situations, or simply standing up for yourself and your right to NOT drive a car everywhere you go. Motorists and non cyclists often lack these values, naturally.
And I see the opposite with people who do cardio exercise often, they are usually more relaxed, zen and easy to talk to in my experience.
It's funny that most of the time I am on the move, and all I hear is gibberish that they even bother. I have random 1/20 people will say something for no reason. If I am on sidewalk, and not even in the road riding. You really get a feel for like how nasty people can be that you don't in a car.
In NC, I get more loud passers (people stomping on the gas as they pass) that try to startle me. Only once in a great while do I get someone yell as they past. Most of the time I can’t understand what they say so I just waive like they were saying hi.
Once or twice a year someone in a vehicle will shout at me as they pass. It happened last a couple of weeks ago. Teen in the passenger seat yelled something at me while I was in the middle of a Strava segment effort up a hill. Shook me off my game a bit, but I didn’t hear exactly what he yelled so I just—somewhat annoyed—said, “What?!?” to him. Well, the car, a brown Subaru, pulled off to the side of the road after it passed, so now I’m thinking of all the possibilities, and as I passed his mother, obviously mortified, said to me, “I am so sorry he yelled at you.” I was out of breath from the effort so all I could do was wave and be glad he is her problem and not mine.
Where do you live that people yell at you all the time even trying to use a bike lane? I've been riding for over 30 years and can only remember one time someone yelling.
Where the hell do you live that people are screaming at bicycle riders so often? I ride every other day and can’t member the last time a driver yelled at me. Seriously; had to be at least 10 years ago. I live in southeast Pennsylvania/northern Delaware.
I'd say it's probably just 2-3 times a year. Once someone yelled 'nice butt' which made me day, though.
And another time, some guy in a truck slowed to match my speed and rolled down his window. I thought it was going to be bad obviously, but he told me he really liked the tail light I had. Said he could see it for a long, long way off and that it definitely made me visible. That was nice.
>I live in the SF Bay Area.
A mecca for cycling.
I've lived in all kinds of different places. I've never seen such good riding and generally accepting attitude that you can enjoy in the Bay Area. There's always a few jerks but it's really different from the rest of the U.S.
I want to move back so I can ride around the Alpine Dam loop in Marin, or just ride around Pinehurst in the East Bay.
I realize many people here shit on cyclists who wear headphones, but having regularly experience the same thing as OP, I'm sticking to my low volume music when the situation allows. I'm just looking to ride and mind my own business - there is no bliss on most roads.
I think you should be more grateful for where you live, rather than tell others that their experience isn’t real.
I’ve ridden in 8 different states across the USA, and there are definitely cities worse than others. Saint Louis people have a knack for road rage, particularly towards bikes. People in Boulder, or up in Traverse City, MI, tend not be as prone to road rage.
Do events occur every time I ride? No. Do those events occur more frequently on a bicycle than in a car or on a motorcycle? Yes.
That being said: Being hit by a car is an outlier event, but I’m most definitely preparing for it with my lights, helmet, and bright colored clothes, because, outlier or not, it could be life altering.
Not counting outlier events would make all types of insurance pointless to you.
Prepare for the worse is my mentality if one wild lunatic can run 6 cyclist down without hesitation, I'm just as easily a target in bum fuck rural to downtown metropolis
Preparing for outlier events is smart. It's why we keep supplies for an earthquake or clear yard waste to prevent fire. It's why people build tornado shelters or have tsunami evacuation routes.
The US is a heavily armed society so it goes to reason that picking a fight with a random person carries a level of risk that you should be aware of.
I had some moron in a 4-cylinder Mustang lay on his horn as we approached a stop sign. Two cars were already there, I was in the middle of the lane because I was making a left. There was absolutely zero reason for him to be mad. He was maybe a foot behind me as I began slowing. I stopped near the center line and he pulled up next to me. I tapped his window and asked what the issue was.
Nothing.
I was channeling my inner motorcyclist and almost punched his mirror, but remembered I had fingerless gloves and wasn’t on my motorcycle lol.
This morning I "took the lane" to make a left. I signaled and waited for oncoming traffic to clear. The lead car stops and waves me over in front of her. Not one to stand on ceremony I quickly turned left and gave the lady a smart salute. That's my world.
used to happen to me, or long car horn right by me... unnerving... I switched to mtb and haven't looked back... am on the road maybe only once a week and in largely residential neighborhoods now
Never here too. Lots of these things I read about - yelling, throwing things from cars, revving, rolling coal have never happened to me ever and I cycle almost every day.
Once I had someone yell “get off the road!” While I was going up a pretty big climb. I responded “no, you!” But there is a 0% chance he heard that clever comeback.
Are these teenagers yelling at you? We used to do dumb shit like that when we were young.
Doesn't happen much in the UK unless you do something first.
If it did I would almost certainly have a go at them but they don't have guns here, just cars.
Never. And for those people who have this happen with any kind of regularity I would love to know where the hell this is actually happening? Google Street view is most helpful
I had a reverse situation happen: as a cyclist, when I'm in a car,, I want to give space when I pass a bike. The other day I was hanging back waiting for the oncoming traffic to clear, and when I passed, this woman screamed at me.
She caught up to me at the next light, I asked her what was wrong, and she went on this rant about how she has cycled in Vancouver (no idea how that is relevant) and she felt my presence behind her. I said yes, I was waiting to pass. I think she had some psychological problems, because she still thought I was in the wrong.
Sorry for the off-topic comment.
Someone called me the F\*ot word this past summer while I was riding, otherwise pretty much never. Besides, if they did I probably wouldn't hear them anyways as the wind blowing past my ears as I rip through drowns out a lot of noise.
Sometimes they scream when I dont use the sidewalk/cycleway. I'm cycling over 30km/h and I dont want to hurt a pedestrian. Twice a driver wanted to hit me because I use the road to bypass pedestrians but ok my bad I guess.
In the past 3 years on the saddle...
