Feeling vulnerable now...

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BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
To Lady Rider, mucho sympathies. I'd get a helmet camera myself, in fact I've used it regularly - if you go on youtube and search for "D4N OK", you'll see a slightly similar incident I had myself.
 

Sig SilverPrinter

Senior Member
Location
In the dark
feeling very similar to lady rider at the moment,
yesterday whilst at traffic lights a vehicle pulled up behind me and just started revving his engine , 2 lanes go straight on , on the other side of the juction the lane I'm in becomes parking bays with a cycle lane running along the outside of the bays so if you're in a vehicle you have to merge with the right hand lane[hope that makes sense] truck behind me decides to pass me about 2or 3 inches away from me .
I make this terrified screaming noise [i think i was screaming noooooo] whilst trying to move left without ending up hitting a parked car and turning to look at the driver,i see who it is, its was the same guy who did the same thing to me about 6 weeks ago, hes laughing, and went ha ha nearly got you, then sped off, about a mile on hes stuck in traffic, i'm now in a bus lane, get the mobile out to take a pic of his number,sadly my hands were shaking still and all i've got is a blur , then he sees me,starts to get out of the truck,i then cycle like a mad thing down the bus lane with him shouting that next time he'll f*cking kill me.
I have no idea why he hates me unless he hates all cyclists or women or both
 

Wheeledweenie

Über Member
Lady_rider, what a nightmare!

You are NOT legally obliged to use the cycle lane, you did NOT cause that woman to nearly hit another care, that man WAS a cock.

I was screamed and sworn at yesterday by idiots in a pimpmobile and bit my tongue and said nothing as they looked so scary. I used that same route this morning and I'll admit I was edgy. I've had abuse in the past from other drivers, nothing as bad as yours, and I sympathise that it's ruining your commute.

If you don't feel able to take it up with the authorities that's your decision and it should be respected, if you can change your route that might be a good idea just until your confidence is back up.

At least you're not that man's wife, if he gets that het up over something as trivial as traffic he must be awful to live with.
 

bryce

Senior Member
Location
London, SW10
Welcome Lady_Rider.

Definitely worth reporting intimidation like that to the police.

My stock response for drivers that request me to use a cycle path is to ask them whether they would drive their Ferrari on a dirt track. Usually stumps them.
 

Origamist

Legendary Member
Sig SilverPrinter said:
feeling very similar to lady rider at the moment,
yesterday whilst at traffic lights a vehicle pulled up behind me and just started revving his engine , 2 lanes go straight on , on the other side of the juction the lane I'm in becomes parking bays with a cycle lane running along the outside of the bays so if you're in a vehicle you have to merge with the right hand lane[hope that makes sense] truck behind me decides to pass me about 2or 3 inches away from me .
I make this terrified screaming noise [i think i was screaming noooooo] whilst trying to move left without ending up hitting a parked car and turning to look at the driver,i see who it is, its was the same guy who did the same thing to me about 6 weeks ago, hes laughing, and went ha ha nearly got you, then sped off, about a mile on hes stuck in traffic, i'm now in a bus lane, get the mobile out to take a pic of his number,sadly my hands were shaking still and all i've got is a blur , then he sees me,starts to get out of the truck,i then cycle like a mad thing down the bus lane with him shouting that next time he'll f*cking kill me.
I have no idea why he hates me unless he hates all cyclists or women or both

Very sorry to hear that Sig. If you feel up to it, report him.
 
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lady_rider

New Member
Location
Norf Yorkshire
Thank-you all...

Wow... have just taken time out to read through all the replies and am so touched at the support! And thank-you as well for the welcome messages :smile:

I don't flip "v"s anymore, because it probably wouldn't have happened if I hadn't; it was the straw that tipped him over the edge. I just look down and refuse to react, quite possibly a more infuriating tactic.

I do have an alternative route that's 1 1/2 times longer and lot slower (joint pedestrian/cycle path with dog walkers with long leashes... but that's another rant!) which I use when I'm not feeling up to the possiblity of confrontation. I keep having to maintain perspective that the vast majority of drivers give me a lot of room, in fact way more than they need to. But it just takes one... I am logging any incidents with the police so a file is being built up. I've also made the situation known to the coucil who seem onto it. I'd love to log his registration number on here but for now I'd rather keep the retribution legal...;) However, if he ever puts even a minute, teeny grubby pawprint on my TCR I'll reconsider that...

Thanks again all; cyclists rock!
 

Sig SilverPrinter

Senior Member
Location
In the dark
Origamist said:
Very sorry to hear that Sig. If you feel up to it, report him.

problem is i haven't got his number plate.
its a white flatbed[not sure if thats the correct description, but i know what i mean] and both times hes had a broom attched to the cab part of the truck,
can you report something if you don't have the plate number?
 
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lady_rider

New Member
Location
Norf Yorkshire
Sig Silver... report it, with or without numberplate. The description of the truck, time and area are enough, and while they can't do anything at least it's on file so that if he ever does it again previous incidents are on file. Hopefully he'll make a mistake and pick on XmisterIS, the 6ft rock skinhead rock climber and get flattened so you never see him again. I'm hoping for that myself...

Massive sympathies, I know exactly what you're going through. As a fellow female cyclist who knows what you probably need right now, here's a big virtual hug
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
Sig SilverPrinter said:
problem is i haven't got his number plate.
its a white flatbed[not sure if thats the correct description, but i know what i mean] and both times hes had a broom attched to the cab part of the truck,
can you report something if you don't have the plate number?
Any CCTV cameras at the junction?
Don't know about procedure, but you should probably try reporting it anyway - esp. if he threatened to kill you. You have a description of the vehicle. If the police wanted to they could probably track it down quite easily. Any writing on the truck? e.g. company name? Even if they only log it, this is now two incidents you have had with this moron.

And as others have said to Lady Rider - think about a helmet cam.
 

ttcycle

Cycling Excusiast
lady rider/sig

I'm so sorry to hear about what's happened to you guys.
Sig definitely report it as it's good to keep a record on police file.
I had some intimidation from a HGV driver earlier this week which was very dangerous and imbecilic.

It is about keeping it in perspective as you say lady rider (WELCOME!) and also allowing yourself time to process the shock and 'arghness' of it - granted for both of you - big sympathies and I hope these tossers on the road get their comeuppance - bullying and harassing people on the road is not on
 

I am Spartacus

Über Member
Location
N Staffs
This is another good reason to have joined your local cycling club.
A quick mention on site forum if they have one and passing the word around.. well if that particular driver/vehicle was spotted by a club run

not condoning direct action of course
 

ttcycle

Cycling Excusiast
Spartacus - nice thought - I'm prone to a bit of direct action myself;) but club runs usually being a weekend thing means that the cars may not be on the road -plus in large cities like London -it may be virtually impossible to run into the person again apart from on a regular commute.

Though I can imagine it now shite moton surrounded by a mass of cyclists with pumps and seat tubes held in hands and long sleeve jersey's all rolled up in anticipation:biggrin:
 
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