russ.will
Slimboy Fat
- Location
- The Fen Edge
I was on the Tour de Broads doing the 40m route with a first time road biker and we had a wonderful time, save for one incident.
A grey/silver van tried to push me (and I later found out, several other riders) into the verge on the A149, somewhere between Stalham & Bridgeham if I recall correctly. I am fuzzy on this as I don't know the area, but reviewing my Strava data, it appears to be the only area we were briefly stationary.
He was so close I slapped the side of his van to warn him off - I was leaning against the still moving van with my forearm as it was continuing to pull toward the curb, I was out of options and out of balance through surprize. Put the flat of your arm against a wall and slap it with you palm and you'll get the picture of what I did.
He stopped and I drew along side, frankly coursing with adrenaline through fright and expecting a sorry mate, only for him to declare; "That's criminal damage you've done, I've got it all on my dashcam, I want you name" I gave it to him and frankly, mixed it with expletives and offered to spell it for him if he found the letters tricky. I was fuming, completely dumbfounded, but cycled off. I can't be arsed with this sort of nonsense.
However, he then overtook and physically forced us/me (my companion was behind at this point) into a junction a little further up the road and having basically been run off the road and with nowhere to go due to a kerb/verge in front of me, I stopped. He got out of the van and was as keen as possible to get in my face saying he wanted my name, me address etc, repeating his accusation of criminal damage. By this time, I've looked at the side of the van twice and you can't even see a hand print. The van was in good condition by the way, so this didn't exactly require more than a glance
Now I'm 15st of rugby coach and every single fibre of my body wanted to push his teeth in, throw him in the van and then stamp all over his dashcam, but I didn't. Why? Because he was over 60, 7st wet through and frankly, I'd have been in trouble. Somewhere, a voice on my shoulder was saying 'you'll be in trouble if you do' and anyway, it's not my way. I haven't had a fight since school and want to keep it that way. Then another female cyclist drew alongside and said 'Just cycle away, just cycle waya' and she was right, so I/we did.
He was clearly out to provoke people and a bit further up the road a group we passed said he had performed the same maneuver on them a couple of hundred yards earlier. I should have asked names/taken competitor numbers and memorized them for later use, but as no one was injured and the worst exchange was bad language (all mine I'll add) I forgot about it.
Then, on Saturday, I got an email from Norfolk Constabulary asking if I'd contact them in connection with an incident of alleged criminal damage and a public order disturbance. Oddly, Gmail sorted into 'Promotions' and it was Sunday before I saw it. I immediately rang the number and was surprised when I instantly got the Constable who'd sent the email and he requested that I attend a station to offer up my side of events. An extremely pleasant fellow who said " we know there are two sides to every story and we have to hear yours" and then proceeded to ask me when and where was convenient and he'd sort everything else out.
I have absolutely no problem with that, as I realise they have to look at everything and anyway, my dad was a copper for 27 years and if you're not one, it's one heck of a job. Anyway, I will willingly report as and when required and do my bit, because if nothing else, my companion witnessed the latter example of willfully dangerous driving with intent and if his dashcam footage survives, then he'll be hoisted by his own petard and I'll find out exactly how incoherent my choice language was.
What I'm asking is; If anybody else witnessed it the incident, or was indeed one of the other riders on the day he bullied, would you please contact me via Facebook, where I've posted a shorter version of events and the organisers of the event are sharing my post using the hashtag #TourdeBroads
I don't want your version of events or to converse with you about it. I'd just like an email I can pass on to Norfolk Constabulary, should this go further (which I expect/hope it won't) so they can get an independent witness statement, in the event that it was needed.
Thanks in advance and apologies to the Admin if this isn't the right forum, but it's the one that gets the hits!
Russell Williams
A grey/silver van tried to push me (and I later found out, several other riders) into the verge on the A149, somewhere between Stalham & Bridgeham if I recall correctly. I am fuzzy on this as I don't know the area, but reviewing my Strava data, it appears to be the only area we were briefly stationary.
He was so close I slapped the side of his van to warn him off - I was leaning against the still moving van with my forearm as it was continuing to pull toward the curb, I was out of options and out of balance through surprize. Put the flat of your arm against a wall and slap it with you palm and you'll get the picture of what I did.
He stopped and I drew along side, frankly coursing with adrenaline through fright and expecting a sorry mate, only for him to declare; "That's criminal damage you've done, I've got it all on my dashcam, I want you name" I gave it to him and frankly, mixed it with expletives and offered to spell it for him if he found the letters tricky. I was fuming, completely dumbfounded, but cycled off. I can't be arsed with this sort of nonsense.
However, he then overtook and physically forced us/me (my companion was behind at this point) into a junction a little further up the road and having basically been run off the road and with nowhere to go due to a kerb/verge in front of me, I stopped. He got out of the van and was as keen as possible to get in my face saying he wanted my name, me address etc, repeating his accusation of criminal damage. By this time, I've looked at the side of the van twice and you can't even see a hand print. The van was in good condition by the way, so this didn't exactly require more than a glance
Now I'm 15st of rugby coach and every single fibre of my body wanted to push his teeth in, throw him in the van and then stamp all over his dashcam, but I didn't. Why? Because he was over 60, 7st wet through and frankly, I'd have been in trouble. Somewhere, a voice on my shoulder was saying 'you'll be in trouble if you do' and anyway, it's not my way. I haven't had a fight since school and want to keep it that way. Then another female cyclist drew alongside and said 'Just cycle away, just cycle waya' and she was right, so I/we did.
He was clearly out to provoke people and a bit further up the road a group we passed said he had performed the same maneuver on them a couple of hundred yards earlier. I should have asked names/taken competitor numbers and memorized them for later use, but as no one was injured and the worst exchange was bad language (all mine I'll add) I forgot about it.
Then, on Saturday, I got an email from Norfolk Constabulary asking if I'd contact them in connection with an incident of alleged criminal damage and a public order disturbance. Oddly, Gmail sorted into 'Promotions' and it was Sunday before I saw it. I immediately rang the number and was surprised when I instantly got the Constable who'd sent the email and he requested that I attend a station to offer up my side of events. An extremely pleasant fellow who said " we know there are two sides to every story and we have to hear yours" and then proceeded to ask me when and where was convenient and he'd sort everything else out.
I have absolutely no problem with that, as I realise they have to look at everything and anyway, my dad was a copper for 27 years and if you're not one, it's one heck of a job. Anyway, I will willingly report as and when required and do my bit, because if nothing else, my companion witnessed the latter example of willfully dangerous driving with intent and if his dashcam footage survives, then he'll be hoisted by his own petard and I'll find out exactly how incoherent my choice language was.
What I'm asking is; If anybody else witnessed it the incident, or was indeed one of the other riders on the day he bullied, would you please contact me via Facebook, where I've posted a shorter version of events and the organisers of the event are sharing my post using the hashtag #TourdeBroads
I don't want your version of events or to converse with you about it. I'd just like an email I can pass on to Norfolk Constabulary, should this go further (which I expect/hope it won't) so they can get an independent witness statement, in the event that it was needed.
Thanks in advance and apologies to the Admin if this isn't the right forum, but it's the one that gets the hits!
Russell Williams
