Yet another old git tries to run me off the road

[Crankarm]

Had only covered a paltry 38 miles this afternoon but a good ride, still with only 1/2 mile to go before reaching my front door, I am riding along about 24-25 mph in a 30 mph and from close behind me I hear this car horn being bown repeatedly - an old git in a crappy old silver Ford Fiesta S881 ..... with missus beside him. So I ease off and look around proper again as I had already spied him. But now he is only 3 foot from my rear wheel, closing on me and not having moved out ! I am riding about 2 foot out in the smooth track left by the near side wheels of vehicles. I am wearing my bright yellow long sleeve jersey. It is about 3:15pm, still bright and not getting dark. His car is positioned as if I wasn't there and he is ready to just drive over me. There is still lots of oncoming traffic so he cannot pass as the road is not that wide. Just being patient and waiting a few moments, he'll be able to pass further up.

Anyway so slowing slightly to about 18 mph and turning around again I gesticulated my right arm upwards as if to say what and also shouted "What!" at him. Horn is still blowing and the engine note starts to rise and the fecker is actually trying to pass over me with oncoming traffic!!!!

So I shout "Oi!" and raise my arm as his nearside bumper is nearly touching my rear stays. I shout a few rude words and raise my arm to whack his car. He swerves out causing on coming traffic to sound their car horns full on, put headlights on and slow right down and drive on the verge and into driveways to avoid him. As he goes by I see his passenger who must have been his missus who was pig ugly as well sat there implaccably. The driver was about 55 years old, white, fat, well most of them are now, balding but with some silver hair. He was manically grinning at me and shaking his fist as he tried to pass. Once he was past I shouted a few more words at him. He flashed his brake lights and an arm came out of the driver's window giving me the finger.

Right! I gave chase as knew he would likely be caught in traffic in town. I sprinted quickly up to about 29-30mph just hoping I wouldn't lose sight of him and no-one pulled out on me. I was just able to keep sight of him in the distance as the road bent round to the right. Fortunately he was held up by a car sticking to the speed limit. Then the car he was following came to a stop. Brilliant! Old git Fiesta man must have been looking in his mirrors and kacking himself that I might catch up with him, so he shot around the car in front of him despite oncoming traffic. Not all lost as I knew he was still likely to be held up once in town proper. Was gaining on him quickly as he was held up as cars were dithering around and he had to stop behind the one in front of him that had stopped due to a line of parked cars on the nearside. No room to pass if there is oncoming traffic which has right of way, but a bike can get through.... Excellent, I would have the fecker! I'm about 100m behind and he's still stuck behind the car which has now moved further on but is now trying to park on the roadside. 50m, 25m left, nearly up to him, braking, only a matter of a couple of meters, and ready to draw along side and ask him why the feck he tried to run me down? Gotchya........ but nooooooo!!! He has floored it around the car in front trying to reverse into parking a space, just missing the front offside corner, driving on the pavement on the other side of the road , forcing oncoming traffic to emergency stop to avoid being in collision with his car!!! I've still got some momentum so continue after him to see where he goes to see if he is going to stop in town or he is local. I'm now about 75-100m behind by now. Up ahead he again swerves dangerously around another car in front that's trying to park, then speeds off wheel in excess of the 30mph speed limit, round a few bends with old houses right on the edge of the road with blind driveway entrances/exits, out of town, into the distance and I have lost him. I still continue along the road just in case he stops to turn around or goes into any of the side roads, before we are in the sticks again. Nope, he doesn't stop or turn around. Unfortunately I can only remember the first part of the registration despite reciting it over and over as I was following him .

If I see him again I'll get a pic and report him. I find generally that fate is quite good in this respect. He'll pop up again sometime ...... it's not that big a place.

WTF did he think he was doing!!!!! More aggression and harassment of cyclists. He could have killed me had he actually made contact with me or my bike making me lose balance, I would have fallen right under his car wheels as he was so close he would not have been able to avoid running over me !!!! I would at least be very seriously injured or at worst dead . The bike would have been totalled. I only just cleaned and re-lubed it last sunday as it was a bit mucky!

Time to buy proper helmet and rear mounted cams I think .

I do carry a camera close at hand but a digital point and shoot which obviously I have to stop and get out. On this occasion there simply wasn't time as I would have lost him. Plus it wouldn't have captured him in the act of trying to knock me down as I generally only use it after the dangerous act if they are still hanging around to record registration number and a pic of the car/driver or if they are nutters and I'm being threatened to avert and attack. Remarkably their attitude changes pronto when they see a camera pointed at them and you ask them to smile and say something for the camera, after you've captured their car registration as well of course.