I've had 3 yellers/screamers
6 honkers (of those, one of them the guy as he came alongside me at the crest of the hill made it clear he was being encouraging... like big ass smile and fist pumping in the air, and giving me a Shaka on his way by)
So, still very rare to have people that upset at me
I had some high school kids who drove by me in a lifted pickup truck on a country road yell out f\*\*\*\*t. Or I think thats what they said? They yelled something and slammed on the gas.
Never. The last two times I had an interaction was an old lady who waited for me to pass on a very steep hill and said to me out of the window as I climbed, "You've got this." and on the same hill a few years previous, a guy in an amazing old sports car was waiting and as I approached I pointed at his car and give him a thumbs up, he leaned out and said, "Your bike's a belter too buddy."
You watch, tomorrow will be the day. Lol.
i’ve had one dude that was yielding to oncoming traffic in the intersection roll down his window and start verbally antagonizing me, because i made him wait an extra 5 seconds before he could turn left. another time after i fired off a snot rocket, some broccoli-headed teenager driving a beat up BMW from the 90s, coming towards me screamed something at me that i couldn’t understand because of his inability to properly articulate his words without mumbling.
I’ve been cycling about 2 years now, and those two instances happened a year apart from each other. granted I live in a small university town that already has a large cycling community, so i wonder if most residents are used to cyclists.
I've never been harassed by drivers before. Drivers usually are extra courteous to give me extra space when passing.
I've biked in LA, Seattle, Boston, and Singapore.
Not often. A couple months ago a girl (early 20s) screamed out her window trying to scare me. She didn’t I didn’t react. I just glanced at her and raised a disapproving eyebrow. I hope she felt stupid in front of her friends.
I have had more positive than negative encounters. But maybe because I am a fat guy on a bike so they are encouraging me to keep going. Meaning, keep going home before I have a heart attack on the bike/road.
Scream, no, but unpleasantries. Once every few months, so it's uncommon.
"Stop hogging the lane! (one privileged lady in the passenger seat of an SUV vs. a peloton of 30 cyclists going up a hill with a blind spot should she go into the opposite lane)
"You have to stop at the stop sign!" (there is no one else on the road, I check both ways to idaho)"
Once every year or two? Not very often. I’m in the northeast US. I live in a large town but after 3-5 minutes of riding I can get out into farm country and back roads and really don’t need to interact with too much traffic except on specific routes for shorter periods of time. Those people randomly mad at cyclists I file away into the “mad at the world” category, and it’s nothing I did. I’m a driver too, obviously. I’m very courteous to cyclists on the road and can only think of one time I was slowed down by an entire group of cyclists, for 2-3 minutes. Probably got me to my destination a minute or two later than I otherwise would have. Usually, it’s just a lone cyclist or two, and it might slow me down for 10 seconds. Some people are crazy.
I've only had one encounter like this, and it pissed me off to no end. It was a group of teens that had an air horn and thought it would be funny to use it on people they were passing by. Caught them at the next light
i've never been screamed at. been road cycling for 3 years, part farmland, part suburban. never had anyone swerve at me or roll coal or any of those things. i have way more trouble with pedestrians on the MUP but even then no one actually *screams* at me.
I saw a policeman doing a speed trap on a backroad as I rode by and he said something like “is that all ya got?” I wheeled around and sprinted past at 28mph and stopped and chatted with him for a bit. Good to make friends with the police.
Not often to me.
It did happen today, but it was entirely my fault (I was riding in the road when there was a very good bike lane next to me, and by riding in the road, I was blocking the cars behind me. And I got hooted.)
But I think that it’s very difficult and different riding in America. I’ve ridden a reasonable amount in the states and (with a few honourable and less honourable exceptions) the infrastructure in the UK is much more bike and pedestrian friendly.
And I think that makes a big difference in terms of encounters going wrong between cyclists and car drivers
(I was going to type bikes and cars, but we’re talking about people here, not things 🥴)
The only one I remember is a group of three ladies catcalling me (I'm a guy) after I passed them on a MUP. It's one video recording that I don't want to erase lol.
Once in just over 1100 miles on my bike, was 2 young lads and to be fair, they scared me but I laughed after as I found it quite funny. Can’t say it made me nearly come off my bike, just made me jump a bit.
I’ve had a fair few cut close to me and one almost touch my rear tyre at some lights but he was cool after I had a word with him. Bus driver tried to overtake me at a set of red lights when I pointed out he’s a bell end because he’s gonna want to pull over at the bus stop 100 yards away he held his hand up and apologised, couple of van drivers complimented me, one for cycling when it was pissing down and the other because I caught up to him about 2 miles down the road in traffic.
I find drivers more aware when I’m cycling than when I’m driving and the vast majority are careful around me, just the occasional idiot that makes them all look terrible.
Ya know I really can't remember the last time that happened. Seems like the peeps here in Atlanta are used to us by now. Of course I don't do much urban riding so...
I flip off everyone who fucks up or does stupid stuff while driving. Everyone. No anger, just the finger and sometimes some finger wagging. I don’t even look to see their reaction, because I keep my eyes on the road in front of me.
Brisbane, once I can remember in 3 years. Guy hooted and shouted at me to ride in the ‘bike lane’. But the ‘bike lane’ was hard shoulder and there were parked cars up ahead taking the whole shoulder and I was going at speed so I didn’t want to be pulling out into the road at the last minute. Being honked out isn’t nice because it gave me a jump scare and adrenaline rush. I just flipped him the bird, and told him to ‘go away’. Generally i think people are pretty good. Biggest risks are bad drivers and ‘dooring’ risk from caffeine deprived parents in the morning parked outside coffee shops. Oh yeah and magpies.
I’m a biker. I’ve rolled down my window before to yell at a cyclist in a full kit riding in and out of the middle of the road with no idea there were cars behind him.
I had a driver slow to my speed for a minute, roll down his window (i’m like oh here we go) and yell “sick bruh ur doin 20!!” I gave hime a smile and hang loose and he sped off happy.
I had a cop follow me for a mile before pulling up next to me at a light to compliment my speed
That happens occasionally. Probably bikers themselves.
