How do you deal with road rage?

[Jtn260]

For those that live in dense urban environments such as NYC, how do you deal with road rage?

I live in NYC and have been riding EUCs for over a year. I’m a lot more comfortable handling NYC traffic and pedestrians since I first started, but the city is still a frustrating place to ride through especially evening rush after work.

Every ride I seem to encounter incidents with either pedestrians not paying attention, car doors that swing open, hostility shown by drivers who decide to drive 5 inches from me, cars who don’t signal, cars honking the hell out of you even though you’re keeping speed in traffic, pedestrians popping out between car. The list goes on... 

Do other EUC riders feel paranoia and anger when encountering situations like the above even after riding for a long time? 

Maybe I just need to get over it lol. 

[mrelwood]

Lesson #1 for riding an EUC amongst any living creature: Everybody is out to get you. Every pedestrian can stop or jump left or right at any given moment, any dog can rush to attack you before the owner reacts, every vehicle in front of you can stop or turn without notice, every low visibility corner can hide a crazy bicyclists coming in at your side of the road, every parked car can slam a door wide open just as you pass, etc.

 Think of or as a game. Prepare for anything and everything, and be alert at all times!

 Disclaimer: I haven’t been cursed enough to have even visited NYC, but all of the above is true also for our peaceful and tiny village of a capital compared to NYC.

[GothamMike]

Be nice, wave to everyone. 

[Ronin]

You forgot the dangerous spandex biking guys on the bike lanes who never want to stop no matter what 😅. Best is to get over it and ignore. Else you will get mad everyday.... 

Edited July 30, 2020 by Ronin Ryder

[PLEASE_DELETE]

Deleted.

Edited March 18 by PLEASE_DELETE

[null]

In Paris (plenty of reasons to get road rage) it helped to not consider the others as people but as random obstacles. That way you don’t have as much thoughts about how much of a *** the person is, it’s more like just avoid and move on. 

Edited July 30, 2020 by null

[Darrell Wesh]

11 hours ago, GothamMike said:

Be nice, wave to everyone. 

lol! Don’t do this. I assure you that’s how you become even more depressed about the riding environment. Spending energy being nice to drivers and riders who you’ll never see again is energy better spent elsewhere. 

Do the opposite. Be an asshole. You have to ride like an asshole to survive in the city. You try to be a good little boy or girl and the city will eat you alive and spit you out in a hospital. 

[GothamMike]

27 minutes ago, Darrell Wesh said:

lol! Don’t do this. I assure you that’s how you become even more depressed about the riding environment. Spending energy being nice to drivers and riders who you’ll never see again is energy better spent elsewhere. 

Do the opposite. Be an asshole. You have to ride like an asshole to survive in the city. You try to be a good little boy or girl and the city will eat you alive and spit you out in a hospital. 

You one of them Hokies?

[Darrell Wesh]

1 hour ago, GothamMike said:

You one of them Hokies?

Your environment dictates your riding... habits. In a small town where I know everyone I see I’m sort of courteous and respectable. Don’t run red lights etc. but that’s mainly because I’m one of the only riders. In a big city the rules are out the window lol

Edited July 31, 2020 by Darrell Wesh

[GothamMike]

Proud Wahoo, I live in the NYC Suburbs. Are you a Hokie?

[Darrell Wesh]

38 minutes ago, GothamMike said:

Proud Wahoo, I live in the NYC Suburbs. Are you a Hokie?

Yep

[postbio]

I just think that impersonal forces that I can't see or get angry at can be far more dangerous that people. These impersonal forces could be electronic or mechanical malfunctions, a random pothole, or any other bad luck that could cause me to fall and severely injure or kill me.

I also try to avoid situations that put me in a bad state of mind. For example, try to avoid busy intersections or dense sidewalks. If I can't avoid them, then I make it a challenge to move at the same speed as vehicular traffic, or the pedestrians walking, and treat it as a video game like Mario Kart. 

