A couple of idiots but afraid I didn't cover myself in glory

[Archie_tect]

11 stone i will have you know!
Cheers Ed

Ed, is it you that also carries 4 knives into college?
[Edit, sorry- just read that it isn't!]

 

[thecube]

It's understandable, but I have tried to use a more enertaining approach rather than be overly aggressive. But then again it depends on the situation. If it's just verbal abuse i'll just give a little back if i can be bothered. if someone does something that risks your safety it's hard to keep a lid on it! What shocks me is how volatile drivers can be, even when they have clearly made a mistake. I had a guy threated to rip me head off just for joking about me turning his car stereo up since he was driving adjacent to me and way to closely! I was just making a point with humour and he cracked. I have recently put a video camera on my bike and so far no real flare-ups! but have caught a few people going though red lights and cutting accross me at junctions. I just like the peace of mind that if it goes pear shaped it's all recorded.
As for people telling me to use the ill thought out and inadequate cycle paths, well i am sick of explaing why they are often not worth using, but drivers don't want to listen to any well reasoned discussion about this, they just want you to f*** off out of their way!

 

[tyred]

@Accy cyclist Unless they take turns on Becky, naturally.

...

Can I see a photo of this Becky before deciding whether or not she's worth fighting over

 

[jefmcg]

I agree you shouldn't have got into it; there's no good good outcome.

But I still smile to myself when I think of this looney gouging his car with my pedals.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Can I see a photo of this Becky before deciding whether or not she's worth fighting over

Remember, you're fighting for this woman's honor, which is probably more than she ever did!

Groucho Marx

​

GC

 

[subaqua]

It's ok to verbally abuse them if they are wearing red trousers or sporting a hipster hobo beard thobut.

FTFY

am sooo glad i got rid of my beard . makes me look like a trend setter rather than a follower

 

[Dave Davenport]

OP, you were silly and I speak as an ex-bouncer. You never know the "capability" of another unknown man, you could easily have had your face smeared all over the road, and for what? Really? Unless you are used to fighting and especially, used to being hit, then don't get into these situations. It's macho dreaming, once smacked hard your average guy goes into shock, then his problems really start.

I'm no hard case by any means but was a pretty handy welterweight (in the dim and distant past) and then boxing coach for 20 years and have been in enough scrapes in my time to know my limitations. I'm not stupid, if they had been 20 years younger, bigger and looked like they could handle themselves I would have acted differently. In this case they were both around the same age as me, the same sort of size but looked like a walk up a flight of stairs would have them out of breath. Yes I could have come unstuck but I think the biggest danger was one or both of them deciding to run me over up the road.
As I said, I regret losing my temper and intend to try not to in future.

 

[Over The Hill]

It is really horrid when things go immediately into a potentially violent confrontation.
Clearly the driver is of the view that he has paid for the cycle path and you are obliged to use it to get out of his way (as surely that is the only reason for it).

I have been caught like this with someone tailgating me. Car driving really brings out the worst in people.
If possible try to not fight fire with fire and make a joke of it while getting over your point, perhaps "if it was compulsory then you would be in the right but it is not and so you are not matey" But easy to say after the event.

Don't let the morons get to you . Don't let it spoil your cycling. They win if it does.

 

[Bollo]

My sympathies Dave. Even if you're the innocent or provoked party, that kind of thing can dwell for longer than it deserves.
A few years ago I was in a position where I had to confront a drunk who'd just decked a security guard and was about to enter a hall full of kids. I stopped him and avoided any injury myself, but didn't sleep for about a week afterwards. Even though I'd have reacted in the same way to the same situation every time, I just kept playing it over and over.

 

[MarkF]

I'm no hard case by any means but was a pretty handy welterweight (in the dim and distant past) and then boxing coach for 20 years and have been in enough scrapes in my time to know my limitations. I'm not stupid, if they had been 20 years younger, bigger and looked like they could handle themselves I would have acted differently. In this case they were both around the same age as me, the same sort of size but looked like a walk up a flight of stairs would have them out of breath. Yes I could have come unstuck but I think the biggest danger was one or both of them deciding to run me over up the road.
As I said, I regret losing my temper and intend to try not to in future.

No offence was meant Dave, and at least you are used to getting hit. But even appearance, age and size are not a reliable indicator of a persons "capability", not in my experience anyway, and, it's just not worth it, it's usually over "nothing", whether riding or in a bar. Some posters (not you) are always "I would have done this/that" and the truth is it's very unlikely that they would, and if they did, they'd probably soon, and painfully, regret it. The London rider v the white Audi guy is a good example......

I am a reformed rider and enjoy it far more now than when I used to regularly be involved in arguments, a shake of the head is about as wound up as I get these days.

 

[Dave Davenport]

No offence was meant Dave, and at least you are used to getting hit. But even appearance, age and size are not a reliable indicator of a persons "capability", not in my experience anyway, and, it's just not worth it, it's usually over "nothing", whether riding or in a bar. Some posters (not you) are always "I would have done this/that" and the truth is it's very unlikely that they would, and if they did, they'd probably soon, and painfully, regret it. The London rider v the white Audi guy is a good example......

I am a reformed rider and enjoy it far more now than when I used to regularly be involved in arguments, a shake of the head is about as wound up as I get these days.

No offence was taken; I really do intend to try my best to keep my temper in future, otherwise it's going to end up messy at some point one way or the other. I haven't been in a proper stand up fight in over 20 years and can't imagine any situation other than the one described where I would these days.
Maybe I'll try retaliating via the medium of jazz dance in future.

 

[Crankarm]

You seem to have been remarkably restrained considering the nobbers you experienced.

 

[swee'pea99]

... a shake of the head is about as wound up as I get these days.

I had a bloke take umbrage at me rolling my eyes a while back. Without thinking about it I just blew him a big wet raspberry, which threw him completely off his stride. It's such a silly, childish thing to do that it's pretty much impossible to get properly offended by...you can see their furious indignation just kind of deflate like a popped balloon as they try not to smile...

 

[Mrs M]

So last Friday afternoon me and mrs d were nearly home from a spin in the countryside and sat at the lights (Leigh Road, Eastleigh, opposite the Premier Inn for any locals). A car stops behind us and the bloke leans out of the window and starts shouting at us to get off the f'ing road and onto the (shared & finishes in 500m) cycle path. We'd had no previous interaction with him and there was loads of room to go around us when the lights changed. I'm afraid I lost my rag and told him to go forth and multiply etc.
When the lights changed he went past shouting abuse and then was stopped at the next set of lights, I pulled up next to him and asked him if he'd like to turn into the industrial estate, get out of his car and see what happened if he carried on shouting and swearing at me, he didn't seem keen.
At this point the bloke in the car in front got out and started having a go too, he was stood on the cycle path shouting at me to 'get on here' and 'the council had paid for it and I had to use it'. He then came back into the road (by this time the lights had changed and drivers behind were sounding there horns), I put my face about an inch from his and advised him to get back in his car and f off before I did something he'd regret.
I was really wound up by this pair of gits but also angry with myself for losing my rag, I wish I'd just ignored it or smiled and waved or maybe taken a photo and reported 'threats and abuse' to the Police (although in my experience they'd have done sod all).
Lesson learned; Try really hard not to lose my rag.

If someone really bugs me I just cough, it's short for fu cough but they think you just got a cold,lol.