Had my first argument on the road - annoyed with myself

[Birdster]

So annoyed with myself as I've been ignoring the bad drivers such as those roaring up behind, or cutting across etc the last few months since I started, but I let this incident get to me.

Today I'm out towards the white line because of a row of parked cars and a car comes roaring up behind, overtakes with a turning to his right and a blind bend and then cuts right in front. So if anything had come I'd have been squashed. So I braked in case soemthing did come. Later down the road he's pulled up and is delivering a take away and I asked if that was a safe place to overtake and he replied "Not really, but I've got food deliveries to make and you'd out near the middle of the road" I explained that this was because of the parked cars and it was only 8 cars so no hardship to wait.

I don't need a them and us debate as there is enough of them, but genuinely asking how do you guys cope with these things? It's put me off a little bit for today as I chose a quiet road to stay away from traffic and yet people still can't wait. I don't want to be arguing on be road, it's not big or clever.

[MysteryLemon]

Just ignore it. No good outcome with come of a confrontation with someone. They'll either deny no wrong or rip your head off so just leave it and carry on.

[Magic919]

Once you've had a few more, you'll forget about this one :-)

FWIW, I mostly don't bother trying to educate wayward motorists/cyclists/pedestrians.

[Usget]

Allow yourself a little rant in your head, maybe a bit of gesticulation, and move on. Dopey driving happens all the time - assume it will, prepare for the worst, stay alert, and you'll be surprised how many situations you can a) predict and thus b) mitigate.

The way I see it is, I can't remember any of the issues from two journeys ago, which seemed annoying at the time. So if they pale into insignificance so quickly, there's no point in getting worked up about them at the time.

[BadgerBenji]

Piss in the chips he was delivering.

[covmutley]

I honestly think it is best to let these things go. I drive 90 miles a day on my commute. If I got angry with every bit of bad driving the commute would be worse. Same when I'm on my bike.

Everyone makes the odd mistake or bad decision but if you do find yourself up against a real idiot they aren't going to take notice of what you say anyway. Some people are just idiots!

[stuartmmcfc]

Let it go and ignore it.
The roads are full of idiots like this who think they're no. 1
Don't stoop to their level and you'll be able to laugh it off.

[Mr Aston Martin]

It's the equivalent of getting wound up because it's raining.

You're the vulnerable one on the road, ride accordingly and put it down to experience. If it does get to you reset the defined goals for a ride and one is don't get provoked in a argument with a numpty

[Birdster]

Good advice, thanks.

In the car I let it go. I think I just felt a bit vulnerable today on the bike. It's right though to think it through in your head "knob" then move on. I had half let it go and then when I caught up and see him delivering food it triggered a response. His reply and attitude says it all and it'll help me not get frustrated. Also I have made mistakes myself.

Cheers all.

[Daveyraveygravey]

Or, your conversation with him might make him rethink his driving, and that delaying one of his precious deliveries by ooh maybe 10 seconds is more important than endangering another person.
Everyone else's response to this has been way better than mine, and you shouldn't get wound up by dangerous / careless /inconsiderate driving. I wish I could ignore it, but I can't.

[agentnomad]

If you can keep them talking for a couple of minuits, leave them with the though that the chat you had with them cost them more time than giving you a little space/time on the road.

[Birdster]

Also a good point. He did apologise, so maybe it will work.

I try to avoid confrontation as you never know what sort of aggression someone will respond with. I asked a question in a frustrated manner, but easily could have been met with aggression. What comes of that? Me in a cell, or a hospital?

I drove into London this evening and saw some awful driving and cycling. You can't escape these people.

[MadDad]

Sadly that sort of thing happens all of the time, in fact if I get home and someone has not cut me up, turned left in front of me, overtaken and slammed the brakes on, or done something equally as stupid it seems a bit odd! If you stopped and had a go at every idiot you met while out you would make extremely slow progress! It happens to you every single time you go out in your car, the difference is you don't feel so vulnerable so you don't really notice it and shrug it off as just 'another idiot who should not be on the road'....

I only tend to react if the driver has put me in fear for my safety (life), or if the act is obviously malicious - otherwise 'it only matters if you let it'!

[yellowjack]

Should have ridden off with his keys...

(in my experience, takeaway drivers always leave the motor running )

[SteveSteveson]

I agree with the above. Let it go and remember, the bike has nothing to do with it, so don't take it personally like some people do. If you were in a car he would be tale gating you if your not doing over the speed limit. Never swear at anyone, if you do react make it nothing more than a wave or an "WOW". Not worth the agro that they might take offense if they are just bad drivers. Pointing stuff out will just upset them. Better off making sure you ride safely and correctly and accept that dumb drivers and riders will not be changed by you telling so. Possibly the opposite.

Only once have I felt the need to report something to the police, and that was where guy first of all swerved at me intentionally whilst passing then gave me some verbal abuse as I passed him later (It seems he didn't like bikes filtering in city traffic). It was a company van and the police gave the company a call and had a few words with them about the behavior of the driver. I thought it was worth the risk of him having a vendetta against me vs the possibility of not doing it to anyone else as it was malicious.

[thiscocks]

Dont be annoyed at speaking to the fktards. End of the day theyre puting your life at risk because they are impatient selfish pricks. They need to be told if you ask me. I regularly do tell them, and probably not as politely as you did!

[Gruffy]

My typical response is to mutter something to myself. If they've done something seriously dangerous then I'll be gesticulating and firing off some blue language, always without any thought as to how it will develop and how vulnerable I am in cleated shoes. Even in London that's usually only once or twice a week (10 hours riding). I'm more restrained than when I first started riding.

Quite often it's not malicious, just ignorant. Half the time it's being cut up or pulled out on by a SMIDSY. In those situations I'll usually make sure they DO see me afterwards (I'll pull into the middle of the road behind them and fill their rear view mirror), just to hammer home the point and hopefully make them think about being more observant next time.