 

[swee'pea99]

Excellent account Cranky, thanks for that. What a scumbag. You obviously scared the crap out of him tho'...he'll probably think twice before doing that again.

 

[Crankarm]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Excellent account Cranky, thanks for that. What a scumbag. You obviously scared the crap out of him tho'...he'll probably think twice before doing that again.[/QUOTE]

I hope so too.

Although I wasn't going to do anything aggressive I just wanted ask him why he thought he felt the need to try to knock me off possibly resulting in my serious injury or even killing me. What a great thing to have to tell your missus, except she or a woman was him, or your family.

"What did you do today?"
"Oh I deliberately knocked off a cyclist and killed him."

Literally about 100m further on the road it is wider and safer for vehicles to pass which is what 50% of cars do. Approx 25% of drivers just sit at a safe distance behind, no hassling me, until I turn off right just further on. It can be quite a busy road where nearly every car does 40-45 even though it's a 30mph limit. Some travel a lot faster than this, chavs that is and trade vans.

!

 

[bauldbairn]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Excellent account Cranky, thanks for that. What a scumbag. You obviously scared the crap out of him tho'...he'll probably think twice before doing that again.[/QUOTE]


I agree with this completely!

Your okay that's the main thing.

I would have done exactly the same in your situation - except I couldn't have promised not to use violence after a prolonged attack(cause that's what it was) like yours.

What is it with old Ford drivers - my last three incidences have all been with them, two "S" regs and a "T" reg. One with a group of young idiots actually "filming" their harassment of me on a country road????

I'm thinking of installing a couple of Muvi's(cameras) like Thomas' for security/evidence on my new bike.

The sooner the law change's to protect cyclists the better - cause it'll still be years before morons like this guy learn road sense.

Anyway, good luck Crankarm - tomorrow's another day and no doubt there'll be more f@##y's to deal with on future rides.

 

[Cab]

I am riding along about 24-25 mph in a 30 mph ........
I am riding about 2 foot out

If I may, here you're not quite in the right. The old gits behaviour was inexcusable, but 25mph in a timid sub-secondary position? Not on your nelly. Get out into the lane of traffic where you belong and you're not inviting the close overtake, you're reducing the chance of these encounters and also providing some safety margin for yourself when the do happen.

This is especially true here as...

There is still lots of oncoming traffic so he cannot pass as the road is not that wide. Just being patient and waiting a few moments, he'll be able to pass further up.

You need to give a clear impression to the motorist that there isn't room to pass here.

 

[thomas]

You need to give a clear impression to the motorist that there isn't room to pass here.

Even if he's an inch from the kerb it doesn't excuse the driver...though I do get your point. Road positioning can stop a lot....at times it can cause problems (but generally worth any 'risk'). Had some pikey give me the evils the other day for doing 30mph ish in primary, up to a line of stopped traffic.

Crankarm, did he actually try to get away from you with that stupid driving at the end? I know it it is better to let things go, but bugger it, I'd of done the same. Hopefully he doesn't feel as tough and manly now!

 

[chillyuk]

As an "old git" in my 60's who both drives and cycles I find your attitude to older people offensive. His driving was inexusable granted, but so is your attitude towards older people.

 

[bad boy]

As an "old git" in my 60's who both drives and cycles I find your attitude to older people offensive. His driving was inexcusable granted, but so is your attitude towards older people.

Sorry what part did you find offensive ??.

Ive just read it and thought it was a fantastic account and quite exciting to read actually, albeit rather worrying how a complete twat of an old git can behave in this absolutely uncalled for, reckless and Illegal manner.

How you can say his attitude to older people in inexcusable is beyond me based on reading one post with the term old git in it !?.

Its not as if he goes round calling everyone over 45 an old git is it !?.

 

[Crankarm]

As an "old git" in my 60's who both drives and cycles I find your attitude to older people offensive. His driving was inexusable granted, but so is your attitude towards older people.

Sorry I have to say this to you as it was pretty scary and not the first time I have been seriously intimidated by elderly peoples' driving. It has happened about 5 times in the last 3 months, so as I was saying,

Oh...... *$&$ off!

 

[thomas]

As an "old git" in my 60's who both drives and cycles I find your attitude to older people offensive. His driving was inexusable granted, but so is your attitude towards older people.

Sorry I have to say this to you as it was pretty scary and not the first time I have been seriously intimidated by elderly peoples' driving. It has happened about 5 times in the last 3 months, so as I was saying,

Oh...... *$&$ off!

Even the highway code acknowledges that old drivers aren't as good.

There is an old lady around the corner from me and when she was trying to reverse into her drive I actually stopped walking. I was on the pavement on the other side of the road and thought she was going to mount it and potentially hit me.

