For god's sake yourself woman!

[the reluctant cyclist]

Was cycling home tonight coming up Broad Street in Birmingham, minding my own business.

There was a white van in front and then a passat and then me on my trusty steed a couple of feet out from the kerb.

The white van decided he was going to turn and just suddenly did so and then backed back into the road because there wasn't enough room for a full u turn.

Anyway, no probs there except the woman in the Passat decided she would throw her car in reverse and back up a bit to give the van a bit more room.

... nice of her to be so helpful to the van but she didn't notice me behind and missed me by about 3 centimetres!

I politely knocked on her window and said "watch it there I was right behind you then" - nothing aggressive or anything.

... stupid cow then gets all arsey and goes "er EXCUSE ME the van was turning!"

Yes, I saw that says I - it's just that as you reversed you didn't seem to notice that I was right in the reversing space behind you.

"OH FOR GOD'S SAKE" says she and puts the window up - end of conversation!

Can't believe she thinks it's okay to back over me 'cos the van is turning!

Hmmm - I was thinking that after 8 and a half years commuting it's about time I changed my user name but now I might keep hold of it for a bit!!!!

 

[hackbike 666]

I don't know why the let human beings drive cars because it seems like half the planet is not worthy.

 

[HJ]

Some people have no consideration for others...

 

[John the Monkey]

I once remonstrated politely with a cab driver (he'd roared in front of me with little room to spare, ending up (10ft or so later) at a red light with me behind him.

His explanation was that a car had goe in front of him unexpectedly. I'm not sure, but I think the calculation was that hitting me would dent his vehicle less...

 

[Maz]

Maybe I've misunderstood, TRC, but both drivers were in front of you. You should be prepared to brake, slow down etc.

 

[benborp]

What you're not aware of is that drivers of motor vehicles when inconvienienced by another road user get a "free go".
So when held up by another vehicle turning right say, a following car is entitled to run the next light, overtake recklessly, or cut into an adjacent lane without any need to look, indicate or accomodate any other road user until their "rightful" position on the road is regained. At least that's the way it works round here.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Your only a bloody cyclist and pay no road tax, you deserve to be run over! All you ever do is get in peoples way , even if they are reversing without looking !

 

[yenrod]

...'kin wimin - they need a a good space behind them to accomodate their ass's !

 

[Bollo]

Is this not a remarkably similar incident to a certain long-lived recent thread? Best slit your wrists now, reluctant.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

Maybe I've misunderstood, TRC, but both drivers were in front of you. You should be prepared to brake, slow down etc.

Both drivers were in front of me - and I was prepared to brake and did brake and stop and wait while the van turned.

I just wasn't prepared for the passat to suddenly belt backwards towards me - in fact she was so quick at putting it into reverse and just going if I had been on the pavement and not in her line of fire I would have been impressed!!!

It wasn't so much what she did as her "for god's sake" that got on my tits to be honest!!

 

[saty]

...'kin wimin - they need a a good space behind them to accomodate their ass's !

ROFL.. so true

 

[Piemaster]

Had a similar incident a couple of days ago. I was turning right into street and had to wait for small WVM to turn left down same street so followed him into it. Street is narrow with cars parked down one side so only enough room for one car in one direction at a time. Trundle along in primary a couple of bike lengths behind him. His speed seems to indicate he is looking for a parking space, not unusual at this spot.
He stops. Reverse light comes on and starts coming back at me . Much yelling ensues as he gets closer as I'm still clipped on to the bike and not going to be able to get out of the way. He was nearly close enough for me to start banging on the rear window before he heard me and stopped.
Reaction was very different though - he pulled forward till he was out of my way and waved apologetically.

 

[Night Train]

Maybe banging on the rear screen of the Passat and then laying down in the road would have had a better effect.

 

[Arch]

Maybe banging on the rear screen of the Passat and then laying down in the road would have had a better effect.

As I think Richard Ballantine once wrote, if a car pulls out from a side road suddenly in front of you, it would be very bad indeed to brake hard, but still hit the side gently, then roll across the bonnet and off the other side, and lie on the floor complaining of a pain in the neck...

 

[snapper_37]

...'kin wimin - they need a a good space behind them to accomodate their ass's !

Yep - alternatively known in other quarters as the male of the species.