Dangerous Rides

[Spartan SL]

I just came back from a long ride, 160km, between the South Coast and Pietermaritzburg.

I used the R603 that runs from the South Coast past Umbumbulu through Umlaas Road. I turned around a little after Camperdown.

I had the pleasure of having a taxi (half full) riding alongside me for about 500m whilst the front passenger, who was still full of the joys of New Year's Eve, leaned through the window screaming at me to give him a cigarette, much to the amusement of his fellow drunken buddies. Fortunately the bunch of Einsteins eventually got tired of harrassing at me, and sped off........no doubt, to go and continue their amusement elsewhere at the expense of some other outnumbered poor unfortunates.

In June last year (2008) I also had the pleasure of having a car full of prats drive towards me, stop, and then reverse (matching my speed) alongside me for about 500m, until thankfully we crested a hill and I was able to outmatch their speed on a downhill.

Are these isolated incidences? Am I just having bad luck, or have other Hubbers had similar experiences?

[spano]

except from the occasional @#shole that tries to see how close to you he can pass I have never had something like that happen to me..

 

but what do you do when it happens? lose your temper and swear at them, or just keep cool and carry on cycling?

(get them to stop and use some pepper spray... ???)

 

a friend of mine once told me, a bunch of students in a car slowed down to the same speed her dad was driving and one guy hung out the window and pushed him off is bike, and then sped off!!!

 

I KEEL U!!!!!  (that's my thoughts)

 

[Daniel XTR]

well, i was cycling a hill, and some chop clipped me with his mirror, i was really hugging to kurb so it was not as if i was in the lane, we pulled up to a robot at the top if the hill, where i proceeded to punt my heal into his door.

 

In retrospect it was a friggin stupid idea, and i am very lucky he simply drove off and stopped, but when the red mist happens, mixed with the adrenelin, you can do mad $hit.

 

This def the reason i ride off road. Not cool

[Daniel XTR]

I may add he intentionally seemed to get as close as possible as it was a wide road, no need for road space

[epoh]

Slightly off topic but alcohol has got the same effect => Check these fools http://tinyurl.com/87m6s9

epoh2009-01-02 12:52:05

[Daniel XTR]

classy

[Spartan SL]

Yeah, I'd forgotten about the "Lets See How Close I can Get To You Drivers".

In general though, I've had much more pleasantness from Taxis than I've had nonsense. They're normally just out to do their business and get home to their wives and kids, much like the rest of us.

However......you do not want to get me started on lady pensioners. There's something about getting a pension card that turns a lot of them into crazy inconsiderate drivers. The one that gets me the most is how they hoot at me, just as their car draws level with me, reducing my lifespan by several months each time.

 

 

 

[ShaughnK]

Oddly enough I generally find that the taxis are the least of my worries as well. The drivers are generally pretty professional and give me a wide(ish) berth.

I always think to myself its because they dont want my bike scratching their fancy graphic art they just had spraypainted on.

 

Its the guys wobbling their way home from the casino at 5am that scare the hell out of me.

[mudda]

My biggest fear is being taken out by a driver who is not concentrating on the road. Probably changing the radio station or fiddling in a hand bag, picking a nose etc, etc.

 

I never cycle on road on the 1st on Jan -I am too worried about drunks coming back from a huge party.

 

[Nancy Drew]

Does being shot on the butt by a pellet count?

 

Some youngsters near Krugersdorp found shooting me with a pellet gun out of their moving vehicle (or perhaps moms vehicle) very amusing... they were lucky I didn't catch them at the next set of traffic lights

[Daniel XTR]

Does being shot on the butt by a pellet count?

 

Some youngsters near Krugersdorp found shooting me with a pellet gun out of their moving vehicle (or perhaps moms vehicle) very amusing... they were lucky I didn't catch them at the next set of traffic lights

 

you will admit that it DID get you up Krugersdorp hill faster, right?

 

Not cool at all though

 

[Nancy Drew]

Does being shot on the butt by a pellet count?

 

Some youngsters near Krugersdorp found shooting me with a pellet gun out of their moving vehicle (or perhaps moms vehicle) very amusing... they were lucky I didn't catch them at the next set of traffic lights

 

you will admit that it DID get you up Krugersdorp hill faster' date=' right?

 

Not cool at all though

 

[/quote']

 

It did certainly get the adrenalin pumping  

[Daniel XTR]

just seen your sig.

 

That flippen song was stuck in my head the whole morning, and it does not get you up protea ridge any faster, promise

[Nancy Drew]

just seen your sig.

 

That flippen song was stuck in my head the whole morning' date=' and it does not get you up protea ridge any faster, promise

[/quote']

 

 But it's a damn fine song nonetheless 

 

[andrewbell]

ask Veloce about his experience.....

[Mackie]

I think you neeed to buy a mountain bike!! Some drivers are out of control, we have the same rights on the roads as they do, but skin and bone has no chance against metal and dick head drivers!!