A very nice ending to a driver incident

TomP · #1 07-02-2015, 06:15 AM

Yesterday I was riding and a pick-up truck passed me giving a pretty wide gap. Unfortunately he was pulling a trailer and apparently didn't know how wide it was. It came REALLY close almost forcing me off the road. Well, I gave the salute. The pick-up behind him saw this and passed with a wide gap. They must have been traveling together because they pulled over ahead and stopped when the road allowed. As I passed by they apologized. I waived and said thank you. Totally made my day.

David Kirk · #2 07-02-2015, 08:29 AM

Nice. I've had a similar thing happen and I just wanted to stay in the moment and let it sink in. There are plenty of good people who drive out there and it's easy to forget.

dave

JStonebarger · #3 07-02-2015, 09:59 AM

Last year I marshalled the corner of a local practice TT on a hot summer night here in Iowa. As racers passed by I chatted with a young woman watching for her first time, cheering on her triathlete boyfriend in his first TT. A few cars came through, mostly from the connecting gravel roads, but when one SUV reappeared a few minutes later I began to wonder. The TT had seen a few unfortunate incidents over the years --racers heckled or buzzed by a trailer, one guy squeezed off the road in a tight corner -- and I worried that someone behind the SUV's tinted glass had decided to teach us a lesson.

"Careful now," I told the young woman, "We might have pissed off one of the locals." Sure enough the SUV entered the turn onto the gravel it had come from earlier, only to stop right before us in the middle of the intersection. The window rolled down, I held my breath, and the elderly lady inside held something out to us and said, "Take this gnat spray I picked up at the grocery. You folks are going to get eaten alive out here!"

Lewis Moon · #4 07-02-2015, 10:23 AM

Love this. More.

Len J · #5 07-02-2015, 10:27 AM

Unless we actively do something different, we usually only notice the few a-hole drivers that put us at risk. Next ride, keep track of everyone who gives you room, waits for you before turning, waits for you to pass before pulling out, and waits to pass you until they have enough room.....there are way more of these than the ones that don't.

Len

bcroslin · #6 07-02-2015, 10:49 AM

We had a driver in a truck squeeze us pretty good last weekend. He got so close that I actually reached over and put my hand on the truck to steady myself. Words and fingers were exchanged and the driver went on his way. And that would have been the end of it had it not been for the name of the driver's company displayed in large letters across his rear window. I went home, looked the company up, found the company's FB page and messaged him about the incident. I was polite but made a point of telling him just how badly things could have gone and asked him to be careful when driving around cyclists. The next day I received a one sentence apology.

It's too bad everyone doesn't have to drive with their name and phone number on their car. Take away the anonymity of being in a car and suddenly people act human.

GregL · #7 07-02-2015, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Len J

Next ride, keep track of everyone who gives you room, waits for you before turning, waits for you to pass before pulling out, and waits to pass you until they have enough room.....there are way more of these than the ones that don't.

I try to do this on EVERY ride. Every time a driver is courteous, I make sure to wave, smile, give them a thumbs up, and say "thank you", or some combination of those gestures. We are all ambassadors for cycling. It's a great feeling when you see a motorist smile and wave back!

- Greg

OldCrank · #8 07-02-2015, 11:45 AM

We need more recognition of the classy drivers out there.

While I'm also horrified of landscaping truck&trailers, it's really nice to launch a loud THANK YOU with big wave to those who are cool on the road.

And I think it's because I can stay still at a stop sign (still clipped in), drivers may not know what to make of that, but I get waved thru intersections a *lot*, really.

Lewis Moon · #9 07-02-2015, 12:10 PM

I always acknowledge drivers who wait to turn or watch for me when they pull out. To a certain extent I feel I'm effectively saying "thank you for doing the right, legal thing and not being an A$$hole and killing me", but I acknowledge them none-the-less. Small rewards to reward good behavior. Pretty clinical/cynical, I know.

Lewis Moon · #10 07-02-2015, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCrank

We need more recognition of the classy drivers out there.

While I'm also horrified of landscaping truck&trailers, it's really nice to launch a loud THANK YOU with big wave to those who are cool on the road.

And I think it's because I can stay still at a stop sign (still clipped in), drivers may not know what to make of that, but I get waved thru intersections a *lot*, really.

I actually really don't like it when drivers cede right of way to me. I like the sentiment, so I always say thank you with a wave, but I never go through the intersection or pass on the right if someone is waiting on me before they make a right turn. Too many chances for miscues or mistakes. I'll clip out, put my foot down and wave them on.

ceolwulf · #11 07-02-2015, 12:17 PM

^ agree. Be predictable please, all I ask. (Except where being predictable extends to yelling at me to get on the sidewalk, or rolling coal, or whatever. Hey at least they see me then.)

bcroslin · #12 07-02-2015, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregL

I try to do this on EVERY ride. Every time a driver is courteous, I make sure to wave, smile, give them a thumbs up, and say "thank you", or some combination of those gestures. We are all ambassadors for cycling. It's a great feeling when you see a motorist smile and wave back!

- Greg

I am a serial waver and smiler. I really go out of my way to say hello, good morning and communicate with people when I'm on my bike because I want them to see me as a human being and not a lycra-covered d-bag who thinks he's Lance Armstrong.

makoti · #13 07-02-2015, 02:06 PM

Finishing a ride into my neighborhood, rocking my old Motorola team jersey. A guy in a convertible BMW, top down, starts yelling something I can't make out & pointing at me. I reply with a few choice words that begin with F. He slows up & says "No. no. I used to work for Motorola & I haven't seen one of those in years! Looks good!" Ha, ha! We both laugh, I wave. Off he goes.
Now, every time I see him driving around, I feel like a total idiot. Ya can't even be nice to me.

Lewis Moon · #14 07-02-2015, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makoti

Finishing a ride into my neighborhood, rocking my old Motorola team jersey. A guy in a convertible BMW, top down, starts yelling something I can't make out & pointing at me. I reply with a few choice words that begin with F. He slows up & says "No. no. I used to work for Motorola & I haven't seen one of those in years! Looks good!" Ha, ha! We both laugh, I wave. Off he goes.
Now, every time I see him driving around, I feel like a total idiot. Ya can't even be nice to me.

Yeah, I have this knee jerk reaction too. A guy pulled out in front of me. I get around him but he pulls around me and rolls down the window. I immediately launch into diatribe #1247 part a. All he's trying to say is: "I'm sorry".

Davist · #15 07-02-2015, 03:02 PM

PLEASE be careful with the "one finger salutes". Here in scenic Bucks County, PA, a small group had a gun pulled on them after being squeezed and honked at. The driver was stopped within 10 minutes due to some quick memory of license plates and cell phones, facing a felony now. I'm certainly glad your incident didn't escalate and we need to remember most drivers are good folks.