Motorists vs Cyclists.... again

[OVERDRIVE]

On a totally different note, I picked up my superlink trailer from repairs in Krugersdorp today. As I was heading up Montessori Suffering I saw a gent battling with the climb, and he held onto the ladder at the back until the top. A very cool thumbs up between us, and it was a good day. 

Ok, lets get back to killing each other now 

[Thomo]

You guys are not alone it your efforts, and often I wish more would take a stand.

They don't know how satisfying it is ... 😊

[WaynejG]

Another game I play is this, no one stops at stop streets anymore. They get treated like yield signs.

When I notice someone behind me who is on a mission, I will stop at a stop street and do the whole K53 thing before pulling off.

Provides me with endless joy.

Edited August 9 by WaynejG

[Robbie Stewart]

Yesterday  I had a guy in his X3 come screaming up behind me flashing his lights at me to get out of his way. Instead of moving to the left I decided to stomp on my brake pedal and almost collected the offending Beemer in my load bin. Needless to say he stayed well clear of me for the rest of the drive until we reached Melkbos from the N7. I don't play nice with people on a power trip.

[Robbie Stewart]

5 hours ago, WaynejG said:

I do similar things in traffic. The other day at a set of robots it went green for us. We were crossing a main road and as usual there were the normal 2 or 3 cars still pushing there luck on a green right turn arrow that had gone red for them. 

I pulled off on green and the oke that had gone through the by now red turning right arrow had to slam on brakes as I refused to back off and let him in front of me.

You also get the taxi that will turn right from the center lane that goes straight while you're waiting to turn. What I do then is a classic Verstappen move by straightening my turn and forcing the taxi to go straight beside me until they're entering the oncoming lane, unable to turn right because I'm occupying that space. At the last millisecond I make my turn. The downside is that by then my heart rate is well and truly going berserk and might be close to max. tempo. Not a healthy habit. My thoughts also go very dark right about then and that sets the mood for the rest of the day. I'm actually trying to avoid getting into it with them because I'm always a willing contender who will gladly engage in combative behaviour. Not a good space to be at all.

[V18]

Sjoe! Paar kwaai manne hier! 

[DJR]

8 hours ago, V18 said:

Sjoe! Paar kwaai manne hier! 

I never thought there were so many closet traffic cop wannabees on BikeHub 😁

[DJR]

I have had a truly close call while riding my bike in the traffic. It changed my perception of BOTH riding and driving.

I have always been a pretty defensive rider who used my "spidey sense" to keep out of potentially dangerous situations on the road. I did an advanced drivers course many years ago and the single most valuable thing it installed was exactly that. Too look, think and anticipate so that you will not get into a dangerous situation in the first place. (But the skid pan was more fun.)

What it did NOT teach (it was long ago) was the necessary tools to cope with our overly aggressive and often unqualified fellow road users. The penny on that one dropped when a young man in Cape Town got beaten to death with a hockey stick in a road rage incident for blocking and brake checking the aggressor.

No, it is simply not worth it! You will not teach that taxi driver a lesson, he will do the same again tomorrow and the day after. The possibly serious negative consequinces are likely to be yours, not his.

Life is tricky enough to negotiate safely as it is, so, do not add to your own stress and problems. If you need to get the stress out of yourself, ride your bike or tackle the punching bag.

All that is necessary is a little mindshift!

Ps. Said like an old ballie who no longer fights every single windmill!

Edited August 10 by DJR

[The Ouzo]

14 hours ago, OVERDRIVE said:

On a totally different note, I picked up my superlink trailer from repairs in Krugersdorp today. As I was heading up Montessori Suffering I saw a gent battling with the climb, and he held onto the ladder at the back until the top. A very cool thumbs up between us, and it was a good day. 

Ok, lets get back to killing each other now 

every so often I get a truck driver that does similar for me. Lekker thumbs up followed by a short toot of their horn after.

[lechatnoir]

3 hours ago, DJR said:

I have had a truly close call while riding my bike in the traffic. It changed my perception of BOTH riding and driving.

