giving the finger

brianthebard

Some bastid cut me off today as I was about to cycle past a line of traffic, he pulled in front of me and I had to brake hard. He was moving into the left hand lane, but before the lane opened up if you follow, and hadn't indicated. I gave him the finger as he drove off, was that wrong? (yeah I know how dumb that post is I just felt I had to rant. Soz).

seamus

I prefer a good stern look at them, I reserve the finger as a response to being beeped at (where I'm not in the wrong, clearly) or shouted at.

brianthebard

I have used it for that reason in the past too. I was a little winded after braking (just the way I almost came off the bike I guess) so all I could do was give the finger as they sped off. Bastid.

Rob_l

I have noticed the rain brings more cars onto the roads and with that drivers get frustrated jump lanes and many other sorts of inconsiderate behaviour.

Several times i was wound up this morning by cars jumping lanes and not indicating, general bad driving

Doctor Bob

I consider the finger a perfectly acceptable response to near death experiences.

ednwireland

brianthebard wrote: »

Some bastid cut me off today as I was about to cycle past a line of traffic, he pulled in front of me and I had to brake hard. He was moving into the left hand lane, but before the lane opened up if you follow, and hadn't indicated. I gave him the finger as he drove off, was that wrong? (yeah I know how dumb that post is I just felt I had to rant. Soz).

its allright till the car driver leans into the back of the car and pulls out the bottom end of a pool cue , happened to me in derby (the factory was surrounded by real rough estates) i didnt bother after that.

RobFowl

Doctor Bob wrote: »

I consider the finger a perfectly acceptable response to near death experiences.

I concur

Canis Lupus

Yeah finger was justified but cars do that all the time. Someone said it was raining which makes cyclists tough to spot in the side mirrors.

blorg

A polite wave is a much better response to being beeped at, if it happens to be someone that knows you (it has certainly happened) that works. If they were beeping at your in anger it also works, drives them mad far more effectively than giving them the finger.

brianthebard

Doctor Bob wrote: »

I consider the finger a perfectly acceptable response to near death experiences.

Lol wasn't exactly near death (or was it? :eek: ) wasn't raining although it was cold, not an excuse for the driver though, it was some dick in a mazda with a massive exhaust who couldn't wait two seconds so cut off the cyclist. After I had almost been cut off by some woman in a people mover trying to pull out onto the road (its not my fault I swear!) She later passed me out and stayed in the wrong lane waaay too long.

Sniipe

If you had your helmet cam we could hunt the driver down and explain to him what he did wrong.

Turbulent Bill

On the flip side, if I'm signalling to change lane (or just take the lane) and a driver gives some space, I'll change from the simple arm-out signal to thumbs-up during the manoeuvre as a thanks. Nice to spread the positive vibes when you can.

Drivers who act stupidly get the stare and a disappointed shake of the head.

tomasrojo

ednwireland wrote: »

its allright till the car driver leans into the back of the car and pulls out the bottom end of a pool cue , happened to me in derby (the factory was surrounded by real rough estates) i didnt bother after that.

Something similar happened to me. I don't do it anymore. It's not helpful anyway. I really try to keep a poker face and say as little as possible.

I do sometimes raise my voice in warning when someone hasn't seen me and is swerving sideways towards me, but I sometimes have come to regret even that (that horrible sound of someone you've left behind you suddenly revving up violently and the sound of an oaf who is about to "teach you a lesson" hurtling in your direction).

morninwood

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

On the flip side, if I'm signalling to change lane (or just take the lane) and a driver gives some space, I'll change from the simple arm-out signal to thumbs-up during the manoeuvre as a thanks. Nice to spread the positive vibes when you can.

exactly my approach. being 'rewarded' for being considerate will make drivers become repeat offenders.

DirkVoodoo

I too have noticed that the bad weather seems to bring a dip in driver's awareness. I am pretty bad for giving the finger, but I have to vent my anger and I'm not good at the banging the back of the car, I also find nodding my head (if they are not boy racers, of whom the vast majority, while fast, have been quite courteous) seems to help.

Speaking of incidents, after I left the Orwell spin on sunday and was coming up past the bus stop outside the Radisson hotel, I was on the "on road" portion of the cycle lane before the lights and an old pair in an e-class towing a trailer beeped at me and cut me off (as in inches). Seeing as there was little traffic and they could have driven ahead of me and made the left turn safely, or yielded to me before turning, I decided to give them a piece of mind.

So, I followed the car as it parked in the apartments next to the Radisson and the old guy rolled down his window. I asked (calmly I might add, starting with "excuse me") what the problem was.

"What?"

"Why did you beep at me?"

