It sucks to admit it, but i am one of those people who get really upset by getting yelled at. While i never, ever would, i can see why some bicyclists carry bats and/or air horns.
In New Zealand where we used to live, you can pay fee at the post office to get the contact details of any individual based on their license plate number. One evening, after a particularly nasty encounter with a group of teenagers, my wife used this ability to contact the teenagers parents to let them know what he was doing with the family car. She was assured that it would never be a problem again.
@ Knotts, Nice… Love it!
@Lesley, I feel you.
Yeah, it’s as if they’re cooler now because they startled someone on a bike. It would be about as cool, I WOULD NOT DO IT PERSONALLY, as seeing how startled they are at a rock in the windshield sometime. Hmm, maybe I just need anger management.
Some teenagers just threw a water bottle at me the other day. It makes you wonder if I had fallen & got hurt would that have been enough to teach them?
@jenna You know unfortunatly I think there is a good chance it would encourage them and they would probably laugh as you fell. Unless one of them recognized you or you recognized them.
The only luck I have ever had was recognizing a car and pulling into their driveway with a little smile and a wave. I haven’t actually gotten up and walked to the door yet but now they know I could.
I just yell back at them “Hello, how you doing?” and wave like crazy. What really rocks is when you catch them at the next light. I’ve been known to tap on the window and ask them what’s up. Typically they just look very sheepish and try to pretend you aren’t there…
For the person who got the bottle thrown at them, whip out your camera phone and shoot the car in the donkey, make sure the licence plate is nice and clear. With a gloved hand collect the item thrown, take both items to the local constabulary and file a report. Junior is not going to be so happy when a pair of officers show up to lay a charge of assault. See your photo and the item are EVIDENCE. So are the finger prints on the item.
I have a theory that there are only a few types of drivers out there relative to how they treat cyclists.
1) the majority of people who go around you and have no difficulty seeing you.
2) Those who may be categorized as less attentive drivers (I consider them the greatest threat, because there are a good number of them and because of what they can do to you accidently)
3)The killers. These are adults that hate cyclists and drive aggressively around cyclists.
4) Punk kids who are just being … punks.
I always try to keep my cool and speak with those in group 2. You may be able to reason with these folks.
However, once I have determined that a driver is in group 3 or 4, may God have mercy on them, because I sure won’t!
Some time ago I actually had one slow down, roll down the window of his single occupancy armored personnel carrier and bark out at me “Get on the sidewalk!” to which I simply looked him square in the eye and in my most deadpan delivery replied “Can’t, clowns will eat me.” and went back to looking at the road ahead of me.
He almost came to a complete stop in the middle of the road and I think I could hear him blinking from about fifty feet away, next thing I know he’s flying past me giving me and my bike a rather wide berth while doing so.
I’m glad most of you can just let these things slid off of you. I never had these problems, over the last twenty years, until this Summer. It has gotten so out of hand that I’m seriously considering giving away my comuter bike (80K miles) because I just can’t seem to let it go when I’m startled. My heart races for miles afterwards. I’m wrong, but really want to punch someone, but realize that would not be good for cycling either. In fact, I’ve recently had a COP follow me too close, pass in my lane (on a deserted four lane) and even cut me off! TWENTY YEARS and no trouble, now it seems like at least once a week.
Yesterday I was riding my bike in Central Park, where the car-accessible roads have both a bike lane and a pedestrian lane in addition to the sidewalk. A couple of young women ahead of me were running side-by-side in the bike lane even though there was no one else in the pedestrian lane. As I passed them, I very politely said, “wrong lane, guys,” and was rewarded with, “UGH get OVER yourself!” What the heck does that mean, and how does that explain your choice of lane? There were signs and lane markings everywhere, but I noticed that there were a LOT of runners in the bike lane for no apparent reason. What the hell, New Yorkers? Good thing I was having such a nice, relaxing visit to the city. On my home turf, in West Philly, I YELL at the UPenn rent-a-cops for riding the wrong way. My boyfriend and I are convinced it’s the same guy every time.
@Marrock: that is AWESOME. I really hope I can remember that, assuming anyone ever yells that at me (nobody ever has, there are almost no sidewalks here and cars are very polite).
I swear, bike commuting has made me the least jumpy person I can imagine. After that semi that kept dumping on his horn and jake brakes every day for a week 3 winters ago, at 4AM on a nearly empty road right behind me, I just don’t startle anymore. My nephew snuck up behind me at a picnic 2 years ago and laid a pop can right out of the ice water on the back of my neck, and I didn’t even stutter in the sentence I was speaking. I had an electrical box burst into foot-high flames with my hand in it 2 nights ago, and I just pulled my hand out and said “Oh look. Fire. I guess I’d better toss a cover over that. And pull the fuse too. There.” I don’t think my pulse went up a single beat.
several weeks ago iw as yelled at and then the car stopped at a light. I pulled up to their open window… there was a kid, maybe 15 years old. I said “Did want to say something to me?” I sat there as he sat there staring forward saying nothing. I felt bad afterward. I remember that moment when someone yells or beeps. I remember ‘Its just a scared kid,’ and it doesn’t bug me so much.
