It doesn't take much

[HLaB]

I needed to go to uni this morning but I though I'd leave it till after the peak, so about 11:00. I was cycling along this quiet road (there was a couple more parked cars but it wasn't much different from Streetview) I was cycling roughly in a secondary position not swerving in and out off parked cars, when two cars came towards me on the otherside, fair enough (that is what traffic does). A second after they pass I get a real close overtake from a gold people carrier. A shout of 'try that again r's and your dead' I just smiled and waved. That was enough to trigger the pr@t into jamming on his brakes and swerving from side to side trying to knock me off. To tell the truth I just sat back and smiled so it was no where near close. I don't know where he went but a mile later our paths crossed again, there was more expletives from him and attempts to knock me off (a wee bit closer this time as he appeared from behind me but its a rediculously wide road so there was plenty of time to manouvre) 'try that again, hard man, I'll run over ye, ye r'se' etc. I just replied 'aye that right' and smiled and waved again.

The left me a bit bemused, on really quiet traffic calmed residental road, well outside the peak, in glorius sunshine; what caused him to explode? I know two approaching cars may have delayed him for 2secs but I was in a secondary maintaing a straight path and constant speed and if anything I was too close to the parked cars so was ample space for an overtake. He'll probably go to the pub and tell folks that a cyclist delayed him for ages, probably leaving out the fact that he slammed on the brakes a few times, swerved or even waited for me!

 

[Alien8]

Some people are just like that I guess.

I tend to favour the cheery wave as a response to the usual get on the path gestures, shouting, horn-blowing etc - but I do wonder whether that's too much for when Mr Physco comes past.

 

[magnatom]

Get him reported HLaB. I know you felt safe and found it amusing, but using a car in that way is totally unacceptable. It is a dangerous weapon.

Where were you? Any CCTV in the area? if he has done it once.....

 

[HLaB]

Get him reported HLaB. I know you felt safe and found it amusing, but using a car in that way is totally unacceptable. It is a dangerous weapon.

Where were you? Any CCTV in the area? if he has done it once.....

I don't think there's any cameras in that area, Pilton Drive. When he came at me the second time I don't think there's any camera either it was just round the back of the Botanics. Not surprisingly when my route goes straight on passed the Police HQ (Fettes College) he chose to go left.

 

[PBancroft]

Some people are just like that I guess.

Absolutely this. Some people are just pushing for a fight the whole time. They probably get off on it. Some years back I was stood on a pavement when a tatty old BMW screeched to a halt and reversed up. Driver leaned out the window and went in to full-on twat mode. "What the f**k are you looking at?" asked the polite gentleman behind the wheel of the car.

"Um, sorry?" Was all I could reply.

"You heard. You ****ing look at me like that again you dick and I'll knife you."

"I'm just waiting to cross the road..." I said, which seemed to stop him dead in his tracks, before he muttered "self-gratification artist," and drove off again. Never did find out what that was all about.

 

[Arch]

Absolutely this. Some people are just pushing for a fight the whole time. They probably get off on it. Some years back I was stood on a pavement when a tatty old BMW screeched to a halt and reversed up. Driver leaned out the window and went in to full-on twat mode. "What the f**k are you looking at?" asked the polite gentleman behind the wheel of the car.

"Um, sorry?" Was all I could reply.

"You heard. You ****ing look at me like that again you dick and I'll knife you."

"I'm just waiting to cross the road..." I said, which seemed to stop him dead in his tracks, before he muttered "self-gratification artist," and drove off again. Never did find out what that was all about.

You see, for people like that, I favour instant capital punishment. To which end, I think we decent folk* should be armed by the state. One carefully placed bullet, one less homicidal maniac in the world. And give their bodies for dog food, so they'll finally be useful.

*That is, people like me, and people I like.

 

[Tinuts]

You see, for people like that, I favour instant capital punishment. To which end, I think we decent folk* should be armed by the state. One carefully placed bullet, one less homicidal maniac in the world. And give their bodies for dog food, so they'll finally be useful.

*That is, people like me, and people I like.

Sounds eminently reasonable to me, although being a cat lover......

 

[Arch]

Sounds eminently reasonable to me, although being a cat lover......

Or cat food, but cats are fussy, and I think they might turn their noses up at the traces of nicotine and Lambrini/Carling...

(I've been doing the local council estate round today, can you tell?)

I really do feel a kind of impotent fury at the... well, impotent fury I suppose, of such people.