Odd interaction with a road rager
So here's an odd one for the books. I was cycling from work today along a
one-way street with enough clearance to avoid opening car doors. The street was three lanes wide with one of the lanes reserved for buses at rush hour. The middle lane was free. A bus was slowing down to a stop in its lane and I was moving forward when I heard the ubiquitous blare of a horn from a car in the (clear) middle lane. Now the car had to pass between the bus and myself, but there was a whole lane for him to do so, so I wasn't sure what was up. I caught up to him at the next lights. The car was some souped-up muscle car and the driver looked pretty tough so I debated whether or not to ask him what was up. I thought "what the heck" and asked him if I could help him with something. He then yelled, very angrily I might add, that with me on one side and the bus on the other side he barely had room to pass, and that I should have been off to the side (riding over top of the parked cars I suppose). I was about to tell him that his whole lane was clear but the light turned green and he peeled rubber and took off like a bat out of hell. I caught up two lights later and was going to ask him why he thought an entire lane of traffic was not sufficient for him but he'd rolled up his window and was staring straight ahead. That intersection has an advance green for bikes and I left somewhat befuddled. Basically, and I hate to say it, he was acting like a big baby. Taking a fit when things weren't going his way and then sulking later. I doubt that I intimidated him, I'm don't look that imposing, but if I didn't know better I'd have thought he was scared. How much room does someone need anyway? Is one lane not enough for some people? -- Ron McKinnon rmckin spam at sympatico http://www.magma.ca/~ronmck dot ca |
"Ron McKinnon" wrote [snip] I caught up to him at the next lights. The car was some souped-up muscle car... and I caught up two lights later... That's what got to him...:) Pete |
"Ron McKinnon" wrote [snip] I caught up to him at the next lights. The car was some souped-up muscle car... and I caught up two lights later... That's what got to him...:) Pete |
Ron McKinnon wrote:
Basically, and I hate to say it, he was acting like a big baby. Taking a fit when things weren't going his way and then sulking later. I doubt that I intimidated him, I'm don't look that imposing, but if I didn't know better I'd have thought he was scared. &*^$ bicycle, riding in the left lane, and his souped car can't even outrun it (at least not permanently). Scary, very scary. You done disgrace to his manhood, and then confronted him (twice). His ego may never be the same. I'd have phoned his plate to the local drunk driver/road rager hotline, just to report general erratic and inept behavior behind the wheel. I wonder how much an armed cop would scare this clearly unbalanced chap. |
Ron McKinnon wrote:
Basically, and I hate to say it, he was acting like a big baby. Taking a fit when things weren't going his way and then sulking later. I doubt that I intimidated him, I'm don't look that imposing, but if I didn't know better I'd have thought he was scared. &*^$ bicycle, riding in the left lane, and his souped car can't even outrun it (at least not permanently). Scary, very scary. You done disgrace to his manhood, and then confronted him (twice). His ego may never be the same. I'd have phoned his plate to the local drunk driver/road rager hotline, just to report general erratic and inept behavior behind the wheel. I wonder how much an armed cop would scare this clearly unbalanced chap. |
"Mitch Haley" wrote in message ... Ron McKinnon wrote: Basically, and I hate to say it, he was acting like a big baby. Taking a fit when things weren't going his way and then sulking later. I doubt that I intimidated him, I'm don't look that imposing, but if I didn't know better I'd have thought he was scared. &*^$ bicycle, riding in the left lane, and his souped car can't even outrun it (at least not permanently). Scary, very scary. You done disgrace to his manhood, and then confronted him (twice). His ego may never be the same. I'd have phoned his plate to the local drunk driver/road rager hotline, just to report general erratic and inept behavior behind the wheel. I wonder how much an armed cop would scare this clearly unbalanced chap. Probably was a cop. |
"Mitch Haley" wrote in message ... Ron McKinnon wrote: Basically, and I hate to say it, he was acting like a big baby. Taking a fit when things weren't going his way and then sulking later. I doubt that I intimidated him, I'm don't look that imposing, but if I didn't know better I'd have thought he was scared. &*^$ bicycle, riding in the left lane, and his souped car can't even outrun it (at least not permanently). Scary, very scary. You done disgrace to his manhood, and then confronted him (twice). His ego may never be the same. I'd have phoned his plate to the local drunk driver/road rager hotline, just to report general erratic and inept behavior behind the wheel. I wonder how much an armed cop would scare this clearly unbalanced chap. Probably was a cop. |
"Ron McKinnon" wrote: (clip) I thought "what the heck" and asked him if I could help him with something. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ See, you didn't play by his "rules." He thought he was protected from confrontation, which made him very "brave." But you faced him, and forced him to justify his irrational behavior--which he could not do. What would it do to your self-image to declare that you can't drive your car down a standard lane? I'd say you won that bout. |
"Ron McKinnon" wrote: (clip) I thought "what the heck" and asked him if I could help him with something. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ See, you didn't play by his "rules." He thought he was protected from confrontation, which made him very "brave." But you faced him, and forced him to justify his irrational behavior--which he could not do. What would it do to your self-image to declare that you can't drive your car down a standard lane? I'd say you won that bout. |
Ron McKinnon wrote:
road rage incident snipped Basically, and I hate to say it, he was acting like a big baby. Taking a fit when things weren't going his way and then sulking later. All road ragers are acting like babies. "I don't want things the way they are, and I'm going to blame you!" is written into each road rager's personality. Things like forgiveness and flexibility are not there. I doubt that I intimidated him, I'm don't look that imposing, but if I didn't know better I'd have thought he was scared. An immature person having a temper tantrum may in fact rely on him intimidating you. When that didn't work, he may have felt like his "big one" was taken away. How much room does someone need anyway? Is one lane not enough for some people? Judging by the number of cars I see in the ditch, especially in winter, I'd say entire roads aren't enough for some people. Austin -- I'm pedaling as fast as I durn well please! There are no X characters in my address |
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