Impatient Angry Man....

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D-Rider

New Member
Location
Edinburgh
... drove up behind me this morning.

Cycling through a quiet residential area, lots of speed bumps and parked cars. I'm heading through a pinch point with parked cars on both sides. It's debateable whether there was physically enough room for a car to pass a bike, certainly not enough room to do so safely. So I've taken a strong primary position to take the decision away from any idiot that might fancy it.

Cue scream of engine, squeal of brakes and harsh blast of horn.

I stop pedalling and twist round to see a red faced man ,in a beat up car, inches off my back wheel, shouting and gesticulating at me. Pointing out how narrow the road was at that point, and asking if he honestly thought he had room to pass, didn't seem to calm him down any.

After inconsiderately slowing him down for an inexcusable 4 or 5 seconds, I cleared the pinch point, moved over and enjoyed the obscenities he shouted and rude gesture as he went past.

It's a bit upsetting getting involved in that but, on reflection, it underlines why my line through that section was so important - I'm sure he would have tried to squeeze past at speed had it looked even remotely possible.
 

redjedi

Über Member
Location
Brentford
Forget about him. He's the one with the high blood pressure and attitude problem. I would just turn around and give a dirty look and move over when it's safe.

Carry on as you were.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
D-Rider said:
... drove up behind me this morning.

Cycling through a quiet residential area, lots of speed bumps and parked cars. I'm heading through a pinch point with parked cars on both sides. It's debateable whether there was physically enough room for a car to pass a bike, certainly not enough room to do so safely. So I've taken a strong primary position to take the decision away from any idiot that might fancy it.

Cue scream of engine, squeal of brakes and harsh blast of horn.

I stop pedalling and twist round to see a red faced man ,in a beat up car, inches off my back wheel, shouting and gesticulating at me. Pointing out how narrow the road was at that point, and asking if he honestly thought he had room to pass, didn't seem to calm him down any.

After inconsiderately slowing him down for an inexcusable 4 or 5 seconds, I cleared the pinch point, moved over and enjoyed the obscenities he shouted and rude gesture as he went past.

It's a bit upsetting getting involved in that but, on reflection, it underlines why my line through that section was so important - I'm sure he would have tried to squeeze past at speed had it looked even remotely possible.

Dont let any of that stop you doing it again...and again.

you did the right thing but just be aware that securing your own safety will sometimes frustrate others (who dont understand).

next time thank them, with an non patronising or sarcastic wave, for slowing down (like they had a choice) and let it go.

Good skills D-Rider;)
 

4F

Active member of Helmets Are Sh*t Lobby
Location
Suffolk.
I normally find that of anyone sounds the horn at me then I tend to cycle slower :biggrin:

Ignore the twunt
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
That would cause me to make a very loud shout of "OI. BACK. OFF." whilst making a warding away push with the palm of my hand. Useful to gain the attention of all around, create some peer pressure to hold him back, and alert potential witnesses.
 
OP
OP
D-Rider

D-Rider

New Member
Location
Edinburgh
No worries - there's not really any debate about the line to take through here but I was surprised that anyone would take offence... there probably isn't room to physically fit a car and a bike there!

I did get a sympathetic shrug from a passer by but I probably blew that goodwill by swearing at the driver as he accelerated away....
 

siadwell

Guru
Location
Surrey
There's a couple of traffic islands near me where I do the same thing - take primary to "discourage" attempted overtakes where there’s really not enough room.

Last week there was a revving behind me as I approached the second one and in the mirror I saw a WVM coming up fast. I braced myself to make a swift evasive manoeuvre, than watched as he shot past, on the other side of the island.

It was a plumbing company's van, so probably an emergency blocked lav or something.
 

NigC

New Member
Location
Surrey
Perhaps these idiots should be forced to have a flashing light (yellow maybe?) on the top of their cars. At least we'd all know they're idiots and make allowances for them rather than finding out after the event.

Unfortunately, every section of society has their idiots: car drivers; motorcyclists; cyclists; pedestrians; even an invalid carriage can be driven by an idiot (I speak from expeience whilst walking once :biggrin:. The problem is you never know until they show you their moves. All you can do is be on your guard and be prepared.

In this case, I don't think there's anything you could have done any better :biggrin: As for the reaction - we'd all like to stay calm and collected, but it's perfectly understandable given the circumstances.
 

palinurus

Velo, boulot, dodo
Location
Watford
NigC said:
Perhaps these idiots should be forced to have a flashing light (yellow maybe?) on the top of their cars.

The horn does it for me, soon as I hear it I know there's a impatient knobber behind me.

I had one the other day, this huge tipper turned into the lane in front of me- full of rocks it was. So I sat behind it, a few metres back (in case stuff fell out the back!), as it chugged along at 12 mph. Sure enough a van wants to pass me and go into the gap. That tipper was as wide as the road.
 

goo_mason

Champion barbed-wire hurdler
Location
Leith, Edinburgh
Was this in Edinburgh or Aberdeen, D-Rider?

(I'm probably going to tempt fate by saying this, but my commutes have been incident free for quite a while now. A few passes that were perhaps a shade closer than I'd have liked, but that's been it. No impatience, no abuse, no threats. I guess it'll change when the temps start to rise and drivers are stuck, sweltering, in their wee tin saunas and I filter by... :tongue: )
 
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OP
D-Rider

D-Rider

New Member
Location
Edinburgh
goo_mason said:
Was this in Edinburgh or Aberdeen, D-Rider?

Funny you should ask. I remember when I first went up to Aberdeen there was a thread where we discussed how cycle commuting in Aberdeen would compare with Edinburgh and IIRC the Aberdeen motoring public got a bit of a mauling.

I'm now back in Edinburgh full-time and have to report that in two weeks I've probably had more incidents than in an entire year in Aberdeen. In fact, since I came back any day with only one close pass or whatever is a good day.

Of course it's not fair to do a direct comparison; my edinburgh commute is > 3 times the distance of the Aberdeen one and goes right through the city centre whereas I skirted round the centre of Aberdeen.
 

Jezston

Über Member
Location
London
I stop pedalling and twist round to see a red faced man ,in a beat up car, inches off my back wheel, shouting and gesticulating at me.

I'd be tempted to stop my bike in front of his car, and as politely and concerned as possible ask him if he is ok and if he requires medical attention, then while he continues swearing and hurling abusive gestures at you, try to flag down a passer by and ask them if they could call an ambulance, as he appears to be having some kind of fit or medical emergency.
 
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