Reversing into her drive could of been done in one turn, within seconds...not about 5 minutes like she took. I've seen it a few times and have been tempted to suggest that she evaluates if she is fit to drive.

 

[shunter]

As an "old git" in my 60's who both drives and cycles I find your attitude to older people offensive. His driving was inexusable granted, but so is your attitude towards older people.

I didn't see old people in general being referred to as 'old gits'

Old gits are a small group of people who drive/cycle as if they own the road. Nobody should ever get in their way. A group of people at an age where you would really expect better. Unfortunately this group of old gits are on the increase - their knowledge of the highway code is abysmal and their arrogance on the road knows no bounds. Mind you when you catch up with them they suddenly realise they are wimps at heart.

Of course you would be offended if you were an old git !

 

[The Jogger]

Shame you didn't get him but never mind there's but as somebody in the distance past said "you only need to be lucky once" and you'll get him, he'll need to be lucky loads of time to avoid you......

 

[snorri]

I usually carry a small notebook and pen to record registration numbers for events such as this. Not that I am in constant contact with my local police station, I try to limit my reports to one a year.

 

[Crankarm]

If I may, here you're not quite in the right. The old gits behaviour was inexcusable, but 25mph in a timid sub-secondary position? Not on your nelly. Get out into the lane of traffic where you belong and you're not inviting the close overtake, you're reducing the chance of these encounters and also providing some safety margin for yourself when the do happen.

This is especially true here as...



You need to give a clear impression to the motorist that there isn't room to pass here.

If I may, here you're not quite in the right. The old gits behaviour was inexcusable, but 25mph in a timid sub-secondary position? Not on your nelly. Get out into the lane of traffic where you belong and you're not inviting the close overtake, you're reducing the chance of these encounters and also providing some safety margin for yourself when the do happen.

This is especially true here as...



You need to give a clear impression to the motorist that there isn't room to pass here.

Are you just being provocative for the sake of it? Black/white, white/black ? This isn't the cyclists cycling without lights thread on which I seem to remember your posts were equally provocative IIRC .

There was nothing wrong with my road positioning. I am a seasoned experienced road cyclist. I cycle along this road pretty much everyday twice a day and the majority of drivers are considerate and cause me no problem. As it's a narrow busier stretch of road I spend just as much time looking rearward as I do forward which I don't have a problem with as it saves my skin. Had I not done so in the instant case then I would have been none the wiser and would proabably have been knocked down. As it was I knew that a car was behind me as two other cars had just passed me safely. This chap was a bully and I was ready to whack his car to avoid him making contact with me making me lose balance or knocking me off and which finally made him move away and gave me some space. The fact that he came right up to my bike wheel aggressively blowing his car's horn meant that he could not pass me and that he didn't like me being on the road. Cycling primary would not have changed this.

As for riding primary I think most of the time it is tosh. On the occasions I have tried it, I feel it has put me in more danger rather than riding on the edge of nearside about 2-2.5 feet out from the kerb on the smooth bit of tarmac left by the track of vehicles' near side wheels. It also means you avoid all the drain covers, crap and most of the pot holes. It is more than far enough out into the road as 99% of drivers see you, hang back and pass when safe. Trying to deliberately hold up the flow of traffic by cycling in primary down the middle of the lane is going to pi55 a lot of drivers off which would be wholly counter productive from a cycling perspective IMHO.

Plus primary ie smack bang in the middle of the lane generally has a rough surface and can have lots of oil, diesel, debris on it. I want to preserve my tyres so I don't ride there. Turning right you obviously pass through primary but again I don't ride in the middle of the lane as I'm turning right.


I had another driver do the said same thing to me as this current chap on the same stretch about 3 years ago but his vehicle actually made contact with me. He was a bit younger 40-50 years old I would say, but this time his steed was a huge £$^& off Range Rover with private registration plates which I have not forgotten. His nearside mirror, the size of my coffee table, caught my shoulder as he tried to force his way past very very close to me so I whacked the side of his vehicle. He then cut me off into the kerb, jumps down from his killing machine and then abuses me and tries to attack me. When he realises that he might get hurt in the process by me, he calls the police to say that I damaged his f'kin vehicle not mentioning the fact that he tried to force me off the road !!!! Police then turn up, see that things are very different to what they were expecting, were concerned for me, tried not to laugh at this w*&^$r, read him the riot act giving him a warning in the process about his driving and let me go on my way .

So before you start criticising my road postioning which is not at fault, think about your own, as riding primary is not AFAIK a statement of the law on how cyclists should ride. If anything IMHO it causes more problems than it aims to solve. And I wouldn't take advice or criticism from some one who thinks that cyclists riding after dark without lights isn't a problem .

 

[MacB]

Are you just being provocative for the sake of it? .

do we know anyone on here like that?