"I'm going to knock your head off with a baseball bat"

On 2005-04-06, Art Harris wrote:
Preston Crawford wrote:

He starts yelling at me to "f***ing get on the sidewalk".

While difficult to do, the BEST response is to pretend you don't even
hear him. I'll admit I can't always manage it, but when I do it works
great.

If you're doing nothing wrong, and this guy is yelling and cursing,
most people will be able to figure out who the moron is. If you're both
yelling and cursing it's hard to tell .

He's trying to get a reaction. When you totally ignore him, it takes
all the fun out of it for him.

Or you could just for a complete non-sequitor. When he gets all red-faced
and shouting, you go for big smiles and waves (5 fingers).

Makes it pretty clear to onlookers who's the aggressor. Doesn't raise your
blood pressure.

Plus, it's a lot more fun than quoting the vehicle code.

Mark

"Mark Mitchell" wrote in message
...

Or you could just for a complete non-sequitor. When he gets all red-faced
and shouting, you go for big smiles and waves (5 fingers).

Makes it pretty clear to onlookers who's the aggressor. Doesn't raise
your
blood pressure.

This reminds me of my ride home last week -- when was it, Thursday? Friday?
I don't remember. Anyway, I was finishing coming up Eastgate Way, a fairly
stiff climb, and some twitbrain a silver Encore first honked right behind me
just to see me jump, and then the guy in the passenger seat yelled something
at me. The words were unintelligible, but the hostile intent was clear. I
could hear them laughing as they zoomed away.

At the top of the hill there's a stop light, and it was not long before I
had caught up to the Encore. I doubt they expected that, seeing that I was
coming up the hill so slow. The Encore is in one of the left turn lanes, and
I'm next to it in the go-straight-or-turn-right lane. To my right is the
right-turn-only lane. There's a whole bunch of cars waiting at the light
there.

I exclaim, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" until I finally get the young fellow to
unroll his window. I say, in a motherly voice, "I heard you shouting to me
as you passed by me earlier on the hill, but I couldn't quite make out what
you said. Is everything OK? Do you need help with anything?" There's
probably about 8 or 10 motorists all rather curiously staring at me and the
Encore, trying to figure out what is going on, probably because they're
bored waiting at this interminable light, and this is the most interesting
thing happening. "I was afraid that maybe you had some difficulty. Are you
sure you're all right?" Like, are you sure you don't need a brain
transplant, IDIOT?!! but of course outwardly I was all maternal concern.
They disavow any need for assistance, and embarrassedly roll up their
window. The light turns green.

I ride away in triumph.


Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky

Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Claire Petersky wrote:

I exclaim, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" until I finally get the young
fellow to
unroll his window. I say, in a motherly voice, "I heard you shouting
to me
as you passed by me earlier on the hill, but I couldn't quite make
out what
you said. Is everything OK? Do you need help with anything?" There's
probably about 8 or 10 motorists all rather curiously staring at me
and the
Encore, trying to figure out what is going on, probably because
they're
bored waiting at this interminable light, and this is the most
interesting
thing happening. "I was afraid that maybe you had some difficulty.
Are you
sure you're all right?" Like, are you sure you don't need a brain
transplant, IDIOT?!! but of course outwardly I was all maternal
concern.
They disavow any need for assistance, and embarrassedly roll up their
window. The light turns green.

I ride away in triumph.

As I said:
"I keep thinking there must be a way to use psychological jiu-jitsu in
situations like that - something other than "my weapon trumps your
weapon," even if my "weapon" is a cell phone. I'm thinking (vaguely)
of something that confuses them, then makes them see how silly they're
being. "

Good one, Claire!

- Frank Krygowski

Claire Petersky wrote:

I exclaim, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" until I finally get the young
fellow to
unroll his window. I say, in a motherly voice, "I heard you shouting
to me
as you passed by me earlier on the hill, but I couldn't quite make
out what
you said. Is everything OK? Do you need help with anything?"
snip
The light turns green.

I ride away in triumph.

