Confrontation advice

[F1fan]

Can i ask for some advice please. I was cycling this evening and filtering passed cars on the white line, and a plain blue van decided to wash his windscreen as i was passing so i said "twat". He then sounded his horn. I pulled in front as i couldn't get any further ahead. I turned off he followed, then over took me, stopped got out in front of me and said "who are calling you a twat" i said "you" but i never stopped. He then followed me so i went round around the block at a roundabout they were some cars so i couldn't pull out, but he got out of his van grabbed my arm and said"you don't call someone a twat for their wipers"

I didn't want to hang around and pushed my way through the roundabout and made my way home making sure he didn't follow or see me.

I have this on camera(haven't look at it yet), there were many people about,

Is it a case of 50/50 blame each way as i did call him something, but there's no need to follow me or grab my arm. I am slightly shaken as this has never happened before.

What should i have done differently, said nothing?

Thanks

 

[uclown2002]

Given what happened and potentially what else could have happened; would YOU do anything differently?

 

[F1fan]

Yes the most sensible thing would be not call him a twat, but that was the first thing i thought of.

 

[Dayvo]

He's just a bullying TWAT!

See what the video evidence is like and if you still feel upset and want to make an issue of it (assault, threatening behaviour etc) then contact the police.

Don't let it worry you too much, although you acted in a far more restrained manner than I would have done.

 

[ianrauk]

I would have called him more then a twat.

 

[F1fan]

Videos good, i have asked the police for their advice and they said

"An offence of Common Assault has taken place however it was provoked which is an aggravating factor and would more than likely be dismissed by the CPS.
Had the words been something a little more reasonable then the circumstances may warrant involvement by the police.
I can understand you annoyance at what happened with the wipers though. Your comment 50/50 about sums it up, fortunately no serious harm has occurred. "

 

[Dayvo]

Find out his address from his reg. no. and send him 'something' in the post.

Sorry, I've been reading too many Jack Reacher books.

 

[andyfraser]

Videos good, i have asked the police for their advice and they said

"An offence of Common Assault has taken place however it was provoked which is an aggravating factor and would more than likely be dismissed by the CPS.
Had the words been something a little more reasonable then the circumstances may warrant involvement by the police.
I can understand you annoyance at what happened with the wipers though. Your comment 50/50 about sums it up, fortunately no serious harm has occurred. "

I can see the police's point but I also think they're being lazy.

Had you said what you said and he just grabbed you as you were walking away (pretend you were both on foot here) then I'd fully agree with the police.

But he followed you which should've given him time to cool down so grabbing you when you try to get away is more serious in my mind.

 

[NorthernDave]

He has committed an offence by spraying you with screenwash if it was done deliberately - it's rare, but people can and do get prosecuted for it.
I believe (could be wrong) that this is technically classed as an 'assault'.

However, in the grand scheme of things, is it really worth your time and effort pursuing?
That said, you have to wonder about the anger management issues of someone who is prepared to follow you and get out of his tin box and grab you for what is a very mild insult...

 

[Spinney]

Videos good, i have asked the police for their advice and they said

"An offence of Common Assault has taken place however it was provoked which is an aggravating factor and would more than likely be dismissed by the CPS.
Had the words been something a little more reasonable then the circumstances may warrant involvement by the police.
I can understand you annoyance at what happened with the wipers though. Your comment 50/50 about sums it up, fortunately no serious harm has occurred. "

Maybe this is just the kind of thing where the police just need to have a word with him - not actually prosecute. Esp as andyfraser says, his grabbing you was premeditated, not just in the heat of the moment.

 

[andyfraser]

Maybe this is just the kind of thing where the police just need to have a word with him - not actually prosecute. Esp as andyfraser says, his grabbing you was premeditated, not just in the heat of the moment.

I wish the police would have a word with people in some cases. I remember my dad coming home one night and getting straight on the phone to the police. Something had happened (I don't remember what) and some bloke followed my dad home, beeping and tailgating all the way. My dad drove round until he lost the guy so he didn't give away where he lived.

About an hour after the phone call two police officers where at the door. They'd just been round and spoken to the bloke (my dad had taken the reg) and they were giving my dad an update. There wasn't enough evidence to prosecute but they went round anyway. That was 25 years ago.

 

[glenn forger]

They put urine or bleach in the windscreen washer reservoir, it's quite common, I've had vehicles slow down so the drivers can spray stuff, it's obvious what they're doing.

 

[glenn forger]

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/windscreen-washer-multi-directional-splatter-blasters.13924/

 

[F1fan]

Thanks for your advice. He was a workman the way he was dressed and had his mate in the van. Didn't catch the logo on his shirt and video doesn't show it in enough detail. But I do have a a clear picture of him. Maybe a YouTube video, won't do anything but might make feel better .

Think I will just take this a a learning experience and hope it doesn't happen again.

 

[downfader]

I understand the heat of the moment meaning you let out something like this. I do know a couple of van drivers down here in Southampton who seem to target riders with close passes (both were reported by myself to the police, one with video evidence one without -no action has sadly been taken I would presume because I am the only person to have reported them). Oddly one is a blue van driver, another a local roofer.

I also know of someone I used to work with who thought it was his right to "punish" filtering motorbikers by turning on his sprayer. That doesnt mean everyone is doing it in a nasty fashion however, but it sounds as if the driver the OP encountered was out for an excuse for a fight. Even so the Police should have had a word with the guy.