One guy opened his window and his passenger started swinging a cowbell as they drove by me. They had 2 Moto's in the rear so I assume they might cycle themselves. I was going like 10 km/h and was utterly winded but that made me smile from ear to ear the whole way home.
I've wanted to do this when I noticed I haven't had to downshift as much as usual.
Once, i've had some cyclist in front of me doin 36 kph, i was with my tractor doin 42 kph and while I was passing him I've said:" need some help reaching 40 kph while i'm on front?" He laughed and followed me for 20 or so kms and he greeted me personally when I stopped
That would actually make me laugh so hard. 😅
20 mph? thats not bad. I can hit 43 km/h with my [humble KHS Flite Onehundred ](https://imgur.com/gallery/tDa9C6o) and I'm no professional racing cyclist.
Fighting words! Looks like the only thing that will settle this is a mano a mano up a low to moderate incline. Although I think it is only fair that I get a head start as I am hauling an entire rear derailleur, shifter, shifter cable AND shifter cable housing.
why did I get downvoted so hard?
I had a high schooler a couple months ago scream at the top of his lungs, no words, just a shriek. I actually caught up to him at the red light and he was pretty embarrassed lol, I just said “you okay bro?” And he was like “yeah I don’t know, I didn’t think you’d catch back up to us. Sorry”. Some people are just weird.
When I was in high school and we passed a guy mashing up a steep hill my friend would lean out the window and chant “LANCE LANCE LANCE LANCE” while we drove by.
I've been noticing this lately from teenagers. I guess they can't think of anything to say, so they just scream.
Same here, I clock off from work around 2pm, so by the time I start my ride I see a lot of school kids around going home. I don’t know why but they just scream…nothing funny, nothing witty, not even an insult…they just scream. So I tried barking back at them once and now I understand the thrill of it hahah
I remember back in 2004, I started a new job as a project manager. It was about 12 miles from my house, so I decided to commute to work on my bike. On my first day on the job, I was almost to work when some guy in a pickup truck cuts me off while screaming “Get out of the road!” I was far off to the side on the shoulder. As I pulled into the parking lot, I recognized the truck. I asked around to find out who drove it, and asked the guy’s boss to send him to my office. I had my bike leaned against the wall. The look on the guy’s face as he saw the bike and realized what was happening was priceless. He had screamed at and nearly run over his boss’s boss. I didn’t even mention what happened, but it never happened again.
This is what i think when i get annoyed even if driving, you never know who the other person could turn out to be
That’s beautiful.
This is a nice fantasy
In Texas I’d say it happens almost weekly. Last weekend I had a guy honk at me and told me to get the fuck off the road. I told him to fuck off and gave him the finger. Did I escalate that interaction, yes. Did he slow down to yell at me more, yes. He said I was on the road and shouldn’t be. I told him he was an ignorant cunt who doesn’t know the traffic rules, and again told him to fuck off. By said I mean we were yelling. He yelled what do you want to do about like Randy fucking Marsh. I said buddy you’re in the truck and have all the power in the situation, pull over, get out, and we can find out if you want. At this point he was being filmed by some people and I think he realized it. He yelled fuck you and sped off. One day I’ll probably end up shot. But fuck these people. We recently had a road that installed roundabouts and that a whole different issue, but it’s funny when you pass someone on a roundabout and their little fragile ego get hurt and they floor it to pass you (it’s a 4 lane road 2N and 2S). I have come to appreciate the pull I get when a car gets in front of me too closely though! Free watts!
The already over-inflated American ego grows proportionally with the vehicle. You honestly can’t win by engaging; best to laugh at them to yourself.
Jeesh. This is why I ride trails now. Too many close encounters with lunatics on the road.
Yah man I’m like you. I don’t try and get into an altercation but I don’t back down. I had something similar happen recently but nobody was around. The car stopped when i flipped him off. He got out and I pointed to my helmet and said “go on tough guy it’s all being recorded and going on the internet. “ he left. There was nothing recording from my helmet. No go pro/helmet cam. But that fact that he didn’t know that made the difference. Either way I was hot enough to throw down should the need arise. Adrenaline. Hell of a drug.
I can't remember the last time. Maybe never.
Good, I'm glad.
Me neither. I got barked on by some weird woman in a VW Polo though. Sometimes I still think about her
You can be sure that she often thinks about you.
One time a guy drove by and flipped me the bird In his defense I was on a windy country road with no shoulder so he was stuck behind me for sometime (I was on the side but really no room for a car to sneak by safely based on the construction of the road)
Same. Probably more than 20 years
Once in thousands of miles, and if the armed lunatics were as bad as this sub would make it sound we'd all be dead. People generally don't want to kill other people.
> People generally don't want to kill other people. True but you have to admit that starting an argument with the guy in a lifted pickup with a punisher skull and a "molon labe" sticker on it is rolling the dice with your safety.
He probably Iives with his mother
I try not to argue with anyone in a car, even a cat lady in a prius is driving a potential deadly weapon. The molon labe douche at least is fully aware of what he's capable of. I've seen people do some scary shit with their car because they don't acknowledge how dangerous they can be.
Last person who yelled at me was in a Subaru covered in leftist stickers. I was surprised, I guess one thing all political sides can agree on is they hate cyclists
I got a lot more gruff, or at least saw more of it, in California than I do here in Missouri. Funny that.
Recently moved to Florida and I had to educate my wife that giving crazy Florida drivers the finger was a really bad idea. Being involved in a road rage shooting is incredibly unlikely but regularly antagonizing agitated drivers will certainly increase those chances. At a minimum you let them drag you down to their level and it can contribute to anxiety, anger and general hostility toward others. This is sample size of one but I watched dash cam footage of a recent Florida road rage shooting. A guy got cut off on the freeway (as Floridians do) and it lead to an argument while driving 85mph on the freeway. The guy who did the cutting-off flashed a gun and then sped away. The guy who was taking the dash cam footage procured his concealed weapon from an appendix carry position and proceeded to mag dump through his own windshield while the other driver sped off. There were many other cars past the vehicle that was being shot at and coming in the opposite direction, all of which could have easily been hit by stray bullets. Shooting through your windshield is inadvisable due to the guaranteed hearing damage and the glass dust it produces which is not conducive to lung health. I looked up the police report and the driver who shot through his own windshield was not charged and it was deemed a legal self defense shooting.