Also, I just delight in the awesomeness and sheer wondrous experience of being able to lean and accelerate so quickly and to such a fast speed (King Song 16X), as if it's wired to my brain. This "positive" psychology easily takes me out of any road rage. 

 

[LanghamP]

I strongly tend towards wearing earplugs or headphones so I don't get spooked by the honks of enraged drivers who do not agree with public roads being used by non-cars.

[GothamMike]

On 7/30/2020 at 8:54 PM, Darrell Wesh said:

Yep

Bless your heart, Hokie!

[Gaz Bon]

Same as in my car with the finger

[mhpr262]

Congratulations, you now know what life has been like for motorcyclists the last couple of decades.

 

And as for actually dealing with raod rage: let it pass and get out of the way as soon as possible. Some people just have mental issues and they WILL run you the fuck over and kill you, they dont think of the consequences at that moment.

Edited August 8, 2020 by mhpr262

[Scottie888]

1. ride on bike lanes or better yet, bike paths if at all possible.

2. even on bike paths, I normally nod my head in courtesy to most oncoming bikes.

3. I normally say thanks to the pedestrians that make way for me to pass.

4. stay away from mixing it with automobiles as much as possible! 

Haven't happened as yet but if/when drivers get agitated at me, I see myself hopping back to the sidewalk & cruise away. 

[M640x]

I call it D.O.C.K.

Dogs

Obstacles

Cars

Kids

[Leucistic]

I wave to angry person then blow kiss. If he still gets more angry I wave to come and hug me so bad feelings go bye bye . Couple of them started chasing me and I shout "Calm down soldier. You'r too eager!" and laugh while driving away.

[RockyTop]

1 hour ago, FunkyWheeling said:

I wave to angry person then blow kiss. If he still gets more angry I wave to come and hug me so bad feelings go bye bye . Couple of them started chasing me and I shout "Calm down soldier. You'r too eager!" and laugh while driving away.

I do almost the same thing. I act like the sun is getting in my eyes and wave like they are an old friend. They get frustrated and try to show me that they are SHOOTING A BIRD not waving. So I smile bigger and wave as if they are just too kind. I might even give them the gesture to call me later then thumbs up.    ..... It is going to give one of them a stroke some day.     I! ... Am! .... MAD!! ...... at....... YOU!!!!!   Good to see you too! Be careful! 

Edited August 27, 2020 by RockyTop

[StuartL]

33 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

I! ... Am! .... MAD!! ...... at....... YOU!!!!!   Good to see you too! Be careful! 

This.  It gives me an inner calmness to treat them as if they're saying "Hi".  My day has never got better by engaging with someone raging at me, although it never hurts to try to figure out if this is the one time their rage is justified.

[Rocky Romero]

On 8/8/2020 at 2:14 PM, Scottie888 said:

1. ride on bike lanes or better yet, bike paths if at all possible.

2. even on bike paths, I normally nod my head in courtesy to most oncoming bikes.

3. I normally say thanks to the pedestrians that make way for me to pass.

4. stay away from mixing it with automobiles as much as possible! 

Haven't happened as yet but if/when drivers get agitated at me, I see myself hopping back to the sidewalk & cruise away. 

Yes, I do all this.

Then, I was attacked by a dog, last Sunday at the riverwalk, that was not securely leashed.  I saw the black dog coming, eyes locked on mine.  It was less than 2 to 3 seconds, and I stood still.  It bit my lower calf, as the owner yanked it away.  I was upset, probably as much at myself for being in a helpless situation.  I reported the incident to the police.  I also had a blurred video recording as it happened.
 

So now, four days later, I have a stainless steel cane with me as I ride.

As I pass dog owners and their dogs, I raise my cane high enough to let the owner know that something could happen.  I’m only a handhold away from an unleashed dog that would lunge at me.

I’ve only had to use it once on a sniping, barking, lunging dog.  Snapped its head and I kept riding.

My confidence is now higher.  I did turn around today, on seeing a larger dog in the distance, just to avoid issues.  
 

It’s riding in the city. More safely.

 

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