First club run...

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SamNichols

New Member
Location
Colne, Lancs
Did my first club run today, four of us, and did about 45 miles at an average of 17 miles an hour (my legs hurt now!). Had the falling over in cleats moment - into a grass verge, so it didn't hurt too much.

Anyway, the ride was capped off with this incident:
a guy driving up Oxford Road, about where I turn in to go to my house. I had just crossed into the centre as I was about to turn right to my house - I looked over my shoulder, and saw a guy about 20 metres behind me, but we're both going at about 5 miles an hour and it's safe to go into the middle. i stop at lights (not a sudden stop, as we've just been caught behind lights about 50 metres before) and guy behind me (driving a new black beamer, not sure if that means anything, and he's about 60) beeps at me then shouts:
"What are you stopping for?"
"There is a red light"
"You're not cycling with due care and attention"
"Err... there's a red light, i had to stop for it"
"What if I hadn't of been concentrating"
"That's not really my problem is it? If you hit me, because you aren't concentrating, that's your fault."
"Why aren't you down that side?"
"I'm turning right, I signalled right, it was clear so I moved across, this is how you turn right. You didn't slam your brakes on or anything, we were going at 5 miles per hour"
"There's a cycle lane just there."
"I'm just going to have to cross the road anyway and it's a bus/cycle lane actually - it's far more dangerous for me, and I've just cycled 45 miles on road without any problems or complaints by drivers."
"Stupid boy, you could get killed."
"Why? Because I stop at red lights, and occasionally have to turn right? And boy's a bit much, I am 24"
"Well, if you get killed that's your fault"
"Excuse me, but what exactly have I done wrong?"
"DICK!" (Drives off)

Got to love the opinonated car driver who wasn't paying attention to his surroundings and then blames it all on the nearest cyclist.
 

stevenb

New Member
Location
South Beds.
Not much to say really is there? :biggrin:
I'm sure the very very minor inconvenience of having to wait for you to start off from the lights was enough to make him comment.
Well done for keeping your temperament.
 
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SamNichols

SamNichols

New Member
Location
Colne, Lancs
I hoped that attempting to keep my temperament did diffuse the situation (after he beeped, I actually picked up bike and moved into the traffic island, so any argument/delay would be is fault rather than mine - I just walked the bike the rest of the way across the road when he'd driven off); however, I can't help but think that him just tapping me at 5 miles an hour (wouldn't have hurt me in any way) might have taught him the lesson better.
 
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