What’s up with the bike rage?

[Anonymous]

So I was jogging along Macarthur around Cabin John this morning and was on the aqueduct bridge when I saw a bicyclist cycling towards me on the sidewalk. For those who have not passed that bridge, the side walk is very narrow.
So I jogged closer to the edge, but the side walk is very narrow and I was expecting the cyclist to (preferably) pause/walk the bike, or (at least) slow down.

But no, the guy kept the same speed, and as he passed me yelled “STEP OFF TO THE SIDE, B!TCH!!!!”
With enough intensity and emphasis on the word B!TCH that spit (probably) flew out of his mouth.

A few months ago I actually saw an altercation on the same bridge under a similar scenario - a cyclist yelled something at an elderly couple, the elderly man shoved the cyclist, the cyclist punch the man and rode away.

By law bicyclists should yield to pedestrians so I don’t get why the(se) cyclist(s) would expect people to flatten against the side like a pancake to let him/them pass. Has someone encountered something similar? What’s up with these rage-y and self deserving cyclists?

[Anonymous]

That describes every cyclist in this area.

[Anonymous]

I was once called a b*tch and run off the sidewalk by cyclist while walking my dogs at 7 months pregnant (so I guess I was really waddling the dogs). It was in Georgetown on a residential street, so one of the narrow uneven brick sidewalks. The cyclist could have easily gone into the street-there was no traffic-but instead chose to aggressively force me into the street while cursing at me. I wanted so badly to send my dogs after him, but they’re too friendly and I never could have caught them if they ran.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That describes every cyclist in this area.

+1

Cyclists in this area have serious issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was once called a b*tch and run off the sidewalk by cyclist while walking my dogs at 7 months pregnant (so I guess I was really waddling the dogs). It was in Georgetown on a residential street, so one of the narrow uneven brick sidewalks. The cyclist could have easily gone into the street-there was no traffic-but instead chose to aggressively force me into the street while cursing at me. I wanted so badly to send my dogs after him, but they’re too friendly and I never could have caught them if they ran.

What a terrible person to endanger a pregnant woman like that.

[Anonymous]

Let me guess. The offenders were middle aged white men? These men carry serious chips on their shoulders and consider themselves victims.

[Anonymous]

They get offended when they are going 20mph in a 45mph zone and cars try to pass them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. The offenders were middle aged white men? These men carry serious chips on their shoulders and consider themselves victims.

It’s definitely a small subset of cyclists who are like this, and certainly not EVERY middle aged white male cyclist is an a-hole, but the ones who are jerks are almost always in that demographic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. The offenders were middle aged white men? These men carry serious chips on their shoulders and consider themselves victims.

It’s definitely a small subset of cyclists who are like this, and certainly not EVERY middle aged white male cyclist is an a-hole, but the ones who are jerks are almost always in that demographic.

+1

MOST.

[Anonymous]

Competing in the Tour de Farce, with colorful spandex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Competing in the Tour de Farce, with colorful spandex.

[Anonymous]

IDK, recently I was biking and I met three women, walking abreast. None of them moved, so I was forced off the trail. It wasn't that they were lost in conversation, they seemed focused on not letting me by. FWIW, I'm a woman too and I wasn't going fast. It was weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. The offenders were middle aged white men? These men carry serious chips on their shoulders and consider themselves victims.

I’m the dog waddled. In my case, he appeared to be a Georgetown student, but give him 20 years and he will fit this description.

[Anonymous]

Bicyclists in this area are usually polite, but the aggressive ones are memorable. Never noticed they're associated with any particular demographic.

About a year ago on the W&OD trail, I was walking by myself on the right side of the path when a few bicyclists called out the standard "on your left" before passing me. After they passed, one of them - a middle-aged woman - turned and shouted angrily: "on your left means move over." I was pretty confident the phrase hadn't mysteriously evolved to contradict its literal meaning, but I actually confirmed that in a later DCUM thread someone else started about bicyclists.

[Anonymous]

Yup, I was at the four way stop at Beach and Kensington pkwy. Got there first. Paused for 5 seconds and started to go when a bicyclist blew through the stop sign. I gave a short honk in protest and he gave me the finger - as if I was in the wrong! I hate bicyclists.