What did I do wrong?

[Rob3rt]

So I was here at the weekend training for LEJOG.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...0G4wiqLYDvltulbcr9wxNQ&cbp=12,287.65,,0,19.47


The lights were on red and given there is no cycle lane or ASL or anything like that, I was in the left lane to go straight on. As there were 2 or 3 cars queued up already at the red I began slowing and took primary of the lane. As im comming up to the car at the back of the Q a guy comes past swipes in front of me, taking position behind the car forcing me to secondry to avoid being hit, and shouts 'get off the f'ing road pal' as he passes. So I go up the side lean in the window and shout quite asertivly to him 'WHAT WAS THAT' and he doesnt say a word and just keeps looking straight ahead ignoring me.

I feel a strong sense of I should have shouted a load of shoot at him but I just kinda lent back out and carried on. Really fat bugger he was aswell.

Going by my description, without laying into me, did I really do anything wrong here? Im a relative novice at city riding but have driven for long enough to at least have road sense and cant help but think its just a guy with a grudge against bikes?

Sounds like you were perfectly in order, guy was probably all mouth and hence why he ignored you when he realised that you were ready for an altercation and werent going to just take a passive stance.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Sounds like you were perfectly in order, guy was probably all mouth and hence why he ignored you when he realised that you were ready for an altercation and werent going to just take a passive stance.

+1

Wheel Warrior (the motorist version of Keyboard Warrior).

 

[Sam Kennedy]

Always take primary when you're supposed to, don't be polite!

The other day, I avoided going into the side of a car at 30mph, since I took primary, and he saw me before he pulled out (phew).

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

I can't see anything that you did wrong.

The same sort of thing happened to me the other day - I was going straight ahead on a two lane road. Left hand lane is for left turn only and right hand lane is for straight ahead.

I am going straight ahead in the right hand lane and the lights are changing to amber just as I go over the stop line.

I can hear some impatient arse behind me revving away so I think I will pull over to the left again pretty quick to get out of their way.

VERY LUCKILY I looked left before I pulled over because stupid twat in a 4X4 was undertaking me on the left hand side in the left turn only to go straight on.

Of course I caught her up 20 seconds later and did exactly what you did - shouted into the window - (although I did use a couple more expletives than you)....

... you want to watch it though because she really really took offence and then proceeded to keep pulling over and shouting abuse at me all the way down the Hagley Road (I had got off the road at this point as I was more than a bit scared)....

.. now I have seen her a few times at the same junction each morning and wish I had just let her get away with it....

... hoping that she doesn't run me down next time I see her!

.... some drivers are just twats and that's all there is to it really!

 

[MacLean]

Yeh I just dont know why drivers all of a sudden think your a soft touch cos your on a pedal bike.


I dont get shoot off others when I drive my car, I dont get shoot when I ride my motorbike. But as soon as you get on a pedal bike you become the bottom of the food chain and people going other way will lean out their car and shout shoot to try and scare you. People will try and bully you on the road and are more incliened to start giving you verbal. Just because you're on un-powered two wheels.

I think im just a bit dissapointed that my new found hobby is so misunderstood and dis-respected by some. And this twat has just really made that fact clear to me.

But on the flip side of this 90% of drivers are courtious and patient-ish so I can't go and paint all car drivers with the same brush here I guess.

 

[MacLean]

I can't see anything that you did wrong.

The same sort of thing happened to me the other day - I was going straight ahead on a two lane road. Left hand lane is for left turn only and right hand lane is for straight ahead.

I am going straight ahead in the right hand lane and the lights are changing to amber just as I go over the stop line.

I can hear some impatient arse behind me revving away so I think I will pull over to the left again pretty quick to get out of their way.

VERY LUCKILY I looked left before I pulled over because stupid twat in a 4X4 was undertaking me on the left hand side in the left turn only to go straight on.

Of course I caught her up 20 seconds later and did exactly what you did - shouted into the window - (although I did use a couple more expletives than you)....

... you want to watch it though because she really really took offence and then proceeded to keep pulling over and shouting abuse at me all the way down the Hagley Road (I had got off the road at this point as I was more than a bit scared)....

.. now I have seen her a few times at the same junction each morning and wish I had just let her get away with it....

... hoping that she doesn't run me down next time I see her!

.... some drivers are just twats and that's all there is to it really!

Haha yeh, some folk are just nutters, no other word for it. But sometimes if you let folk get away you just feel a bit of a pussy if you dont at least get something in you know what I mean?

 

[plank]

Wow, thats when it could easily get physical if you shouted back! Did he just fizzle out and get in and carry on or was there any threats or anything?

Yeah he was such an idiot, he shouted at me for getting in his way going up to a red light then parked his car in front of it and got out and then made everyone behind him miss a green light! He also had two little girls in the car and looked like mainaic crack head.

I didn't think it was worth getting violent first although he was appearing very aggressive how could you justify to anyone, especially the police, smashing someone unconscious just for shouting at you?

Also he was trying to say bikes should ride on the pavement, so erm what can you say to that? I think I just said no to everything until he went away.

 

[Gains]

Fair play to ya mate id hope i would do the same - i dont experience too many nutters on my rides but when i do get cut up its so rare that im either too dumbstruck to react to do anything but wish id shouted something most times...then i think that they have a ton+ of metal to throw at me next time they see me...i have little faith in the general public's ability to resist homosidal activities it seems!argh