I agree with johnridley : the best way to deal with unwarranted rudeness like that is to smile and be extra-effusively nice. It throws them completely off. They're either being a bully or taking out their bad day on you. I get hassled on my bike sometimes, and find waving and smiling does work best -- if only because it doesn't escalate the situation and you don't feel a victim.
I had a situation like that last week when a man crowded me on the sidewalk riding his bike there and wouldn't get off when I politely asked him to ride on the road. I pointed out it was illegal and unsafe to ride on the sidewalk -- besides bugging pedestrians -- and then he got all self-righteous and assured me he was teaching his kid (behind him) to ride on the sidewalk. I pointed out several local cases of kids being killed from doing this and he just tried to talk through me. I got so angry that he was deliberately risking his kid that I finally told him he was an idiot. Which was stupid of me, but I don't think he would listen regardless. Heck, I didn't even mention the gruesome story...
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Date: 2007-06-27 01:29 am (UTC)I had a situation like that last week when a man crowded me on the sidewalk riding his bike there and wouldn't get off when I politely asked him to ride on the road. I pointed out it was illegal and unsafe to ride on the sidewalk -- besides bugging pedestrians -- and then he got all self-righteous and assured me he was teaching his kid (behind him) to ride on the sidewalk. I pointed out several local cases of kids being killed from doing this and he just tried to talk through me. I got so angry that he was deliberately risking his kid that I finally told him he was an idiot. Which was stupid of me, but I don't think he would listen regardless. Heck, I didn't even mention the gruesome story...