Cyclists: Ever have weird encounters with motorists?

[Navarone]

I ride with this going, and a flashing tail light, and about 300 lumens blasting out front.

[15Michaeljoseph]

they have these kits now that are like LED rope, they attach to your spokes, ends up looking kinda like those little handheld fans with lights on them. extremely noticable. Not that I do any night riding....


--Mike

[LateFan]

...what kills me is when people buy a $2 clip-on single-LED light for their backpack. They are otherwise invisible. I'm not out to hurt anyone, but a little personal accountability would be nice. I drive a full-size truck and would feel terrible if I pulled out in front of someone because I couldn't see them.

Same here - scares the shit out of you when something comes out of the corner of your eye in the dark.

I vote lots of lights, serious lights. Back in Seattle in the dark and rain heading home, I had a front light that was like a car low beam - used to piss joggers off it was so bright. And multiple flashers on the back so it vibrates like a police car. Reflector stickers on shoes and pedals. Reflector ankle straps so they see something moving.

I live in a college town now, and there are kids riding at night all the time going the wrong way on a one-way, no helmet, black clothes, no lights...it's incredible someone hasn't been hit.

My son got some Continental winter road bike tires that have what looks like whitewalls. When you hit them with light, the sidewall lights up with a big hoop, which is really smart.

[cwatt]

Once I almost got fucked by a minivan that was obviously speeding and not paying attention, unless they did it on purpose. Doing at least 55 in a 35, and i swear to you the sideview mirror missed my shoulder by 2 inches. I felt the wind so close.


--Mike

Oh, that was intentional for sure. I once had a tan Mercedes C-class pass me in the same lane, despite there being two lanes in each direction and NO TRAFFIC anywhere. I learnt my lesson that day to always command your lane. Even if there is only one lane in each direction, if you're legally entitled to be there, command your lane and force vehicles to pass you as they would another vehicle. In Halifax it is illegal to pass a cyclist within 3ft. I can't say I've ever seen or heard of someone ticketed for it though.


I do want to share an alternate perspective too:

What always pissed me off being a driver is that I've almost hit my fare share of cyclists. Halifax, like many old east-coast cities, is poorly lit with lots of old-growth trees and tight streets to create visibility obstruction. It doesn't help that in the dark with rain, it is difficult to see other cars let alone cyclists. As a cycle commuter myself, I invested in some pretty bright LED lights for my bike. White strobe for front, red for rear. Total cost was about $70. Though the provincial laws state all bicycles must have a light, what kills me (reverse-pun intended) is when people buy a $2 clip-on single-LED light for their backpack. They are otherwise invisible. I'm not out to hurt anyone, but a little personal accountability would be nice. I drive a full-size truck and would feel terrible if I pulled out in front of someone because I couldn't see them.

A further note - when I was training for half-marathons, the majority of my running was done at night with my dog. It's for this reason he wears a reflective collar that glows orange. My shoes are also fluorescent yellow.

[NoM54me]

I've been hit twice in the last couple of years, both times the striking SUV (both were Ford Explorers) just drove off. The first time, I rolled onto the opposite side of the road, into the path of a loaded grain truck--October in Indiana. It stopped, driver got out to check on me! Now, I have a camera and an attorney. I've also had things thrown at me, diesel trucks like to "roll coal" on us here. I bought two new jerseys...an NRA one, and a Gadsden flag one. Never, ever happens with either of those on. Never ride on the sidewalk unless your safety demands it, like on a bridge or where you'd severely impede traffic. Just follow the law.

[e30onBBSs]

One time I was riding home from the skatepark, and these two dope corvettes probably put it in second or something and flew by me. The sound was uhhhhnce and that was before I could even drive so it was really sweet they were lowered with exhaust.

Around the same spot the same summer some dickhead in a truck honked at me and I was listening to music and it was super scary and the roads are sketchy at that point so I almost freaked out and turned off the road but I was like oh man there is about an 8 inch drop and I was going down a hill at probably 30 ish, so I clutched it. They honked at me for no reason it wasn't like I was swerving into the car lane or anything.

In english class we had to write an "open letter". If you don't know what that is it's supposed to be written to basically an entity or someone who's not going to read it. It can be a rant or whatever, for example it could be to "The people who designed e30's". So we are going around sharing an excerpt from our writing and all these kids who's parents bought them range rovers completely tear into bikers in this disgustingly selfish way. Not even kidding this girl goes "The worst thing about living here is the bikers on the roads" "do they not think my 2000 pound car (LOL at this she drives a range rover not a race car) will kill them if I hit them off the road?" And I'm sitting there as one of the only kids who's ever ridden on the roads with these crazies like :loco::finger::shock::down:

I talked to her about it later and she's like "It's not like you bike" and my responses really triggered her, but I think I got the message that she needs to be more empathetic and patient, because us bikers have nothing to protect us but a helmet. Crazy.

[Navarone]

Oh well was the fire chiefs response?!

[155///MPH]

I rode 4000 miles last year and there were a few incidents. What I've really learned is that if you react you won't help the situation. I'll take pics or record the plates but other than that I carry on about my way. I'm investing in a camera in the next few months too.

My favorite was being run off the road last week.....by a firetruck on a four lane road. He had ample room just decided he wanted some more. I place a call to the chief to express my concern. Oh well.

I love my riding and none of these people are going to keep me from riding.

Stay safe out there!

