Morons

[400bhp]

I haven't been wound up by an individual for some time on a bike but tonight one ignoramus did.

I was cycling home from work along Old Hall Rd in Sale. Just past a set of traffic lights 2 lanes merge into 1. There's a cycle lane here but I don't use it as i) the surface is poor and more importantly ii) every time I recall using it I have been cut up by left turning cars wanting to use Wythenshawe Rd (about 100yds past the link above). I think one issue with this stretch of road is that is is 1/2 mile from the m/way junction and drivers are still in m/way mode.

There is plenty of room for me and a car to fit between the island and the outer edge of the road.

For the first time tonight (in 18 months of using that road) I had someone beep me then after passing gesticulate for me to stay left. The beeping caused me to jump. It ws also dark at the time. The inevitable happened and I caught her up at a set of lights 1.5m further down the road.

I knocked on the passenger window & asked her why she had beeped (already knowing the answer) and had "use the cycle lane" shouted at me. I replied with "it's not an obligation to use the cycle lane" to which she replied "you'll get yourself killed". Lights had turned green and I managed to shout "yeah by morons like you" as she headed off. Pretty sure she heard me.

Anyway, it seemed she was heading my way as she turned down a well known cut through with speed humps. I was keeping reasonable pace with her , perhaps 10yds back(wasn't hanging around tonight) and she was taking speed bumps at a fair lick. She then sped up and was almost jumping the humps (suspension was taking a battering) & turned off to a side road which doesn't lead anywhere.

I was about 50 yds back at this point and thought bollox, I want to explain to her that i)there's reasons for not using cycle paths, ii) she is not there to uphold the law and should pay more attention to driving than to others driving/cycling and iii) her beeping was on the cusp of being illegal and that the use of her horn caused a danger and she shoud engage her brain.

It appears she must have gone full circle around the road as she was nowhere to be seen

I'm hoping that she realises that not all cyclists will be bullied and can travel as fast as her sh1tty chav tin box. Here's hoping...

Had to get that one off my chest.

 

[Tynan]

I get the impression she might have been trying to get away from you, woman and all

no idea what vadar is on about

 

[ColinJ]

I am sorry, but why don't you just use the cycle way?

Er ...

There's a cycle lane here but I don't use it as i) the surface is poor and more importantly ii) every time I recall using it I have been cut up by left turning cars wanting to use Wythenshawe Rd (about 100yds past the link above).

 

[HLaB]

LOL She was probably running scared!

 

[ColinJ]

LOL She was probably running scared!

I'm sure she was but it's a bit difficult remaining calm out on the road sometimes. I had a woman nearly door me once and my emergency swerve almost had me under an oncoming car. I screamed at her and she looked really shocked. Later, once I'd calmed down, I started to feel a bit guilty about it ...

 

[HLaB]

I'm sure she was but it's a bit difficult remaining calm out on the road sometimes. I had a woman nearly door me once and my emergency swerve almost had me under an oncoming car. I screamed at her and she looked really shocked. Later, once I'd calmed down, I started to feel a bit guilty about it ...

I know what you mean. I've never caught anybody to have a go at them myself I'm undecided if thats a good or a bad thing!

 

[ColinJ]

I was climbing a hill at the time. It was a narrow road and I saw the oncoming car so I was forced to pass the parked vehicles within the door zone.

I always check for people in the parked vehicles in that situation and I'd actually spotted the woman. She was looking in the mirror and putting on lipstick so I made the stupid mistake of thinking that it would take her at least 5 seconds to stop doing that and open her door, by which time I'd be past her car.

MISTAKE!

She went from sitting there thinking "Ooh, don't my lips look sexy!" to being half out of the car with a door nearly ripped off and wondering "Why is that horrid cyclist screaming abuse at me?" in less than one second!

 

[400bhp]

I'm sure she was but it's a bit difficult remaining calm out on the road sometimes.

Exactly, hence one of the reasons for posting.

I usually just lets things pass (in both senses), but the law of averages means at some point you will get wound up by someone's ignorance.

 

[Jezston]

Clearly she was trying to get away from you, and has probably knacked her car up a bit in the process.

She'll think twice about bullying cyclists in the future.

Good.

 

[Bman]

Both times I have had the opportunity to catch up to female drivers after they have done something stupid/shouted at me, they've locked themselves in the car!

I wasn't even going to confront the 1st driver and the 2nd had 3 male passengers! They dont like it when they cant get away