Confrontation with a motorist: I did nothing wrong this time

[Matthew_T]

UPDATE: I have been into the police station today and saw a woman who viewed the footage and went through the statement with me. She was very helpful and understood the situation.
She said that for a conviction, they would be looking to charge the driver with a Public Order offence for swearing and possibly careless driving for overtaking in the face of an oncoming car. She said for a public order, there would have to be witnesses, but you can get them off the footage.

She also said that with the quality of the footage (I showed her the original film which is better quality than the vid) that it is better use than CCTV as it shows what I am looking at. Got a good description of the driver and the dialogue in the situation.

I now have to put the vid on a CD and take it back in to them. She also explained the process with court and said that I would only have to go if the driver had pervious convictions related to this.

 

[TheJDog]

This bicycle corner cutting is far worse because he is completely unsighted what with that stone wall and stuff.

Ride Properly!

If you moan at enough drivers, the odds are that you will get a reaction out of some. And some drivers are mental cases. And some drivers will actually get physical, rather than poking your nose. I'd learn my lesson here, keep the video camera on, and leave the education of our motoring brethren to plod.

 

[gambatte]

"Pervious".... Freudian slip Matt?

 

[dawesome]

UPDATE: I have been into the police station today and saw a woman who viewed the footage and went through the statement with me. She was very helpful and understood the situation.
She said that for a conviction, they would be looking to charge the driver with a Public Order offence for swearing and possibly careless driving for overtaking in the face of an oncoming car. She said for a public order, there would have to be witnesses, but you can get them off the footage.

She also said that with the quality of the footage (I showed her the original film which is better quality than the vid) that it is better use than CCTV as it shows what I am looking at. Got a good description of the driver and the dialogue in the situation.

I now have to put the vid on a CD and take it back in to them. She also explained the process with court and said that I would only have to go if the driver had pervious convictions related to this.

Good work fella.

 

[Linford]

Except for his continual repetition of the phrase "six of one ..." which if it means anything at all means that Matt was equally to blame. The number "six" and the quantity "half a dozen" are, as I expect you know, equal to each other, and the phrase is therefore generally used when both parties to some interaction are held to be "as bad as each other"

While I'm sure that most or all of us will agree that Matt would have been less likely to escalate the situation had he not e.g. read the car numberplate out, the use of the word "escalate" is itself a honking great clue that the offences and insults occasioned in the first half, wherein Matt impugns the driver's ability to go round corners properly, are not in fact of the same magnitude as those in the second half, where the driver cuts him up and then threatens physical violence against him.

It is of course possible that Linf is perhaps not aware how large the archaic unit "a dozen" is, and is just using the phrase to mean "there was some degree of blame on both sides", but as that is not what the phrase means, this is not how he comes across. Here I can only echo your own advice that "language [...] should be couched very carefully"

Jeez, I thought I was bad

 

[Dan B]

Out of order calling him that, but it's fair to say he was guilty of cutting the corner. And if a passing motorist had shouted 'Oi! You cut the corner!' I'd have thought it petty.

Agreed on all counts. But I bet you woudn't have pursued him and threatened to wrap(sic) his car up his nose

 

[benb]

... and leave the education of our motoring brethren to plod.

Yes, that's going very well so far.

 

[Dan B]

Jeez, I thought I was bad

That's a slightly harsh assessment though it does contain a grain of truth. Do you see my point about "equal" and how this is unhelpful?

 

[smutchin]

See the solid white line at the edge of the give way markings? If you crossed that on a driving test, you'd fail instantly.

My best friend at school did indeed fail his driving test for exactly that reason.

There's no excuse for cutting corners, and no need for it, just like there's no excuse for doing 35 in a 30 limit. It doesn't matter if [you think] the road is clear. You just don't do it. End of. It's one of my pet hates as a cyclist, having had to take evasive action to avoid being taken out by corner-cutting motorists more times than I care to remember. I expect they all thought the road was clear, but they were either making rash assumptions or just not looking properly. Or both.

Of course, you don't do it on a bike either. The potential consequences for other road users are far less serious but that doesn't make it OK.

d.

 

[jonny jeez]

Dont have time to read all the posts. I agree the driver appears to slurr his speech and acts irrationally. Suggests he was under the influence

All the comments about Matt antagionising are correct...after all whats the point of reading the number plate as you would never actually take time to report such an initally poor bit of driving, other than to antagonise

Matts initial description of the situation left me thinking "jeez Matt, let it go" but....

The vid really angered me especially his intention on telling you not to speak to him "like that" (like what?... all you said was..."cut the corner a bit", then read his plate and said "see ya?")...whilst speaking to you with zero respect, swearing and insulting in every sentance.

I wanted to literally open this little feck up, I was that angry.

However...bottom line...Matt please dont try to take on the mantel of road warrior, As I have said before, unless you are physically confident and able to stop a situation, DONT START ONE.

And I know he started the problem, but it didn't warrant escalation by you.

I know this is tough advice as this fecks reactions were so disproportionate that he deserves to be taught the error of his ways.

But today, this is not your job.

Today, your job is to enjoy riding.

 

[benb]

In my view, the fact that Matt also cut a corner in that other video is only partially relevant, unless people are suggesting that doing something wrong precludes you from ever commenting on it in others.

If there had been someone at that corner who had muttered "cycle properly" to Matt, and Matt had then verbally abused them, poked them in the nose and threatened them with violence, then the hypocrisy charge would have merit.

 

[TheJDog]

In my view, the fact that Matt also cut a corner in that other video is only partially relevant, unless people are suggesting that doing something wrong precludes you from ever commenting on it in others.

Not just commenting, but making a note of their number plate. In my view, your view is quite wrong, and he is a hypocrite (not that we all aren't).

If there had been someone at that corner who had muttered "cycle properly" to Matt, and Matt had then verbally abused them, poked them in the nose and threatened them with violence, then the hypocrisy charge would have merit.

No, that would just make him a nutcase, too.

 

[smutchin]

Getting comments aimed at you from other road users is an everyday occurrence. I've been on the receiving end of far more offensive remarks as a cyclist than the poor downtrodden motorist suffered at Matt's hands but I've never felt the need to turn my vehicle round and chase down a commenter, and threaten to wrap their vehicle up their nose. Utterly disgraceful, if slightly nonsensical, behaviour by that motorist. I hope he gets the book thrown at him.

Conversely, I've learned to avoid making comments about other road users, even if they do something that risks my wellbeing, simply because, as Jonny Jeez says, it's not my job. If I used a helmet cam, I might post the vids on YouTube and/or to the police, but I would rather avoid direct confrontations.

But "it's not my job" might be one of the reasons I'm not tempted to use a helmet cam. As someone upthread hinted, there may be a good reason why people who wear helmet cams seem to be involved in more confrontations than the rest of us.

d.

 

[Matthew_T]

In my view, the fact that Matt also cut a corner in that other video is only partially relevant, unless people are suggesting that doing something wrong precludes you from ever commenting on it in others.

If there had been someone at that corner who had muttered "cycle properly" to Matt, and Matt had then verbally abused them, poked them in the nose and threatened them with violence, then the hypocrisy charge would have merit.

Exactly. I often cut corners but it is usually in the evening or when I am certain that noone is about. However, in the video posted, if someone had been at the junction and said anything. My response would have probably been either "Sorry" or I would have ignored them. This driver clearly did not see the easy way out and just wanted a confrontation.

 

[Matthew_T]

Not just commenting, but making a note of their number plate. In my view, your view is quite wrong, and he is a hypocrite (not that we all aren't).

I am not a hypocrite. If I make a mistake that affects someone else, I will apologise. End of.