Taking off the door mirror...

[Dmcd33]

I've had incidents where the driver has tried to use his vehicle to try and push me in the gutter. One of them I stopped and went to speak to the driver. He said "sorry, sorry". Although looking back he probably didn't meant it. If he had not said sorry, I can only think adrenalin would have taken over and his front bumper would have come clean off. I glad it didn't get to that.

Another incident was a road rage maniac, who tried to drive me into parked traffic to get to his next red light . I hit his window hard, but it didn't shatter. again, glad it didn't. I met him at the lights and stood infornt of him and took two photos of his car. He tried to swerve around me, but another cyclist blocked his path after seeing what a loose cannon he was. Sent an email to the police, but because the photo was blurry, they said this showed ambivalence.

I will always avoid damaging a car, but can definately see why it gets to that point. The fact that your on a bike and another human being thinks it's Ok to intentionally run you over, thats where my animal survival instinct kicks in and I loose most of my self control.

Saying all this. The 16 miles a day I do in London are pretty uneventful and the vast majority of cars cause me no problems.

 

[Mugshot]

Nah, I don't think so. Same way I wouldn't be violent towards a toddler having a tantrum. Plus, it annoys people more if you walk away and they're raging.

Not necessarily, many times that's exactly what they want, I'm not suggesting that that isn't sometimes the better course of action but don't assume that by walking away the agressor sees it as you having a moral victory, they'll see it as you bottling it and they'll puff their chest out, throw their shoulders back and a big **** eating grin will spread across their face.

 

[coffeejo]

Where is the line IYHO?

IMHO, your description of cold blooded mirror breaking is different to what @Mugshot described about slapping the car as it was driven at him so I'd say the line is somewhere between the two. I know that when I get angry, my temperature rises (hence the term hot head????) so I think the loss of reason happens about then.

 

[snorri]

Come on Martin, sit in your car, look at the mirror - you know, the shiny bit - that's the front of the unit.

Nah, the shiny bit is the mirror side, the rounded bit towards the front of the car in normal usage is the mirror housing.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

If it hasn't happened already you're going to get a pasting.

So we should pass by on the other side because of our fear that we might meet Kenneth Noye or get a hiding.

I'm not sure I want fear to be my ruling motivation.

 

[Mugshot]

IMHO, your description of cold blooded mirror breaking is different to what @Mugshot described about slapping the car as it was driven at him so I'd say the line is somewhere between the two. I know that when I get angry, my temperature rises (hence the term hot head????) so I think the loss of reason happens about then.

Does this mean we can go shopping now?

 

[sazzaa]

Not necessarily, many times that's exactly what they want, I'm not suggesting that that isn't sometimes the better course of action but don't assume that by walking away the agressor sees it as you having a moral victory, they'll see it as you bottling it and they'll puff their chest out, throw their shoulders back and a big **** eating grin will spread across their face.

Yeah, but I'm a girl, I win by walking away.

 

[uclown2002]

So we should pass by on the other side because of our fear that we might meet Kenneth Noye or get a hiding.

I'm not sure I want fear to be my ruling motivation.

Nothing to do with fear. Your actions are not a rational, measured, proportionate and lawful response to the situation.

 

[coffeejo]

Does this mean we can go shopping now?

Oh ok, but there's no way I'm leaving in charge of the trolley. LBS first though, right? Your treat?

Anyway, since the sun's shining, the sky is blue and the breeze is gentle (which makes a change for Somerset this winter) I think it's time for me to get out in the fresh air since the world feels like a better place on days like this. Metaphor? What metaphor?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

IMHO, your description of cold blooded mirror breaking is different to what @Mugshot described about slapping the car as it was driven at him so I'd say the line is somewhere between the two. I know that when I get angry, my temperature rises (hence the term hot head????) so I think the loss of reason happens about then.

So you would not go for a ride with yourself as you are capable of anger and behaving irrationally?

Your point on anger management is well made and an interesting one. Why do you think it is that my presumed anger management problem only ever manifests itself, via wing mirror directed violence, when I'm on a bike. (given it is 20 odd years since I set foot an a rugby pitch as a player).

I will admit to punching WVM back in August (no wing mirrors were harmed in this event) but he had head butted, slapped, grabbed and punched me before I laid a finger on him, the spittle flecks landing on my face were offputting and though he had permanently disabled my bike he had failed to disable me so I felt it was only appropriate that I should terminate his attack.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

But surely there are some circumstances where intervention is the only rational/humane/moral thing to do? e.g. violence by another to another.

If it hasn't happened already you're going to get a pasting.

So we should pass by on the other side because of our fear that we might meet Kenneth Noye or get a hiding.

I'm not sure I want fear to be my ruling motivation.

Nothing to do with fear. Your actions are not a rational, measured, proportionate and lawful response to the situation.

I think you aren't reading what you are replying to.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Nothing to do with fear. Your actions are not a rational, measured, proportionate and lawful response to the situation.

I beg to differ. In my view, if we are talking door mirrors, then my response is rational, measured and proportionate.

 

[Mugshot]

Oh ok, but there's no way I'm leaving in charge of the trolley.

That's probably fair

 

[uclown2002]

I beg to differ. In my view, if we are talking door mirrors, then my response is rational, measured and proportionate.

Perhaps in your world.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Perhaps in your world.

No perhaps about it. They've hit me with a motor vehicle. Sheer luck I'm still here to complain about it.