Motorist Passenger Abuse
- Thread starter TheCharityShop
- Start date
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youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
On one occassion a loud cry of "On yer bike". Puzzled me somewhat, as I was. What acute powers of observation, I thought - our future's safe in their hands.
I pulled into the ASZ at a set of lights yesterday. The car behind me was half way into the zone so I just went a bit further forward to put a bit of distance between us. All of a sudden I hear the car behind me tooting his horn. I turn around - there was a guy around mid 50s-60s sitting there glaring at me, gesturing to move out of the way. I just shrugged and turned around again.
The toots continued, so I dragged my bike back, and tapped on the passenger side window. They tried to ignore me, so this time I tapped again, a little harder, and the window rolled down 1/4 of the way.
I said " Why are you tooting?"
He says "Get off the road! Why can't you just go on the pavement"
I said " See the big white bike painted on the road in this green bit, it's for cyclists, not cars. I'm actually not allowed, by law, to be on the pavement"
He just sat there opening and closing his mouth.
Utter moron.
The toots continued, so I dragged my bike back, and tapped on the passenger side window. They tried to ignore me, so this time I tapped again, a little harder, and the window rolled down 1/4 of the way.
I said " Why are you tooting?"
He says "Get off the road! Why can't you just go on the pavement"
I said " See the big white bike painted on the road in this green bit, it's for cyclists, not cars. I'm actually not allowed, by law, to be on the pavement"
He just sat there opening and closing his mouth.
Utter moron.
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
I find the best reaction is to wave back with the most maniacal smile I can manage and do it for far too long. 
I find the best reaction is to wave back with the most maniacal smile I can manage and do it for far too long.
Haha I'm good at them. I'm going to give that a try!
I had a similar sentiment shouted at me by a passenger just the other day.
I was riding in a urban area, a car passes me and the passenger shouts out
"you f***ing idiot, get on the path you stupid c***"
There was no cycle path so he was obviously refering to the pavement.
Even if I had the time to respond I would have been unable to as I was left speechless by their ignorance in believing that the correct place for a cyclist was the footpath!
In my experience I seem to get more verbal from young male passengers showing off to their mates that drivers.
Angelfishsolo
A Velocipedian
- Location
- Cwmbach, South Wales
:troll: next
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Got this "buy a car":
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkpVnoGN_-A
and this porsche driver calls me an @nchor:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWnO0TQcUhc
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkpVnoGN_-A
and this porsche driver calls me an @nchor:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWnO0TQcUhc
thecryof
New Member
- Location
- Mechelen, Belgium
Idiots are jealous of us because they don't have the discipline or the courage to do what we do, they couldn't handle the pain. Spoiled brats. I ignore them.
Riding in Circles
Veteran
- Location
- EDINBURGH
It is rare but I find giving them a swift punch in the puss helps.
festival
Über Member
Although like you I have too many tales to tell, but tonight, as I cycled gently down my road about 100 yards from home a car turned into the road at the opposite end & came towards me at speed.
Now, all the cars parked in the street were parked on my right and this left just enough space for the car to travel down the road on my side of the road. There were plenty of gaps within the parked cars for the car to pull over to let me continue my way, on my side of the road but on no, as the cyclist I was expected to jump out of the way to enable the car to continue without hindrance. Well of course I didn't and got the finger from the female passenger and verbal abuse from the male driver.
I believe in being polite and am happy to make way for those who show me respect but if I am on my side of the road and already established on this road before the car turns into it surely the polite thing to do was for the car to pull back to his side to let me pass?
I suppose I was a bit bloody minded to hold my ground but I was right, wasn't I?
A trivial incident, but doesn't this show the great divide between cyclist and car
Now, all the cars parked in the street were parked on my right and this left just enough space for the car to travel down the road on my side of the road. There were plenty of gaps within the parked cars for the car to pull over to let me continue my way, on my side of the road but on no, as the cyclist I was expected to jump out of the way to enable the car to continue without hindrance. Well of course I didn't and got the finger from the female passenger and verbal abuse from the male driver.
I believe in being polite and am happy to make way for those who show me respect but if I am on my side of the road and already established on this road before the car turns into it surely the polite thing to do was for the car to pull back to his side to let me pass?
I suppose I was a bit bloody minded to hold my ground but I was right, wasn't I?
A trivial incident, but doesn't this show the great divide between cyclist and car
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Yes you were right. I live on the high street of a small village, cars park both sides of the road leaving one useable lane. If you are driving it is accepted that if you are first into the stretch you have priority - but not if you are on a bike. I make a point of taking primary position, and making eye contact with the oncoming driver. Most drivers are fine with that, but some are obviously surprised and offended by such behaviour. Of course, I will also give way and take my turn if a vehicle is already underway.
abo
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Stockton on Tees
'BUSWANKERS'!!!
Or maybe that should be 'bikewankers'
Scrotes are best just ignored IMHO, life's too short...
Or maybe that should be 'bikewankers'
Scrotes are best just ignored IMHO, life's too short...
I find the best reaction is to wave back with the most maniacal smile I can manage and do it for far too long.
It's VERY rare that I hear anyone shouting at me, but I did have some woman once - no idea what she was saying, but I smiled and blew her a kiss.
She seemed non-plussed.
Headgardener
Armchair Cyclist
Setting out on Monday evening and as I turned into the final section of of the close where the garage block that I keep my bike in is, some fool in a Transit pick-up turned in at the other end. Now the left hand side of the road where he should be was occupied by parked cars so he felt it would be OK to drive down the other side of the road i.e my side of the road. Now as I had seen him turn in one would assume that he had seen me and would stop but oh no he just carried on. He then had to pull to the left inorder to make room for me and as we passed something was shouted of which the only bit that I caught was "****ing". As I was concentrating on getting past without falling off I did not have chance to make some sort of witty reply but I did make a rude wrist gesture towards him which he hopefuly saw in his mirrors.