Last time this happened to me it included some threats, so I got the plate number and vehicle description and called the local police (why I always carry a sharpie with me: WRITE IT ON YOUR HAND IMMEDIATELY! I knew it was punk ass high school kids driving dad’s jeep. Officer at dispatch said they would look up the plate, find the house and give them a warning: hopefully some punks were riding THEIR bikes or walking for a while! @Andy: That service you were talking about sounds really useful, as I would rather have dealt with it myself but we can’t do that in the U.S (at least that I know of).
@Marrock: awesome man, I’m gonna use that if I can remember it!
JRR’s comment about the fuse box reminded me of a high school friend whose mother had a very monotone voice. Another friend used to mimic her to him, saying in a very flat emotionless voice, “Donald. The house is on fire.”
Seems a bit of a shock to know Yehuda swears/curses
Is the mystery voice Thistle?
You’re kidding aren’t you dave?
I’m sure he learnt those words when he was buying his weed.
I have really loved the comic lately.
It is so true that when people scream at you, it is an awful experience.
I wonder who he brought this up with, the teenager’s parents?
Benefit of aging: as your hearing gets worse and worse fewer and fewer people seem to yell at you. Or at least that’s what it sounds like to me.
I can never understand what they’re saying anyway…I never hear a consonant well enough to tell…it always sounds like a “vowel movement”.
@kotts
nice!
It sucks to admit it, but i am one of those people who get really upset by getting yelled at. While i never, ever would, i can see why some bicyclists carry bats and/or air horns.
Yeah, all I ever hear is ” <unintelligable> … the road …. <unintelligable>!”
Life’s too short to let words change your mood
In New Zealand where we used to live, you can pay fee at the post office to get the contact details of any individual based on their license plate number. One evening, after a particularly nasty encounter with a group of teenagers, my wife used this ability to contact the teenagers parents to let them know what he was doing with the family car. She was assured that it would never be a problem again.
@ Knotts, Nice… Love it!
@Lesley, I feel you.
Yeah, it’s as if they’re cooler now because they startled someone on a bike. It would be about as cool, I WOULD NOT DO IT PERSONALLY, as seeing how startled they are at a rock in the windshield sometime. Hmm, maybe I just need anger management.
Some teenagers just threw a water bottle at me the other day. It makes you wonder if I had fallen & got hurt would that have been enough to teach them?
The one that tipped it for me was the @55 who yelled, “Get on the sidewalk!” I looked around, curiously — no sidewalk in sight.
Since then, I’ve been able to laugh at these idiots. Well, at least most of the time…
@jenna You know unfortunatly I think there is a good chance it would encourage them and they would probably laugh as you fell. Unless one of them recognized you or you recognized them.
The only luck I have ever had was recognizing a car and pulling into their driveway with a little smile and a wave. I haven’t actually gotten up and walked to the door yet but now they know I could.
I just yell back at them “Hello, how you doing?” and wave like crazy. What really rocks is when you catch them at the next light. I’ve been known to tap on the window and ask them what’s up. Typically they just look very sheepish and try to pretend you aren’t there…
For the person who got the bottle thrown at them, whip out your camera phone and shoot the car in the donkey, make sure the licence plate is nice and clear. With a gloved hand collect the item thrown, take both items to the local constabulary and file a report. Junior is not going to be so happy when a pair of officers show up to lay a charge of assault. See your photo and the item are EVIDENCE. So are the finger prints on the item.
I would guess that the other voice is Joe. He seems to be past reacting to people yelling.
I’d love to have this strip on shirts, mugs, and framed
.
Who’s speaking in the last frame? Joe? or Fred? (note to Self: go for a ride tonight).
I have a theory that there are only a few types of drivers out there relative to how they treat cyclists.
1) the majority of people who go around you and have no difficulty seeing you.
2) Those who may be categorized as less attentive drivers (I consider them the greatest threat, because there are a good number of them and because of what they can do to you accidently)
3)The killers. These are adults that hate cyclists and drive aggressively around cyclists.
4) Punk kids who are just being … punks.
I always try to keep my cool and speak with those in group 2. You may be able to reason with these folks.
However, once I have determined that a driver is in group 3 or 4, may God have mercy on them, because I sure won’t!
