Was I right to blow my top?

My Saturday morning ride ended in a bit of road rage today. Did I do the
right thing?

Towards the end of a forty mile ride I was travelling downhill in a thirty
mph zone about 150 yards from the left hand turn into the estate where I
live. I was coasting at about 24mph and noticed a four wheel drive land
cruiser type vehicle coming the other way. The next thing I am aware of is
an SUV type vehicle coming from behind and squeezing me off the road. I
swerved to avoid the SUV and managed to brake without hitting the kerb.

I guy I know happened to be standing on the pavement and shouted over "thats
shocking" but I just flew after the SUV knowing he would have to slow down
at a tight bend a couple of hundred yards further on. I was shouting and
swearing ( and I almost never swear) and eventually he stopped about a
hundred yards beyond the tight bend. I then started shouting and swearing
(again) trying to get him to understand what he had just done and I got
worse when he said he was nowhere near me and anyway I was cycling in the
middle of the road blocking his way. A bit of a scene ensued which got the
attention of passers by and I was about to leave when he got out of his
vehicle and made noises as if he wanted to fight, but he quickly changed
his mind.

I was so mad I didn't have the presence of mind to get his registration
number but both him and his passenger are locals, as I recognised their
faces, but I am not convinced, even with an independent witness, the police
would be interested in a nearly accident so I probably won't pursue it. His
passenger was reluctant to back him up in the argument and I got the
impression he understood how close it had been and though the driver was
totally unrepentant he may have said something in a quieter moment to make
my outburst worthwhile.

The thing is when I got home I was angry with myself for losing my rag and
thinking that cycling (much as I love it ) isn't worth it. I have been
thinking along these lines quite a lot recently as I have become a bit
paranoid about the "normal" near misses.

Was I right or I have I so enraged this guy he'll make sure he hits the next
cyclist.

Wavering wrote:

[he said] I was cycling in the middle of the road blocking his way.

The question is: would he have forced a motorcyclist or another
car to swerve in order for him to save a few seconds? Of course
not. 24mph downhill in a 30 limit isn't an unreasonable speed,
it's a shame that more people don't realise this.

Snippity

Was I right or I have I so enraged this guy he'll make sure he hits the next
cyclist.

The guy is now totally embarrassed - not only did other locals witness his
humiliation but so did a good friend. To add to his humiliation is was his
(lack of) driving skills that caused this humiliation. He also wimped out of
hitting you, which is another dent to his ego. He will give every cyclist he
meets a wide berth now, particularly you, as he knows how big you are. Nice one
:-)

Mark Thompson wrote:
Snippity
The guy is now totally embarrassed


This dumb f*** now realizes that what he thought of as 'normal' drivin
is actually very dangerous. Hopefully you've made him not just realiz
this but also act on it. If someone's driving badly and you get th
chance to tell him about it, take it. You've done the right thing


-

Wavering wrote:

The thing is when I got home I was angry with myself for losing my
rag and thinking that cycling (much as I love it ) isn't worth it. I
have been thinking along these lines quite a lot recently as I have
become a bit paranoid about the "normal" near misses.

You did the right thing by letting him know he was in the wrong. It's always
annoying when you lose your rag, play it cool next time, but confront them
all the same -- much more fun.

And never think that cycling isn't worth it. The way I see it, you can kick
the bucket in a thousand different ways at any time, and if you happen to be
cycling at that moment; you're doing something that you love.

Simon

"Wavering" None wrote in message
...

My Saturday morning ride ended in a bit of road rage today. Did I do the
right thing?

Towards the end of a forty mile ride I was travelling downhill in a thirty
mph zone about 150 yards from the left hand turn into the estate where I
live. I was coasting at about 24mph and noticed a four wheel drive land
cruiser type vehicle coming the other way. The next thing I am aware of is
an SUV type vehicle coming from behind and squeezing me off the road.....

I sometimes get this type of behaviour, but generally I get enough warning
from the engine note to tell if the vehicle is trying to squeeze past or
hold back, and if it's obvious they are trying to squeeze past there is no
point in trying to outrace it as once it has started to squeeze past it's
best to just let it continue past, rather than "duelling" with it (or
banging its roof) like I have seen some cyclists do.

It's like the other day I was cycling along a town centre road with a cycle
lane, which I avoid as it has a brick surface and I stay on the tarmacked
traffic lane, and I was doing 15mph keeping pace right behind another
vehicle, and I'm aware of the front of this blue car about 2 foot from my
right side, like it's overtaking me because it does not like to see a
cyclist who's not using the brick surface.

I could have stood my ground, but thought it's not worth it so I slow down
and let the car past and regain my position behind it.

Adrian Boliston wrote:

I could have stood my ground, but thought it's not worth it so I slow
down and let the car past and regain my position behind it.

Ah. But by doing that are you not reinforcing the flase notion that you
shouldn't be on the road in the first place? By passively moving aside you
are acknowledging that you should be on the (****ty) brick cycle lane.

Simon

On Sat, 6 Mar 2004 20:47:12 -0000, "Adrian Boliston"
wrote in message
:

I could have stood my ground, but thought it's not worth it so I slow down
and let the car past and regain my position behind it.

Never give in to bullies. And that's exactly what that driver was.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

Wavering wrote:
Snipped..

his way. A bit of a scene ensued which got the attention of passers
by and I was about to leave when he got out of his vehicle and made
noises as if he wanted to fight, but he quickly changed his mind.


Does anyone else get that feeling of having extraordinarily intimidating
physical presence over driver's when they get out of their cars or are
immobile.

I'm a big bloke, but don't normally feel like it as I was a skinny wimp with
glasses as a kid, but if a driver starts shouting at me, they usually shut
up once its person to person instead of car to bike.

In these situations I feel very aware that I am already warmed up and far
more ready for a scrap than them.


I'm really not a violent person honest.

--
Andy Morris

AndyAtJinkasDotFreeserve.Co.UK


Love this:
Put an end to Outlook Express's messy quotes
http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/software/oe-quotefix/

"AndyMorris" wrote in news:c2doac$jhi$4
@news6.svr.pol.co.uk:

Does anyone else get that feeling of having extraordinarily intimidating
physical presence over driver's when they get out of their cars or are
immobile.

Probably because they feel invulnerable in their cars surrounded by all
that metal. They feel all tough and ready to "have a go" then they step out
of their cocoon, loose their protection and realise they're going up
against someone who is more likely fitter than them and has adrenaline
coarsing through their system due to riding in traffic. Most sane people
will subconsciously pick up on the "I'm the dominant one here" signals and
back down quickly.

Of course there's always the situation where the guy that gets out of the
car is a psycho who's built like a tank. In that case you're f*cked :-/

I try to avoid confrontations such as these as the outcome can be very
unpredictable, but at times everyone has to respond in a way that they need
to at the time.


Graeme