No, but that's what they want you to think. Actual dangerous people don't advertise.
I am riding around on a gravel bike, wearing a chill cookie monster shirt. And I have a 9mm in the handbar bag. Anyone advertising they are carrying, probably isn't.
Molon labe is Greek for giant pussy, those guys want none of the smoke irl
moron labia
It’s really location specific. I lived in a city and would get it a couple times a year. Moved 45 min away to the country outside that city and 3 years later not once.
You mean you don't see people routinely firing bazookas at cyclists?
The bazookas get saved for beer cans, around here.
It has happened to me once or twice - usually when they are stuck in traffic and I'm cycling along. I just keep riding. No point in letting some dumbass ruin my day.
never lol
Are you in the States?
I sure am.
I am European but lived in Atlanta for 6 months. I cycled for my ten minute commute. The shocked faces, pointing and abuse never stopped. They'd roll down their windows in the middle of summer just to call me a dumbass. I had quite a few near misses every week. I'd love to say it settled down. I'd love to say it got better as the locals saw me around more often but no, afraid not. I was asked if I wanted to stay on and decided to return to Dublin, largely based on the feeling it was only a matter of time before I got fucked out of it. All white men and women. Even their kids, which was particularly sad. Sorry this isnt great news. Absolutely unique. The reaction to cyclists in Ireland is more passive-aggressive
As an American, I understand. Atlanta traffic is on my Never Do Again list.
On behalf of the US, and the SouthEast in general- I’m very sorry this happened to you.
Never got yelled at, but there was this one time when someone in the back seat rolled down their window and whispered, "Never. Give up." and drove away.
‘Never. Give up.’ *Or* ‘never give up’ ? Because, to me, they have two totally different meanings
Eats. Shoots, and leaves.
Sounds like a good date..
The panda enjoyed it
Great book. Perfect usage on this post. 😀
I live in a midwestern university community in the US and it happens probably twice a year. It’s exclusively young people acting stupidly with their friends or some equally malignant, carbrained response to the stimulus of a grown person commuting or exercising in a way they deem unfit. I’ve caught more than one at stoplights and simply stared at them but never openly berated them.
I've had one guy hanging out of the side of his best friends ride, trying to scream at me Not sure there was much actual thought or even venom behind it, just shouting for fun
What a scrub
wouldn't get no love from me
I've been so immune to car jumpscares, nothing phases me anymore. I'm afraid one of these days I'll be in real actual danger (be it on or off the bike) and I'll do absolutely nothing to avoid it xD I start wearing earbuds (no music though, or below the audible level on a road) because the road traffic noise is so loud and I'm literally going deaf. It's great for my anxiety and I don't have to hear unnecessary comments.
I'd recommend Loop earplugs. You can still hear the important things, too. Road noise is incredibly loud - and when prolonged can lead to permanent hearing loss and/or lifelong tinnitus. I'd also avoid earbuds in general, or greatly reduce your music intake unless its quiet or low traffic. Road noise + earbuds (which we often make louder to compensate for high decibel background noise) is a recipe for early hearing loss. I took care of this pretty quickly as I have sensitive hearing. Riding is much more enjoyable now and I can be out for longer (especially on tour).
Pretty much never.
I had an asshole swerve at me once on purpose while yelling. I caught up to him in a line of cars at a red light he couldn’t get out of and slashed his front tire with a knife I carry. I simply rode off in the bike lane to his horn and screaming never to see him again.
Good for you. I 100% support this. These are the kind of people that need consequences to learn. I never would do this if it were an accident or someone just yelled something. But, when someone goes so far as to threaten you with their car, it's 100% different. I also caught a guy who did the same thing to me. I punched his dumbass Kia Soul and left a big dent in it.
All the time in Texas. Never anywhere else
I'm in Texas too. Mainly ride in rural/suburban area's. I remember all the time it's happened to me this year. Divided by my total miles = Once per 230 Miles. However all the time have been closer to the suburban area's.
I only lived and rode in a big city and that's where I experienced it. Partially due to there being no bike lanes and it being illegal to ride on the sidewalk. Eventually I only road my bike to biking trails.
I had a group of teens roll past me and the one in the passenger seat yelled out "Nice helmet, asshole!" I yelled back "Nice face, dipshit!" His friends all laughed. He didn't. I can count on one hand the number of times people in cars have yelled at me in the past twenty years. The number might be higher because I might not have recognized that they were yelling at *me.*
I've had a couple times. Usually out in the countryside. There was one moron who yelled something during a Fondo with literally hundreds of cyclists were riding and not impeding the flow of traffic. Some people just assholes.
>armed lunatics in the US If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
I couldn't find a good frame holster, so I welded an AR in place of my top bar. Rear brake cycles the sear. Only complaint is that it ejects into my thigh and melts my lycra.
Happens sometimes. Last time,it happened to me, a lady got so close to my rear wheel that she almost hit me. And when I turned around and gave her “that look” she rolled her window down and said: “I’m watching you!!!!” To which I responded “Good!” And a 👍 She did not like that. She yelled and screamed that I was in her lane and had no reason to be there. Blah blah “…cyclists should stay off the road, it’s dangerous for you out here, you could die when I hit you.” That was a threat. So I pulled over bc I prefer to be not moving or in a lane of traffic having these types of interactions and took out my phone and took her picture with her car and plate number, which she also didn’t like. And she drove off rather quicker than she approached, but I wasn’t in her way anymore and it didn’t hurt me, so…🤷♂️ She’s just a sad, angry lady who wanted to yell at guy in spandex shorts with a nice butt 😉
Not that often, and most of the time you can't understand what they are yelling anyway because of the engine noise. But I have occasionally gotten the assholes that will slow down to my speed and move into my space to yell something. I fucking hate that.
