I love to ride a bicycle. Seven years ago I broke my leg and almost got it amputated, had to have emergency surgery. Was on crutches for 11 weeks. Doc told me to get with the physical therapy, most especially riding bicycles.
Well I live way out in the woods in the NC mountains. I got my mountain bike geared up and went out and rode for 5 minutes the first day. That was painful but got through it. After a week was riding for a half hour. Felt better every day.
In two months I was riding for 2 hours a day. I can tell you the mountain people of North Carolina have no use for a grown man riding a bicycle. They whiz by you, their mirror missing you by 8 inches. Some yell stuff at you. I do not wear that gay Tour de France outfit, I wear a white t shirt. No gay French helmet for me, I wear a baseball hat, to which I clip my little rear view mirror. This way I can see which vehicle is coming up upon me from behind. No fancy bicycle shoes, just wear tennis shoes.
Definitely a hostile reception from the local NC inhabitants.
Now, I am 6-3 and 225, nobody stopped their car and invited me to a fistfight, I would have gladly joined in on that, and probalby won, but they sure enjoy messing with you while they buzz by at 50 mph.
I am 5'11" 170. I have invited a few rude jackholes back to talk. Only one took me up on it, and he ended up apologizing. Most those folks that do that crap are bullies and cowards. Interestingly, 80% of the time a motorist does something especially dumb dangerous or discourteous to me, it's an out of shape middle aged white male. That's what I would bet my life most of the spittle launching blowhards look like. I live in an area that has as many blacks as whites. I have never had a black treat me rudely. NOT ONCE.
