On the other hand, the driver has had the inconvenience of explaining himself to the police and is now on their radar so that another complaint would almost certainly have more severe consequences. I'd expect him to be a bit more circumspect around cyclists in future.
Nasty incident a couple of weeks ago
- Thread starter benb
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On the other hand, the driver has had the inconvenience of explaining himself to the police and is now on their radar so that another complaint would almost certainly have more severe consequences. I'd expect him to be a bit more circumspect around cyclists in future.
I only swore in the heat of the moment, when I was being badly intimidated, and was concerned about how dangerously close he was. Also they had already been shouting "Get out of the F'ing way" and bullying before I responded.
Note that as soon as we stopped I didn't swear any more.
[QUOTE 3068923, member: 30090"]You lost the argument when you flicked the bird and called the driver a James Blunt. And the reason that you did not swear when they stopped is because you **** yourself.
You could have moved over and let them go on two instances, all it needed was a touch of the brakes. Not excusing the drivers behaviour but you by no means covered yourself in glory.[/QUOTE]
Yes, well, have a car driving dangerously close behind you, and see how calmly you react.
Psychic are you? What makes you an expert as to what my motivations were for swearing or not?
There were a couple of small places, which would have meant me coming virtually to a stop and then having to renegotiate back out into the carriageway. Cycle training is pretty explicit that when overtaking rows of parked cars, you stay in the main carriageway if there are only small gaps on the left.
The only one I could have got into, and would normally have done, was the one with the junction. But at that point they were so close behind me I didn't think I could do it safely.
Seriously, if that's the level of your response, don't bother in future.
You could have moved over and let them go on two instances, all it needed was a touch of the brakes. Not excusing the drivers behaviour but you by no means covered yourself in glory.[/QUOTE]
Yes, well, have a car driving dangerously close behind you, and see how calmly you react.
Psychic are you? What makes you an expert as to what my motivations were for swearing or not?
There were a couple of small places, which would have meant me coming virtually to a stop and then having to renegotiate back out into the carriageway. Cycle training is pretty explicit that when overtaking rows of parked cars, you stay in the main carriageway if there are only small gaps on the left.
The only one I could have got into, and would normally have done, was the one with the junction. But at that point they were so close behind me I didn't think I could do it safely.
Seriously, if that's the level of your response, don't bother in future.
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Dmcd33
Well-Known Member
That was the road that the teenage girl got hit and the driver sped off. It was a couple of weeks ago?
Hadn't heard that. I'll check the local paper.
[QUOTE 3069666, member: 30090"]
And the level of my response is to help you, don't come here crying next time you do the same thing and it's a bat being aimed at your head rather then a Coke can.[/QUOTE]
Wow. Well if that's what you consider helpful, don't bother in future.
And the level of my response is to help you, don't come here crying next time you do the same thing and it's a bat being aimed at your head rather then a Coke can.[/QUOTE]
Wow. Well if that's what you consider helpful, don't bother in future.
glenn forger
Guest
you know you asked me to tell you when your fearless iconoclast routine becomes tiresome beano?
It's time.
It's time.
[QUOTE 3069837, member: 30090"]So you think that calling someone a c*** is the way to go perhaps, and that it would not lead to any future repercussions?
Fine, I'll leave it in your capable hands Ben.
[/QUOTE]
I've already explained that I swore in the heat of the moment. If you're able to keep a lid on your emotions all of the time, then you must be a Vulcan.
The issue is the aggressive intimidating driving, not me swearing because I was concerned for my safety.
Fine, I'll leave it in your capable hands Ben.
[/QUOTE]I've already explained that I swore in the heat of the moment. If you're able to keep a lid on your emotions all of the time, then you must be a Vulcan.
The issue is the aggressive intimidating driving, not me swearing because I was concerned for my safety.
TwickenhamCyclist
Guest
On the bright side, I've learnt that if I want to commit a crime I can just get a mate to sit in the passenger seat to do it for me - as long as I don't "crack under pressure" we will get away with it even on camera. Seriously though, where does driver responsibility start/end regarding passengers. If my passenger doors a cyclist do I have no responsibility?
glenn forger
Guest
The woman blinded by an egg had her case against the driver decided not in her favour, the judge said the driver could not reasonably have known what his passenger was going to do.
Luke Redpath
Well-Known Member
As I commented on YouTube, I don't think you did anything wrong and were well within your rights to hold your position until you'd cleared all the parked cars. I just feel that after the first beeped they marked themselves out as a bit of a numpty, so I would have slowed down and pulled into the first available gap. These idiots are better in front of you rather than behind you and it probably would have avoided the conflict. I've ridden on roads like this near me several times and I'm always anxious about getting grief due to holding primary past a long stream of parked cars (with nowhere to overtake due to the central reservation) so I avoid these roads wherever possible.
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
I agree with Luke and others. It was pretty clear the driver was an idiot by the tailgating and beep; I'd far rather have such drivers ahead of me than behind me. You could easily have pulled in to the gap by the junction and he'd have been past in a second or two, you'd scarcely even have had to slow down.
Instead, using hand gestures and swearing was bound to inflame things. With morons like those two around, it's just not worth it.
Instead, using hand gestures and swearing was bound to inflame things. With morons like those two around, it's just not worth it.
That gap is the one I would normally have pulled into to let a driver behind overtake. (I cycle this route often, and frequently pull over into that very gap to let drivers past)
He was very close to me at that point, and I didn't feel comfortable slowing down for that gap. Maybe I could have, but at the time it didn't feel safe to do it.
Ironic that his impatient tailgating meant I didn't feel able to pull over, so in fact slowed him down for even longer.
Anyway, had a further email from plod. Official opinion is that there is "no case to answer in relation to the driving" which is pretty poor if you ask me.
Andrew_P
In between here and there
It is very difficult in the heat of the moment with the feeling of "I have every right to be here" sentiment to give in and pull over for the bully, the reality is that it is far safer to let them go and ignore them than to keep your position. Really I think it was more potentially dangerous holding the position than it would have been pulling over, sorry! (not saying I wouldn't have done the same) I am still very much in the process of re-training, somewhere in-between you and Beano. 
I have got myself in to a fair few scrapes by both holding my position and by being aggressive towards the bully, when they are behind you its pretty hard to judge how they will react or if they look likely to take it further.
I have got myself in to a fair few scrapes by both holding my position and by being aggressive towards the bully, when they are behind you its pretty hard to judge how they will react or if they look likely to take it further.
I may have let them pass, or I may not have, they looked gits, it would have depended on my mood. If not, then I'd have given them a cheery wave as they passed later, I wouldn't have stopped.
I agree with Beano and LeedBusDriver, you escalated the conflict with your choice of words and with 2 of them it could easily have ended very badly for you, all over a pretty insignificant incident. Unless you know that you can confidently back up your aggressive words with similar aggressive action (that is you are used to fighting & being hit) then IMO it's not wise to use them.
I agree with Beano and LeedBusDriver, you escalated the conflict with your choice of words and with 2 of them it could easily have ended very badly for you, all over a pretty insignificant incident. Unless you know that you can confidently back up your aggressive words with similar aggressive action (that is you are used to fighting & being hit) then IMO it's not wise to use them.
