Another Day, Another Altercation

[hondated]

I commute in as normal today and there's a line of stationary traffic ahead, just as I come to a stop behing the traffic a car tries to overtake me and runs out of room, he then beeps and shouts.

I think he expected me to just disappear or something.

He was halfway over the middle of the road and now not able to move - because evidently I used up the space he wanted.

I waved my hands back at him to say - "What?"

I let it go (well, obviously I've not let it go thus far) and proceeded onwards, I am able to continue without delay at the next junction but stupidly I stop and ask the driver "Why did you beep at me ?" ,

He said "you're taking up the road you *******ing *****ker?"

There you go. That's reasoning for you.

He wanted a fight, he asked if I wanted one. I carried on my merry journey.

Happy Monday folks.

Seem you had the same sort of Monday I had then.
Now retired its strange for me to be out early on my bike on a Monday but I had to take my van in for a re MOT so I decided to put the bike in the back and cycle back home.
On my bike at a set of traffic lights sitting behind a car I noticed the driver head down clearly looking at his mobile. Lights go green he is still sitting there and suddenly seeing the green releases his hand brake and rolls back towards me before moving away.
Stuck in traffic I cycle up beside him and once again he is looking at his mobile.
Spotting this I tap on his window and the following conversation ensues.
Me - Get off your mobile.
Driver - What ! I,m in traffic.
Me - So that's ok then is it !
Driver - Well no, not really.
Me - Many cyclists have been killed by drivers using their mobiles.
At which point congestion eases and he accelerates away.
To be fair to the driver his reaction was polite and I somehow think my comment might of hit home but who knows.
Its the first time that I have ever done that and I was probably lucky that I met a polite fella as I could of got my head stoved in by someone else but I just really felt that it was time for us cyclists to fight back.
All of this was prompted by a fella I saw on BBC Breakfast a couple of weeks ago who's brother was killed by a motorist driving into him. A needless death and I personally feel that the act of using a mobile whilst driving should get the same punishment that someone receives for drink driving.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I remember a couple of years ago cycling home from work, got to the traffic lights by Tesco's and there's a fella pulled most of the way out of a side road and stopped waiting for the lights, he's texting, I pull up just behind him and slightly right, he spots me then drop's the phone, then realises its just a cyclist retrieves the phone winds down his window and shouts you scared the s*** out of me. Drivers on their phones are endemic, I see loads even though I'm not commuting any more, It seem acceptable to most people and I'm not sure how they can change that.

 

[dr snuggles]

Commute on Monday involved a parked car pulling out on me on a fairly quick downhill section, no indicators and no acknowledgement as he sped off. I called him a w*nker (shouldn't have but it was a particularly close and stupid one) he pulls in up ahead of me and I think here we go the usual confrontation and he winds his window down and immediately apologises to which I said thank you and went on my way.
First time I haven't been blamed in some way or threatened with violence. All very surreal.

 

[hondated]

Commute on Monday involved a parked car pulling out on me on a fairly quick downhill section, no indicators and no acknowledgement as he sped off. I called him a w*nker (shouldn't have but it was a particularly close and stupid one) he pulls in up ahead of me and I think here we go the usual confrontation and he winds his window down and immediately apologises to which I said thank you and went on my way.
First time I haven't been blamed in some way or threatened with violence. All very surreal.

I,ve had that happen to me and I then feel guilty for what I said.

 

[mjr]

[QUOTE 4511830, member: 259"]I like having a mirror as it's easier to see the piles of smoking carnage I leave in my wake on the morning commute.[/QUOTE]
Do you overtake on the Blackfriars Underpass cycle track?

 

[jarlrmai]

Car pulled out on me the other, straight into a queue I asked why he pulled out

His 1st statement:

"You've got brakes haven't you?"

Followed by

"You shouldn't ride so fast"

I was probably doing 14 mph

I mean seriously?

 

[oldstrath]

Car pulled out on me the other, straight into a queue I asked why he pulled out

His 1st statement:

"You've got brakes haven't you?"

Followed by

"You shouldn't ride so fast"

I was probably doing 14 mph

I mean seriously?

I think they only expect us to be able to go at the speed they think they'd manage. I had one pull out on me last week, when I pointed out that I was traveling at 20 mph he said "that's not physically possible". Mind you, for him he was probably right.

 

[dr snuggles]

I,ve had that happen to me and I then feel guilty for what I said.

I think what he did warranted the insult if I'm honest and by the apology I reckon he acknowledged the same.
I know what you mean though I've reacted badly more than enough.

 

[snorri]

[QUOTE 4511830, member: 259"]I like having a mirror as it's easier to see the piles of smoking carnage I leave in my wake on the morning commute.[/QUOTE]
That's ok, just so long as you're not leaving steaming carnage on the public highway

 

[HLaB]

I remember a couple of years ago cycling home from work, got to the traffic lights by Tesco's and there's a fella pulled most of the way out of a side road and stopped waiting for the lights, he's texting, I pull up just behind him and slightly right, he spots me then drop's the phone, then realises its just a cyclist retrieves the phone winds down his window and shouts you scared the s*** out of me. Drivers on their phones are endemic, I see loads even though I'm not commuting any more, It seem acceptable to most people and I'm not sure how they can change that.

Hopefully http://www.independent.co.uk/news/g...-and-you-will-lose-your-licence-a7312221.html

 

[Philh]

Hopefully http://www.independent.co.uk/news/g...-and-you-will-lose-your-licence-a7312221.html

Honestly its a waste of legislative effort.

“Law without enforcement is only good advice.” – Abraham Lincoln

 

[HLaB]

Honestly its a waste of legislative effort.

“Law without enforcement is only good advice.” – Abraham Lincoln

Indeed!

 

[bikeman66]

Blowing a kiss to idiot drivers works quite well!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Blowing a kiss to idiot drivers works quite well!

Telling them to "Have A Nice Day" after they've spent several minutes casting doubts on you parentage is also good, when they are spoiling for a fight refusing to get involved confuses them..

 

[Ajax Bay]

[QUOTE 4508279, member: 43827"]eating as he drove off. He would have been safer if he had just been using a mobile phone.[/QUOTE]
I don't think using a mobile phone is safer than eating while you drive. Mobile telephony requires attention and brain (well a bit) engagement, to the detriment of attention to the road and reaction time. That's why it's specifically illegal, whereas all the other things motorists get up to involving their hands (other than operating the controls of the vehicle) which would be a long list, are not so specified. Serious lack of safe driving is caught under the 'driving without due care' banner.