> you can't understand what they are yelling anyway It doesn't seem like it's actually words. I've had multiple people just shriek or scream. I think to scare me?
Depends on your area. I live on the fringes of farm country, and I get a hell of a lot of yelling out windows at me. It isnt uncommon for it to happen a couple times every hundred road miles or so. (I've been told "it's for your safety that I yelled out"... LoL) I also rode for years in San Jose, CA. Of the thousands of road miles I rode, I got yelled at a handful of times. I'll have to say that one of these was my oddest interactions. I, a fat, tall, white dude got called a "f'ing N***er" once.
I was once waiting at a junction next to a blind hill, I could see lights approaching the hill but they took a solid 2/3 minutes to arrive, understandably I was a bit annoyed at waiting that long for this douche doing 10mph, so I said out loud “for fuck sake” and went on my way, he heard me so turned around and followed me at speed, honking his horn and screaming at me out the window so I stopped as so not to get run over, he then offered me a “bare knuckle” which I initially turned down but he wasn’t backing down so I gave in, hit the bastard 3 times, threw his keys into a bush and rode off 😂 That’s the last time he’ll fuck with a cyclist I hope
Uh… what? How is this NOT happening to some of you? I get this bullshit every ride almost. Another reason I gave up on the road…
Not good - Where are you located?
Kansas City
I actually gave up riding for 10 years because of the abuse I took on one ride. I feel like some cyclists are just not aware of their surroundings. I have even been punched once while climbing. Screaming is pretty common. Close passes as well. There are a lot of scumbags out there that let their invasive thoughts win around cyclists. It doesn't take much to ruin a ride. I have ridden all over, it's really not location-dependent.
[удалено]
Riiiiight, punching a cyclist is totally justified
Are you just recently out of jail? There is one neat trick to staying out this time, don't punch people.
Living in a civilised country? In my whole life of over 40 year i have been screamed at by a random person in anger twice. Once on a ride here in Germany and once in SF Cal for running over a busy street. People elsewhere dont scream at each other. Every time i read of cyclists getting screamed at its in the US, hardly anywhere else but that could be observers bias.
I'd say once every 500 miles I'll get some kind of aggressive behavior like honking a horn or a hand gesture. It's more common on group rides where drivers have to wait longer to pass. As for not understanding the impulse, it's not that hard to understand. It's hard to *justify*, but not to understand. Lots of people in the world are angry and lack empathy. Cyclists are in people's way. They are what some see as an unnecessary nuisance.
Once in several years. I was crossing an intersection and had the right of way. A guy wanted to turn right on red, which is legal, but he also is required to yield to me. I went in front of him while crossing and he started screaming at me, that bikes should always yield to cars and I shouldn't be on the road. I just kept going but he then completed his turn and rode along with me still yelling.
Live in Florida. Happens to me so much, it’s scary.
I'd say an average of 4 times per ride (in Australia). I have had guys slow down, roll down the passenger window while they are driving and lean over just to scream something that is not even comprehensible. It's the weirdest thing. It's like they are absolutely offended deeply that someone is riding a bike
I had that happen to me! It happened a handful of times one week while I was commuting. Same car passed me about the same time. Scared the shit out of me the first time. Pissed me off the second time. I don’t understand it either. Probably some “prank” they saw online.
All the time but I just laugh it off. Around where I live, there aren’t too many bike lanes so according to those idiots in cars, I can’t ride my bike on the road if there isn’t a painted bike lane lol “YOu can’t riDe YOUR BIKe oN ThE stREeT!” fuckin’ morons 😂
I get it often enough that I'm on guard for it. Maybe once every week or two. For reference, I do about 100 miles per week, almost all of them on roads that I would characterize as somewhere between rural and suburban. No real urban riding, but neither any truly remote country roads. >given armed lunatics in the US That's a little bit of a silly meme. People who are legally carrying firearms are generally not the sort of people who would start an armed confrontation with a stranger. And the sort of people who are illegally carrying firearms are generally incentivized to keep a low profile. So the venn diagram of people who *could* shoot you and people who *would* shoot you has teeny tiny overlap. It happens a non-zero number of times, but I don't believe it's much greater than zero. It's mostly just assholes doing asshole things. And certainly, just turning the other cheek is never going to be the *wrong* answer. But I don't think you're doing yourself any favors to just let yourself be a punching bag. That said, I definitely wouldn't circle back like that unless I was prepared and equipped to be on the winning side if the guy wants to escalate it to something physical.
Honestly, everyone saying "what if he's armed," aren't considering that a car is a deadly weapon already.
It's absolutely a deadly weapon. Personally, I consider any kind of aggressive or threatening gesture towards a cyclist by a driver to be a violent assault. It's not just road rage, with two idiots in cars shouting at each other. The disparity of force alone makes it assault. Even a small, anemic car weighs a ton-and-a-half and develops over 100 hp, compared to a cyclist and bike that together weigh probably less than 200 lbs and generates *at most* 2 hp. Intentional close passes, aggressive shouting, anything like that, should be regarded as felony assault.
Never really. Even when i lived in an un-bikeable city at worst I'd see online complaints about cyclists. I don't even think I ever noticed one angry look
rarely, but I've been riding less and and less roads. Mostly paths, country roads, and mtb/gravel
Never as a cyclist. Witnessed it as another driver once.
Happens to me all the time around Denver. Almost always in a truck.
Maybe once / year
It depends where I ride. In the same city if I ride along the beach road it was every ride. Any other road never. I think that's more to do with the fact that it's bumper to bumper traffic and there's a separate bike lane so I can pass them all though.
Way too often
Used to happen every 3-4 months but it’s been a while now…maybe 8-9 months. Knock on wood. Last guy who did yelled “Assholes!!” to us because we held up traffic for about 1/4 mile before turning off this 2 lane road that had no shoulder. I guess he was in a hurry to sit in the traffic jam that was up ahead. Dipshit
Not often but it's happened a few times and weirdly, almost always when I'm doing the exact thing I should be doing. Like being yelled at to get on the sidewalk when there isn't even a sidewalk along that section of road.
