Wing Mirrors or Trophies

[gbb]

So, I was wondering what everyone else thinks of the act of side swiping wing mirrors before they get you?

Specifically I drive past a school every morning and have twice been knocked down, once clipped by a front wing and several times clipped by wing mirrors as they pull out.

I have written 3 times to the school and the council and evn the police (station is opposite the school) to mention the illegal parking and dangerous driving, only to be ignored.

so about a month ago i started "collecting" wing mirrors (they do come off really easily when passing at around 15-20 on a bike) and have noticed the past week not a single illegally parked car on my morning hop.

I know this is technically criminal damage (despite the first being accidental as he hit my handlebars) but feel that for the cost of a few 50 quid mirrors I have made the road safer.

So, am I deluding myself into believeing that I have a reason for this vandalism? am I doing a good thing in making drivers way of illegally blocking schools and cycle lanes? or am i just an arse (or even all of the above)?

Anyone else "taken the law into their own hands" this way?

You can't really defend this mknash, although i understand your fustration.
Perhaps reporting it...several times to local police or traffic wardens will get the job done without leaving yourself wide open.
TBF, i've deliberately swiped one mirror in the past...a 4WD oncoming (maybe 10mph), who had chose to give me the meagrest of room, despite there being enough room on his side of the road....a quick flick of the elbow flipped his mirror back with a clunk.
He stopped pronto..perhaps he'll think again before he closes people down

That'd be about the limit of my 'dishing it out'

 

[jimboalee]

If you are aprehended by the damaged vehicles' owners, you can be prosecuted for Criminal Damage, be they illegally parked or not.
The cars are their property and you damaged them.

The same applies to a football which is kicked onto your garden. The ball remains property of the person who holds the shop receipt. You cannot keep it ( theft ) or burst it ( criminal damage ). You MUST give it back to its owner.

If a motorist parks his/her car on your driveway, your course of action is to contact the police to have it lifted by a constabulary truck. You CANNOT touch it.

Is that a better rant ?

 

[gbb]

I totally agree.
I cant believe how much this post has wound me up!!!

All this does is make a already "slightly" inconsiderate driver...

1. Really pis*ed off at ALL cyclists.
2. Pis*ed off at ALL cyclists, with no wing mirror!!!!!

AND another way of looking at this is...

even though they are parked badly.
I always try and give cars outside schools a very wide berth and am extra vigilent becouse of kiddies running into the road.

ever thought of that????

rant done!

I agree with the sentiment, and always take extra care when near schools....but the irony is, mothers on the school run are without doubt, THE most dangerous motorists on the road.
Doubly ironic is that they seem incapable of transferring that care they show to their children...to cyclists. Its a freekin nightmare round here. I have more incidents with school run cars than anything else
I avoid riding at school run time whenever possible. (thats my moan done

 

[Olly]

mothers on the school run are without doubt, THE most dangerous motorists on the road.

your not wrong there!!!!!!!!!
still the idea of crashing into a kiddie at 15mph makes me feel a little sick
parents fault but cyclists blame.

Thats why i avoid going past schools as much as pos aswell

back to work - all ranted out

 

[magnatom]

Your either a or a twat. Take your pick.

 

[mknash]

Okay, firstly in response tto the guy who kindly pointed out my inconcgrous statement of not owning a car and my incorrect use of drive instead of ride. That was a typo, though I DO drive, I do not own a car and seldom drive one.

secondly, not after any support, just wanted to know others feelings so I can judge my behaviour (which I am getting, thanks all).

thirdly, as someone with no kids who has no intention of having kids, why is it my job to demonstrate good road usage when their parents don't? and Im sorry but I feel no need to be courteous to people who shout at me for riding legally (with the exception of the wing mirror thing i am fastidious about cycling within the law - mostly so i can be smug) when they dump their kiddies across the road and watch while they dodge traffic.

