My first run in with chav scum

[Sam Kennedy]

Today on my way back to school I was stopped at some lights (In Primary), the car behind me beeped, so I looked behind, then they kept beeping their horn, after the lights turned green I stayed in primary to stop them overtaking, and they continued to keep beeping (by now they must have beeped at least 20 times, in the space of about 30 seconds), there was a gap in the traffic and they overtook, and some chav lad was sitting in the passenger seat waved or pointed or something, I can't remember, I had the red mist

I was tempted to gob on his window but decided to not bother reacting. I think the only reason people do pointless stuff like this is so they can try and show off to their friends, and have some sort of story to tell. If you don't react they have nothing.

"I beeped a cyclist 20 times"
"What did they do?"
"Nothing"

I've noticed something though, it's nearly always people in crap cars, or BMW's, who drive and act like retards.

I know this isn't an interesting story, because I didn't let it escalate into anything.

 

[gaz]

good self control! it's not worth stooping to their level.

 

[ianrauk]

+1 it's hard not to react so well done.

good self control! it's not worth stooping to their level.

 

[upsidedown]

Well done, not sure i would have been so calm.

 

[mr_hippo]

What was it that kept you in primary for over half a minute?

Primary position or primary school?

 

[2Loose]

I always try and think that they are beeping at someone else because no-one would complain about my roadcraft...just repeat...

 

[tightwad]

You didn't know them, they didn't know you, it was nothing personal they were just 'having a laugh', at your expense, feeling all powerful in their massive vehicle. No-body hurt - best tack is always to avoid the conflict and where possible don't react or give eye-contact, so they can't see they've affected you. Switch up your MP3 and ride on. Not easy and sometimes impossible to remember but we ain't perfect.

 

[Aperitif]

^ +1. Dicey at best. Also, it interferes with the "Good morning - lousy weather / got far to go" type of conversations at stop points. Eyes open - ears open. Mind open.

 

[fossyant]

They are dead 'ard when there are few in a car.....get the weedy 9st kids out of a car..yeh...'ard as poop...........

Well done for not taking the car out with one planted cycling shoe........

 

[ianrauk]

Like that...

^ +1. Dicey at best. Also, it interferes with the "Good morning - lousy weather / got far to go" type of conversations at stop points. Eyes open - ears open. Mind open.

 

[tdr1nka]

Last night I kept the following car behind me on a 30 second decent, with cars on both sides, speed bumps, on coming traffic and three sets of traffic island pinchpoints.
In the two stretches of road between the traffic islands the car behind moved out agressively to overtake only to have to brake sharply because he had misjudged the distance. Had I been a car he would never have attempted an overtake.

I then left him in a queue of three cars waiting at a red light at the bottom. I filtered on the outside and positioned myself in the ASL for my right hand turn.

From the end of the line of cars behind me I heard someone shouting but had no idea it was aimed at me, when the lights changed the driver of the car that I had kept behind me drove on ahead shouting, 'Get off the road, you're only a cyclist!'.


Drives like an idiot? More than likely; an idiot.

Oh, and I wasn't that calm about it after, he shouted, I gave him the middle finger and he called me a w*nk*r.

 

[tightwad]

You wear an MP3 player when you are out on your bike?!? How can you possibly be alert to what's going on?

It's a metaphor -pilgrim. Don't you hear the tunes?

 

[tdr1nka]

That's fair enough going down a hill, but what about the OP? I don't want amateur cyclists who hog the road tarnishing the good nature and abilty of *most* other cyclists out there!

I think it would stand the same even if it wasn't a hill.

I do know what you mean, some cyclists ride out too far where not necessary and hold up traffic, but I'm thinking of situations where a driver truely believes that a cycle should give way to them.

A double parked road with occasional one, two car sized gaps is a good example, I've met impatient drivers who move to overtake, leaving very little room for error and expecting me to pull in to let them past?

Consider that I'm likely to be riding at 15 - 18mph in a 20mph limit.
I should not be expected to give way to this or any kind of driver.
(Excluding the Emergency Services of course)

So, when in fact I had only slowed my abusive driver by tens of seconds in his desperate need to reach a line of traffic at a red light, you also know he was just an idiot bully with a grudge.

I think it's more important that drivers learn patience before cyclists have to reconsider their road positioning.

Stay where you can be seen, clearly signal your intent, keep out a doors width from parked cars and block overtaking at pinch points, in an urban setting this means that cyclists need to position themselves in traffic that will slow that traffic from time to time.

Which is more important/considerate?
The cyclist reaching the next safe chance for the following traffic to overtake un-harrassed or have to hurriedly pull in at an inconveniant stop to let traffic past and then start their journey again?

On a motorway, someone driving at 45mph is legally classed as a danger, the cyclist, as yet, is not.*

(*Cycling on the Motorway is not legal, I meant regular roads.

 

[Sam Kennedy]

The thing that kept him behind me for 30 seconds was about 25 seconds at the red light, and 5 seconds as I pulled across the junction.

I always try and move over and let cars past when there is a gap in the parked cars, because I know it's frustrating to be stuck behind a cyclist.

 

[BentMikey]

You wear an MP3 player when you are out on your bike?!? How can you possibly be alert to what's going on?

You balaclava wearing hypocrite!!!