Frank Krygowski wrote:

As I said:
"I keep thinking there must be a way to use psychological jiu-jitsu in
situations like that - something other than "my weapon trumps your
weapon," even if my "weapon" is a cell phone. I'm thinking (vaguely)
of something that confuses them, then makes them see how silly they're
being. "

Good one, Claire!


The best "psychological jiu-jitsu" I have seen was in a Radiology Department
staff meeting at a significant Boston hospital. For some reason, one of the
elder male radiologists stood up during the meeting and vehemently attacked
another radiologist at some length and in some detail. After he finished and
sat down, all eyes (at least mine) went to the one who had been attacked
wondering what the response would be. The one who had been attacked , who
happened to be female, remained seated, said not a word, showed not the
least bit of stress, but just smiled broadly with what looked like genuine
amusement. And held the smile until the meeting finally got started back up
again.

"Alfred Ryder" wrote:

The best "psychological jiu-jitsu" I have seen was in a Radiology Department
staff meeting at a significant Boston hospital. For some reason, one of the
elder male radiologists stood up during the meeting and vehemently attacked
another radiologist at some length and in some detail. After he finished and
sat down, all eyes (at least mine) went to the one who had been attacked
wondering what the response would be. The one who had been attacked , who
happened to be female, remained seated, said not a word, showed not the
least bit of stress, but just smiled broadly with what looked like genuine
amusement. And held the smile until the meeting finally got started back up
again.

The best I ever heard about was at a construction meeting in China.
The French Program Manager was laying into a Chinese supervisor or
contractor about something. He railed on and on cursing and swearing,
and all the while the Chinese guy just sat there idly folding a
cigarette paper (lots of 'em rolled their own back then). This went
on for a while, until the French PM ran out of steam.

"Are you done?" asked the Chinese guy.

"Yes" snarled the French PM.

At which point the Chinese guy sat the neatly folded oragami frog on
the table just long enough for it to sink in... then touched it with
the tip of his lit cigarette, sending it up in instant flames.

Classic.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Claire Petersky wrote:


I exclaim, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" until I finally get the young
fellow to
unroll his window. I say, in a motherly voice, "I heard you shouting
to me
as you passed by me earlier on the hill, but I couldn't quite make
out what
you said. Is everything OK? Do you need help with anything?"


I ride away in triumph.

I had a nearly identical experience a few years ago. A kid leaned out
and yelled in my ear as they passed. I caught them at the next light.
There were 2 teenage girls giggling hysterically (one being the
driver), while a younger boy was literally trying to hide under the
dashboard.

I let a few moments pass, gave him my steeliest look, and in my best
Clint Eastwood asked: "Have you always been such a complete jerk?" He
swallowed hard and gulped "Yes". "I thought so", I said, and rode off
shaking my head. Heh, I forgot about that one.

"Peter Cole" wrote:


Claire Petersky wrote:


I exclaim, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" until I finally get the young
fellow to
unroll his window. I say, in a motherly voice, "I heard you shouting
to me
as you passed by me earlier on the hill, but I couldn't quite make
out what
you said. Is everything OK? Do you need help with anything?"


I ride away in triumph.

I had a nearly identical experience a few years ago. A kid leaned out
and yelled in my ear as they passed. I caught them at the next light.
There were 2 teenage girls giggling hysterically (one being the
driver), while a younger boy was literally trying to hide under the
dashboard.

I let a few moments pass, gave him my steeliest look, and in my best
Clint Eastwood asked: "Have you always been such a complete jerk?" He
swallowed hard and gulped "Yes". "I thought so", I said, and rode off
shaking my head. Heh, I forgot about that one.

These are heartening stories, to be sure, but there is a tiny part of
my astoundingly warped brain that says . . .

We cyclists have dozens and dozens of cautionary tales that guide us
in our travels, hopefully keeping us just a tiny bit safer.

I still stand by my "cyclists messing with drivers is high risk, low
reward" (though I did yell at one myself yesterday for trying to take
Sorni out...), but . . .

I want to hear that tale . . . yes, preferably that apocryphal tale .
.. . about the cyclist who--accosted in some "harmless, just crazy kids
having fun" sort of way--pulls out a .357 and starts blasting wildly
at the car.

