What should I do?

Lardyboycp · June 2007

Getting home tonight, pedalling along quite nicely at 22 m.p.h. when I "feel" the car pretty close and the next thing a girls voice screams at me as the car goes past and all her mates are laughing! I wobble a bit but it's more surprise than anything else.

So off I go in pursuit, because a bloke on a bike surely can't catch them in the traffic? Wrong ladies! The windows are being wound up very quickly as I draw along side, and ask them if they would repeat what they said as I didn't quite catch it the first time.

Funny, I seemed to have discovered the secret of invisibility as they don't see or hear me.

And there's a set of traffic lights coming up. So I stop. Produce the mobile phone with camera. Wait for the Ka and take a photo of the front, side and rear with the number plate clearly seen.

So, should I go to Plod or do you think I've scared them enough?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm big boned OK!

Simon L2 · June 2007

post the photographs on photobucket and post the links here (if this was a proper cycle forum, you could put the pic into the thread). Then we can disseminate it widely, and thousands of cyclists will have a laugh at their expense.

philip99a · June 2007

Sorry, not exactly clear what these daft girls have done wrong!

I'll make myself very unpopular here but on a bike you are a road vehicle and you have to behave as one. You have to be aware of all the traffic around you at all times and that includes cars full of stupid slappers approaching from behind you.

You were "pedalling along quite nicely". In a world of your own maybe? Or were you aware they were behind you? If you were, then what was the problem. They came close, they didn't hit you. They laughed at you. What did they do so wrong?

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

ankev1 · June 2007

Definitely let the police have the photo as your scream-induced wobble could easily have turned into a nasty crash. Hopefully the law will give them a bit of a talking to which might make them think again.

Lardyboycp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by philip99a

Sorry, not exactly clear what these daft girls have done wrong!

I'll make myself very unpopular here but on a bike you are a road vehicle and you have to behave as one. You have to be aware of all the traffic around you at all times and that includes cars full of stupid slappers approaching from behind you.

You were "pedalling along quite nicely". In a world of your own maybe? Or were you aware they were behind you? If you were, then what was the problem. They came close, they didn't hit you. They laughed at you. What did they do so wrong?

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

When it comes to riding on the road I'm never "In a world of my own"!

I was aware of them being behind me, within a foot of my back wheel and a foot to the side. They came close enough that the passenger could of grabbed my handlebars as they went past. So perhaps I should consider myself lucky that they only tried to "scare" me into falling off by screaming at me rather than actually forcing me off with the car or being able to grab the handlebars?

How should I behave on the road? Is riding just beyond the double yellow lines on a dual carriageway ok? Riding straight with very little deviation ok? Perhaps Phillip you can tell me where I'm going wrong?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm big boned OK!

Nivacrom · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ankev1

Definitely let the police have the photo as your scream-induced wobble could easily have turned into a nasty crash. Hopefully the law will give them a bit of a talking to which might make them think again.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The law might give them a talking to. However, given the amount of paperwork Lardyboy's complaint will generate for someone - and to what real purpose - they might not appreciate it or be much inclined to thank Lardyboy for his diligence either.

philip99a · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Lardyboy

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by philip99a

Sorry, not exactly clear what these daft girls have done wrong!

I'll make myself very unpopular here but on a bike you are a road vehicle and you have to behave as one. You have to be aware of all the traffic around you at all times and that includes cars full of stupid slappers approaching from behind you.

You were "pedalling along quite nicely". In a world of your own maybe? Or were you aware they were behind you? If you were, then what was the problem. They came close, they didn't hit you. They laughed at you. What did they do so wrong?

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

When it comes to riding on the road I'm never "In a world of my own"!

I was aware of them being behind me, within a foot of my back wheel and a foot to the side. They came close enough that the passenger could of grabbed my handlebars as they went past. So perhaps I should consider myself lucky that they only tried to "scare" me into falling off by screaming at me rather than actually forcing me off with the car or being able to grab the handlebars?

How should I behave on the road? Is riding just beyond the double yellow lines on a dual carriageway ok? Riding straight with very little deviation ok? Perhaps Phillip you can tell me where I'm going wrong?

____________________________________________________________________________________

I'm big boned OK!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They behaved stupidly. I still think you over-reacted. Nivacom is right, being realistic I can't think plod would be interested. Too busy stopping pavement riders![:)]

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Lardyboy

Getting home tonight, pedalling along quite nicely at 22 m.p.h.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Up a fairly steep hill?

gandalfcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">They behaved stupidly. I still think you over-reacted. Nivacom is right, being realistic I can't think plod would be interested. Too busy stopping pavement riders!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

So if the OP had been sufficiently startled to come off and be seriously injured would that be an 'over reaction as well'?

philip99a · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">

So if the OP had been sufficiently startled to come off and be seriously injured would that be an 'over reaction as well'?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

But he didn't come off. If I intend to murder you but in fact do you no harm at all, is that an offence? If the OP had come off, this would be an entirely different thread.

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

Joe Sacco · June 2007

Can't believe the naivety in thinking the Police would actually try to do anything about it.

