Moron Motorists #3

[Boognoss]

How to not overtake, let me count the ways.

Cripes that was close! Where was that?

Ray Rd, Carlingford eastbound while at 30+ before the climb starts up to Magnolia Ave.

[jindydiver]

How to not overtake, let me count the ways.

Incredibly reckless driving. You know 100% that if given a choice between a head on with that car and running down the cyclist the overtaking vehicle will have chosen the cyclists life over his own. People who take this sort of risk with other peoples lives should not be allowed to drive.

[Cheesewheel]

Loads of space in the right lane, but no; he wanted to intimidate me instead. And then the same old complaint about how I should be over to the left instead of riding primary.

You must have the patience of a Saint. The pass alone would have been enough to make me want to get physical but that smart rectum attitude of his would have seen me playing a bit of chin music and probably wearing some special police issue bracelets. What a complete waste of human DNA.

Actually something similar happened to me last week at night time ... namely deliberate intimidation in a motor vehicle (his passenger yelled out "faggot" as he did it ..... and somehow he passed me another two times without the physical intimidation but still yelling faggot.

I didn't set out to chase him but he ended up pulling into a driveway. I wasn't really coherent in my rage yelling at him to switch his brains on when he drives or I will personally recreate the experience of a cycling accident by smearing his brains on the bitumen ... while I was thumping his window and car door ( which he made sure was wound up and locked) . I don't know if I have ever been so mad in my life but I certainly haven't seen anyone so scared of me and thid kind of snapped me out of it ... so I just gave him one last scowl and rode off. Throughout the whole ordeal they said nothing but were literally open mouthed in shock. As they drove off (in the opposite direction) they yelled something about anger management.

I guess when someone takes a literal pass at your health and well being you feel justified in reciprocating with them accordingly but it could easily escalate your losses ... in terms of health wealth and pending legal issues. I also don't think the motorist drives away with the learning outcomes we would like to imagine they would if we had the opportunity to break their teeth. Infact it probably solidifies their myopia.

I applaud jangaris response. Its difficult to deal with incidents as a moron motorists ... as opposed to a moron motorist who is representative of every other incident you have had with a moron motorist where they sped away. I guess being consciously aware you have the event recorded for legal purposes helps.

Just on the state border there is a terrific 3 hour cycling circuit between uruliup and hogans road in a forested area. ... reasonable quality sealed roads ( except for a 3 km dirt road) and the liklihood of encountering no more than a dozen cars ( most of whom will wave in a friendly manner ). The only problem is thst you have to ride through west tweed and bilambil to get there ( toxic combination of low income low rent properties with bogan friendly roads).

I've had a few incidents on that stretch involving eggs, sqealing wheels and the like but I still find myself heading out that way because its such a great ride once you get past boganville.

[silentC]

I wasn't really coherent in my rage

This is my problem and it's why I do try to avoid getting into those situations because I tend to lose it. Fortunately I've not had many incidents. Only twice in recent years have I had a verbal exchange with someone, and on both occasions it was over something they yelled out, rather than something they did. More of a "what was that you called out as I rode past/you drove past". Funny how they go quiet when you call them on it face to face.

The last time I totally lost it was a few years ago when a guy in a white Commodore flew down our 50kph street at highway speeds. I saw him coming back a few minutes later so I picked up a rock and stood in the middle of the road. When he stopped I gave him an earful and told him if I saw him do it again, I'd put the rock through his windscreen. He didn't say much but I'm glad I never saw him again because I don't know what I would have done. Certainly throwing a rock at a car is stupid and dangerous.

It's hard to keep your cool but I reckon these days it's worth trying to avoid losing it, because things can escalate and you just don't know what the other person might do.

[InTheWoods]

Yesterday I got beeped while being passed by some 4wd thing. This was because I wasn't riding in the dooring zone Bicycle Awareness Zone and was riding on the road lane. Sat on 45-50kmh so I could have a longer chat with him at the lights down the road. It was actually civil, and he told me I should have been in the "bicycle lane" as what I was doing was unsafe. So I explained its not a bicycle lane, and that it was the least safe place to be because getting doored regularly kills cyclists, and I was much easier to see where I was compared to riding up against cars on the side. Lights went green, had to go our separate ways... He had stayed a meter away from me although he was across a solid line on a blind corner...

Had a d*** h*** audi driver vent his trouser department inadequacies this morning by lots of engine revving as he went past, as he was aggrieved that I was claiming my lane. Again stayed a meter away and I can't help but feel the relative lack of close punishment passes (so far) while claiming a lane on that road is down to the new rule.

Still swear by using a take-a-look mirror, massive help in confidently claiming the lane and feeling much safer while doing so. You can see if you've been seen, and if the driver is looking to switch lanes, or is wanting to pressure you. If I get pressured I move from the centre of the lane another 20cm towards the right wheel track just to re-inforce that I'm not budging. The best thing with the mirror is the driver doesn't know you're watching them. So they don't get the "he looked and knows I'm here why isn't he getting out of my way" feeling. They probably presume I'm just not paying any attention.

[Summernight]

From this morning's ride to work:


and


Just the usual...

[warthog1]

I liked your "sooo fast" comment in the second video

[jules21]

that driver is handing out advice and criticism with his horn while showing some silky skills as he carves his way through the CBD. probably a secret agent or something. what a loser.

