Confrontation advice

[martint235]

I've also had it as a pedestrian. Walking down the road not far from home, passenger leaned out of car and sprayed water at me. I turned, saw the lights ahead were turning red and started to walk after the car. You could almost feel the nervousness emanating from the car. Unfortunately the lights changed when I was a car away. I really wish I'd run.

 

[stoatsngroats]

The local police here have a reporting procedure online called Operation Crackdown, where you can report anti-social driving. at the very least, it brings to their attention those people who are reported. A quick search in your area shows that these reports can be made by calling 101.

A report I made (about something completely different to your event) shows this:

Status
An advisory letter has been sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle

so it's worth considering that this is a better way to deal with this kind of thing.

That said, I think in this instance, you've had a learning experience, so maybe just get on with your life, and don't let this worry you..

 

[winjim]

I would have called him more then a twat.

Trouble is, you need the to be able to back that up if needs be. Some of us are not well suited to physical confrontation.

I used to be quite self-righteous and shout at motorists, then I noticed that I was only shouting at people who were unlikely to want to punch me, ie those weaker than me. I came to the realisation that that just makes me a bully, so I stopped. Now I proceed through my journey with an aura of zen like calm, and I feel much better for it. Most motorists aren't actually trying to kill me, we're all just trying to get to work.

 

[sidevalve]

If I'd accidentally squirted someone and they told me I'd say sorry, regardless of what they called me. There's absolutely no excuse for chasing someone or any kind of physical violence.

The whole point is he didn't 'tell you' he swore at you apparently before you might have had a chance to say sorry. When two grown adults kick off a row, a bit like the Clarkson thing, I'm afraid yes it is 50/50

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Trouble is, you need the to be able to back that up if needs be. Some of us are not well suited to physical confrontation.

I used to be quite self-righteous and shout at motorists, then I noticed that I was only shouting at people who were unlikely to want to punch me, ie those weaker than me. I came to the realisation that that just makes me a bully, so I stopped. Now I proceed through my journey with an aura of zen like calm, and I feel much better for it. Most motorists aren't actually trying to kill me, we're all just trying to get to work.

Even then, you need to be sure of what you're up against.

I'm mellow now, largely due to life lessons, but I used to get a tad sparky at times in the past.

On one occasion, I was already in a bad mood when, in slow moving traffic on a main street in rush hour, an escort type van decided to try and squeeze into a non-existent gap in front of the lorry I was driving.

Being an idiot back then, I jumped out to get to his drivers door to ask him what he thought he was trying to do.

He jumped out and asked me if I wanted knocking out. He was a real obnoxious turd, so I said I'd be be delighted if he took first swing in front of all the witnesses so I could defend myself. As I'm saying that, the escort started to rock. The back doors opened and about half a dozen big blokes got out.

The annoying thing was, I actually think they'd have been happy to see the driver get chinned, and they'd only got out for a better view, but I couldn't take the chance.

I sheepishly muttered some pithy comment like "you're lucky I'm in a rush' and scuttled off.

Now, how pathetic does that read from all angles? How much more sensible and better on my time, heart and ego would it have been if I'd just stopped and let him sort out what ever it was he was trying to do and get in front?

I start confrontations with a polite smile and the intention of getting away as smoothly as possible. Life's far too short.

 

[glenn forger]

So if a driver swears at me and I assault him it's 50/50?

 

[TheDoctor]

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.

Reacher said nothing.

He would, however, kill him about 100 pages later. With a headbutt.

 

[buggi]

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.

+1

They're is a difference between exchanging words and assault, particularly as the person has gone out of their way to hunt you down. If there wasn't this difference, 50% of assault cases would get dismissed as I bet there are few assaults that start with amicable words. This is a lazy response by the police. If you look hard enough there is probably some law about not splashing people with washer fluid as well which would warrant your response in the first place. Also if you call someone a twat and they turn out to be exactly that then you were only stating fact, not throwing an insult.

 

[buggi]

The best thing to do in these circumstances is to squirt the entire contents of your water bottle on him and ride away fast

 

[User16625]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_8SrF6NTVw

 

[Brandane]

Never in 40 years of cycling very regularly as my only then favoured mode of transport and being involved with cycling groups have I experienced or heard of bleach or urine in a washer bottle and a 7 year old thread on here about misaligned nozzles; that mentions neither substance.

I'm not disputing it happens but am very sceptical about quite common.

Glens evidence for it being "quite common" so far is;

It's just another example of BS from GF, the unluckiest armchair cyclist on the planet .
I've never, ever, heard of someone putting urine or bleach or any other noxious substance in their screenwash bottle. Apart from anything else, I don't think it would do much good to your wipers, rubber seal on windscreen, paintwork etc., and in the case of urine - your car is going to smell like a neglected public toilet.

 

[slowmotion]

A back-seat passenger squirted me in the face with piss from a water pistol just off Cromwell Road, west London. I went home, washed my face and brushed my teeth. I'm well hard.

 

[Andrew_P]

A back-seat passenger squirted me in the face with piss from a water pistol just off Cromwell Road, west London. I went home, washed my face and brushed my teeth. I'm well hard.

Not as hard as Froome, who completed the stage.

 

[slowmotion]

I watched the Frome documentary on the ferry from Holland last night. Good stuff.

 

[Andrew_P]

He jumped out and asked me if I wanted knocking out. He was a real obnoxious turd, so I said I'd be be delighted if he took first swing in front of all the witnesses so I could defend myself. As I'm saying that, the escort started to rock. The back doors opened and about half a dozen big blokes got out.

LOL I had that happen to me when I was 18 right in the middle of the one way system in Brixton, shat myself. Same type of Van as well was no way of knowing they were in the back.