So how do you tell them and make them listen?

**That looks like fun** · 22nd October 2011, 18:48

Trundling along a narrow country road today lined with hedges and trees

As I approached an intersection I indicated to turn right, limited visibility ahead and behind (due to intersection being on a slight s bend in the road). Scanning, planning, all that good stuff, so when a car suddenly appears at the intersection and starts to cross in front of me its an issue I am ready to evade.
No friendly wave of "sorry I nearly fucked your life up by knocking you off your bike and busting your body" oh no she is to busy talking on her cellphone

Ok so one transgression I can tolerate at a time but two is too many

I stop beside the drivers door and firmly tell her to put her phone down, its ok she says I wont move until I have finished the conversation

Pearls of wisdom as to the correct reply to that answer would be appreciated

I just hope she isnt still parked in the middle of the intersection yakking on her phone

**FJRider** · 22nd October 2011, 19:01

Using a cell phone while driving is against the law ... isn't it ...

**tigertim20** · 22nd October 2011, 19:31

Originally Posted by That looks like fun

Trundling along a narrow country road today lined with hedges and trees

As I approached an intersection I indicated to turn right, limited visibility ahead and behind (due to intersection being on a slight s bend in the road). Scanning, planning, all that good stuff, so when a car suddenly appears at the intersection and starts to cross in front of me its an issue I am ready to evade.
No friendly wave of "sorry I nearly fucked your life up by knocking you off your bike and busting your body" oh no she is to busy talking on her cellphone

Ok so one transgression I can tolerate at a time but two is too many

I stop beside the drivers door and firmly tell her to put her phone down, its ok she says I wont move until I have finished the conversation

Pearls of wisdom as to the correct reply to that answer would be appreciated

I just hope she isnt still parked in the middle of the intersection yakking on her phone

rip the phone from her hands, throw it on the ground, and take off

**Mad-V2** · 22nd October 2011, 20:07

Ask her what the hell she's doin out of the kitchen..

**red mermaid** · 22nd October 2011, 20:24

Yeah but its like speeding...it doesnt really hurt anyone and only pedantic cops after their quota would give someone a ticket for it.

Originally Posted by FJRider

Using a cell phone while driving is against the law ... isn't it ...

**FJRider** · 22nd October 2011, 20:38

Originally Posted by red mermaid

Yeah but its like speeding...it doesnt really hurt anyone and only pedantic cops after their quota would give someone a ticket for it.

I don't think the original poster will see it the same way ...

**DrunkenMistake** · 22nd October 2011, 21:16

Air horns my boy,
you need air horns.

**oneofsix** · 22nd October 2011, 21:40

Park the bike on the side of the road, walk back to her whilst pulling out your own phone and just say something along the lines of, " I'll just ring *555 and see what they think shell I?"
I guess you were so shocked that you didn't get here rego so can't do an online report.

**Owl** · 23rd October 2011, 09:13

Originally Posted by red mermaid

Yeah but its like speeding...it doesnt really hurt anyone and only pedantic cops after their quota would give someone a ticket for it.

If I didn't know better, I'd think there was a little sarcasm sneaking in there?

**Spearfish** · 23rd October 2011, 09:20

Originally Posted by oneofsix

Park the bike on the side of the road, walk back to her whilst pulling out your own phone and just say something along the lines of, " I'll just ring *555 and see what they think shell I?"
I guess you were so shocked that you didn't get here rego so can't do an online report.

+1
The flow of *555 calls should go in both directions, harder on two wheels but worth it in the long run. Information is used to set policy eg a string of *five fiddy five calls on the harbour bridge complaining about bikes weaving or tapping mirrors triggers a blitz on filtering.

**Matariki** · 24th October 2011, 04:28

Woman drivers, don't you just love em? I've had my near hits and on one occasion was almost killed by one who failed to give way.

Some people never learn until something drastic happens to THEM, usually however they're more likely to blame something else rather than take responsibility. If she hit you it probably would of been the other person on the end of the cellphone.

**YellowDog** · 24th October 2011, 06:13

My vote is with removing the cellphone frolm the idiot's hand, dial a premium rate number, and then throw it into the bushes to dent her bank balance.

Oh, and don't forget to first explain what she did wrong.

**unstuck** · 24th October 2011, 07:36

Whip your pistol out and shoot the lawbreaking sumbitch in the head. Clean this world up of all the people doing wrong.

**thehovel** · 24th October 2011, 11:46

Originally Posted by tigertim20

rip the phone from her hands, throw it on the ground, and take off

When cell-phones were the brick drivers would stick the aerial out the window while driving down the motor way(to get a better reception) I would grab the aerial and throw the phone into the fast lane. The driver would look back to see were the phone went and not the rider disapearing down the motor way,I never heard anything so they didn't get my plate number. It was a few years later that I leaned that these phones that I had been tossing around for fun were about a grand each. I only got 4 ...... OH DEAR HOW SAD NEVERMIND!!!!!!!!!!!!

**PrincessBandit** · 24th October 2011, 12:34

Originally Posted by oneofsix

Park the bike on the side of the road, walk back to her whilst pulling out your own phone and just say something along the lines of, " I'll just ring *555 and see what they think shell I?"
I guess you were so shocked that you didn't get here rego so can't do an online report.

+1 to that. A few threads on here (not the least was katiepie's accident thread) have convinced me to keep my cellphone in my jacket pocket while riding. Easier to pull a phone out of your pocket and dial *555 that dig around in your pack while the culprit realises what you're up to and takes off.

As for words of wisdom to share when you have the opportunity like that with drivers, there are probably countless who would simply shrug and say "you weren't hurt what's your problem/hey, it's your choice to ride a motorbike/etc etc. Your approach might also have some influence on their reaction - taking out their mirror or ripping their phone out of their hands to stomp on is less likely to get a meaningful 2-way with people. That is if attempting to educate them is your goal, as opposed to red misted revenge.