Some time ago I actually had one slow down, roll down the window of his single occupancy armored personnel carrier and bark out at me “Get on the sidewalk!” to which I simply looked him square in the eye and in my most deadpan delivery replied “Can’t, clowns will eat me.” and went back to looking at the road ahead of me.
He almost came to a complete stop in the middle of the road and I think I could hear him blinking from about fifty feet away, next thing I know he’s flying past me giving me and my bike a rather wide berth while doing so.
*Vote Marrock’s comment #1*
@Marrock
hahahaahahahaa
I got yelled at by a fellow biker this morning. That just made me feel bad.
@ Rosscott
What did they yell? “Get on the sidewalk!”?
I’m glad most of you can just let these things slid off of you. I never had these problems, over the last twenty years, until this Summer. It has gotten so out of hand that I’m seriously considering giving away my comuter bike (80K miles) because I just can’t seem to let it go when I’m startled. My heart races for miles afterwards. I’m wrong, but really want to punch someone, but realize that would not be good for cycling either. In fact, I’ve recently had a COP follow me too close, pass in my lane (on a deserted four lane) and even cut me off! TWENTY YEARS and no trouble, now it seems like at least once a week.
@Mark Hendricks:
What makes you wrong for wanting to punch someone? I have visions of bludgeoning people (on the road and off) every day.
@Mark Hendricks
That’s incredible!
I can understand your perspective. I try to burn off the steam by pedaling harder… and plotting my revenge !!!! whahahahhaaaa!!
However, if you’re looking to give your bike away, look no further, I would like to add to my fleet.
It’s sideWALK, not sideRIDE or sidePEDDLE or sideMUP… Go ahead, yell at me, my little flash video camera captures it all!!!
U-lock justice anyone?
Yesterday I was riding my bike in Central Park, where the car-accessible roads have both a bike lane and a pedestrian lane in addition to the sidewalk. A couple of young women ahead of me were running side-by-side in the bike lane even though there was no one else in the pedestrian lane. As I passed them, I very politely said, “wrong lane, guys,” and was rewarded with, “UGH get OVER yourself!” What the heck does that mean, and how does that explain your choice of lane? There were signs and lane markings everywhere, but I noticed that there were a LOT of runners in the bike lane for no apparent reason. What the hell, New Yorkers? Good thing I was having such a nice, relaxing visit to the city. On my home turf, in West Philly, I YELL at the UPenn rent-a-cops for riding the wrong way. My boyfriend and I are convinced it’s the same guy every time.
Also, Marrock, you are awesome. I’m going to have to start using that tactic.
@Marrock: that is AWESOME. I really hope I can remember that, assuming anyone ever yells that at me (nobody ever has, there are almost no sidewalks here and cars are very polite).
I swear, bike commuting has made me the least jumpy person I can imagine. After that semi that kept dumping on his horn and jake brakes every day for a week 3 winters ago, at 4AM on a nearly empty road right behind me, I just don’t startle anymore. My nephew snuck up behind me at a picnic 2 years ago and laid a pop can right out of the ice water on the back of my neck, and I didn’t even stutter in the sentence I was speaking. I had an electrical box burst into foot-high flames with my hand in it 2 nights ago, and I just pulled my hand out and said “Oh look. Fire. I guess I’d better toss a cover over that. And pull the fuse too. There.” I don’t think my pulse went up a single beat.
JRR the iceman.
several weeks ago iw as yelled at and then the car stopped at a light. I pulled up to their open window… there was a kid, maybe 15 years old. I said “Did want to say something to me?” I sat there as he sat there staring forward saying nothing. I felt bad afterward. I remember that moment when someone yells or beeps. I remember ‘Its just a scared kid,’ and it doesn’t bug me so much.
I tend to find that those who shout the most have the least to say.
Last time this happened to me it included some threats, so I got the plate number and vehicle description and called the local police (why I always carry a sharpie with me: WRITE IT ON YOUR HAND IMMEDIATELY! I knew it was punk ass high school kids driving dad’s jeep. Officer at dispatch said they would look up the plate, find the house and give them a warning: hopefully some punks were riding THEIR bikes or walking for a while! @Andy: That service you were talking about sounds really useful, as I would rather have dealt with it myself but we can’t do that in the U.S (at least that I know of).
@Marrock: awesome man, I’m gonna use that if I can remember it!
@bikingbristol: But it isn’t always a scared kid. More often than not around here it is a white, male, 30-50…
JRR’s comment about the fuse box reminded me of a high school friend whose mother had a very monotone voice. Another friend used to mimic her to him, saying in a very flat emotionless voice, “Donald. The house is on fire.”
I’ve discovered that using that line will derail just about any situation you can think of.