Have you had a confrontation with a stranger before in person? Whether it was a argument, fight, scream match, etc? Do you regret it? What happened?
Have you had a confrontation with a stranger before in person? Whether it was a argument, fight, scream match, etc? Do you regret it? What happened?
Regularly. Mostly car drivers that endangered me and other cyclists, very often driving their shitty vehicles in cycle lanes instead of the abundant car lanes.
The most aggressive ones wanted to fight me, a lot chased me, one even was handcuffed by police that happened to be nearby (getting handcuffs by police is super rare here in Germany but that guy was so over the top even for a police squad of three officers). Called the police several times and sent several of those carholes to court over endangerment.
I don’t regret confronting such assholes and standing my ground at all. It even improved things in some ways because police started patrolling and controlling more often in my area after several of these rows which immensely improved road safety for cyclists. (And my numerous and constant complaints about shitty parking led to even more police activity which freed the blocked sidewalks in that area.)
Confront if you want change. It helps.
It’s funny that your story involves drivers because this is the first thing that came to mind for me.
So, one day as I was crossing the street, a car is coming down the road and honks at me. I show them my middle finger and continue on my way to class. I realize they had made a u-turn because they are now driving into the parking lot I am now crossing. The passenger gets out of the car, walks up to me and yells why did I do that. I turn to him, look him in eyes and sternly say because you honked at me. A moment passes by and I’m waiting there as if there is anything else he wants to ask or do. But nothing happens and I just continue with my day, leaving him standing there.
Thank you for helping keep people safe.