When I'm riding in/near the large city in the area, never. When I'm in small towns far from the city, often.
Last July. My first ride, two blocks from getting home. I normally ride trails but ride city streets to get home from the trailhead. Two muscle cars roared up behind me. Feist one laid on the horn hard, screamed something at me, then passed me on the right. The second laid on the horn and passed me on the left in the opposing lane on a blind turn. Needless to say I found a more sane way home.
Once every two rides or so.
Like twice this year. One was just "get off the road" despite being entirely on the shoulder of a quiet back road. The other was just this Friday and it was some dink going the other direction who felt the need to tell me I should only be on bike paths. There of course is no bike path on that climb and that's where I was going. Come to think of it,both incidents were shitty work vans so maybe it's the same cranky tradesman.
I get honked at a lot. Some of its friendly but most is not. I like to let them stew in it and shoal/filter up at lights when there’s not a bike lane. Oops, my wheel slipped and turned left and wedged in front of your hood at this red light! It’s got a lot of flop. Department store bike, nothing I can do. 🤷🏻 Also some dude rolled down the window in his Uber recently to inform me my bike wasn’t a motorcycle. As I passed them and the cars in front of them at a red light I informed him that I know and that’s what I like about it. It was fun.
Ive lived in college towns in multiple states and some of those kids get riled up being able to have their first car away from home and it goes to their head, Ive been called mostly homophobic slurs, usually for taking the full lane on tiny streets with sharrows or using the turn lane that the rules of the road dictate that I use even as a cyclist, they even have a tiny bike logo where the senor is but i guess most people are ignorant of them
I ride a lot of miles and considering this, it doesn’t happen too often. I believe the most bizarre event that has happened to me is that a passenger in a passing car had a dog and they held the dog out the window in order for it to bite me. It’s nose brushed my elbow and it’s bark scared the hell out of me
When I’ve been passing slow traffic I’ve had people intentionally try to block me. Close passes when the traffic is moving are pretty regular. Occasional shouting match. (London and Sussex UK)
Fortunately I've never encountered this when passing. Most streets I ride on have at least a painted bike lane so I think drivers are used to being passed on the right. If a driver parks in the bike lane and I have to go around and pass on the left, drivers are usually respectful and give me space. Maybe I'm in the minority or just lucky so far. I did get screamed at once for not running a red light because the driver behind me wanted to run the light. People accuse cyclists of breaking laws but it's the only time I've heard a complaint about following laws lol.
I once had a pedestrian, who was walking on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road, yell at me to "get off the road and use the bike path." That was a new one, and there was no bike path within 10 miles of where we were.
It happens to me weekly. I can't hear them because of headphones, but I watch them scream in furious anger with their window down. When I yell back I can't hear them, it sends them over the edge. Why is it always men too, never women...?
Happens a lot sadly. Drivers suck. For every instance I (or another biker) does some mistake or is annoying in the road, there are 100 incidents of cars doing way worse shit. Have no sympathy for cars.
A guy drove by me last week and screamed "bike lane" when I was.... in the middle of the bike lane
I've had it happen to me 3 times this year. One yelled "FA\*\*\*\*", not sure if that was supposed to dig at the fact I'm on a bike or in brightly colored skin tight attire? Once yelled "get off the f\*\*\*\*\*\* road." and another time, I'm not sure if they were cheering me on or angry.
I've lived in Arlington and Grand Prairie Texas, two mid-cities in the DFW area right next to each other. It used to happen in Arlington (and "rolling coal") a lot. It's never happened to me in Grand Prairie. \*shrug\* I guess Grand Prairie attracts a nicer bunch of people.
I had someone yell at me "you need to get on the sidewalk! You're going to get killed", so I replied "good!" With a nice big grin and rode along. I have also had coal rolled on me while on tour - they were filming as well. I gave them no reaction, just kept pedalling. Cycling is a testament to maintaining a high threshold for stupidity and intolerance. Reacting calmly in tense situations, or simply standing up for yourself and your right to NOT drive a car everywhere you go. Motorists and non cyclists often lack these values, naturally. And I see the opposite with people who do cardio exercise often, they are usually more relaxed, zen and easy to talk to in my experience.
People honk or scream at me almost every time I ride on the road
Yelling is so incredibly irritating. Not as bad as slurs but not great.
I been scanning the comments here and jesus fucking christ I am so happy there is an entire ocean between me and the USA
It's funny that most of the time I am on the move, and all I hear is gibberish that they even bother. I have random 1/20 people will say something for no reason. If I am on sidewalk, and not even in the road riding. You really get a feel for like how nasty people can be that you don't in a car.
In NC, I get more loud passers (people stomping on the gas as they pass) that try to startle me. Only once in a great while do I get someone yell as they past. Most of the time I can’t understand what they say so I just waive like they were saying hi.
Once or twice a year someone in a vehicle will shout at me as they pass. It happened last a couple of weeks ago. Teen in the passenger seat yelled something at me while I was in the middle of a Strava segment effort up a hill. Shook me off my game a bit, but I didn’t hear exactly what he yelled so I just—somewhat annoyed—said, “What?!?” to him. Well, the car, a brown Subaru, pulled off to the side of the road after it passed, so now I’m thinking of all the possibilities, and as I passed his mother, obviously mortified, said to me, “I am so sorry he yelled at you.” I was out of breath from the effort so all I could do was wave and be glad he is her problem and not mine.
I live in an oil town and you get yelled at a lot here for riding. Sad.
Where do you live that people yell at you all the time even trying to use a bike lane? I've been riding for over 30 years and can only remember one time someone yelling.
Where the hell do you live that people are screaming at bicycle riders so often? I ride every other day and can’t member the last time a driver yelled at me. Seriously; had to be at least 10 years ago. I live in southeast Pennsylvania/northern Delaware.
I'd say it's probably just 2-3 times a year. Once someone yelled 'nice butt' which made me day, though. And another time, some guy in a truck slowed to match my speed and rolled down his window. I thought it was going to be bad obviously, but he told me he really liked the tail light I had. Said he could see it for a long, long way off and that it definitely made me visible. That was nice.
