Road Clash - Cyclists & Drivers

There's a lot being written about the rise in cycling in the U.S. and, consequently, also a lot written about the clash between cyclists and drivers. Amanda sent me this article from the New York Times about the rise of road rage aimed at bikers. One of the people quoted summed it up by saying, “We’ve had a car culture for so long and suddenly the roads become saturated with bicyclists trying to save gas,” Mr. Cooley said 10 days after the attack, still feeling scrambled, in pain and traumatized. “No one knows how to share the road.”

Even though Chicago's a pretty bike-friendly city, there are those people who are downright mean. One time I was riding down Halsted with a guy who, every time I caught up to him at a light, kept yelling at me, "Out of my way! Stay on the sidewalk!" (which is illegal). And even worse, riding in a car with a few people, one of whom joked to the driver, "Ten points if you hit a biker." I got off easy compared to some of the stories in the article, but I'm sure there are worse examples from around here.

What about you guys. Do any of you have stories of drivers behaving badly?

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Permalink Reply by Jason Figler on June 25, 2009 at 9:03am
Coming in late to this discussion...but this is my $.02, calling the po po does little to help, they really don't care to do anything. I had a cabbie threaten to kill me, not kidding, in the loop, and I did what I SHOULD not do, put my bike down in front of his cab and proceeded to engage him and his anger with my anger. But in less thrilling cases I have called the cops and they don't do shit. I ride pretty fast, and ride everyday to work (in the loop) and lately have had very little issues with the four-wheelers. I just keep my "mouth horn" at the ready, and my hands always prepared for a hood, door, fender slap to let them know I'm there.

Be smart and be careful-

Brian Benson said:
I always try to call in a plate # if I can get one...never had an issue with a CTA bus and I think this is why: one day when talking to a driver about bikes on the road he mentioned to me that if a biker gets hit or has an altercation with the bus and its somehow documented, the driver goes like two weeks no pay suspension or something like that--so they are rightfully more respectful than drivers and ESPECIALLY cabbies...whom, like these other stories have actually tried to chase me and hit me numerous times, even when I quit they still wait. Crazy people. Call it in! Maybe if they can't pay all their bills for a month, they'll think twice before using a two ton weapon to make a point ;)

Julie Hochstadter said:
Funny thing is I'm so used to animosity now that when a motorist is friendly I'm almost surprised. I had a friendly exchange last week with a bus driver. We were both stopped at Clark/Halsted and Barry. It's a long light (I NEVER make that light for some reason) and we both looked at each other and gave a head nod and thumbs up. When the light turned he motioned for me to go in front of him!

In October I remember having a nice exchange with motorcyclist and his lady friend at that exact same intersection. We were laughing about the extreme change in weather from one day to the next. I felt a nice bond with them and we shared a good laugh.

My worst motorist experience happened with a bus. I had pulled over to use my phone. I was in the parked car lane although there were no cars at that part of Clark near Sunnyside. As I was putting away my phone and getting my gloves on I turned around to see a bus coming straight towards me! I literally had to pick up my bike and jump on the sidewalk to avoid getting hit. I decided to try race up to him and yell at him at the stop sign. All he did wasnhonk at me. I wrote down his bus number and was going to report him for bus road rage but never did.

Anyone know who to call to complain about road rage specifically for CTA and cabs?
Permalink Reply by Davo on June 25, 2009 at 9:20am
A simular thing happend to my friend on his way to catch up with the naked ride this year. He is an EMT and had the EMT multi tool on him. This tool has a seat belt cutter a door prier and a window breaker. With that said he caught up to the cabbie and busted his window. Probibly not the best thing to do but the cabbie was going out of his way to make trouble with my pal.

Anne Alt said:
A few years ago, I had a scary incident with a cabbie in Uptown. I was on Clark near Wilson, headed for the Loop. The cabbie had pulled over to pick up a fare, and I passed him. A minute later, he zoomed up from behind me and passed me on the left, then slowed down when he was beside me, trying to force me into the parked cars. I hit the brakes and dropped behind him to avoid being squashed. He slowed down more. I stopped and waited, hoping he'd go on his way. He paused at a stop sign, then pulled out slowly. I started rolling again, slowly. He kept going slow. A car pulled out in front of him. I tried to pass on the left while there was a break in oncoming traffic. He moved over the center line, pushing me further over, and closed the gap between him and the car ahead of him. I was yelling at him to leave me alone, and he was yelling things to the effect that "bikes don't belong on the road." A light changed ahead, and there was oncoming traffic again and not enough time to pass both cars, even with a hard sprint. I hit the brakes again and dropped behind him over to the curb, where I pulled out my phone and called 911. I waited until I could see him over 2 blocks ahead before I started to roll again. As I pulled out from the curb, Randy Neufeld was coming down the street. Can't think of too many times when I've been so glad to see a friendly face.
Permalink Reply by Jason Figler on June 25, 2009 at 9:46am
Nice, not very mature, not at all smart...but I still dig it. I actually don't carry a "weapon" with me. That seems a little much. I have however, had other vehicles driving in such a way that they are actually threatening my safety and using their car as a weapon. Not too often, once though I told a cop, who was right where this incident happened (18th and Ashland) and she was too busy writing a juicy parking ticket to do anything. IMO, when people are using cars as weapons, that is SERIOUS stuff that trumps a parking ticket BIG TIME.


Dave Micek said:
A simular thing happend to my friend on his way to catch up with the naked ride this year. He is an EMT and had the EMT multi tool on him. This tool has a seat belt cutter a door prier and a window breaker. With that said he caught up to the cabbie and busted his window. Probibly not the best thing to do but the cabbie was going out of his way to make trouble with my pal.