[jasonc]

that driver is handing out advice and criticism with his horn while showing some silky skills as he carves his way through the CBD. probably a secret agent or something. what a loser.

but he drives a camry. the definition of cool (actually the definition of the current generation's of volvo drivers)

[MisuVir]

I liked your "sooo fast" comment in the second video

Nice to know that I'm not the only one that talks to himself while riding.

Regarding the "right hook"... this is such a common thing to see in traffic, so much so that I'll usually just slow down and let them through. I know and understand the frustration of being unable to turn right through a line of stationary traffic - when one line of traffic leaves a gap to let someone turn through, it seems only courteous for any approaching traffic to also slow to let them through. Regardless of whether you want to let people through or not, it would be prudent to slow down when approaching gaps in stationary traffic - cars, bicycles, and pedestrians alike often take the opportunity to cross with little regard for the oncoming cyclist hidden from view behind a line of traffic.

[find_bruce]

I was in the left of 2 lanes. Left turn arrow comes on so I check behind to see if anyone is waiting to turn. No indicators on the van so I stay where I am. Moron is suddenly on the horn. Whatever I move over to let him past. Stops to give me a piece of his mind (not that he had much to spare). I pointed out if he indicated I would have let him through. Drives forward a metre & stops again, apparently deciding that he did have time for a chat after all.

Opens his door to get out. Looks at 95 kg of former prop forward & wisely decides to stay in the van, half hanging out of the door like that was what he meant to do.

Really needs to work on his range of insults though. Tried calling me fat, was a bit miffed when I asked if that was the best he had & referred to me as a female body part. I have never understood why some people think that is an insult - given how many men spend a great deal of time and money in pursuit of that end, I would have thought it was a complement. Next time I might respond "thanks but your not my type"

Of course in all of this time, the pathetic excuse for a person had missed the lights, got himself worked up in a lather & had virtually no effect on me as I calmly rode off.

I would like to be able to say I had sent him homeward to think again, but I suspect nothing short of ect would penetrate.

[silentC]

Turning right across an apparently empty left hand lane can be a bit fraught. On more than one occasion I have seen someone fly down the left hand lane and nose their way across into the right lane to get round a parked car or a merging lane. I'm always very wary of turning across two lanes when the left lane is empty.

In fact I nearly got myself written off years ago when I was running for a bus on Spit Road. The traffic in the right hand lane was at a standstill so I crossed and went between two cars, only to find myself in the path of a Porche doing Mach 7 up the left hand lane. Thankfully his brakes were as good as his reflexes and all I got was a bruise on my thigh. My backpack, which for reasons I won't go into here contained a toasted sandwich maker amongst other things, came off my shoulder and landed with a thud on his bonnet and I had the audacity to yell at him!

[jules21]

Opens his door to get out. Looks at 95 kg of former prop forward & wisely decides to stay in the van, half hanging out of the door like that was what he meant to do.

i love it when that happens.

[outnabike]

o into here contained a toasted sandwich maker amongst other things, came off my shoulder and landed with a thud on his bonnet and I had the audacity to yell at him!

Yep, "The best form of defence is offence" Custer of "Little Big Horn" fame.

[find_bruce]

Opens his door to get out. Looks at 95 kg of former prop forward & wisely decides to stay in the van, half hanging out of the door like that was what he meant to do.

i love it when that happens.

Me too - I fight about as well as I climb hills. Maybe it was the arm warmers

[rogan]

that driver is handing out advice and criticism with his horn while showing some silky skills as he carves his way through the CBD. probably a secret agent or something. what a loser.

but he drives a camry. the definition of cool (actually the definition of the current generation's of volvo drivers)

Ahem. Generalise if you will about Toymotors. They certainly aren't cool. But my thought on the matter is that the same people who drove Volvos in the 80s are in Audis and Lexuses now. More tools per capita in those cars than the general driving population. FWIW.

[Lukeyboy]

I was riding home along Sandgate Road this evening in the bike lane when the soccer mum beside me put her indicator on and started to merge across. Gave a couple hits to the door in the process. It was also good to hear the car directly behind start rapidly beeping their horn to get the drivers attention. To the soccer mum; learn to use your mirrors and actually look out the passenger window. To the driver behind; big kudos on using your horn to alert the driver.

[jasonc]

any permanent damage to the vehicle?

[Lukeyboy]

I don't think so. Just the usual warning fire before I loaded the closed hand cannonball.

[jules21]

any permanent damage to the vehicle?

what about repairable damage?

[trailgumby]

Opens his door to get out. Looks at 95 kg of former prop forward & wisely decides to stay in the van, half hanging out of the door like that was what he meant to do.

i love it when that happens.

Me too - I fight about as well as I climb hills. Maybe it was the arm warmers

Yeah I saw those when we were out at SOP. Love the animal print

[kb]

I don't think so. Just the usual warning fire before I loaded the closed hand cannonball.

Perhaps a yellow or brown seat stain?

[jasonc]

any permanent damage to the vehicle?

what about repairable damage?

you haven't met lukeyboy - if there's any damage, it'd be permanent

[Lukeyboy]

I don't think so. Just the usual warning fire before I loaded the closed hand cannonball.

Perhaps a yellow or brown seat stain?

Nothing of that sort. Sandgate road is very wide. I had about another 3m of empty road to my left of the bike lane before it turned into the turn left only lane. I was doing 35-40kph but it would take more than that to get my HR up/create a stain moment

[ldrcycles]

Saw a taxi driver in Noosa the other day chatting away on his mobile. Shame i wasn't able to get the rego, if i had his employer would know all about it.