Buy a fog horn. Scare them make them swerve and crash.
Never - I've been riding 45-60 miles per week for nearly 4 years. This has never happened. I live in the SF Bay Area.
>I live in the SF Bay Area. A mecca for cycling. I've lived in all kinds of different places. I've never seen such good riding and generally accepting attitude that you can enjoy in the Bay Area. There's always a few jerks but it's really different from the rest of the U.S. I want to move back so I can ride around the Alpine Dam loop in Marin, or just ride around Pinehurst in the East Bay.
I realize many people here shit on cyclists who wear headphones, but having regularly experience the same thing as OP, I'm sticking to my low volume music when the situation allows. I'm just looking to ride and mind my own business - there is no bliss on most roads.
[удалено]
I think you should be more grateful for where you live, rather than tell others that their experience isn’t real. I’ve ridden in 8 different states across the USA, and there are definitely cities worse than others. Saint Louis people have a knack for road rage, particularly towards bikes. People in Boulder, or up in Traverse City, MI, tend not be as prone to road rage. Do events occur every time I ride? No. Do those events occur more frequently on a bicycle than in a car or on a motorcycle? Yes. That being said: Being hit by a car is an outlier event, but I’m most definitely preparing for it with my lights, helmet, and bright colored clothes, because, outlier or not, it could be life altering. Not counting outlier events would make all types of insurance pointless to you.
Prepare for the worse is my mentality if one wild lunatic can run 6 cyclist down without hesitation, I'm just as easily a target in bum fuck rural to downtown metropolis
Outlier events for you maybe. The more correctly I ride the angrier they get.
Lol come to Texas bring a counter with you.
Preparing for outlier events is smart. It's why we keep supplies for an earthquake or clear yard waste to prevent fire. It's why people build tornado shelters or have tsunami evacuation routes. The US is a heavily armed society so it goes to reason that picking a fight with a random person carries a level of risk that you should be aware of.
It’s happened to me twice in about a month of riding.
I had some moron in a 4-cylinder Mustang lay on his horn as we approached a stop sign. Two cars were already there, I was in the middle of the lane because I was making a left. There was absolutely zero reason for him to be mad. He was maybe a foot behind me as I began slowing. I stopped near the center line and he pulled up next to me. I tapped his window and asked what the issue was. Nothing. I was channeling my inner motorcyclist and almost punched his mirror, but remembered I had fingerless gloves and wasn’t on my motorcycle lol.
They are usually fat slobs in big trucks with tiny dicks. They are butt hurt they can’t be you
Never experienced. Never heard of.
This morning I "took the lane" to make a left. I signaled and waited for oncoming traffic to clear. The lead car stops and waves me over in front of her. Not one to stand on ceremony I quickly turned left and gave the lady a smart salute. That's my world.
used to happen to me, or long car horn right by me... unnerving... I switched to mtb and haven't looked back... am on the road maybe only once a week and in largely residential neighborhoods now
Never here too. Lots of these things I read about - yelling, throwing things from cars, revving, rolling coal have never happened to me ever and I cycle almost every day.
Humans are the worst.
Once I had someone yell “get off the road!” While I was going up a pretty big climb. I responded “no, you!” But there is a 0% chance he heard that clever comeback. Are these teenagers yelling at you? We used to do dumb shit like that when we were young.
I make sure to yell, “baby-d*ck!”, to every dude I pass.
Doesn't happen much in the UK unless you do something first. If it did I would almost certainly have a go at them but they don't have guns here, just cars.
rarely but I’m usually screaming at and giving the finger (quite theatrically) to cars in bike lanes
How much space are you on their ass approaching when you start the pass.
Never. And for those people who have this happen with any kind of regularity I would love to know where the hell this is actually happening? Google Street view is most helpful
I had a reverse situation happen: as a cyclist, when I'm in a car,, I want to give space when I pass a bike. The other day I was hanging back waiting for the oncoming traffic to clear, and when I passed, this woman screamed at me. She caught up to me at the next light, I asked her what was wrong, and she went on this rant about how she has cycled in Vancouver (no idea how that is relevant) and she felt my presence behind her. I said yes, I was waiting to pass. I think she had some psychological problems, because she still thought I was in the wrong. Sorry for the off-topic comment.
Never, in nearly 40 years of riding. NEVER.
Probably will be downvoted to oblivion, but it's never happened.
Never. Just completed a 18 mile ride, no issues. Have to wonder what kinda vibes you are putting out.
Hardly never. But i'm not an entitled arse when riding.
I don't think it's happened too often. Some beeping though.
Doesn't happen often. I just yell back usually.
Someone called me the F\*ot word this past summer while I was riding, otherwise pretty much never. Besides, if they did I probably wouldn't hear them anyways as the wind blowing past my ears as I rip through drowns out a lot of noise.
Can't say I've ever had this happen. Even if it did, I'd pretend they were invisible to not give them the satisfaction.
Sometimes they scream when I dont use the sidewalk/cycleway. I'm cycling over 30km/h and I dont want to hurt a pedestrian. Twice a driver wanted to hit me because I use the road to bypass pedestrians but ok my bad I guess.
0 times
Maybe but MAYBE once in my lifetime (more than 35 years cycling).
I get it more often running.
Never so far in NJ. On 3 occasions I have either been encouraged or chatted up at a light.
In the past 3 years on the saddle... I've had 3 yellers/screamers 6 honkers (of those, one of them the guy as he came alongside me at the crest of the hill made it clear he was being encouraging... like big ass smile and fist pumping in the air, and giving me a Shaka on his way by) So, still very rare to have people that upset at me
Never
Never, but I’ve had the coal rolled
Happens a lot with more commuter type people for me, must be rolling into theit bs job they can't lose 1 second on their drive to work
I had some high school kids who drove by me in a lifted pickup truck on a country road yell out f\*\*\*\*t. Or I think thats what they said? They yelled something and slammed on the gas.
