Please don't help so much

Wes Groleau wrote:
On 07-02-2012 11:43, Frank Krygowski wrote:
I've heard people say that local truckers and long haul truckers are
very different in their behavior. I think that may be true. I've never
ever been hassled by anyone driving a semi-trailer rig, but I have
occasionally gotten grief from large dump trucks.

The only person that ever honked at me was the semi-driver I recently
mentioned. I have been yelled at two or three times by ignorant people
in passenger cars. But for the most part, motorists are reasonable.
The most common expression of displeasure seems to be flooring it when
they finally get the chance to pass. I just shake my head in amazement.
After all, it doesn't punish me one iota, but they have to pay for the
gas they wasted. :-)

The most memorable case was when I was riding on a narrow (probably 9'
lanes) two lane frequently used as a cut-through by truckers wanting to
avoid main roads. Despite keeping up with other traffic in front of me
due to traffic lights, the dump truck driver behind me blared his horn
several times.

So I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head, and kept my lane position.
Eventually he passed and went on his miserable way.

I would have pulled out my cell phone and photographed him. Let him lose
sleep wondering what I intend to do with the picture. :-)

Before cell phone cameras, there were two times I recall when I, or my
wife on the back of our tandem, turned around and very obviously read
out loud, repeatedly, the license plate number of a car that was
aggressively tailgating our bike. Both times the drivers backed off.

--
- Frank Krygowski