Nearly Knocked off by someone at my work!

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OK - this is a bit of cooling off.letting off steam and just general needing to get it out - have just put this email out to all staff members at the school I work at. (I'm on a mtb and have a paralysed left hand so don't tend to do too fast - some formatting has been removed.)

All

I would like to say thank you to the member of staff/relative of member of staff that nearly hit me on my bike on Tuesday at 5:30pm when they tried pulling out of Gurdon’s. I saw you look directly at me, and then still pull out.
I was travelling at over 20mph at that point, (can easily get up to and over 35mph on the downhill sections). I did not appreciate being cut up so closely – you might not have thought it was too close, I did.
I would also like to point out that contrary to popular belief, cyclists (and for that matter ICT Technician’s) are human beings and killing them is just not playing fair!
However, if you can make any suggestions as to how I can make myself more visible to you, in addition to my hi-viz waterproof (below) and front light with brand new batteries (that afternoon), I am all ears.
(embedded picture won't link - but it is the yellow one of this link)

Thank you
Emma
PS – why didn’t I put this out straight away? I needed to cool off to keep the email polite – sarcasm, on the other hand, is my way of dealing with it.
 

BSRU

A Human Being
Location
Swindon
Would it not be better to have a word directly with the person who pulled out on you.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
I like it.

I'm not convinced it's the way to go, though. Sarcasm works on clever people, and the person who did this must be quite thick...

On the other hand "Oi, ****wits, get a brain!" isn't really the sort of thing you can say.

There's always the emotional blackmail way. "Suppose this had been a child, won't somebody think of the children!" etc

I had words with a woman on her mobile phone the other day. It was only when I asked if she used the phone while driving the kiddie about (there was a booster seat on the front seat) that I got any impression she might change her behaviour.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Would it not be better to have a word directly with the person who pulled out on you.

Presumably she doesn't know them - she says member of staff/relative of member of staff. In a big school or college, she's not likely to now every other staff member I think.

I work in a business centre, and wouldn't really know any of the other staff from other businesses, except my boss (who cycles anyway) and the receptionist.
 
OP
OP
SatNavSaysStraightOn

SatNavSaysStraightOn

Changed hemispheres!
Would it not be better to have a word directly with the person who pulled out on you.

Possibly, but when I spoke to HR, they thought that an email to all staff as a reminder would be a good idea. I think/am sure the person was the relative of a member of staff who lives on site - (its a boarding school, term has now finished so not a parent) and I don't have easy access to contact them as a result - but know that the staff member who's partner it is will pass the message on - they are good at that. But I understand where you are coming from. The junction is a bad junction on a bad road where a staff member was killed a number of years ago - so I guess there is some history here as well which didn't need to be in the email, but might have helped in the OP.
I guess I just needed to vent :biggrin: and here seemed like an understanding crowd.
 

BSRU

A Human Being
Location
Swindon
I say go directly because the person looked straight at you and pulled out anyway. They have shown total lack of respect for your personal safety, they need a good "mental" slap.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
I don't doubt what happened to you is all true, but you have to be so careful when still pumped up about something with a computer and keyboard in front of you. Sending an angry email to a large group of people about a certain individual whether there is substance to it or not is always going to be fraught with difficulties. It's always better to calm down first and even save as draft and amend later if need be, before you finally hit the send button.
 

thomas

the tank engine
Location
Woking/Norwich
I don't doubt what happened to you is all true, but you have to be so careful when still pumped up about something with a computer and keyboard in front of you. Sending an angry email to a large group of people about a certain individual whether there is substance to it or not is always going to be fraught with difficulties. It's always better to calm down first and even save as draft and amend later if need be, before you finally hit the send button.

I personally wouldn't send it. Could cause more problems than it's worth. Just vent here :smile:
 

Norm

Guest
... sarcasm, on the other hand, is my way of dealing with it.
Sarcasm would be something which I would avoid, the responses it encourages are too emotional.

My guess is that the person who did this would not recognise themselves, even if they did read past the sarcastic opener.

The second half of the SMIDSY acronym is there because they didn't see you, you just didn't register at all in their consciousness. Sadly.
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
I don't doubt what happened to you is all true, but you have to be so careful when still pumped up about something with a computer and keyboard in front of you. Sending an angry email to a large group of people about a certain individual whether there is substance to it or not is always going to be fraught with difficulties. It's always better to calm down first and even save as draft and amend later if need be, before you finally hit the send button.

I'm with Crankarm here, and I usually tend to shoot from the hip. I don't have any better suggestions for how to handle it, btw.
 
OP
OP
SatNavSaysStraightOn

SatNavSaysStraightOn

Changed hemispheres!
I don't doubt what happened to you is all true, ..... It's always better to calm down first and even save as draft and amend later if need be, before you finally hit the send button.

That was why it was left for a day and I spoke with HR before sending the email. With the school being a boarding school, there is a fair tight knit community here (as is the village I live in). As for all true - it was, but I understand you don't know me, so I won't take offence - I'm not that sort of person - usually I am very laid back and don't even swear at inconsiderate motorists and always say hello to other cyclists on my commute. The road is known to be dangerous (a member of staff was killed crossing it some years back) and the speed limit has been dropped from national (60mph) to 40mph whilst I have been working here. That is one of the closest calls I have had in the 6 years I have been commuting this road, hence me not being impressed - especially as the driver made eye contact with me, something I always check when passing a motorist trying to get out of a road on my left.

But there we go - it is a nice sunny morning here, another day and I have just had a very pleasant ride in with no idiots cutting me up or leaving me no room as they pass me, not to warm and the wind was not too bad either, so all in all a good start to a Friday.

As it stands, the email has had a very good effect - it has reminded people of the danger at that junction and although to date there is no apology - I really don't expect one - it has made other staff members far more aware of the issues of cyclists. Quite a few have emailed me or spoken to me in person - all were very concerned.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
Well I'm glad you feel you have now dealt with the matter satisfactorily. Hopefully it will mean that your progress along this piece of road and those nearby is safer from now on.
 
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