Permalink Reply by DavID on June 25, 2009 at 11:05am
Yesterday at 7am on Diversey i had this lady in a Land Rover start with me. She was so ignorant i had to confront her!
I gave a signal that i wanted to merge left to go around sections chopped out of the road by the damn city. I let the first car pass and looked at her as i was going to go around the holes, this bitch scowls then speeds up right at me.
I moved slowed down and the next guy let me in, she speeds up to the red light. So i pulled up and said "Real nice" and she said " I'm in a car, your on a bike, I can kill you!" I replied "So that gives you the right to bully me" The light turns green and she speeds off.

People don't care...Its sad. Maybe I should have shown some Ulock justice, but i didn't let it ruin my morning. I smashed out a little ride before work on the path to blow off steam...
Permalink Reply by Thomas Collette on June 25, 2009 at 11:40am
I just got kick out of the local Farmers Market in Oswego, New York because I was walking my bicycle thru the crowd of people. I was leaning the bike against a pole every time I was buying things. They were have trouble with youth riding their skateboards and bicycles thru the crowd, so now everyone suffers.
Permalink Reply by Jim Freeman on June 25, 2009 at 12:48pm
Call 311 to report cabbie complaints to the Dept of Consumer Affairs. I hear they are good about follow up. If you have a problem with a cabbie you should report it too, at the very least it creates a real problem for the cabbie. I always want a crappy driver to think, "Man, last time I did that it turned out to be a real pain in the ass. I'm not going to do that again."

Julie Hochstadter said:
My worst motorist experience happened with a bus.... Anyone know who to call to complain about road rage specifically for CTA and cabs?
Permalink Reply by mike w. on June 25, 2009 at 3:34pm
My latest favourite tactic is to smile a big sh**-eatin' grin and wave. Sometimes i'll call out "Hey Charlie! (or some other name that seems appropriate) how are ya? Long time no see!"

Sometimes they think i really know 'em, and they slink away red-faced.

Sometimes it really pisses 'em off, but it leaves them little excuse to retaliate.

i find this tactic works better than the usual one-finger salute.

Although i have been known to chuck a water bottle on occasion...
Permalink Reply by PJ on June 26, 2009 at 2:46am
I like that tactic a lot! I think I need to start using that instead of my usual response. I'm beginning to realize my standard flat hand smack to their fender isn't helping anything.

mike w. said:
My latest favourite tactic is to smile a big sh**-eatin' grin and wave. Sometimes i'll call out "Hey Charlie! (or some other name that seems appropriate) how are ya? Long time no see!"

Sometimes they think i really know 'em, and they slink away red-faced.

Sometimes it really pisses 'em off, but it leaves them little excuse to retaliate.

i find this tactic works better than the usual one-finger salute.

Although i have been known to chuck a water bottle on occasion...
Permalink Reply by Jamie on June 26, 2009 at 4:03am
I've seen a lot. tons of close calls and near misses... thankfully never had an accident with a car. I've been cussed at, chased, I've chased cars, you name it. I'm generally friendly and courteous to motorists but if you do something that threatens my safety I will react accordingly. I usually have more problems with completely oblivious pedestrians.
Permalink Reply by Dottie on June 26, 2009 at 12:59pm
A lady at 311 just now informed me that a Dodge Ram (or similar big truck) running a cyclist off the road (so close that when I put my arm out to signal back off, my fingers brushed the truck) and then yelling, "Stay off the fucking road" is not assault but "just being ignorant." If I remember correctly from law school, assault is putting someone in reasonable apprehension of bodily harm. A quick check of the Illinois Criminal Statutes, 720 ILCS 5/12‑1(a), confirms this. I certainly was placed in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery. If someone had yelled the same while waving a gun in my face, I'm pretty sure 311 lady would have been more receptive. Too bad, I got his license plate number and everything.
Permalink Reply by Dottie on June 26, 2009 at 3:04pm
Thanks, MARK. She said I could not file a police report, though, because there's no police report for being ignorant. I may stop by my local precinct, but I will get mad all over again if they tell me the same thing. I can describe the driver: new large silver truck (maybe Dodge Ram), white male driver with white/silver hair, 50's-60's, large and beefy, license plate number 54216B.

M.A.R.K. said:
File a police report too. Chances are they will not arrest him for it, unless you can describe the driver but at least it will be on record and there will be a record of him and his attention to cyclists. I think if someone almost hits you and screams nonsense like that it should definitely be filed under assault, not ignorance.
Dottie said:
A lady at 311 just now informed me that a Dodge Ram (or similar big truck) running a cyclist off the road (so close that when I put my arm out to signal back off, my fingers brushed the truck) and then yelling, "Stay off the fucking road" is not assault but "just being ignorant." If I remember correctly from law school, assault is putting someone in reasonable apprehension of bodily harm. A quick check of the Illinois Criminal Statutes, 720 ILCS 5/12‑1(a), confirms this. I certainly was placed in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery. If someone had yelled the same while waving a gun in my face, I'm pretty sure 311 lady would have been more receptive. Too bad, I got his license plate number and everything.
Permalink Reply by Ryan L on July 6, 2009 at 5:56pm
I had the most bizarre experience today with a mad man behind the wheel of a fricken BMW. Tempers flared, words were exchanged, 2 squad cars showed up, the strange man behind the wheel of the car lied his ass off. Good times were had by all.

I am working on a full write-up of my event today with as much detail as I can remember. I will try to post it asap while it is fresh in my head. Too good of a story not to tell the bike community. Scary shit!

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