spitting, cussing, bottles, friendly hand gestures....

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

....all just part of the rural backroads road riding experience

yes, bottles.

Damn crazy out there today.

[phUnk]

Didja pop a cap?

[Vinman]

must be throw shit at cyclists day. I have a truck full or redneck throw change at me and Mrs. V today.

[mntlion]

I saw no-one on my ride today except an elk. she was nice

[Plakespear]

must be throw shit at cyclists day. I have a truck full or redneck throw change at me and Mrs. V today.

And you thought there were rednecks in DelCo!!

I don't know what's worse, though- occasional rednecks, or the constant barrage of latte-sipping, cellphone-gabbing, SUV-driving soccer moms who terrorize me on my suburban road excursions.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Didja pop a cap?

That's the scary part. Each of these 3 trucks that I had 'incidents' with today all had 3 redneck dudes sittin across the bench. WTF -- Takes a lot of balls to yell or throw somethin at a dude with 2 of your buds sittin next to ya, drivin a vehicle that ways 2 ton more than you, are going 30 mph faster than you are within inches of your shoulder/handlebars. The restraint it takes to not at least flip 'em off is unfugginbearable....but then it would be so easy for the truck to pull over, have all 3 dudes get out, and then it's 3-on-1 with who knows how many tire irons are in the bed.

Gonna have to fashion a sling so Mr. Louisville can come along for some rides as well.

[Darkside]

Maybe the TGR jerseys should have a pocket for holding one's 9?

[Cornholio]

I can't figure out what in the world is making people so mad to begin with. On Saturday, I was riding and crossed a bridge under construction, so it was down to one lane, and it was tight. So, I rode the 50m or so right down the middle. Even though it was obvious that I was really trying to hustle, the car behind me was right on my wheel, and as soon as we had two lanes again he squealed his tires and blew by me with his finger in the air.

This happens all the time, but christ-- by the time his finger was out the window, the whole thing was OVER. What's the point of the tire squealing and cussing at that point?

[homerjay]

The only way to effectively deal with this is carry your cell phone, and call the cops with a plate number.

[snow_slider]

by the time his finger was out the window, the whole thing was OVER. What's the point of the tire squealing and cussing at that point?

Because you made his fat ass 10 seconds late to the donut shop.

[Core Shot]

must be throw shit at cyclists day. I have a truck full or redneck throw change at me and Mrs. V today.

Were you wearing a "change for a nickel" maggot shirt??

[Vinman]

Were you wearing a "change for a nickel" maggot shirt??

Heh. No, but that would have been funny.

I had another family rednecks, I think they were the Vermont barrel bellied species, come so close to me that I could feel the exhaust, from their F-350 superduty with dual wheels, on my legs. If I had not been down in the areo bars I would have been able to touch the truck. There was no one coming in the other lane and I was 3 feet from the edge of the pavement.

Had someone buzz me during my last tri race too. They came within spitting distance so I did just that, I tried to spit on their car. Unfortunately I missed. I would have taken a bit of satisfaction if I had managed to hock a loogie on his rear window.

[InspectorGadget]

The only way to effectively deal with this is carry your cell phone, and call the cops with a plate number.

homer's got the right idea. Though, a pocket in the Mag jersey to carry your 9 runs a close second.

[Benny Profane]

The only way to effectively deal with this is carry your cell phone, and call the cops with a plate number.

Nope, not in NYC, or a lot of other places, I suspect. I was literally brushed off the road on Riverside Drive, (it was quite intentional), got the plate, and was asked by officer "Are you hurt? Is your bike hurt?" Case closed. Can't arrest somebody for being an asshole with no wittnesses.

Just remember - you have a large chainring with very sharp teeth and two hard plastic shoes with large cleats. Go for the knees, and DO NOT get back on the road unless car is disabled - grab the keys.

Still haven't picked up that bear spray.

[Plakespear]

Still haven't picked up that bear spray.

Now THAT'S an idea!

[Cornholio]

Last week a guy got arrested here for being an asshole. A girl on our group ride got a plate and description, and called it in. Later saw said car (riced-out civic) pulled over and the driver getting fitted with cuffs.

Found out later that cops pulled him over after the phone call, and found he had a warrant. Sorry, buddy.

Of course, all this REALLY did was to piss him off even more, to say nothing of his aggro teenage ricer buddies.

[Benny Profane]

I don't have too many problems around here in farm country, but I pick my rides specifically to avoid traffic, and there's tons of roads around here like that. Actually, the people using those roads are pretty friendly and accommodating. It's the suburban folks who are the assholes, who seem to have an attitude that you are in their way, like everything and everyone else in their life. Saturday is my least favorite day to bike near people, 'cause, you know, nothing is more important than getting the dry cleaning.

The scariest experience I had (besides above mentioned hit on Riverside Drive) was on Rt. 22 in Westchester about 5 years ago. Saturday morning, mellow, not much traffic. I arrive at a light with a right turn light on the right lane, but it wasn't right turn only. Anyway, a woman was in her SUV behind another car that wasn't turning on the light, because, duh, it was going straight. The psycho crazy bitch in the SUV had here hand on the horn for the whole 60 seconds, shouting some sort of obscenities inside her little world, windows closed. Maybe 3 cars present for this, beautiful, quiet morning. Except for her.
I think about her a lot when I think of doing something stupid.

[Spats]

I've only had stuff thrown at me once. Two teenagers in a car with their dates, going the other way. Guy thought it was funny to launch a half-eaten Taco Bell burrito at me.

Unfortunately for him, he then decided to turn left and got stuck at the red arrow. I pick up the burrito and pull a U. He was extremely surprised to see his burrito being shaken in his face. "Hey, hey, man, it's cool." "No, it's not cool, asshole, you threw your fucking trash at me. Don't ever pull that shit on people again."

The dates didn't look impressed

[powderwhore]

Thats why I ride a mt bike. Just don't need to be on the road near cars.

[freshies]

Last week a guy got arrested here for being an asshole. A girl on our group ride got a plate and description, and called it in. Later saw said car (riced-out civic) pulled over and the driver getting fitted with cuffs.(

yes, justice! i had some midget w/a napolean (sp) complex driving a massive SUV brush up next to me and run me off the road. i caught up to him at the next light and was going nuts, bashing on his hood and passenger side window, yelling at him, so he gets out of the car and comes around and starts talking all tough (and i am thinking, how did this get to this point, when he ran me off the road and is pissed at ME? WTF...), getting in my face. I unclip and get off the bike ready for combat when it dawns on me that i have big plastic cleats on (duh) and have no traction whatsoever for anything that might go down. Luckily, just as things were getting heated between us, a pack of cyclists rides up and gets my back....the dude gets back in his SUV and peels out....what an ass.

[SkiOrDie]

Those VERY realistic life-sized M-16 toy guys are pretty darn light and easy to cary. I figure you just wear one strapped aross your back where all the drivers gaining on you can have a nice clear view of it. Then get yourself a NRA T-Shirt so they know you've been properly trained in the "Safe" operation of your fully automatic weapon, either that or a nice red Semper Fi shirt.

At least that way they'd either steer way clear or take you out completely on the first hit. Of course, the cops might want to pull you over and have a look.

:-)

[El Chupacabra]

You can kick out an automotive taillight with a clipless-cleated bike shoe.

(Critical Mass San Francisco circa 1993 was educational.)

[Sphinx]

My new commute is four miles down the largest bike trail in Seattle. I love it!