[Codym42]

Beer bottle? Okay, you win. I've thought about going down to the southern US in the winter to do some road riding, but I've always been afraid of this exact thing. My plan was to custom make a jersey that says 'YES to guns' or something. lol

Yes to guns? lmao That reminds me of the Top Gear episode where they go to Alabama and paint things on their cars to make people get pissed off. Kinda the opposite of your idea.

A number of years ago some friends and I (6 of us) were riding back from a bar on OSU campus. The main road High street is 4 lanes with a turn lane with the right lanes being bike lanes meaning bikes can take the entire lane so we were.

A couple uneventful miles go by then suddenly I hear some mumbling from a passing car and this huge 44oz gas station soda goes whizzing past me, nearly hit one of my friends and ended up blasting some poor girl on the sidewalk. I look over and there's some douche bro drunk ass hole giving us the finger from the back of a car filled with 3 girls. They caught a light about a block up so we started sprinting towards them. It turned green before we caught them and the dude kept taunting us, throwing shit at us and just being an asshole. Caught them at the next light, he started to roll his window up but not before someone in our group gave him a nasty left hook to the temple. They took off and ran the red light but being a saturday night, there was some decent traffic. We started to catch back up to them again as they were caught at a redlight about 4 cars back. The girl cuts into on coming traffic and runs the light to get away from us...unfortunately for her the first car in line coming the other way is a cop who immediately pulled them over. We rode and told them what happened. The girl got a handful of tickets and the drunk dude in the back got a hell of an ear full from the cop.

I used to ride a lot more but after dealing with assholes in cars, nearly being run over and just dealing with the BS regularly it got old. Anymore I just like to cruise a nice bike path or if I'm on roads I try to stick to ones with bike lanes or atleast are designated bike roads.

This is one of the few stories on here that actually ended well. Its so nice when people get what they deserve!

[Nick_S]

A number of years ago some friends and I (6 of us) were riding back from a bar on OSU campus. The main road High street is 4 lanes with a turn lane with the right lanes being bike lanes meaning bikes can take the entire lane so we were.

A couple uneventful miles go by then suddenly I hear some mumbling from a passing car and this huge 44oz gas station soda goes whizzing past me, nearly hit one of my friends and ended up blasting some poor girl on the sidewalk. I look over and there's some douche bro drunk ass hole giving us the finger from the back of a car filled with 3 girls. They caught a light about a block up so we started sprinting towards them. It turned green before we caught them and the dude kept taunting us, throwing shit at us and just being an asshole. Caught them at the next light, he started to roll his window up but not before someone in our group gave him a nasty left hook to the temple. They took off and ran the red light but being a saturday night, there was some decent traffic. We started to catch back up to them again as they were caught at a redlight about 4 cars back. The girl cuts into on coming traffic and runs the light to get away from us...unfortunately for her the first car in line coming the other way is a cop who immediately pulled them over. We rode and told them what happened. The girl got a handful of tickets and the drunk dude in the back got a hell of an ear full from the cop.

I used to ride a lot more but after dealing with assholes in cars, nearly being run over and just dealing with the BS regularly it got old. Anymore I just like to cruise a nice bike path or if I'm on roads I try to stick to ones with bike lanes or atleast are designated bike roads.

[jdt10768]

Beer bottle? Okay, you win. I've thought about going down to the southern US in the winter to do some road riding, but I've always been afraid of this exact thing. My plan was to custom make a jersey that says 'YES to guns' or something. lol

There ARE some cycle-friendly towns in the South. You just need to know where to go. Greenville, SC for instance: George Hincapie is a resident, and GVL has been a very nice bike oriented city for years. Lots of great road and Mtn riding there, plus weekly massive (at times police escorted) group rides with 3 categories of difficulty, awesome weather,

of course there are idiots everywhere, no matter where you go

[15Michaeljoseph]

wow haha some of these stories are pretty bad, and kinda funny too. drive-bys with paintball guns? What the fuck!?
i'd say up here in MA people are a bit more respectful toward road bikers. I ride inbetween the end of the roadside and the white line, always. Once I almost got fucked by a minivan that was obviously speeding and not paying attention, unless they did it on purpose. Doing at least 55 in a 35, and i swear to you the sideview mirror missed my shoulder by 2 inches. I felt the wind so close. besides that, the worst thing is when people honk right next to you, that seems to be most popular around here. good thing they don't throw things :)


--Mike

[cwatt]

lived in Alabama a while back, and some redneck arse-hole threw a beer bottle

Beer bottle? Okay, you win. I've thought about going down to the southern US in the winter to do some road riding, but I've always been afraid of this exact thing. My plan was to custom make a jersey that says 'YES to guns' or something. lol

[Benjamin_Button]

Was road biking with a buddy of mine. Chilling in the left turn lane waiting for it to turn green. Asshat in a jeep pulls up behind us revving his engine and inching forward. Light turns green and he floors it, we swerve out the way and he nearly rear ends the car in front of him. Everyone in the intersection is like wtf is this guys problem. Definitely one of the closer calls.

[myinfernalbmw]

Did he at least get the plate number?

No he said he was so dumbfounded with the situation that it didn't even occur to him. He said he deserved it for calling the guy a fag lol. I don't quite get his rationale as I would have probably yelled worse having just been struck by a car.

Fuck no he wasn't going to stop and help!! A road is 12 feet wide, so if he's in the last 3 feet then the fucking piece of shit driver swerved to hit him. What a worthless piece of crap.

I don't think he swerved to hit him. My buddy would have still been in the cars path of travel, just not quite through it. He said the guy hit his brakes as soon as he was hit. He assumed he just wasn't paying attention.