I was at a set of traffic lights this morning on an inner-city dual carriageway, when a van pulled up beside me. Glanced over my shoulder to see his distance from me, not unacceptable but closer than i'd like. Lights go green, I ride off but can hear his engine revving (the kind of "C'mon, move over i need to get past" revving) and then a proper roar of the engine followed by a close pass and being struck on the arm by his wing mirror.
No damage done and i continue on (as well as giving it the old "What the frak was that?!?" arm gestures and shouts). He speeds off.
I didn't catch the reg number, but did see the company name so i ride on, a little shaken and annoyed and intending to contact the company with a complaint. Maybe it was just a silly maneouvre, maybe he was just being stupid, but serious injury could have occurred and I'd rather no one else end up in a similar position.
Except 5 minutes up the road I meet him at a junction.
Brakes on, finger pointed and i tell him to stop.
We have a 'discussion' of sorts, holding up traffic behind him. He starts with "You're the idiot who rode into my wing mirror" to which i counter with "No, you struck me with your wing mirror because you were inpatient"
"What do you expect me to do? There was a car beside me."
"You should wait. It's dangerous."
"No, i don't wait for bikes. I pay road tax, you need to get in behind me."
"Not admissible, bud. Road tax is not a concern here. Pedestrians don't pay road tax, would you hit them if they happened to be in your road?"
"You rode into me."
"No, i had right of way and you drove into me. Either way I'm stopping you so i can make a complaint to your employer"
"Unlucky mate, I am the employer. You want to go to the police?"
"This is not their concern just now."
"Good. Because if i see you in front of my van again i'll knock you down."
"I'm sorry? Is that a threat of common assault?"
"Take it as you want mate, but seriously. Step in front of me again and see what happens."
"Thank you for your time."
"Go on ahead of me then, c'mon."
At which point I said to him 'Go ahead, sir' and he proceeded on his way. The car behind him (who was beeping impatiently, i understand that) had her window rolled down. I explained to her the issue and she drove on. I will see if i can find her for a witness statement. An off-duty special constable also happened to be walking by and i have her details to contact her and ask about providing a witness statement.
The van strike aside is dangerous enough. The threat of bodily harm because we ran into each other borders on ludicrous.
Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed with this? Not looking to get anything out of it financially, but would like his driving to come under consideration from some legal proceedings.
No damage done and i continue on (as well as giving it the old "What the frak was that?!?" arm gestures and shouts). He speeds off.
I didn't catch the reg number, but did see the company name so i ride on, a little shaken and annoyed and intending to contact the company with a complaint. Maybe it was just a silly maneouvre, maybe he was just being stupid, but serious injury could have occurred and I'd rather no one else end up in a similar position.
Except 5 minutes up the road I meet him at a junction.
Brakes on, finger pointed and i tell him to stop.
We have a 'discussion' of sorts, holding up traffic behind him. He starts with "You're the idiot who rode into my wing mirror" to which i counter with "No, you struck me with your wing mirror because you were inpatient"
"What do you expect me to do? There was a car beside me."
"You should wait. It's dangerous."
"No, i don't wait for bikes. I pay road tax, you need to get in behind me."
"Not admissible, bud. Road tax is not a concern here. Pedestrians don't pay road tax, would you hit them if they happened to be in your road?"
"You rode into me."
"No, i had right of way and you drove into me. Either way I'm stopping you so i can make a complaint to your employer"
"Unlucky mate, I am the employer. You want to go to the police?"
"This is not their concern just now."
"Good. Because if i see you in front of my van again i'll knock you down."
"I'm sorry? Is that a threat of common assault?"
"Take it as you want mate, but seriously. Step in front of me again and see what happens."
"Thank you for your time."
"Go on ahead of me then, c'mon."
At which point I said to him 'Go ahead, sir' and he proceeded on his way. The car behind him (who was beeping impatiently, i understand that) had her window rolled down. I explained to her the issue and she drove on. I will see if i can find her for a witness statement. An off-duty special constable also happened to be walking by and i have her details to contact her and ask about providing a witness statement.
The van strike aside is dangerous enough. The threat of bodily harm because we ran into each other borders on ludicrous.
Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed with this? Not looking to get anything out of it financially, but would like his driving to come under consideration from some legal proceedings.