"To warn you"

"To warn me of what? You have to yield to me"

All the while, the wife in the front seat is going "yes yes, thank you thank you, you're fine aren't you" waving her hand at me like I'm a fly near her dinner. I knew at this point that (a) these people were idiots and lacked a clear grasp of the rules of the road. Beeping at cyclists before cutting across them was obviously considered safe in their book, and (b) I wasn't going to change their minds or get an apology.

So, I left them with something along the lines of "ignorance is a wonderful thing" (couldn't think of anything better, where were you when I needed you Tonto!) and cycled off.

EDIT: I also do the "good motorist" thing in my own way, just a little wave or if someone is waiting for me to cycle across while they are at a junction, I do try and pick up the pace if there are no other cars around and they are waiting exclusively for me.

Jip

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I too have noticed that the bad weather seems to bring a dip in driver's awareness.

I think the real reason is that visibility drops alot when you're in a car on a rainy day. Wipers only clear a certain amount of the windscreen and door windows are covered with rain, which limits the visibility you have as opposed to when it's a dry day.

I'm also of the thumbs-up variety when signalling and the car behind gives me lots of space/slows down to let me make my move.

concussion

I think it's more to do with impatience due to the extra traffic. I find I get cut off a lot less at night (while illuminated by street lights and using a front and rear light) than I do on a rainy day (using bike lights). In fact, some mornings I just know someone is going to do something stupid and endanger my life.

Completely agree with you wrt thumbs-up to considerate drivers.

Jip

Not too sure, from my own point of view when driving I'd mostly put it down to the poorer visibility, no doubt of course impatience comes into it. But when looking into a wing mirror for example, no matter how many lights on the front of a bike, they all just become one big blur in the water droplets so any clear outline of a cyclist can be lost, same goes when looking through the windscreen between wipes in heavy rain or out of the non wiped part, being able to distinguish between lights on cars or bikes becomes that bit more difficult.

Jawgap

Go for it:)



Personally, my mantra is "smile and wave"

mmclo

Shaking head is increasingly my preferred option...gives the impression of pity and sympathy for their stupidity.

Find myself much further out in a lot of lanes in the rain due to the pools in cycle lanes or near curbs, leads to more beeping, is such a line justified?

On giving way the most annoying one is when you've slowed right down in a high gear and the motorist slams to a halt to let you go!

Diarmuid

For beeps, I usually make eye contact and do a finger on the lips. They usually don't expect that and the responses are very varied

BeerNut

Diarmuid wrote: »

For beeps, I usually make eye contact and do a finger on the lips. They usually don't expect that and the responses are very varied

Ooo, I like this. Might alternate it with my usual kiss-blowing.

SerialComplaint

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I too have noticed that the bad weather seems to bring a dip in driver's awareness. I am pretty bad for giving the finger, but I have to vent my anger and I'm not good at the banging the back of the car, I also find nodding my head (if they are not boy racers, of whom the vast majority, while fast, have been quite courteous) seems to help.

Speaking of incidents, after I left the Orwell spin on sunday and was coming up past the bus stop outside the Radisson hotel, I was on the "on road" portion of the cycle lane before the lights and an old pair in an e-class towing a trailer beeped at me and cut me off (as in inches). Seeing as there was little traffic and they could have driven ahead of me and made the left turn safely, or yielded to me before turning, I decided to give them a piece of mind.

So, I followed the car as it parked in the apartments next to the Radisson and the old guy rolled down his window. I asked (calmly I might add, starting with "excuse me") what the problem was.

"What?"

"Why did you beep at me?"

"To warn you"

"To warn me of what? You have to yield to me"

All the while, the wife in the front seat is going "yes yes, thank you thank you, you're fine aren't you" waving her hand at me like I'm a fly near her dinner. I knew at this point that (a) these people were idiots and lacked a clear grasp of the rules of the road. Beeping at cyclists before cutting across them was obviously considered safe in their book, and (b) I wasn't going to change their minds or get an apology.

So, I left them with something along the lines of "ignorance is a wonderful thing" (couldn't think of anything better, where were you when I needed you Tonto!) and cycled off.

With these kind of people, I usually take a few photos of them and the car with my phone, and when I ask why, I explain eversonicely that it is helpful for the Gardai, so they know exactly who to interview.

I tell myself that they lie awake at nights worrying about the impending arrival of the Sgt from the Traffic Corps.

Oink

Diarmuid wrote: »

For beeps, I usually make eye contact and do a finger on the lips. They usually don't expect that and the responses are very varied

oooh I like that too... That could be my new thing now.

petethedrummer

If its good enough for Tom Cruise in Top Gun, it's good enough for you.

Don't do it inverted though.