YES!!!

Looks like ugly motorist man hasn't ran in maybe 30 years, so
he really thought he could chase him down?

When he heals up he'll need to come here to get running shoe advice.

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

That motorist is going to run over the next cyclist he sees. Don't be an antagonistic twit on the bike.

Definitely shouldn't antagonize motorists. They are self-antagonizing. But that fall was pretty damned funny.

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Pete Githens
Reading, PA

Can't really tell with the wide angle lens, but I thought the car guy gave the bike plenty of room for a city street with parked cars on both sides. The car appeared to be somewhat to the right when he passed although going too fast for a tight squeeze pass. The slow-mo trip was pretty funny though. The bike guy should have explained that he was in the lane because he didn't want to be doored, not because it's the law, bla bla.

The motorist was pissed initially because the cyclist was taking the whole lane. The only thing I can conclude, other than both of these people are dipshits, is that the cyclist isn't poster 95RPM because I learned from the other thread that motorists only congratulate him for taking the lane.

I think that swearing heat map in the lavender room would have been bright red. He might have broken his wrist in that fall.

Yeah, that didn't seem any more egregious than traversing downtown to me. Sure, I want more space when I'm on a road of people going 45 mph so I don't have to worry about wind from commercial vans or trailers, or the random person going 75. But an area like that, it seemed fine to me.

Looked like shit cycling though. I really hope that was transportation cycling and not recreational.

Don't be an antagonistic twit on the bike.

While that seems to be the default, I agree - don't engage and don't antagonize them. I know that's hard to do, given how exposed and vulnerable we are on bikes, (you would think/hope that motorists would get this - but most don't). And how incredibly stupid, ignorant, selfish and irresponsible the actions of many motorists are!


If it does get out of hand, get as much information as you can, and then when you are home call in to the local police (non-911) and file report.


In Canada you can actually do this online - http://www.roadwatch.ca/...etectCookieSupport=1

Having that report show up by mail, will likely have far more impact. The motorist will have completely forgot about the incident, but hopefully they will realize that they are not anonymous out there and they need to be respectful of ALL road users.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Cyclist totally made this situation happen. In his desire to track this guy down and yell at him he broke a few safety rules himself like running that stop sign and not yielding to the pedestrian(s) in the walk way. The car gave him room and he was riding down the center of the single lane; maybe the car should have waited until the stop sign to pass but it appears safer that what I experience on most rides, as it appears in the video.

That fall looks painful to say the least but it will likely just steel this guy against the next cyclist he meets on the road. I try to maintain calm and let it go.

I would have been upset at the aggressive move by the motorist. As schroeder wrote, the motorist was going too fast for a tight squeeze pass. If the driver had stayed behind me and waited, I would have moved over where there was space in the parking lane to let the motorist pass. I definitely understand the cyclist wanting to chase down the driver. I've done the same thing. I think we should let drivers know when they endanger us, although this cyclist obviously went too far.

well played sir, well played :)

You have to admit this could be an epic "caption this" photo.

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

I think he was over-striding. At least he didn't seem to be heel-striking, so there's that.

It was completely overboard by the cyclist, but man that tumble was too funny.

Almost looks like he's smiling. As if imagining a graceful dive into a pool of Twinkies,

The only thing missing is the "Chariots of Fire" theme song during the slo-mo. That would be priceless! Can somebody work on that?

he needs to curb his enthusiasm.

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

I definitely had some good afternoon entertainment there. In my 20s before youtube and the internet and GoPro, I had a similar encounter with a guy driving a Mercedes Benz convertible, who I proceeded to call "pretty boy". He then backed up his car and started charging towards me with it. I bunny hopped onto the side walk and turned down a narrow one way street. Last time I antagonized a motorist calling him something that would evoke rage.....less confrontation is better, but I must admit the entire video could be converted to a really good Seinfeld skit with Kosmo Kramer playing the cyclist and Newman playing the motorist!!!

In fairness to the cyclist the reason for riding more in the middle of the road is to not get "doored" from a parked car. That is is a very real threat and the outcome of being doored can be far worse than getting squeezed by the car. In fairness to the motorist, I felt he gave a decent amount of room. I think we have all seen worse. Doing sprint intervals chasing down cars is a guarantee for a bad confrontation because your body is jacked up from riding 200% FTP and at that intensity, you can't differentiate between the emotions of anger and the physical cues from high intensity exercise so they just build on each other and spiral out of control....been there done that....it never works out.

This took place in the town of Reading by the way, if anybody is interested!

And yeah, the cyclist is a bit of a dick. Clearly the driver is too, but chasing somebody down and winding them up like that is just stupid, if he did get the police involved I imagine they'd take a pretty dim view of his behaviour as well as the drivers. Original overtake didn't look that bad to me, but it's difficult to tell from the camera.

Legitimate question:

So I get the proper way to respond is not to antagonize unnecessarily, but how do you get people to realize that their driving behaviour could potentially harm someone?

Other than by approaching them at the next stop and saying "you shouldn't do x"? (and yes, the cyclist did it poorly) Most times drivers just aren't aware that what they just did could put someone in harm's way.

I don't think there is a way. Even attempting to politely make a point is normally taken the wrong way - probably understandably. I know if somebody came up to my car my first assumption would be that they were going to attack or abuse me. In the past I've told drivers that one of their lights has gone for example, and they're normally very wary/dismissive at first until they realise I'm being helpful.

I've concluded that all I can do is set an example by riding as safely and considerately as I can, go out of my way to thank those who do drive considerately (e.g. somebody who waits for a good spot before overtaking) and doing my best not to antagonise those who are idiots (they'll get the bird but I've never yet chased one down).

The initial antagonist was the motorist, who threatened the life of the cyclist by driving too close. Sure, the cyclist overreacted, but it's hard not too when someone almost kills you on purpose. (We know it's on purpose because the driver admits as much in the confrontation.) After that the motorist commits assault not once but twice. Hard to believe you guys are calling out the cyclist and not the motorist, who belongs in jail.