Should i just keep my mouth shut

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Death would be too good for these goons, hopefully they will wrap that car round a tree tonight and all end up crippled for life.

Dom – that’s completely outrageous – how dare you wish that such an awful thing should happen….

















… to a tree

Why not wrapped around a lamp post instead?

 

[monnet]

To be honest I'm not fussy where they're strung up - maybe a gallows at the end of each stage of the Tour? That way even if it were a boring flat transition stage there'd still be something to look forward too.

Sig Silver, generally I try to ignore it but sometimes something in me snaps and I shout back - I think it's only human. I've been lucky that I've not snapped at the wrong kind of idiot but I did get the police involved (successfully) on one occassion.

 

[LLB]

On my way home down residential street cars parked on both sides, car speeds up to my back wheel ,drops back,speeds up and so on hear them laughing which i ignore.Come up to crossroads stick my arm out to turn right stop as a car is coming towards me by which time laughing boys have come up on my inside slowed to a crawl to give me some abuse coz i held them up by all of 30 secs!After listening to them swear at me i told the driver he was a w@%ker he then called me a 4 eyed speccy c*nt for some reason i found this mildly amusing put my hand to my mouth in mock shock and went oooooh this p*ssed him off and they reversed and came after me they got alongside me where the driver lent over his passenger to shout and swear at me whilst steering his car towards me trying to force me into parked cars.passenger then noticed the car that had come up behind them so there would be a witness if they did me some harm so sped off.
So should i have just kept my mouth shut?
How much verbal abuse do you take before saying something?

It is times like this when I think Magnatom has the right idea....

 

[Plax]

Thankfully I'm not really subject to any abuse, although this evening I
had a rather bizarre ride back from Tesco (was bored so thought I'd pick up a bit of fruit & veg). Car overtakes and passenger puts out his arm and waves at me. It was a safe overtake and he didn't stick his arm out until they'd past. Didn't recognise him or the car.
Then halfway home, a van approaching on the other side of the road flashes his lights and as they go past him & his two male passengers then flick me the V's. I just waved at them.
Going through the village there was a group of young lads sitting on the bench. As they saw me approach they started taking the piss. I just ignored them and cycled straight past (I usually have them singing Queen's "I want to ride my bicycle" etc). I'm not quite sure what they said this time, but I always find it best to not acknowledge young lads in case they take it as an open invite to actual try and off me or something.
Nothing usually happens at all, must be the time (it was around 9-9.30pm).

 

[mr_cellophane]

I never answer back, unless I know the area well and can get to an alley before they can get to me

 

[Sig SilverPrinter]

Thanks for all the replies its very theraputic writing about it and getting feedback instead of replaying it in my head over & over.
I get quite used to getting verbal, one, because i ride a brompton to commute and two, i live in Essex!!

 

[Joe]

I keep my mouth shut. Not because I'm in some zen state of calm or can cooly rise above provocation or anything, I just don't want to get run over/beaten up!

 

[snapper_37]

I try and keep my mouth shut .... unless I know I've got a safe getaway .

A couple of months ago I had some dodgy characters lurking at the kerbside and attempting to throw a plank of wood into my spokes. I really, really wanted to get off and ram it up her arse but being accompanied by 2 big blokes put me off a bit, I must admit. So I just let rip with a tirade of effs and idiots.

 

[mickle]

If I believed in God I would thank her for making me a big ugly bloke with glarey eyes. This shoot happens so often it's no wonder there are so few cyclists on our roads. A friend of Hers wont go out on her bike alone since someone gobbed in her face from a car.

We should be allowed to carry guns. Not to kill people necessarily just to shoot the fukc out of their cars.

 

[BentMikey]

Well done Sig, I think you handled that very well. Perhaps the only thing I might have added would be to obviously take their picture with your mobile (or rather point out my helmet camera).

Keeping quiet only makes you more likely to be a victim. Never ever show weakness.

 

[magnatom]

It is times like this when I think Magnatom has the right idea....

In what way?.....

 

[Sig SilverPrinter]

Well done Sig, I think you handled that very well. Perhaps the only thing I might have added would be to obviously take their picture with your mobile (or rather point out my helmet camera).

Keeping quiet only makes you more likely to be a victim. Never ever show weakness.

This made me laugh my mobile is so old it don't do pictures!

 

[4F]

This made me laugh my mobile is so old it don't do pictures!

Yes but they don't know that

 

[Sig SilverPrinter]

Yes but they don't know that

Ahhh never thought of that

 

[hackbike 6]

Keeping quiet only makes you more likely to be a victim. Never ever show weakness.

Sometimes keeping quiet is the best policy.

Who says I am quiet all the time.Sometimes I dont think and just and have a go.Thats life.Remember we are more vulnerable than a car.

I think 90% of the time if I say something I get a negative reaction no matter how wrong the motorist is.

The example was yesterday at Mile End Tube lights when I shook my head because some woman was using her mobile in her car so as well as doing this she then proceeded to shout something through the window at me although I didn't hear what it was I'm sure it wasn't to apologise.