Van trying to swerve into a cyclist...

[jonny jeez]

I've just had much the same thing with a car pulling out on me (from the right side of the road).

It was wet and i was braking hard, in the end i banged very hard on the passenger window as she clearly hadn't seen me / didn't care and i was rapidly running out of room.

Unfortuantley i don't have a camera but am considering getting one. Shame as i'd have put it straight into the police!

Back to this incident though - clearly an offence (or two!) has been commited but i'm not sure i'd have put myself alongside that nutter!

same for me today..Was on the loud bike this morning and had a chap try to push me out of my lane (in the pouring rain) at about 40mph.

stopped 30 seconds later in traffic at which point I happened to get in front of him and...would you belive it...managed to stall my bike.... took me ages to get her started again...and of course his honking and shouting just distracted me still further.

we ended up having a "chat" at the next lights, but it did make me chuckle at the time.

 

[Jezston]

stopped 30 seconds later in traffic at which point I happened to get in front of him and...would you belive it...managed to stall my bike.... took me ages to get her started again...and of course his honking and shouting just distracted me still further.

Haha I'm just picturing that now, standing over your bike in the middle of the road kicking the pedals trying to get it to start "Sorry mate! I'll get it started again in a sec! Yeah ... yeah look beeping and shouting isn't going to get the engine going again ... (kick kick) come on you little bugger..."

 

[Vikeonabike]

@

 

[snails pace]

I have only just seen this thread, and as I am planning to start commuting on my bike soon, am a little concerned that there really are idiots on the road like that van driver.

Main thing is that number 14 was not hurt by this toerag.

I hope the police can do the driver for something, as they have video evidence.

Maybe a court trip and hefty fine would make other toerags think twice...then again maybe not

 

[dondare]

I have only just seen this thread, and as I am planning to start commuting on my bike soon, am a little concerned that there really are idiots on the road like that van driver.

Main thing is that number 14 was not hurt by this toerag.

I hope the police can do the driver for something, as they have video evidence.

Maybe a court trip and hefty fine would make other toerags think twice...then again maybe not

But you can also see how easily No.14 could have kept out of trouble. Give other road users the time and space they need and don't shout at them or bang on their vehicles.
What goes around &c.

 

[hackbike 666]

I still don't get this banging on cars thing...Is it classed as road rage?

Though it's rare I see it on my commute.

 

[dondare]

I still don't get this banging on cars thing...Is it classed as road rage?

Though it's rare I see it on my commute.

Those who do it will tell you it's self defence.


Si vis pacem, para bellum

 

[HLaB]

Those who do it will tell you it's self defence.


Si vis pacem, para bellum

I've done it once, to tell the HGV driver I was there, to prevent him crushing me against railings as he drifted into the bus lane. To be fair he took it very well and there was no stupid reaction from him.

I don't think I'd make a habit of it I'd be too scared about hurting my hand/ falling off.

 

[dondare]

I've done it once, to tell the HGV driver I was there, to prevent him crushing me against railings as he drifted into the bus lane. To be fair he took it very well and there was no stupid reaction from him.

I don't think I'd make a habit of it I'd be too scared about hurting my hand/ falling off.

I banged the side of a lorry once as it squashed me against a parked van. (His fault, he overtook then moved in.)
Side of the lorry was solid steel. Didn't make a sound, driver didn't have a clue.
Luckily the van had a bit of give in it.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I still don't get this banging on cars thing...Is it classed as road rage?

Though it's rare I see it on my commute.

Consider it like usage of the horn.

Never use aggressively, only use it to let someone know you are there.

But you can also see how easily No.14 could have kept out of trouble. Give other road users the time and space they need and don't shout at them or bang on their vehicles.
What goes around &c.

Sadly if people like this go unpunished(etc), then they will carry on doing it... because it's obviously okay, surely? Not that rapping on the van will make the van look out more carefuly next time, after all the cyclist has no right and shouldn't have even touched the van in the first place (im talking generally not in this instance). If it was a honest mistake then tapping, so long as they don't get all pissy about touching their car might make them think (for 30 or so minutes and then it all goes out the window just like after they passed their test). Otherwise something that affects them generally needs to be levied, even a letter from the Police won't bother certain people... a few points? sometimes hardly affects your insurance. A good roasting from an officer would be nice, but police officers don't exist any more, just the tall silly yellow headed ones with grey bodies.

 

[dondare]

Snap.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I've done it twice.

Once a long time ago because the van was turning into me (railings to my left) and I had nowhere to go. Firm hard whack with the palm on the side. That resulted in a chase between burly thug of a WVM and a 15yo kid (me) and made me realise that it is not something to be done lightly.

Once a few months ago at a junction with a small unintentional (bad layout) pinch point - a car held back for a moment (so obviously he knew passing was unsafe) then got bored of waiting within 3 seconds and brushed me as he forced past.

This time I didn't give a whack, just a gentle rap on the side. My god I have never seen a geeky little nerk get so hot under the collar. He pulled in, then deliberately drove at another uninvolved cyclist, then blocked up the road as he stopped to argue a boring repetitive argument about "touching my car is criminal damage" yet no matter how much he said that he would, and I invited him to please do so, he just would not call the police.

In short, both times have led to confrontation. The second time..well, was it necessary? I'd suggest that drawing a driver's attention to the fact that they have just collided with me (however gently) is valid. After all, if someone just brushed their CAR, they would know about it. In the first occasion, I needed the van to stop so yes, absolutely necessary. Even though the driver then wanted to flatten me personally, rather than with his van.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I agree in the part about "attention to the fact that they have just collided", even if you did slap the car, just lie and say "I didn't hit your car, you HIT ME!".

 

[hackbike 666]

Consider it like usage of the horn.

Never use aggressively, only use it to let someone know you are there.

<SNIP>

That's why I have a car horn on one bike and am seriuosly considering fitting it on a fixie...The Blackfriars Bridge Vid with the mobile phone user and the power of the horn is an absolute classic.

The horn is different to slapping someones car...Rare that I get an agressive reaction for using the horn.

 

[Armegatron]

The horn is different to slapping someones car...Rare that I get an agressive reaction for using the horn.

Opposite for me. Ive had a few where cars have pulled out, or been about to pull out, and Ive gave the horn a short toot in warning to say "Im here, wait for me" - I get a load of abuse normally along the lines of "I effin seen you didnt I".
Still, Ill continue to use the horn as Id rather get the verbal than eat bonnet.