On 08/29/2018 04:59 PM, dave wrote:

snip

While he was half way past me immediately turned right to park and
squashed the front part of my frame between his Merc Vito van thing and a
Renault Clio. Hyyyyyuuuuge scraped dent down the side of the Merc and the
Renault wing was folded in a good three inches at the wheel well.

So. Merc driver, exceedingly put out by my unexpected presence in the
area he was trying to enter without looking, departed the van and
proceeded to threaten me with violence. As motorists often do. After
putting up with the standard fare of him offering to procreate with my
mother etc. for a while I called the cops.

So. The cops come and look at all the damage and examine the bike. So
where did he hit you? I said that bit there with the black paint on it on
the left and the silver paint on the right was from the Renault (Who F*ed
off at the mention of cops. Cool plan dude. Cool plan.)

The cops then asked me why I wasn't on the bike path. Bike path? I asked.
Over there. (Points at pavement.) That's not a bike path and it's full of
pedestrians. Cop's not amused. Foreigners immune to his god like powers
of copdom are not usual. I asked him exactly which law says bikes have to
be on the pavement. He had no idea at all.(Probably because there isn't
one) So he starts getting a bit irate with me and threatening tickets.

So in the end, he gathers the Merc driver up and tells him off (It was a
good job he did, too.) as it is technically his fault. Gives me a choice
of him prosecuting the driver and he will write me a ticket for not
riding on the pavement or we all sign a won't sue the other dude document
and let it go there. No damage to my bike other than a ding in the side
panel and a bit of paint which buffed out nicely. Merc would definitely
have needed a new door skin. So document was signed and home I went. Bit
shaky from adrenaline and threats of death from the dude and fines from
the cops.

Not a great day overall but no one was injured or died. As they say worse
things happen at sea.

He missed a ****ing great blue bike in broad daylight!? Blind, drunk or
stupid.