Again, I'm not adocating violence against the car-people . . . but
what cautionary tales . . . what urban legend do they have to make
them think, if only for a split second, that it's just not a good idea
.. . . that *they're* at risk, too?? Obviously, moral rectitude isn't
cutting it. Maybe fear of consequences would....

Better to do the right thing for the wrong reasons than not at all.

Maybe we can work something out with snopes.com??

Be safe out there....

David L. Johnson wrote:

BTW, just taking pictures is not enough. All you see is pictures of a
red-faced fool giving you the finger. Hardly a death threat there. You
need full-motion video with sound to get their ass in jail. Until your
phone has that, you flat-out will not win in court, and we all know it.

/briefly puts on his Cell Phone sarariman hat

The LG VX 8000 phone can take 15-second vid clips. Granted, that's
probably insufficient currently. But in a year or two, expect much
longer video times to be available on phones. Already, small digital
cameras/camcorders are catching more people red-handed doing what they
ought-not-to-be doing.

--
Dane Jackson - z u v e m b i @ u n i x b i g o t s . o r g
Before you ask more questions, think about whether you really want to
know the answers.
-- Gene Wolfe, "The Claw of the Conciliator"

On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 20:42:47 -0500, Preston Crawford
wrote:

This for riding my bike in traffic today. I was riding down the street
that runs from my home to the intersection of the main artery towards the
light rail. I was in the right lane, waiting for cars to pass, then
signaled to get into the left lane to turn onto the main artery. Pretty
mundane stuff. I look behind me with my mirror, then over my shoulder to
make sure the car behind me (which is moving back and forth aggressively)
isn't going to pass me on the left as I get into the left lane. He doesn't
and I get into the left lane.

This is where it gets weird. He starts yelling at me to "f***ing get on
the sidewalk". This, also, is typical. I'm used to hearing this on an
almost bi-weekly basis from the citizens of Beaverton, Oregon. We live in
a bicycle friendly community. Right. I guess that's relative (i.e. they
don't throw things at us, they only threaten to kill us). Anyway, he's
yelling at me to get on the sidewalk calling me an "f***ing idiot" (with
no hint of irony). Finally I try to explain to him (and I seriously mean
explain, I'll be the first to admit that I've given the finger or shouted
back at someone before who was road raging) that bikes are allowed on the
road. Then he says "I'm going to knock your head off with a baseball bat".
Of course, I shout back that I'm going to call the police and he'll go to
jail for assault, I pull my cell phone out and start to dial, he starts
cussing loudly to himself in the car staring forward.

In the end he drove off, I road off, but I'm really starting to get tired
of this garbage. This happens far too often and I do everything you're
supposed to do when it comes to riding. And yet still it happens. And it's
never "damn you for passing me" or "how dare you take the lane". The road
raging is always because I'm on the road period. Period! Nothing more.
Nothing less. You don't deserve to be on the road, so I'm going to
threaten to kill you. What can you do when faced with this? I'm so sick of
it. I want to carry a camera with me and just photograph the hell out of
these people and take them to court. I wonder if I should carry mace with
me at all times. I don't want to. I'm not a fighter. But at a certain
point when not only are you being threatened by their vehicles, but
they're threatening to wield weapons, what do you do? I'm at a loss.

Preston

Let me be the first (and only, it appears) person to bring up the
reason most drivers hate cyclists.

The a-hole riders who ignore all traffic laws except when it's to
their advantage. Then they cry about 'having a right to be on the
road'.

Well, bully for you. I ride but I also drive ... (pausing to allow
readers to recover from the shock) and I get ****ed at most bike
riders too.

Thurston

Thurston noemail wrote:

The a-hole riders who ignore all traffic laws except when it's to
their advantage. Then they cry about 'having a right to be on the
road'.

Doubtful. There seems to be a large body of experience showing that people
who attack other people with their vehicles rarely even have that much
justification. It's simply a case of xenophobia in most cases. Attacking
the *other* because it's *other*. The motivations given later for the
attack usually smack of rationalization after the fact.

--
Dane Jackson - z u v e m b i @ u n i x b i g o t s . o r g
"Contrary to popular belief, penguins are not the salvation of modern
technology. Neither do they throw parties for the urban proletariat."