How would you react?

[DPG]

So Sunday morning I was enjoying my ride until the following incident happened. Still questioning my Actions/Reaction and wanted to see how other hubbers would react.

Cycled through Waterfront , turned left at the circle at BMW pavilion and then right into the road infront of Somerset Hospital.

A taxi which had just disgorged its load of passengers decided to pull out and do a U-Turn! I shouted at the top of my voice and managed to just avoid him halfway over the road. But I hit his mirror with my hand out of anger! I carried on but heard him grinding gears and obviously coming after me. I managed to cut in between the pavement and a parked car to stop him from hitting me with his vehicle. I got off my bike as he and his "Gaatchie" (The dude who shouts out the window) approached me. He stuck his finger into my face in the universal gun sign and said, "I will f...ing shoot you! Anyway a couple more words were bandied about until 2 other cyclists arrived and the odds were evened out where he backed down and we left.

My questions are: Did I over react by hitting is mirror? Should I have just smiled and waved?

Should I have maced the F..ker?

 

Needless to say after this event I had so much adrenalin running through my body I did my best ever time to Hout Bay and back.

[Boyracer]

lol. gaatchie.

[NixM]

In the heat of the moment I would have done the exact same as you but it's probably not the most intelligent thing to provoke a taxi driver. His universal gun sign could have been a universal real gun.

[skipperw]

Don't mess with taxis. Ever. You will get yourself killed.

[Ranga]

I know exactly how you feel.

 

It's not worth it tho, your life is worth so much more and these guys don't care about you.

 

You could have been shot, stabbed or run over.

 

It's so frustrating but rather control your temper and move on and be thankful you avoided a collision.

[quintonb]

I am a very quick tempered person and have and probably would have done the same.

My Brother-in-law is pretty calm most of the time and he always tells me, make sure when you react like that you are prepared to face the consequences. That, by his meaning "hit the driver first before he hits you".

I often take heed to his advice before reacting... Sometimes I react, but not half as much as I used to.

[jules1976]

Yerr never mind the driver beware of the Gaatchie !!

 

On a serious note swear and curse but causing damage to someone else's property especially a taxi will result in severe damage to your bike !

[GreatGusto]

Smile and wave DPG, smile and wave.

[Karooryder]

Not worth it. I don't want to play Devil's Advocate here but what did you accomplish? Did you, on reasonable grounds convince a road user to in future adhere to road rules and consider others...or did you put your life in danger and in the process probably create yet another cyclist hater?

 

Choose your battles. All I'm saying.

[Andymann]

Pass the Gaatchie on the left hand side

[ibruegge]

yeah taxis. I smile and say thank you when they don't break the rules. i.e. I don't smile and thank them often.

[DieVlieg]

I slapped a taxi on the back window once. As with your case he drove me in and I was lucky on the curb. He started harassing me and wanted me to stop. I showed him my pepper spray (Now I think that that was even a worse idea) and he shouted a few more insults and continued on.

 

I HATE TAXIS BUT WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.

 

Taxis makes me feel most unsafe on the road and one has to expect to expect the unexpected with them. If they are around slow down and or get on the kerb if you can.

[cadenceblur]

was actually thinking about this very thing this morning. As cyclists we are extremely vulnerable and due to this we tend to "overreact" in these situations - and understandably so, due to the potential consequences. Think about your reaction if this were to happen to you as a motorist - I guarentee it would be more "subdued"

 

Not saying its justified, but it's food for thought.

['hamster]

smile and wave... you will be surprised sometimes if you do that they actually apologize. This would also make them to respect cyclist more.

[Grebel]

I have adjusted my driving and riding styles over the past few months, At the end of the day, you have no idea what is inside that taxi (with reference to weapons and mentality of the occupants). As much as I would like to be the one to show them the error of their ways, it isn't my responsibility. My responsibility is to make it home and to continue being a father and a husband.

 

I do not ride my bike on the roads anymore. (I sold my road bike and I drive to where I ride my MTB) I avoid confrontation as far as I can even with other road users. It isn't worth the risk at the end of the day.

[LongDonkey]

Pass the Gaatchie on the left hand side

Thought they were called stuffers. Sure we can stuff 4 more in....