A cyclist riding through the American South has gone viral after revealing the four most creative (and frightening) ways U.S. drivers have tried to intimidate or harm him on the road. While he acknowledged that many motorists are polite, he said a small but aggressive group has turned harassment into an art form.
For a safe taste of the terror, you can instead watch this guy’s video.
Four ways one cyclist has almost died on U.S. roads
On Monday, a video from this cyclist explaining how U.S. drivers often treat folks like him with unique aggression reached the Reddit forum r/fuckcars. A day later, it spread to r/TikTokCringe, but he wasn’t the one people were cringing about.
“So I hate to be a killjoy, Karen, but American drivers,” the cyclist begins.
As he rode, he did take a moment to acknowledge that most of these drivers are “fine, kind, and some even accommodating”—but the rest, not so much. Other countries have their share of cyclist haters, but this man listed four special ways that those in the U.S. attempt to intimidate bicycle riders on the road.
Each one is more dangerous than the last.
- The Coal Roller: Revving the engine hard as the driver passes the cyclist to ensure they get hit with a cloud of exhaust. Works best with old pickup trucks.
- The Late Horn: Blaring the horn just as the driver starts to pass a cyclist in order to make them think they’re about to be run over.
- Coal Roller – Late Horn Combo: Doing both of the above at the same time.
- The Fire Cracker: Throwing a lit firecracker between the cyclist and the edge of the road in an attempt to make them swerve into traffic.
That last one is particularly creative and horrifying.
At the end of the video, the cyclist noted that he’s been riding through the American South.
“Aside from that, it’s been absolutely fantastic,” he said.
“Give them a reason to give you a wide berth”
On the car-hating forum, Redditors shared their own horror stories about drivers making them fear for their lives. Not all of these happen in the U.S., but maybe don’t share these with drivers here.
“One tactic I’ve often experienced (in Scandinavia) is motorists changing into your lane to intimidate you — driving straight at you, only to swerve away at the very last second for a near miss,” wrote u/kvamsky.
“I’ve been cycling around California for the last 8 years. I’ve experienced every single one of these a**hats MULTIPLE TIMES,” claimed u/HolmesMycroft9172. “I’ve been hit and seriously injured. I literally do everything I can to avoid cycling on the street. I’m 100% on gravel or trail now. No cars. Period.”
Some of these cyclists experienced driver aggression when they were children.
“I’ll never forget riding as a 17-year-old cyclist and mentoring a 14-year-old,” said u/HotResponsibility829.
“You can hear the trucks engine downshift and roar. They swerve into the incoming lane, our lane. I was prepared to push me and my little buddy off the road. But the truck swerved back in their lane at the last second.”
Others had some unconventional and probably inadvisable advice for dealing with these drivers.
“Fun fact: in almost every corner of the U.S., you can open carry a rifle on your bicycle,” u/advamputee pointed out. “I also recommend strapping a propane tank to the left-hand side of the bike. Give them a reason to give you a wide berth.”
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