Go with the approach taken by Youtube user Gaz545 in the video - shout at the driver, swear, and use jargon that he’ll not understand at all?
Manoeuvre your bike so it’s right in front, at right-angels to the car, and then dive (still clipped to the bike) onto the bonnet, before rolling off and claiming that he ran into you?
Get out your D-lock / U-lock and see how much glass you can smash / body panels you can wreck before the police arrive?
Start a one-man, slow bicycle critical mass event? I think we know how that ends though.
Park the bike up at the next set of lights and get into the passenger seat of the car to see how much he likes it when his space is really invaded?
Stop, point and laugh your head off at this obviously-compensating-for-something driver?
7 Responses to “ What’s The Correct Response To This? ”
Glenn on March 19, 2011 at 1:16 am
Well, I was close to #2. I wanted to toss the bike onto his car. The polite thing to say would be “Jesus Loves You”, while thinking “everyone else thinks you’re an a-hole”.
tom on March 19, 2011 at 7:45 am
Open their rear passenger side door then cycle off
I tend to go for (6) but then I’m in Germany, and this rarely happens, and I’m protected by strict liability anyway, so drivers tend to be a bit more cautious about stunts like this.
It depends what you want to achieve. If you want revenge, post the video. If you need the satisfaction of asserting your right to the road, then (4). If you want to influence behaviour, then forget starting an argument. It’s not going to achieve anything. Maybe it’s an opportunity to email the Executive Producer of Top Gear, Andy Wilman (andy.wilman@bbc.co.uk) to point out an example of the type of behaviour that his programme encourages.
In reality, in this kind of situation I don’t know whether I am dealing with somebody who needed psychiatric help, an incompetent, or somebody who urgently needs to speak to me.
It’s galling, but whichever it is, I reckon the best bet is to swallow your pride, and pull aside at the next convenient gap where you can both stop safely. In the unlikely event that they do need to speak to you, they can. Otherwise you are out of the way of someone who is potentially dangerous (to you, others, and themselves). You are also safe to gesture as they drive on, which at least makes me feel better.
Django69 on March 25, 2011 at 12:53 am
It has always satisfied me to wave at driver with a big smile pretending it is a friend beeping me to say hello. Sometimes when close enough I will shout out, “Hey John, see you at Penny’s tonight!” etc
dr2chase on March 26, 2011 at 2:30 am
Isn’t it against the law to use the horn except as a safety device? That is certainly the case in some US states. The driver should be cited, based on the evidence in the video.
jackflap on March 26, 2011 at 2:40 pm
I hear this works quite well. Stop the bicycle blocking the car from going past, pull out your camera(phone) and slowly and pointedly take a picture of the car’s number plates.
There’s no real use in doing this, but it seems to freak them out and they calm down significantly after that.
Well, I was close to #2. I wanted to toss the bike onto his car. The polite thing to say would be “Jesus Loves You”, while thinking “everyone else thinks you’re an a-hole”.
Open their rear passenger side door then cycle off
I tend to go for (6) but then I’m in Germany, and this rarely happens, and I’m protected by strict liability anyway, so drivers tend to be a bit more cautious about stunts like this.
It depends what you want to achieve. If you want revenge, post the video. If you need the satisfaction of asserting your right to the road, then (4). If you want to influence behaviour, then forget starting an argument. It’s not going to achieve anything. Maybe it’s an opportunity to email the Executive Producer of Top Gear, Andy Wilman (andy.wilman@bbc.co.uk) to point out an example of the type of behaviour that his programme encourages.
In reality, in this kind of situation I don’t know whether I am dealing with somebody who needed psychiatric help, an incompetent, or somebody who urgently needs to speak to me.
It’s galling, but whichever it is, I reckon the best bet is to swallow your pride, and pull aside at the next convenient gap where you can both stop safely. In the unlikely event that they do need to speak to you, they can. Otherwise you are out of the way of someone who is potentially dangerous (to you, others, and themselves). You are also safe to gesture as they drive on, which at least makes me feel better.
It has always satisfied me to wave at driver with a big smile pretending it is a friend beeping me to say hello. Sometimes when close enough I will shout out, “Hey John, see you at Penny’s tonight!” etc
Isn’t it against the law to use the horn except as a safety device? That is certainly the case in some US states. The driver should be cited, based on the evidence in the video.
I hear this works quite well. Stop the bicycle blocking the car from going past, pull out your camera(phone) and slowly and pointedly take a picture of the car’s number plates.
There’s no real use in doing this, but it seems to freak them out and they calm down significantly after that.