Better to be prepared though and hit the car as it is driving past you as the driver tends to think they have hit you and starts to get a bit more worried about it usually.

Simon L2 · June 2007

he's entitled to vengeance if it makes him feel good. And the police do take this kind of thing seriously.

best just to post the pics tho'

pzycoman · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by philip99a

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">

So if the OP had been sufficiently startled to come off and be seriously injured would that be an 'over reaction as well'?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

But he didn't come off. If I intend to murder you but in fact do you no harm at all, is that an offence?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes I believe it is, Attempted Murder.

I dont think the police will do anything, they dont do anything when you actually get hit. I wouldnt have bothered photographing them, I would have ACCIDENTALLY (honest guv!) collided with the wing mirror. They screamed at me, I wobbled then went into the mirror officer! [}:)]

Got-to-get-fit · June 2007

I would have ...uncleated and kicked the door ...hard. Nice dent and they think they have just caught your pedal.

But then its easy to think of things in retrospect.

Dont think the police would be interested, though you have my sympathy. Theres far to many slappers in saxo's and baseball cap wearing chavs in nova's

my evil toad army will rule the world

rgisme · June 2007

The trouble is all you have is a picture of a car, not the incident. Who's to say you're not making the whole thing up? I think without witnesses and no evidence of harm it's a waste of time frankly. I think just catching up and talking to them and overtly taking the pics was as much as you could do to make them think twice about doing it again.

Of course, if you really, really wanted to take it further you could always try getting the registered keeper details from the DVLA yourself and sending them 'a word' about it in the post... [:)]

Cunobelin · June 2007

Be responsible citizen, and express your concerns about why this young lady was screaming.

Could have been something nasty happening - you aren't to know...

He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.
(Unattributed Trad.)

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Simon L2

he's entitled to vengeance if it makes him feel good. And the police do take this kind of thing seriously.

best just to post the pics tho'
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Only if you've got evidence of the incident though? Otherwise it's one person's word against a bunch of chavs claiming the car was never anywhere near the bike.

Simon L2 · June 2007

Patrick. Do you think that just for one teeny tiny second you could step outside the dull confines of lawyerhood. Eh? Because, my old fruit, there are those of who think that, liberated from the subfusc, you could be a fun kind of guy.

I'm not asking the OP to justify anything. This is (correct me if I'm wrong) the internet. Let them dispute the facts. We'll judge as we judge the merits of Big Brother contestants. On a whim.

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Simon L2

Patrick. Do you think that just for one teeny tiny second you could step outside the dull confines of lawyerhood. Eh? Because, my old fruit, there are those of who think that, liberated from the subfusc, you could be a fun kind of guy.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

"Fun kind of guy." People have been struck off for less. The point I was taking you up on was your assertion that the police take this sort of thing seriously. In cases where there is no accident and no independent witnesses, they will be sympathetic, but in my view (having prosecuted and defended innumerable traffic cases) it would be NFA'd as the chances of getting a successful conviction would be close to zero.

Simon L2 · June 2007

sorry - I mistook you.

In my first hand experience the police do take this kind of thing remarkably seriously. I was most impressed.

And, of course, you are a fun kind of guy.

simoncp · June 2007

What should you do now? Nothing.

What should you have done when you caught the car? Something.

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by simoncp

What should you have done when you caught the car? Something.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Cue, chavs down the nick:

"He was a sort of vigilante. He attacked us for no reason like. I dunno what was wrong with him. He smashed the car up and we'd only nicked it that morning."

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Simon L2

post the photographs on photobucket and post the links here (if this was a proper cycle forum, you could put the pic into the thread). Then we can disseminate it widely, and thousands of cyclists will have a laugh at their expense.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">...or slash the tyres, if they happen to see the vehicle parked [:)]

simoncp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Patrick Stevens

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by simoncp

What should you have done when you caught the car? Something.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Cue, chavs down the nick:

"He was a sort of vigilante. He attacked us for no reason like. I dunno what was wrong with him. He smashed the car up and we'd only nicked it that morning."

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Unless the something that is done is reasonably spectacular, the chances of the chavs or anyone else coming to the attention of the boys in blue is negligible. No, make that nil.

Giant Rider · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Simon L2

sorry - I mistook you.

In my first hand experience the police do take this kind of thing remarkably seriously. I was most impressed.

And, of course, you are a fun kind of guy.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I was riding down Barking Road around midnight last year. The road was empty and I suddenly heard a loud foghorn which startled the life out of me. I thought it was joy riders or a lorry trying scare lone cyclists for a laugh. When I looked round it was a van load of police officers laughing! I didnt catch the reg because it happened so fast. The next morning I rang up the Plaistow nick, which is on Barking Rd. The duty Sgt or who ever it was, was very polite and sympathetic, saying no police offier should act like that and suggested I write to the Borough Commander at Forest Gate police Stn. When I did, I got a freindly female WPC write a reply and asked me to meet at the police office. She was very apologetic gave apologies on behalf of colleages. long and short, no one owned up up, yet they will give you a ticket for jumping lights or riding on pavements.

What should I do?

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