Is there any way to change the narrative?

[50000tears]

Agree that we do disagree on this one. If they are so badly positioned as to block almost the whole entrance there I would hang back for few seconds to see if they were going to move and then proceed with extreme caution. Then again I have been knocked off this year through no fault of my own so perhaps more wary than others.

 

[bonsaibilly]

it depends on your definition of victim. I do understand you were shaken by the experience but the thing could have also been prevented if you had waited, which in the situation as described would have been reasonable to do, possibly even desirable.
BB

 

[Sara_H]

Agree that we do disagree on this one. If they are so badly positioned as to block almost the whole entrance there I would hang back for few seconds to see if they were going to move and then proceed with extreme caution. Then again I have been knocked off this year through no fault of my own so perhaps more wary than others.

Like you I've been knocked over, just over a year ago though in my case it was deliberate. I'm always extremely cautious - I was moving at snails pace, so plenty of opportunity for her to see me if she had looked.

 

[cd365]

Hazards on tends to mean that they are stopped. Sara was correct in trying to squeeze past. Personally I might have rapped on the window and told the old bat to move.

 

[Pale Rider]

Essentially the main things that could have prevented this near miss were - her not parking in such a dangerous spot, her checking he mirrors before manouvering. Pretty basic driving,

You could have prevented the near miss very easily.

The driver was at fault, but that does not help you avoid injury, which should be your only concern.

Your cycle bell should be used as a warning in this instance, not as a reaction to her pulling away.

You say you could not make eye contact because you were behind, so get off the bike and tap on the window.

You took the risk of riding past unseen, and it nearly ended badly.

You were a wronged cyclist, but better to be one still cycling than one in hospital.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I think a more subtle revenge is needed. The local paper will be printing the story of the phantom bowling green fouler who every night leaves a mysterious turd on the lawn...

...or take a HUGE dump in the middle of the bowling green. Invite your friends and family to take part, too

I can lend you Cindy if you like!

I have to say that I find all this talk of defacing their nice green with skids and turds and penises a bit crude. You need to show them that you are better than that. So how about you creep back under the cover of darkness, and plant them a lovely shrubbery or a flower garden. Right in the middle of the lawn. That'd be much nicer.

You'll need to assemble a crack team of guerilla gardeners...

Problem is, if they have any form of CCTV, then you will be caught on film regardless of what you do..... So remember to wear a disguise!

I remonstrated with a black cab driver for coming too close when we were both doing 20mph only he was wandering over the road as he was playing around on his phone satnav his response was "you lot are goby daffodils".

I would have found it somewhat funny if he had actually said that!!

I then would have instantly wondered where he'd got the word as a form of insult from.

 

[classic33]

I can lend you Cindy if you like!



Problem is, if they have any form of CCTV, then you will be caught on film regardless of what you do..... So remember to wear a disguise!

I would have found it somewhat funny if he had actually said that!!

Matt black, battery powered radio control Off-Road car, carrying a small tank with a tap & spell it out for them.

 

[slowmotion]

Some people are unpleasant. Unfortunate, but that is the reality. There isn't a law against being rude. Just let it go.

 

[markharry66]

To be fair Sara you did start the scenario with this.



This shows that you saw the car pull into the spot which makes it a whole lot different from a car that has been stationary for a while. Given its very poor positioning it seems highly likely that it would not be in that spot for more than a few seconds. The reaction you got was poor, but I think most wouldn't be squeezing through that gap unless there were certain the driver was aware of them.

Absolute rubbish. She is blocking an entrance to a park. Before you move off from a park position the driver should ensure its safe to do so.
As its a public right of way access shouldnt be blocked. The driver probably had no right to park there in the first place.
As for nobbers joining in would point out that you shouldnt be parked up as your to fat and lazy to walk 200 yards into the park from a legal parking spot.

 

[BEHMOTH66]

I have to agree with Sara_H here a lot of cyclist having ago, and then we wonder why others have a go???? She did nothing wrong, it may have not been the safest thing to do be she was put in that position by someone who had wrongly stopped blocking an exit/entrance. and then shouted at by someone who was not involved in the incident and probably didn't/couldn't have seen the occurrence. Sara_H did was she felt was the right thing to do. Personally I would be reporting this or I'd be enacting revenge

 

[mjr]

I wonder if some of the cyclists are criticising because this happened on a park route, rather than blocking lane one of an A road. Some act as if cyclists should either join a war on the roads or meekly bow to everyone and not expect fair sharing on designated cycle tracks.

 

[mjr]

Once again, I'm thinking that this happens only because cyclists are lovely and mostly harmless. If we were like cars and destroyed or seriously damaged most things we crash into, fewer would risk parking obstructing cycle routes. Even pedestrians get more respect because they're more able to scratch or sabotage things left in their way, without falling over.

 

[50000tears]

Absolute rubbish. She is blocking an entrance to a park. Before you move off from a park position the driver should ensure its safe to do so.
As its a public right of way access shouldnt be blocked. The driver probably had no right to park there in the first place.
As for nobbers joining in would point out that you shouldnt be parked up as your to fat and lazy to walk 200 yards into the park from a legal parking spot.

I have not suggested at any point that the driver was not in the wrong. Just pointing out that as she saw the driver arrive in that position that blocked her way it may have been more prudent to hold back for a few seconds before pushing through a narrow gap. I wouldn't squeeze through the gap because I know it is likely the driver will not check properly and could put me in danger. We all have far too much experience of drivers making poor decisions to rely on their judgement alone in keeping us safe.


It is not correct to just take a black and white view as to what is right and what is wrong, and what should or shouldn't happen. Life isn't like that.

 

[Origamist]

I'd write to the local/park authority about it. Ask if the bowling club has dispensation to use the (motor) traffic free route. If they do, ask the council to remind them of their responsibilities to other path users as you have recently had cause for concern about the inconsiderate/careless driving in the park by members of said club. Or you could write to the club secretary, or your local rag's letters page! Title it: "The Bowling Menace".

 

[Accy cyclist]

The trouble is there's that many lazy bastids these days they want to drive as close as possible to things. The local cemetery has a car park but it's rarely used as visitors drive right up to the graves so they don't have to walk a few yards. People are that lazy that they're prepared to wait an hour for someone to was their car while they sit in it. I cycled past a drive in car wash on Sunday and took note of the cars in the long queue. When i came back about an hour later the same cars were there waiting. They'd rather sit there for ages, than do it themselves. I