Lastly, I HAVE reported this to the police 3 times , twice in person, once by post - was twice told that I should watch out more and once ignored. I have complained to the council who put a warden there for a week, then it all went back to normal. I ahve also written to the school explaining my worries about hitting kids as they dart between cars (this is a primary school). No response from them either.

So, thanks for the comments, i will take on board and try and be more tolerant.

 

[magnatom]

Don't get me wrong, you get my support for what has happened to you and in any reasonable effort to campaign against bad driving parking etc, but criminal damage is criminal damage.

 

[Dan B]

Take photos of the offenders, blog them, try and get the link printed in the school newsletter

 

[Greenbank]

The most direct and obvious route for my commute takes me past two schools. Going past them (one in particular) between 8.30am and 9am (during term time) is an utter nightmare. Cars with hazard lights parked illegally all over the place. Parents striding into the road without looking. Cars reversing down a one-way road rather than having to drive an extra 100 yards. Stationary pedestrians blocking the two cycle lanes either side of the fire-access-gate in the middle of the road (which stops the roads being used as a ratrun). Driver side passenger doors being flung open by small children with no checks to see if anything is coming (I've seen one door taken off by another car so far); this is the responsibility of the driver.

By far the easiest way to avoid this is to pick a different route if I'm going past at this time.

My two options are a much busier road with lots of sets of traffic lights, or quieter roads but half a kilometer longer. Both add a couple of minutes to my commute, which is infinitely preferable to the idiocy I see outside the school(s).

 

[Olly]

thirdly, as someone with no kids who has no intention of having kids, why is it my job to demonstrate good road usage when their parents don't? and Im sorry but I feel no need to be courteous to people who shout at me for riding legally (with the exception of the wing mirror thing i am fastidious about cycling within the law - mostly so i can be smug) when they dump their kiddies across the road and watch while they dodge traffic.

I dont have kids either but i still dont want bits of one stuck in spokes.

Parents are quite often dickheads around school run time - thats a given.

kids are kids - and as you say its a primary school, so even more so.

i understand how annoying / dangerous the cars are (i imagine we ALL do)

but thats still no excuse to escalate to doing violent damage to anther persons property.

set an example!
dont add to the problem!

 

[Black Sheep]

A. its really expensive.
B. Unless you KNow its someone who has hit you its a complete ar**hole thing to do.
C. drivers NEED wing mirrors to see cyclists!!!!!
try thinking!!!

D, your talking about door mirrors.

 

[mknash]

Fair play, thats why i asked in general - i dont commune with many cyclists til recently and appreciate the guage.

BTW, and off topic - like your videos magnatom, wondering whther getting a camera may help me both with complaints over such things and also just to let off steam by being able to review the situation from the comfort of my sofa... (get seriously riled when cycling somedays)

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I'd have no problems removing a wing mirror of any car whose driver forced me to do so (i.e. penned me in, passed too close etc.) but can't really see the point of just taking them off to spite the idiots who are parked illegally - as has been said, it just gives some car drivers more reason to hate cyclists.

I also have no problem with contact with any illegally/stupidly parkd cars when my youngest is in the pram and we have to squeeze through gaps left on the pavement by these idiots... I have yet to scratch a car (I really need to think about putting something sharp onto the side of the pram) but wouldn't be bothered if I did - they shouldn't be parked there and I don't see why I should have to risk any injury by walking in the road to get around them... it's still criminal damage, but as a more direct consequence of their actions, whereas your description does not seem to be.

You stirring on here already, Martin?

 

[mknash]

D, your talking about door mirrors.

Nope, definitely talking about wing mirrors - just because they moved up the car the name stayed the same through popular usage.

Now, while you are coaching me on language, the word you are looking for is "YOU'RE" (Sorry, don't like to be a grammar nazi, but practice what you preach good sir.)

 

[Black Sheep]

with regard to your lack of point over setting a good example:

if you ride like a twat parents will call you one and kids will think all cyclists are twats

they may also ride like a twat themselves (cos they think its ok to) and get run over by the next bus.

hope you sleep well