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Permalink Reply by K Stephens on September 10, 2008 at 12:42pm

I too have been the subject of many angry comments from motorists, sometimes deserved, but mostly not. Sometimes I yell back or give the finger. Sometimes I try to give them a smile and wave, just to confuse them or try to make them feel like their anger is stupid. One thing I have tried to remember is that the next time the motorist who just yelled at me comes across a bike, it will probably be someone else. So if I do something to incite them further, like run someone off the road or worse, another cyclist is going to be the victim. I try to be conscious of that as a restraint for myself. So even if you don't believe in karma for yourself, maybe you could consider karma falling upon someone else. Just a thought.

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Permalink Reply by Adam on September 10, 2008 at 1:04pm

nice

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Permalink Reply by Anton on September 10, 2008 at 1:54pm

I've been offered this argument before and, though I think it's a thoughtful perspective, I disagree. I think that a cyclist who stands up for themselves (and cyclists as a whole) against the threats that are imposed upon all of us by automotive dominance on the roads cannot be blamed for causing the oppression we are subject to any more than rosa parks can be blamed for causing segregation. While it's true that real change requires organization, the spirit that mobilizes the masses and gives drive to organization comes from individuals with the passion and defiance to stand up for their just place in society. One hothead on a fixie may not change the paradigm that puts us all at risk every time we get on the road but his/her spirit of confrontation and resistance to being marginalized is imperative to a shift in public perception that will give bikes a respected place on the roads. Encouraging submission is damaging and attributing the tragic results of reckless driving to aggressive cyclists fighting (literally) to claim the roads that are rightfully ours is misdirected and unfair. But that's just my opinion.

K Stephens said:

I too have been the subject of many angry comments from motorists, sometimes deserved, but mostly not. Sometimes I yell back or give the finger. Sometimes I try to give them a smile and wave, just to confuse them or try to make them feel like their anger is stupid. One thing I have tried to remember is that the next time the motorist who just yelled at me comes across a bike, it will probably be someone else. So if I do something to incite them further, like run someone off the road or worse, another cyclist is going to be the victim. I try to be conscious of that as a restraint for myself. So even if you don't believe in karma for yourself, maybe you could consider karma falling upon someone else. Just a thought.

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Permalink Reply by Tommie on September 10, 2008 at 2:52pm

Hey man,

I'm sorry you had to deal with someone like that. It's hard not to retaliate. Thanks for not doing something super damaging or physical (e.g. using your u-lock).

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Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on September 10, 2008 at 3:36pm

I think I met this woman on Damen once. I wanted to make a left so I merged left but the light changed to red so I came to a stop behind 3 cars. Woman pulled up behind me and kept yelling at me to get in the bike lane.

Why are you yelling at me? Why don't you yell at the red light? It, unlike me, is impeding your progress.

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Permalink Reply by evanK on September 10, 2008 at 4:31pm

sometimes it seems that people in cars get upset just by the very sight of a bike on a road. i think, more than anything, it's a defect in their understanding of the laws. bikes do have the right to roads; they do have the right to take up as much space as they need in order to be safe (eg, not riding in the door zone).

emotions are birthed out of a stimulus and a belief. if one believes bikes are not for roads, then they'll get upset by the very sight of one. if you believe, like most of us, that bikes are saving the world from itself one gallon of gas saved at a time, then you are heartened by the sight of every person riding a bike. and if you really believe that barack obama is a muslim and that he's lying about his religion and that every muslim is somehow related to a terrorist and that terrorists just hate freedom, then you'll be very afraid to vote for him. in all cases, education is the answer, but some people have come to their own conclusions and are not educable.

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Permalink Reply by Anton on September 11, 2008 at 11:55am

I know I've already weighed in on this topic, but why do so many cyclists talk about motorists like thier insects and not citizens of a community (of human beings) who are capable of making moral decision and who should be held solely responsible for their actions.

'Don't piss them off or they will swarm! It's their nature! You should know better!'

Again, I'm not suggesting that someone lashing out at a driver is going to solve a cultural problem. But its out of line to blame the actions of reckless motorists on cyclists who are tired of being marginalized. Sorry to harp, but we are all individuals out there, every day, dealing with the same shit in our own way. It's easy to claim high ground and pass judgment on an online forum but we all know what its like out there, we all know the source of the problem and it's not U-lock wielding cyclists.

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