.

[wiggydiggy]

.

 

[Cathryn]

That’s horrific! Shuddering!

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

My wife was assaulted last year by some oaf on a shared path. He stepped out in front of her, stooping her in her tracks, and states she shouldn’t be cycling there (whilst he’s standing on a cycle symbol painted on the ground). She trying to point out his error and was pushed forcibly to the ground. It too was videod but police never identified the person.

It’s a sad indictment on modern society.

 

[steveindenmark]

Its a narrow canal path with people and a loose dog and yet she trundles on. I am not excusing his actions. But she really did not help the situation. Im not victim blaming. Just stating a fact.

 

[Drago]

I never give them an excuse to whittle. Pull to the side well ahead of them, let them walk past me rather than me ride past them.

Thst said, this lass didnt deserve being assaulted. Hopefully theyll catch the sheetbag so he can be sent to court in two years time and be given a derisory punishment.

 

[fossyant]

I'm not so sure that's the Ashton canal. It's the Peak Canal near Ashton. Ashton canal is tarmac. Used to be my regular commute and it is narrow there. If the dog is loose I'd have been stopped already and said a cheery hello. Bloke needs catching for assault.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Totally horrifying

Personally I would have stopped on the side away from the canal and leant my bike into the sidewall to give more space

but then I'm a man and for a woman it does mean you are trapped against the side with a strange bloke close to you

but whatever his complaint (and she was doing nothing wrong other than "riding a bike") pushing her into the canal was totally unacceptable

Some blokes are just like that - power trip because it was a woman
He certainly would not have reacted like that if it was a bloke riding unless he was tiny and weedy

 

[Drago]

Some bloke are just like that - power trip because it was a woman

I love calling a bully's bluff and watching them squirm.

 

[Mo1959]

I love calling a bully's bluff and watching them squirm.

They always get a fright when they try it with me. Afraid the red mist comes down quickly and I can’t control my tongue and the aggression shows through so they back off. It’s only happened to me a couple of times with dog owners that couldn’t control their dogs who were having a go at my dog. Language most unbecoming for a “lady” was definitely spoken!

 

[Alex321]

Its a narrow canal path with people and a loose dog and yet she trundles on. I am not excusing his actions. But she really did not help the situation. Im not victim blaming. Just stating a fact.

She didn't "trundle on". She stopped, then tried to go past him - while you couldn't see her feet, she was probably pushing on the ground rather than pedaling, given the speed at that point.

 

[Time Waster]

Look the guy was a lout and needs catching but there are lessons to be learned here. First off she is not the most vulnerable in terms of road use (I know it is not a road but heirachy of vulnerability here). The pedestrians and the dog especially are. People with dogs are protective as are people with kids. So whilst she did not do anything wrong she did not do the best thing to avoid aggro.

• First off that is a narrow path and I do wonder whether it is a legal cycle route or not. So first thing is whether she would have been better off taking another route.
• Second, she could have stopped earlier and let them approach her and pass her. Stopping earlier than neccessary is a good idea as IME it reduces negativity and even potentially increases positivity between you as the cyclist and the pedestrians / dog.
• Thirdly she could have put herself to the hedge side especially as a non-swimmer. A push into the hedge might have hurt but it is not a push into water which you as a non-swimmer need help to get out of.
• Finally getting off your bike is a faff but it does diffuse situations of conflict with pedestrians and puts you in a more balanced state to deal with a push. Putting your bike between you and the dog/ person too helps perhaps.

This is not about victim blaming but about realising there are such problematic people out there like the guy who pushed her. Sooner or later in towns and cities you will encounter them. How to cope and plan ahead is more important than getting somewhere or cycling your bike. After the fact it is better to learn from the situation than just complaining and dicussing the guy's actions which nobody thinks was anywhere close to being acceptable. We cannot change others but we can learn from others and what situations they get into. That is what my point is. Perhaps the above points might prevent someone reading them and taking them onboard from a similar confrontation. IDK if that will happen but discussing the situation from what that woman should or could have done is positive as it is trying to learn and find ways to cope with the abuse and assault that could happen to one of us.

I do know that if I had encountered a towpath like that I would have looked for another way. That is me. IF there was no other way my points above would be my course of action.

BTW in covid lockdown times my son got knocked over by a male runner on our local towpath. Fortunately he fell onto the edge of the bank and not into the canal but it was close. He was 7 I think at the time and a fraction of the guy's weight. At that time there were signs put up telling cyclists to take care of pedestrians and use the towpath considerately. The truth was that cyclist did but the ultra fit male types who were running a lot more as the gyms and sports clubs were closed were the issue. The ultra fit just ran past people like they were not there or had to get out of their way. It would not surprise me if this also described the attitude of this thug too. Covid lockdown times produced a lot of positivity but also brought out the total daffodils like those runners we encountered.

BTW if I he had been running towards my direction (a little ahead of my son and partner) then that guy would have been in the canal and having to get past me to get out!! Unfortunately he was running away faster than I could manage. I think that is along the lines of the Drago approach.

 

[Drago]

Cyclists might not officially be the most vulnerable under the new hierarchy, but the reality is that peds kills more cyclists (through stepping out, deliberate assault, etc) than the other way round.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Just listened again and he seems to be saying something about the dog
I think maybe he is saying "you can see the dog there"

well yes
there is a dog
a dog that is showing no signs of being a problem or being worried (and I had one of those - if they are worried then you know all about it)


and in any case - that is his problem not hers

AND she stopped before she got to them

it is also worth noting that some camera - due ot the wide angle lens - make the speed look higher than it is

and although she was getting a move on - she was not going all that fast
and - again - she slowed down and stopped before she got to them

he is one of you basic k******ds
and really needs to be done for that!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I love calling a bully's bluff and watching them squirm.

yes - but you have a few rather big advantages
the biggest one just being that you are a bloke
and you experience in dealing with "people like this" gives you anotehr big advantage

and then you are not tiny

this woman does not have those advantages

 

[Baldy]

I can't believe the amount of victim blaming in this thread. Having watched the video it all happened very quickly she didn't have any time to think about it. That thug was looking for trouble. The dog was off lead and not in anyway controlled. It no doubt wouldn't have been well trained either. He clearly intended to push her in as he approached her. Nothing she could have done would have made much difference to the outcome. A sad indictment on our society that such people think they can behave like that and get away with it.