Attitude problem

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This morning as I rode into Sydney CBD, I was coming down the Spit from Manly towards the spit bridge... a steep road, and a very bad road in terms of pot holes.... its not safe to ride the curb, but ususally there is a lot of traffic and you can keep up with it so drivers done worry.
Today however this Truck rode up my backside, and was really intimidating.
It was frightening. So I slowed down and looked back, three guys in the front, the driver yelling at me to get out of the way.
What really annyoying that its not like he is going anywhere - there is a line of traffic about 50 m ahead of me moving the same speed as me.

I cursed the guy gave him the flick and slowed even more down and moved more into the centre of the road.. I was furious that he was putting my life in danger. He just got closer up and hooted even more.
I knew I was being an idiot - all he had to do was nudge me and I was going to come off seriously second best.
the rest of my ride to work was spent seething - and it wasnt enjoyable.

I know the guy was in the wrong, as was I for reacting like I did.
I seem to have a real attitude problem.....

I am a very considerate and polite driver and rider...however I get a real attitude problem with drivers that are inconsiderate - and I cant seem to help putting my body on the line - to piss them off.

How can I relax and just learn to accept its part of everyday riding.
And be less confrontational.....

any tips...

Look if you want to:

a) prove a point :)
b) bemuse:confused:
c) reduce the chance of getting run over or being involved in a fight:cool:

Relax, smile and wave at them:D

This usually is enough to confuse the hell out of them and stop the escalation of all that alpha male bullshit. 99% of car drivers have probably never ridden a bike in years and feel totally protected in their little enclosed mobile fortresses and just have absolutely no idea how vulnerable a bike rider can be. Treat car drivers as a lower and more dangerous life form, like the crocs good old Steve Irwin used deal with.

If you are getting that worked up you are not focusing totally on the ride, that means you are putting yourself in danger. Part of being a good cyclist is rising above it. Part of being a bad cyclist is being an arse yourself. The number one thing that stops car drivers giving us any respect are cyclists who are ignorant or break the road rules.

For more information read The Art of Urban Cycling or as it now is the Art of Cycling by R Hurst, (sorry forum for going on about it). He writes a lot about this, his take is to treat poor car drivers as you would any challenging technical part of a trail/race, something to get through and feel proud of yourself if you manage it.

I know that downhill and have seen how cyclists can really keep up with the speed of traffic there. I think the 50m separation you kept in front was wise given the poorer stopping power of bikes and can feel the annoyance you experienced. I'd say that in future just learn to ignore them. There's nothing anyone can complain about as long as you are keeping up in speed with the general traffic flow. Stay in the middle of the lane and just ride as normal, and behave well and follow all the applicable road rules. This way I think you are showing the other drivers around that you are in the right and everyone knows, that truck driver was just being pig headed. I think that deliberate slowing would turn other drivers against you and not something we want.

Hey, I feel your pain. I can usually ignore clueless drivers, but stuff like you described, which is dangerous, makes me so mad.



I also live in Sydney and think part of the problem is arrogant Sydney drivers. I had a similar issue (though not as dangerous) the other day on my daily commute. I too have a steep downhill in which I can easily keep up with the traffic (nothing like the spit – but the idea is the same). At the top, this guy (predictably, in a 4WD) pulls out in front of me from a side street – he should have given way as I was taking the centre of the lane, but he obviously didn’t want to get held up by a cyclist. I just moved over to the left and gave him room and slipped in behind him. As happens every single day, the traffic slowed as we approached the bottom and I moved left and started to go around the, now crawling vehicles (totally legal in this state). Man was he pissed! Started moving over and trying to squeeze me. I just went around him and started the long climb up the other side (didn’t even bother to give him the finger). The traffic started moving again and he (eventually) caught and passed me. Near the top of the climb, the traffic was stopped again and my friend had his left indicator on to turn at the next corner (obviously trying desperately to get out of the traffic) so I go around him on the left again.



Now … even though it is legal … I really should have waited as I knew the moment I passed him the traffic would move and he would be in the perfect position to Left Hook me … but like you I was pissed and thought f#*k you … Im in the right here.



He starts off, then seeing me hits the brakes and starts blaring his horn and hurling abuse at me. With a smile on my face I pull away … out of the saddle in my best “kiss my arse” position. I’m sure he was straight on the phone to Alan Jones complaining about those reckless cyclists.

So, no Zen master like advice here..