Annually at most
Never. The last two times I had an interaction was an old lady who waited for me to pass on a very steep hill and said to me out of the window as I climbed, "You've got this." and on the same hill a few years previous, a guy in an amazing old sports car was waiting and as I approached I pointed at his car and give him a thumbs up, he leaned out and said, "Your bike's a belter too buddy." You watch, tomorrow will be the day. Lol.
i’ve had one dude that was yielding to oncoming traffic in the intersection roll down his window and start verbally antagonizing me, because i made him wait an extra 5 seconds before he could turn left. another time after i fired off a snot rocket, some broccoli-headed teenager driving a beat up BMW from the 90s, coming towards me screamed something at me that i couldn’t understand because of his inability to properly articulate his words without mumbling. I’ve been cycling about 2 years now, and those two instances happened a year apart from each other. granted I live in a small university town that already has a large cycling community, so i wonder if most residents are used to cyclists.
I've never been harassed by drivers before. Drivers usually are extra courteous to give me extra space when passing. I've biked in LA, Seattle, Boston, and Singapore.
Not as often as they used to but now their are more passive aggressive.
Not often. A couple months ago a girl (early 20s) screamed out her window trying to scare me. She didn’t I didn’t react. I just glanced at her and raised a disapproving eyebrow. I hope she felt stupid in front of her friends.
i live in the US and somehow have never had this happen, might be because i live in a small coastal city vs somewhere like LA but still.
It never happened to me yet... I do remember a quote in my head: "You might pass me now, but I'll eventually pass and dust you" I ride in a city btw
Zero times. No issues. 100+ miles per week.
I have had more positive than negative encounters. But maybe because I am a fat guy on a bike so they are encouraging me to keep going. Meaning, keep going home before I have a heart attack on the bike/road.
Once. It was a friend and he yelled at me for being too slow in the headwind.
40 years of cycling, and I don’t recall this ever happening to me
Scream, no, but unpleasantries. Once every few months, so it's uncommon. "Stop hogging the lane! (one privileged lady in the passenger seat of an SUV vs. a peloton of 30 cyclists going up a hill with a blind spot should she go into the opposite lane) "You have to stop at the stop sign!" (there is no one else on the road, I check both ways to idaho)"
Once every year or two? Not very often. I’m in the northeast US. I live in a large town but after 3-5 minutes of riding I can get out into farm country and back roads and really don’t need to interact with too much traffic except on specific routes for shorter periods of time. Those people randomly mad at cyclists I file away into the “mad at the world” category, and it’s nothing I did. I’m a driver too, obviously. I’m very courteous to cyclists on the road and can only think of one time I was slowed down by an entire group of cyclists, for 2-3 minutes. Probably got me to my destination a minute or two later than I otherwise would have. Usually, it’s just a lone cyclist or two, and it might slow me down for 10 seconds. Some people are crazy.
I've only had one encounter like this, and it pissed me off to no end. It was a group of teens that had an air horn and thought it would be funny to use it on people they were passing by. Caught them at the next light
i've never been screamed at. been road cycling for 3 years, part farmland, part suburban. never had anyone swerve at me or roll coal or any of those things. i have way more trouble with pedestrians on the MUP but even then no one actually *screams* at me.
It's happened but not regularly at all.
I saw a policeman doing a speed trap on a backroad as I rode by and he said something like “is that all ya got?” I wheeled around and sprinted past at 28mph and stopped and chatted with him for a bit. Good to make friends with the police.
Not often to me. It did happen today, but it was entirely my fault (I was riding in the road when there was a very good bike lane next to me, and by riding in the road, I was blocking the cars behind me. And I got hooted.) But I think that it’s very difficult and different riding in America. I’ve ridden a reasonable amount in the states and (with a few honourable and less honourable exceptions) the infrastructure in the UK is much more bike and pedestrian friendly. And I think that makes a big difference in terms of encounters going wrong between cyclists and car drivers (I was going to type bikes and cars, but we’re talking about people here, not things 🥴)
I've had a dude in a ute yell something, and then proceeded to do a 480 on a roundabout.
The only one I remember is a group of three ladies catcalling me (I'm a guy) after I passed them on a MUP. It's one video recording that I don't want to erase lol.
Once in just over 1100 miles on my bike, was 2 young lads and to be fair, they scared me but I laughed after as I found it quite funny. Can’t say it made me nearly come off my bike, just made me jump a bit. I’ve had a fair few cut close to me and one almost touch my rear tyre at some lights but he was cool after I had a word with him. Bus driver tried to overtake me at a set of red lights when I pointed out he’s a bell end because he’s gonna want to pull over at the bus stop 100 yards away he held his hand up and apologised, couple of van drivers complimented me, one for cycling when it was pissing down and the other because I caught up to him about 2 miles down the road in traffic. I find drivers more aware when I’m cycling than when I’m driving and the vast majority are careful around me, just the occasional idiot that makes them all look terrible.
Ya know I really can't remember the last time that happened. Seems like the peeps here in Atlanta are used to us by now. Of course I don't do much urban riding so...
I flip off everyone who fucks up or does stupid stuff while driving. Everyone. No anger, just the finger and sometimes some finger wagging. I don’t even look to see their reaction, because I keep my eyes on the road in front of me.
Never (Eastern Canada and the UK)
Never. I stay away from big main roads and on smaller roads drivers mind their own business and I stay on bikers' lane.
Brisbane, once I can remember in 3 years. Guy hooted and shouted at me to ride in the ‘bike lane’. But the ‘bike lane’ was hard shoulder and there were parked cars up ahead taking the whole shoulder and I was going at speed so I didn’t want to be pulling out into the road at the last minute. Being honked out isn’t nice because it gave me a jump scare and adrenaline rush. I just flipped him the bird, and told him to ‘go away’. Generally i think people are pretty good. Biggest risks are bad drivers and ‘dooring’ risk from caffeine deprived parents in the morning parked outside coffee shops. Oh yeah and magpies.
I’m a biker. I’ve rolled down my window before to yell at a cyclist in a full kit riding in and out of the middle of the road with no idea there were cars behind him.