Taxi driver actually apologized!!!

[J.Primus]

I was cycling home today and as I passed through Newington Green I was cycling in secondary in the right hand lane when I heard a car getting very close, then it backed off and then a loud rev and it came extremely close to my rear wheel. This happened again and then the 3rd time the car revved so loud I thought he was actually going to try and kill me, as he came towards me I turned around and shouted extremely loudly "Back the **** off, now!"
He did and then pulled over at the lights and wound down his window and shouted "why were you in the middle of the road" I explained (calmly, I have no idea how) that the left lane was left turn only and regardless of that if he continued to drive in this fashion he will run someone over and will lose his minicab license, his drivers license and possibly go to prison so he should really think if it's worth it before he does it next time.
I go forward to the ASZ and then he pulls up again and winds his window down. I was expecting him to start shouting again but he put his hands up and said sorry.
Nice to see some people actually think about what they've done afterwards and realise they were in the wrong. Even though it would be better if the attempted murder didn't come first. Still think that's the first time that's ever happened to me, especially from a taxi driver!

 

[jarlrmai]

Had a guy rev it past me to get to a red light, I gave him the stare and he wound down his window, I just said "too close, too fast" and he apologised I was so shocked I almost fell off the bike.

 

[400bhp]

Good for you and for him.

 

[ianrauk]

Praise the Lord!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I had a black cabbie apologise to me on the Strand earlier this year. He held his hands up, and said he might be the only cabbie in London who'll apologise when he's in the wrong. Looks like he's not alone!

 

[Cycling Dan]

praise black Jesus
(i just watched red tails)

 

[CopperBrompton]

Had a guy rev it past me to get to a red light, I gave him the stare and he wound down his window, I just said "too close, too fast" and he apologised I was so shocked I almost fell off the bike.

On a car forum, he's just posted: "My new tactic to make cyclists fall off their bikes came this close to working!"

 

[neil earley]

was in london today seen a cycling courier hanging on to the side of a black cab doing 30 MPH for a free ride, got to say it made me smile!

 

[simon the viking]

A while back I was nearly took out on an island, I was cycling past an entrance and the guy didn't use the stop line. As I waited for what I thought was an imminent collision I shouted something along the lines whoaaaa flipping whoaaaa,. He stopped with about a foot to spare from my pedal, I cycled away quite badly shaken. The driver pulled alongside and I expected a mouthful of abuse along the lines where the flipping heck did you come from, but I got an apology and he said it had shook him up as much as it had me. Nice of him to apologise but him being more observant would have been better

 

[slowmotion]

A couple of years ago a black cab pulled out of a side turning and nearly hit me. I yelled something pretty rude but he wound down his window and made a genuine apology. I felt a bit of a prat. Good for him.

 

[growingvegetables]

There are some things you just have to do - it's just one of those basic essentials in the study of human behaviour.

Ride into the main yard of a big taxi firm. Watch the guys head for the door of the public office, and close (and LOCK) the door behind them. Head for a group hanging around the perimeter fence and ask to see the manager - may take some time.

And thank him (and his drivers) for the ENORMOUS improvement in the way his drivers treat cyclists.

Worth it ... just to watch the play of emotions across the guy's face ...

- from hostility (or at least, "here we go again"), then disbelief, through something that looked like alarm and panic ("Should I call the men in white coats?"), to a VERY, VERY wary "This guy means what he's saying," to a very fumbled acknowledgement that they had indeed done some work to improve their drivers' performance.

Think Alastair Sim - only 6 foot broad and 6 foot tall.

Did it on Friday - just happened to be passing a taxi firm that'd been a particular bete noire and featured VERY regularly on my YT channel, but over the last few months have improved their act beyond all recognition.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Tailgated by bus at Elephant and had a go,he backed off.

 

[compo]

A soft answer turneth away wrath.

 

[Drago]

A soft answer turneth away wrath.

I know, and its really annoying!

 

[trampyjoe]

Had a guy pull out on me and when I had a word at the next set of lights he said 'so what?'.

Ah well, can't all get an apology.