Look I used to friggin curse and shake my fist like everyone else and spend the rest of the day pissed off an angry. With my "zen master" way I no longer get as wound up and I don't bite the rest of the team's head off when I get into work pissing everyone off. Thats got to be better right?

The only safe way to deal with any kind of intimidation is to slow to a stop, walk your bike off the road and wait for the motorhead to go on the way. Granted, stopping your ride is a difficult thing to do when your heart is pumping away and some jackass does something to send adrenalin rushing through your system. It's very hard to control your reaction. Years ago some young jerks threw something that hit me as I cycled home from work. I thought they had their fun and were gone but they circled back and did it again. I chased them down. They got caught in traffic at a red light. I got their license plate number and reported them to the police. I don't recommend chasing anyone down especially if you're riding in rush-hour traffic. I commuted by bicycle for 30 years in Denver, Colorado. The experience was good and bad. Most days were great. I usually had a great route with a bike lane but still had the occasional problems with motorists who see nothing but cars. For 3 1/2 years I have lived in Henderson, Nevada. I've had little trouble but many people like to use the bike lanes as turn lanes. It's usually the young guy in a lifted truck with monster tires who will come up behind me in the bike lane as I wait for a red light. He will stop just inches from my back tire with the suction of his radiator fan pulling air in around me. More and more cities are building off road paths along greenway areas and railroads. Henderson is one of these cities. Denver and the surrounding area is good too but all it takes is one aggressive motorist and it could be the end of you. If that happens I think it more likely that any other motorists who view the accident will run over to you and help themselves to your wallet rather than help bind your wounds. That's people these days.

Let's face it: Some people will NEVER get it.

Doesn't matter how you react, doesn't matter what the law says, nothing matters.
Except that you, the cyclist, want to survive your ride.

I try to stay away from busy roads as much as possible, if I have absolutely no other choice but to use one, I usually stay on the sidewalk.
Which is technically illegal, but no one ever says anything, the cops seem to prefer to let you get away with that rather than having to scrape your broken carcass off the road with a putty knife.
Which is what they will have to do if you insist on your rights.
You + bike = a couple of 100 pounds.
The guy in the car = a couple of 1,000 pounds.
No contest.

When yelled at, honked at, having stuff thrown at me or otherwise treated in the bike friendly manner Albuquerque is famous for (.....) , I just ignore them if safely possible.
One time, being in an exceptionally crappy mood, I flipped some guy the bird who had ridden my tail, revved his engine repeatedly, honked and yelled (while having plenty of room to just pass me...), he actually slammed on the brakes and backed up towards me (on a busy road in morning commuter traffic), I kept riding towards him, pulling out & swinging my Kryptonite lock.
He drove on.
Yup, that's people for ya.

had regular troubles with drivers for years....

last spring, a local paper published an article about higher gas prices driving more people to cycling. as part of the article, they listed some of the local & state laws; after that came out, i think i had one close call the rest of the year.

now, this year, i've already had four close calls; maybe it's time for a reprint....

but i don't miss the blaring horns, the cursing from passenger windows, or the thrown objects, that's for sure....

i found a blinking LED taillight helps, too.

I've probably said this before, excuse the redundancy, but I think it bears repeating.

In my experience, if you look a little 'funny' or 'odd' (what exactly that means will naturally depend on your environment), people tend to give you more room.
For example, I usually ride in 'normal' clothes - as opposed to Tour de Dope lycra/spandex mixes - temperature permitting, with a tweed jacket as an outer layer (gives you that 'distracted college professor' or 'older homeless guy' look) and that goofy slip-over reflective vest thingie, plus a skateboard helmet with stickers on it.
Having various non-racy things such as mirrors, those European safety reflectors that stick WAY out or WAY up, or a plastic milk crate with enough blinkie lights to make a Christmas tree jealous also seems to help.
So does what I would call an 'undercover' riding style, meaning look like you're a little unstable ( they're thinking: drunk who lost his license, now biking instead of driving, still drunk) while in reality being in full control.
Being able to assess risks and possible escape routes at warp speed.
I'm currently starting to explore the 'hood on inline skates (how 90's of me), and what applies to biking goes triple for skating.
As far as the city is concerned, a skater is a pedestrian, I'm making this part of my challenge and stay on sidewalks as much as possible (state of sidewalk, gravel, debris, etc. permitting), stop at lights, stop signs, etc. , try to come down hills in a controlled fashion, and so on.
It would certainly be easier to skate on the street, but also illegal and I'd be even more of a target than on a bike.