How lovely!

"wafflycat" wrote: I thought I would send this real example of goodness in
human nature.(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That is a good story. Let's have more posts like this. Most often, when
good things happen they go unnoticed or unheralded.

Leo Lichtman said:

"wafflycat" wrote: I thought I would send this real example of goodness in
human nature.(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That is a good story. Let's have more posts like this. Most often, when
good things happen they go unnoticed or unheralded.

Someting good happend to me yesterday:

Yesterday I was on ride when just at one of the narrow sections, I
heard a car coming up behind me, as I saw a large truck approaching
from the opposite direction. I knew the car behind could not see the
truck around the bend. In this section of road there are not that many
cars, and I usually ride quite a bit toward the center to discourage
drivers from sqeezing by, as there is not enough room for cars in both
directions and a cyclist, but plenty of drivers do not seem aware of
this until the cyclists life is at stake.

Anyway, as the truck became visible, the car which was apparently
accelerating to pass, jammed on the brakes, and I heard skidding as the
car slowed right behind me. I went into turbo mode in the hope that I
would be able to out-pedal the car skidding toward me from behind. All
went well, and I turned and shouted at the driver, and gave him a few
rude gestures. He then drove up next to me, lowered the window and
apologized. He said he was sorry for having endagered me, and was sure
that the skid gave me quite a fright. I said yes, indeed it did, and I
began appolgizing for my rude gesture. No need, he said, it is quite
understandable for someone in my position to behave that way, and he
drove away.

Joseph

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that the skid gave me quite a fright. I said yes, indeed it did, and I
began appolgizing for my rude gesture. No need, he said, it is quite
understandable for someone in my position to behave that way, and he
drove away.

Joseph

I'm glad he did, because I don't, think it understandable, that is.
Way too often, people start giving the finger, without considering the
whole situation, or the consequences.

You do that to the wrong guy, and you could get run over, or shot.
I learned this lesson, over 30 years ago. I gave a guy a dirty look,
in a parking lot, when his car got in the way of mine. He chased me
down, and tried to open my car door, which, luckily was locked. He
then pounded on the roof, putting numerous dents in it. This was a
big, crazy guy. They are out there.

It is one thing to react to being endangered, to let that person know
they have done so. Giving them the finger, just tells them, that you
are a hothead or worse, it doesn't address the problem.

I give you credit for apologizing, it shows that you are a good guy.
Maybe next time skip the rude gesture.

Life is Good!
Jeff

"Jeff Starr" wrote: (clip) I learned this lesson, over 30 years ago. I gave
a guy a dirty look, in a parking lot, (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jeff, I realize that your example was intended to show how little it takes
to set off one of these nuts. Do you really think you should walk around
with a poker face, just so you won't offend anyone? I think I would have
taken his license number and filed a police report. How did your insurance
company handle it?

I could give you my own example of stupid, offensive behavior, but that
would not be in the spirit of Helen's original post.

Leo Lichtman said:

"Jeff Starr" wrote: (clip) I learned this lesson, over 30 years ago. I gave
a guy a dirty look, in a parking lot, (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jeff, I realize that your example was intended to show how little it takes
to set off one of these nuts. Do you really think you should walk around
with a poker face, just so you won't offend anyone? I think I would have
taken his license number and filed a police report. How did your insurance
company handle it?

I could give you my own example of stupid, offensive behavior, but that
would not be in the spirit of Helen's original post.

I try to react to drivers at least with a pleasant expression,
especially if they go out of their way to do something considerate.
After a while reacting like that gets to be a habit and is not something
I have to really remember to do. It sounds kind of sappy, but believe
it or not, it works.

Leo Lichtman said:

"Jeff Starr" wrote: (clip) I learned this lesson, over 30 years ago. I gave
a guy a dirty look, in a parking lot, (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jeff, I realize that your example was intended to show how little it takes
to set off one of these nuts. Do you really think you should walk around
with a poker face, just so you won't offend anyone? I think I would have
taken his license number and filed a police report. How did your insurance
company handle it?

I could give you my own example of stupid, offensive behavior, but that
would not be in the spirit of Helen's original post.

Leo, you are correct that my example was to show that some people
overreact to negative gestures. But, I certainly didn't suggest a
poker face.

In your snipping, you removed -
"It is one thing to react to being endangered, to let that person know
they have done so. Giving them the finger, just tells them, that you
are a hothead or worse, it doesn't address the problem."

If the above is not clear enough, I will try again. I am saying, let a
person know they have put you in danger, if possible. But, do it
without the rude gesture.

Here's another example. A guy rolled a stop sign, while turning right,
onto a parkway. I was coming into that intersection. I thought he saw
me, but obviously didn't. When he made the turn, I could have put my
hand on the top of his left rear quarter panel, although I was busy
braking. It was very close, and I yelled out something like "hey, what
are you doing, you almost hit me". The guy slowed down, to a crawl,
and as I rode next to him, he apologized. He had young kids in the car
and he realized that he had made a dangerous mistake. Now, how do you
think it would have turned out, if I had started screaming a bunch of
obscenities at him? My guess is no apology and him getting defensive,
because of the kids.

I realize that this doesn't compliment the original post, but it is a
followup to Joseph's reply. Fortunately amongst the bad guys, that get
the most attention, there are many good people in this world. Maybe,
to continue that, I could do a good deed. About a month ago, I found a
single Kool Kovers rubber cleat cover, that fits Look cleats. I found
it on the road, probably fell out of a jersey pocket. If anyone could
use it, maybe you lost one, send me an email. I'll send it to you. On
the email sub people for animal.

Life is Good!
Jeff

Leo Lichtman said:

That is a good story. Let's have more posts like this. Most often, when
good things happen they go unnoticed or unheralded.

Ok, here's mine. I live in a college town where a good chunk of the
population is football-crazy. Me, I could care less, but then I'm
glued to the TV during the Tour de France, so I'm not one to talk about
priorities. :-)

Anyway, come the day of the big game, I'm clueless that there's
anything going on until about 5 miles into my ride, when I see a long
line of orange cones showing how traffic is being re-routed so everyone
can get to the stadium. I feel like an idiot that I didn't know about
the game, but there you have it. As I pull up to the first
intersection, wondering how in the world I'm going to get out of town,
the policeman at the intersection calls out to me that he'll get me
across. A few seconds later, he stops traffic and lets me go through.
I thank him, and he smiles and I continue on my way.

A mile or so down the road I come across another intersection with
orange cones all over the place and traffic in all lanes heading
opposite the direction I want to go. Again I figure I'm going to have
to be creative and find another way out of town. This time there are
two policewomen directing traffic. One of them calls out to me and
asks which direction I'm going. I point straight ahead and she tells
me to wait a moment. I unclip and take a swig of water while I wait
and marvel at the amount of traffic. Within a minute she and her
partner stop all the cross traffic to let me go through. I barely have
a chance to thank her when she apologizes to me for making me unclip!
I was flabbergasted.

Next time I have the opportunity, I'm making a nice donation to
whatever local police charity I can. Those folks were awesome.

-JR