Confrontation with a motorist: I did nothing wrong this time

[Matthew_T]

I accept that some of the things I said, mainly the "See ya" comment was unwise. However, my initial mutter was not suffice to create such a reaction from a civilised person. Therefore, very little was my actual fault. The comment I made could have been seen as provocative, but I said it as an end to the whole incident, I didnt intend for it to be seen as a challenge.

Many people on here have refered to me as a 'child' and 'kid'. Can I remind you that I am 18 and even though I may look young, that is no reason for someone to think that they can 'take me on'. I may be 5'6'' and weight under 9 stone but it doesnt mean that I cannot stand my ground. The only reason that I didnt take myself out of the second situation was that I had nowhere to go and decided that listening to the drivers comments and not retaliating would be the best option (if the only).

Once again people have said that I am a 'magnet for trouble' and 'in ___ many years, I have only had two incidents like this'. People need to realise that I am the only one with a helmet cam in North Wales, and as a result, collate all the incidents which are probably spread over hundreds of cyclists in other areas. As I am the only cyclist who doesnt ride in the gutter and does actually abide by the law and safety suggestions in this area, motorists are not used to it.

When I first started cycling on the roads, I had HUNDREDS of close passes every week. Things have got a lot better but I still have more incidents than the average cyclist. I dont know if it is me or if it is the area, but something needs to change.

I do have a tendancy to not be able to keep my mouth shut, but in this situation, I muttered a comment. It was not directed at the driver, it was just a general comment on the actual action. I have learnt a lot from the people on here with there words of wisdom, and I am still learning. But please dont turn feedback into insults.

 

[dawesome]

stick with it Matt, you're doing the right thing.

 

[2wd]

I don't normally comment on these things much, but have read some of Matthews antics in the past, he does seek to be confrontational.

I bet angry man isn't normally that angry and Matthew just happen to wind him up with his comments

I class myself as a good driver, who can read the road well and maybe I would have cut that corner in the circumstances,if some kid sat waiting on a corner started slagging me off then I think I would have stopped and asked Matthew to clarify his reasons for passing comment.

I don't condone Angry man's behaviour and he went OTT with the aggression, but he's an adult being wound up by a youth.

Yep he cut the corner, but from what I can see there was no other traffic as such around,only Matthew being a heat seeking missile again and waiting to pass comment and judgement on all who aren't perfect

To sum it up Matthew,your header on the video is "Road rage over something minor"

Minor being the key word which you turned into a major.

How many times do people on here have to advise you to just get on and enjoy your cycling or we can 100% gaurantee there will be an Angry Man out there who will put you in hospital.

This is good advice, which is given to you by a lot of people on here who don't want to see you hurt.

 

[Gary E]

Matt, if I offended you calling you a kid I apologise. It's all relative you see - you're younger than 2 of my kids!

As I said, the blokes reaction to your comment (hands up here, I make the same sort of comments occasionally too) was well over the top regardless of any verbal offence you may or may not have given!

 

[boydj]

Yep he cut the corner, but from what I can see there was no other traffic as such around,only Matthew being a heat seeking missile again and waiting to pass comment and judgement on all who aren't perfect

I don't think that's fair. The guy's view of what's coming would have been impeded by Matthew, so cutting the corner was simply bad driving. Matthew's initial comment was no more than I, and probably many of us, would have made. The 'heat-seeking missile' comment is OTT.

 

[2wd]

Rubbish Boydj

How on earth can Matthew on that corner impede his view

And Matthew in my opinion does "seek"

 

[gambatte]

Got a junction like that at the bottom of the road. Ironically I also drive a C5. Can't remember the number of times I've had people had to back out onto the main road because they've cut that corner in the same way and found me upto the centre line indicting right just about to stop at the junction.
100% sympathy Matt, bunch of lazy ***s.

 

[benb]

IMO confronting bad driving is exactly what we should be doing.
Obviously have a care for one's personal safety, but I don't see why Matt, or anyone, should refrain from passing comment on what's a pretty shoddy piece of driving.

 

[totallyfixed]

Don't let anyone tell you any different Matthew, you are terrific value for money, even if I had to pay

 

[benb]

Rubbish Boydj

How on earth can Matthew on that corner impede his view

And Matthew in my opinion does "seek"

How could the driver be sure there wasn't another cyclist to Matt's right, turning right?

 

[400bhp]

IMO confronting bad driving is exactly what we should be doing.
Obviously have a care for one's personal safety, but I don't see why Matt, or anyone, should refrain from passing comment on what's a pretty shoddy piece of driving.

By commenting you are [seen as being] being judgmental - not a particularly nice character trait in itself.

Learning to know when to keep ones mouthshut is something he needs to learn.

 

[Hip Priest]

IMO confronting bad driving is exactly what we should be doing.
Obviously have a care for one's personal safety, but I don't see why Matt, or anyone, should refrain from passing comment on what's a pretty shoddy piece of driving.

If I confronted every driver I saw making that sort of trivial transgression, I'd be arguing several times a day. I wouldn't have batted an eyelid at that 'incident', let alone entered a dialogue with the driver.

It really is no wonder that so many people see cyclists as sanctimonious twits.

 

[Dan B]

I don't condone Angry man's behaviour and he went OTT with the aggression, but he's an adult being wound up by a youth.

He's not really being very adult about it, is he? "I'll stick your bike up your nose" is not really what passes for civilised discourse around these parts at least. "Adult" in these circumstances would have been to put your hand up to cutting the corner or at least to shrug it off, not to go chasing after the cyclist and then try to bully him

 

[400bhp]

He's not really being very adult about it, is he? "I'll stick your bike up your nose" is not really what passes for civilised discourse around these parts at least. "Adult" in these circumstances would have been to put your hand up to cutting the corner or at least to shrug it off, not to go chasing after the cyclist and then try to bully him

You're right of course, but sometimes little things can trigger a response in us we would rather not have done.

Sh1t happens, we all get things wrong-move on.

 

[Matthew_T]

You're right of course, but sometimes little things can trigger a response in us we would rather not have done.

Sh1t happens, we all get things wrong-move on.

This guy did not get things wrong, he made things wrong. I didnt antagonise him (the "see ya" comment may have been uncalled for) and I didnt raise my voice like I used to in the past. I thought that I handled the situation well and didnt cause a confrontation. It was the drivers choice to stop and cause a situation when I simply passed comment, which wasnt even directed at him, it was at his standard of driving.

If this country is going to persist that people can operate a vehicle which can kill hundreds of lives out of a few driving lessons and a document which says that you are 'Safe to drive' then why can I not pass comment on the poor driving standards of some? I had every right to be displeased with the driving.

What if I had been moving from the left of the junction to the right to turn right? He would have gone straight into the side of me and knocked me off. I could go around all day saying if this, and if that but what if next time this and other motorists arent as lucky as to have noone turning right?