Bad driving or bad cycling?

[Monsieur]

Many instances on here of cyclists being close to becoming an accident statistic either through inept drivers or cyclists not reading the road correctly and not anticipating what may happen.

What really stuns me though is the reluctance of cyclists to knock 7 bells out of a driver who nearly causes them pain or even death

If I was a 'victim' of some of the drivers seen on some of these footages I would have no hesitation in reacting to it with a bunch of fives

Is it just me being a cycle lout or are many cyclists just too pacifist?

 

[morrisman]

Is it just me being a cycle lout?

Probably

 

[MarkF]

Cycle lout.

If somebody is reckless and does something that scares me, or worse, puts my life in danger then if I get the opportunity then I always, without fail, tackle the driver about it. The main reason is not vengeance but that he/she might not realise what they did and why it was wrong, it's better for them and me, that they know. Sometimes the situation has escalated but I'd always prefer that it didn't.

P.S I never swear.

 

[Hip Priest]

I personally try to avoid violence at all costs, but I can understand how someone might lose their cool. I've seen a handful of videos that have made me so angry that I wouldn't have blamed the cyclist for kicking the driver into next week.

Most recently it was Bent Mikey's altercation with that Mondeo driver who tried to run him over.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Many instances on here of cyclists being close to becoming an accident statistic either through inept drivers or cyclists not reading the road correctly and not anticipating what may happen.

What really stuns me though is the reluctance of cyclists to knock 7 bells out of a driver who nearly causes them pain or even death

If I was a 'victim' of some of the drivers seen on some of these footages I would have no hesitation in reacting to it with a bunch of fives

Is it just me being a cycle lout or are many cyclists just too pacifist?

I didn't know there were any caves in Lincolnshire.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Many instances on here of cyclists being close to becoming an accident statistic either through inept drivers or cyclists not reading the road correctly and not anticipating what may happen.

What really stuns me though is the reluctance of cyclists to knock 7 bells out of a driver who nearly causes them pain or even death

If I was a 'victim' of some of the drivers seen on some of these footages I would have no hesitation in reacting to it with a bunch of fives

Is it just me being a cycle lout or are many cyclists just too pacifist?

The Internet is full of threads where some mighty Warrior of the Web has declared that had x or y incident happened to him, he'd have flattened the transgressor.

I say 'he' because I've never seen that sort of thing from a woman. There is often an unnecessary addendum where the author mentions the size of his biceps or his prowess on the rugby field.

But you take it a step further. You tell us you'd be in there with your dukes out in several instances you've seen on helmet-cam footage. Not the odd one or two.... Cool!

One imagines a face glued angrily to the screen in vicarious rage: "Yeah, I'd lamp him.... Nah... Not him... Lamp those two.... Lamp him... Lamp her... Leave that one..."

I don't think you're being a cycle lout, but I suspect you may have a touch of the Internet Warriors.

I am a pacifist.

 

[Hip Priest]

Another matter to consider is that there is no way to look cool whilst scrapping or arguing at the roadside.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I try to keep my cool. The problem is that when a driver points his vehicle at you and dam nearly kills you the law allows them to claim it was as accident or they didn't see you or other excuses. If a cyclist responds violently the law calls that an assault. Typical of this tin can is king society.

 

[Cyclopathic]

The times when I have reacted angrily and aggressively have been because of adrenaline and I have learned over the years to control this. Violence is just not an effective means of communication. If you are right in your cause but use violence it just negates all of your points. It put's the other person into the role of victim and means that whatever the circumstances might be, you will be in the wrong.

I have had far more affecting conversations with motorists when I've had the chance to tell them calmly what they may have done and why it was dangerous from my perspective. The ones who do not react positvely to this approach would certainly have been no better if I'd threatened them and must just be written off as that bunch of people who can never be told anything. Even with these people though there is still a chance that after they have calmed down they will posibly admit to themselves that they were in the wrong. Something that will never happen if they think I'm just a violent yob (when really I am so much more than just that)

Drivers don't need any more excuses to think they have the right to run us off the road. I'm much more for trying to build bridges. It's not that I don't want to beat them until one or both of us is crying it's just that from a purely pragmatic point of view I think a reasoned approach achieves more than a punch in the face.

 

[steve52]

i dont think the op is a lout,and feel tha same. however the rules of exceptable behaviour have changed and we have to conform. the agresive people/drivers only behave the way they do because there are no painfull consequenses, (please excuse my spelling),still most of the time im having to much fun to be botherd or effected by the numptys

 

[Hip Priest]

I tend to feel bad even if I've just shouted at a driver.

If you lose your temper, especially in public, embarrassment always follows. It does for me, anyway.

 

[Ningishzidda]

I try to keep my cool. The problem is that when a driver points his vehicle at you and dam nearly kills you the law allows them to claim it was as accident or they didn't see you or other excuses. If a cyclist responds violently the law calls that an assault. Typical of this tin can is king society.

The motorist acted in an Antisocial manner, and the cyclist used 'Reasonable force' to hold the motorist until the police arrive.

 

[siadwell]

Another matter to consider is that there is no way to look cool whilst scrapping or arguing at the roadside.

Especially when wearing cleats.

 

[Julia9054]

I have been fortunate never to have been involved in a collision. But like most commuters, have been on the receiving end of bad driving and motorists who think I've no right to be there. There is no point responding if someone shouts at you from inside a car - you just look stupid. If anyone were to get out and have a go, I'd be terrified! I can ride assertively but I am small and female and would be useless in a fight. My first instinct would be to get the hell out of there for my own safety!

 

[Hip Priest]

Especially when wearing cleats.

Too right! Imagine pulling your arm back to throw a punch, then doing the cafe-stop splits on a wet bit of road. Doesn't bear thinking about.