EPISODE 107: Is It Worth It To Confront Drivers?
Added 2023-06-27 09:30:01 +0000 UTCDearest Patreons:
A couple of weeks ago we asked you to share your stories of confrontations with drivers and, wow, did you deliver. Thanks to everyone who sent in voicemails. We received loads of great contributions and Episode 107 is the result...
Have you ever been walking across the street when a driver turned into your path and almost hit you? Or riding your bike when a hostile horn-honker laid into you for delaying them to the next red light by a few seconds? If you spend any amount of time on a city’s streets outside of the protective shell of a two-ton automobile, you’ve probably had frustrating, frightening, and infuriating experiences like these. How did you respond? Did you lash out verbally, or give them the finger? Mutter under your breath and walk away? Did you dare lay hands on their precious vehicle? Or did you do the sensible thing and buy a ten-pack of War on Cars stickers to slap up around your neighborhood? In this episode, Doug, Sarah and Aaron share their own experiences of close calls they’ve had with cars, plus strategies for coping. And we hear tips and stories from listeners as well.
Enjoy the special ad-free episode for Patreon supporters and let's continue the conversation here in the comments section.
Onward to victory,
Sarah, Doug and Aaron
Illustration by Andy Singer
Comments
(I just started listening to this podcast about 2 months ago, so I am only now catching up. Lots of good stuff.) I have a very mixed reaction to this episode. The overall discussion and some of the stories (especially the heart-breaking one about the death of a child) were good. However, it seemed like there was too much focus on venting and unnecessarily encouraging rage. What was missing was a discussion of a point that only briefly came up - teachable moments. Taking advantage of such moments requires preparation - have the discussion with yourself while you are riding to be ready to react in a way that might change one person - again the story of the mother who lost her child is on point. Even more important is to think about teaching. I was a university professor for 45 years (electrical engineering) and I have lots of friends and family who are teachers at all levels. Rage is not a tool any would use in the classroom. Teaching requires some care, a lot of preparation, and some little tricks. When I am confronted by someone who is driving in a way that puts me or other bikers or pedestrians in danger, my first reaction is to show profound disappointment. While this will not always be effective, it does work (it definitely works in the classroom). If that produces an apology and the driver is close enough for a very brief conversation, one can follow up with whatever message seems appropriate. Saving the story for use in future interactions with folks from local, state and national governments is also useful. Think about the outcome you are trying to achieve. Act like a good teacher.
Kenneth Connor
2023-09-27 14:32:28 +0000 UTCThis episode reminds me how beneficial recording everything is. Getting as much info as possible in a short window of time, and being able to dictate comments of whats happening, before or as it's happening.
Danny
2023-07-07 16:49:33 +0000 UTC