I have always been a pretty defensive rider who used my "spidey sense" to keep out of potentially dangerous situations on the road. I did an advanced drivers course many years ago and the single most valuable thing it installed was exactly that. Too look, think and anticipate so that you will not get into a dangerous situation in the first place. (But the skid pan was more fun.)

What it did NOT teach (it was long ago) was the necessary tools to cope with our overly aggressive and often unqualified fellow road users. The penny on that one dropped when a young man in Cape Town got beaten to death with a hockey stick in a road rage incident for blocking and brake checking the aggressor.

No, it is simply not worth it! You will not teach that taxi driver a lesson, he will do the same again tomorrow and the day after. The possibly serious negative consequinces are likely to be yours, not his.

Life is tricky enough to negotiate safely as it is, so, do not add to your own stress and problems. If you need to get the stress out of yourself, ride your bike or tackle the punching bag.

All that is necessary is a little mindshift!

Ps. Said like an old ballie who no longer fights every single windmill!

As @Mamil said - "Be careful what hell you create when fighting the good fight." 

[WaynejG]

5 hours ago, DJR said:

I never thought there were so many closet traffic cop wannabees on BikeHub 😁

Got nothing to do with closet traffic cop wannabees. It is about what is right and wrong. If we as a society cannot get the small things right, then the bigger things stand no chance.

[Frosty]

14 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

Yesterday  I had a guy in his X3 come screaming up behind me flashing his lights at me to get out of his way. Instead of moving to the left I decided to stomp on my brake pedal and almost collected the offending Beemer in my load bin. Needless to say he stayed well clear of me for the rest of the drive until we reached Melkbos from the N7. I don't play nice with people on a power trip.

A similar thing happens with me, and occasionally the left lane (of 2-3) is open enough for a car to fit in. I then drive at the same speed as the car in the “fast” lane. Traffic is “heavy” and everyone moving at the same speed. Said headlight flasher is then forced to drive at the same speed as both of us. They then flash the car in front of them, but he can’t move left because both lanes are full. 

[Robbie Stewart]

17 hours ago, V18 said:

Sjoe! Paar kwaai manne hier! 

Glad nie. Hou net nie van beemers en taxi's nie. 🤣

[WaynejG]

4 hours ago, Frosty said:

A similar thing happens with me, and occasionally the left lane (of 2-3) is open enough for a car to fit in. I then drive at the same speed as the car in the “fast” lane. Traffic is “heavy” and everyone moving at the same speed. Said headlight flasher is then forced to drive at the same speed as both of us. They then flash the car in front of them, but he can’t move left because both lanes are full. 

Another game I like to play 

[V18]

I just get nervous for you guys when that taxi/kort-tollie beemer guy decides to up the level of nastiness with a weapon or something. You can't fix antisocial personality disorder. That's what prison is for.

Best to dashcam it and submit to wc traffic. There are plenty of guys in prison for eventually being caught for multiple traffic violations. 

Edited August 11 by V18

[Robbie Stewart]

1 hour ago, V18 said:

I just get nervous for you guys when that taxi/kort-tollie beemer guy decides to up the level of nastiness with a weapon or something. You can't fix antisocial personality disorder. That's what prison is for.

Best to dashcam it and submit to wc traffic. There are plenty of guys in prison for eventually being caught for multiple traffic violations. 

Valid point. I heard of a chap in a Landy Disco having a hole shot in the bonnet of his Landy by a taxi driver on the road past Dunoon in Cape Town. On that same road one morning I was in the left lane, waiting for the traffic to move when a car passed me in the yellow lane. The car made contact with my left rear side and the driver got out and started shouting at me. Next thing two taxis pulled up and the drivers got out and also started screaming obscenities at me despite the car driver who banged into my Isuzu. I just stared at them and said nothing. Picking a fight right there is a foolish errand. The "damage" to my bakkie was rubbed off with my thumb once I reached my destination because the side mirror left some black marks on the paintwork by the rear wheel. No dent, no scratch.