Gretzky's Office
Regular
I was coming through a short residential street between a T-junction and a roundabout when I heard the revs increase from the car behind. I couldn't believe he was going to overtake as it was only 30-40 yards to the roundabout and there was a car coming the other way. So I hit the brakes and pulled in to the kerb and then shouted "just f****** wait!". I got to the roundabout and the guy was stopped so I gave him a look of despair and a "why not just wait a couple of seconds". At which point he followed me as I turned left. He pulled up beside me, wound down his window and starting shouting and swearing. I replied "You nearly knocked me off my bike!" at which point he indicated that he would like to get out and have a chat about it. I went round the car as he pulled up in front of me opening the door at which point he shouted "Pussy!" so I stopped, thinking really that if he was going to drive in to me, I would rather be doing 0mph than a bit more than that. He pulled up beside me and was having a right old scream and quite honestly, looked like he was a)more than capable of and b) quite up for battering me for questioning his judgement. After he screamed about having no intention of knocking me off my bike and that I had "gobbed him off for no f****** reason" I thought the best course of action was to placate him so I said "sorry." At which point he stared at me and drove off (having to go right round the next roundabout because he had deviated from his original journey to question me*).
Two things: I feel ashamed to have apologised as I had a) done nothing wrong and b) been put in danger but self-preservation kicked in and I didn't fancy a fight. Secondly: Would explaining that I am on a bike and having been narrowly missed, my adrenaline was up and from the safety of his car, me screaming at him may seem a little of an over-reaction and that maybe he should try being on a bike and nearly having his elbow skin shaved off, have acheived anything?
* I do like the irony that someone is in such a hurry to get where they're going that they will make a dangerous overtake yet they have time to start a fight. (Although I suspect pointing that out to him would have resulted in me writing this from a hospital bed!)
Two things: I feel ashamed to have apologised as I had a) done nothing wrong and b) been put in danger but self-preservation kicked in and I didn't fancy a fight. Secondly: Would explaining that I am on a bike and having been narrowly missed, my adrenaline was up and from the safety of his car, me screaming at him may seem a little of an over-reaction and that maybe he should try being on a bike and nearly having his elbow skin shaved off, have acheived anything?
* I do like the irony that someone is in such a hurry to get where they're going that they will make a dangerous overtake yet they have time to start a fight. (Although I suspect pointing that out to him would have resulted in me writing this from a hospital bed!)