What a charming lady!

Eat My Dust

Woman in a 4x4 tries to go through the corner, rather than around it. I give a standard "whoa" to draw her attention to the fact that she is only a few inches away, she slows way down and starts beeping her horn, so I then slow down to let her catch up so that she can have her rant.

Her (before I had said anyhting) "you had pleny of room back there"

Me "you were pretty close, you could have killed me"

Her "trust me, I wish I could"

Me "what? you want to kill me"

Her (laughing) "oh yes"

Me "maybe I should give your number plate to the police and see what they think"

Her "get a life"

She's driving a 4x4 and had a kid in a child seat in the back. Funny how these people fit into their stereotypes so well!

Cyclegent

Have some sympathy for her - she may have been late in getting to her hobby-jobby bankroll boutique in Islington, or her high powered 'markedding' job...

Totalnewbie

What a beeyatch.

I really bloody hate cars cutting corners when I am waiting at a junction. I was taught to make a neat 90 degree turn when I learned to drive but you wouldn't think most drivers on the roads were. And they generally look at me as though it is my fault for being in the way.

The BIG GT

Exactly why we should have (specially designed for cycle commuters) fiitted-to-the-top-tube -with-a-QR, mini Stingers!!

I would say RPG but that would probably be going a tad too far..... :twisted:


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el_presidente

A feisty MILF, she sounds great

I bet she gets bored sitting round at home all day...

redjedi

I had that happen to me last week, but it was an elderly lady in a beatn up VW.
She must have been about 3 inches from my rear wheel, before she suddenly braked and gave me a bit of room.
I gave her a good glare but she didn't want to make eye contact and actually stayed behind me for another 100 yards, even though there was plenty of room to go around.


At least she wasn't trying to kill me

hayesu

I (to my shame) was in the car last week and pulled up at a T junction to turn left, leaving a generous gap on the left after passing some parked cars and in case a cyclist needed room. Next thing I know a woman in a Ka zooms in on the left to grab the space and try to turn ahead of me. Even though the window was closed she understood what I thought of her driving.

jedster

A while back a minibus cut me up coming of a roundabout - got very close. I caught him at the lights - middle-aged bloke with a bunch of kids in the back. He looked like he might have been a volunteer driver - not a regular. Given the kids and everything I was very calm and just said "you were very close to me coming off that roundabout"

"I wasn't"

"Seriously, it was only a few inches"

"I wasn't"

"Really, I don't make a habit of this but that was the closest so far this year"

"No it wasn't"

I just gave this involuntary sigh, shrugged my shoulders and rode off shaking my head. It reminded me that a lot of people are so defensive/confrontational about their driving skills that there is no way of having a sensible conversation, however pleasantly you try to do it. I have some hope that on reflection he'll have thought "you know, that bloke didn't seem like a complete idiot and probably wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't at least a bit too close" but who knows.

Cyclegent

I think discussions are pointless for those reasons. A clear statement, politely and firmly made, is all you can do 'you passed me too close. Please give cyclists more room' then off before a pointless argument starts.

Eat My Dust

Cyclegent wrote:

I think discussions are pointless for those reasons. A clear statement, politely and firmly made, is all you can do 'you passed me too close. Please give cyclists more room' then off before a pointless argument starts.

Fair point, but I always find it hard to bite my tongue when someone is being a complete idiot, whether on my bike or not.

chrisFL

Happened to me about 4 months ago. Sat at a t junction intending to go straight across, the lights change, I start to go but find my path cut off by a people carrier turning left, completely cutting me up and causing me to acquaint myself with the pavement.

Sadly I was using SPDs at the time so didnt have the time to swing a boot at the vehicle or get my other leg out to stop toppling over. The result was a sprained wrist - still sore now plus a bruised thigh - could have been worse.

The people carrier didnt even stop!!! although another driver did to check if I was Ok.

One reason as to why I dont use SPDs any more sadly as I have lost a little confidence in them.

mea00csf

if you're in a straight on and left turn lane why would you sit on the left of the lane when you're going straigh on allowing people to cut you up. Surely you should plonk yourself in the middle of the lane?

There's even a few instances where when turning left i ppu tmyself in the centre of the lane, There's a big sweeping left hand corner near me where as it is so sweeping cars tend to cut it a bit, like taking the racing line (even do it myself, it's very difficult to stay wide on it) so i started using the whole lane now

Poacher

Even if you take the primary position in a straight-on/turn-left lane, you'll find some numpties will use the right-turn lane in order to overtake you and simultaneously turn left!

BentMikey

Poacher wrote:

Even if you take the primary position in a straight-on/turn-left lane, you'll find some numpties will use the right-turn lane in order to overtake you and simultaneously turn left!

Very true, but at least now you've got a little space in which to save yourself.

mailmannz

Cyclegent wrote:

I think discussions are pointless for those reasons. A clear statement, politely and firmly made, is all you can do 'you passed me too close. Please give cyclists more room' then off before a pointless argument starts.

You are right BUT this morning I had some c*nt on a bike coming at me on the wrong side of the road uttering its a one way street...of course I hurled no end of abuse at the bastard because he ONLY just missed me and HE was going the wrong way!

Mailman

gav2.0

Road biking makes you appreciate how selfish your average person is. If it was her son or husband who had nearly been seriously injured by some impatient (insert swear word) I'm sure she'd feel different.

A couple of weeks back i nearly got knocked off twice in under 5 minutes. I was going up slight climb approaching a side street & a van came up the street to the junction at some speed & stopped at the line. I was out of the saddle going at a constant speed (about 14mph) & gave no indication I was stopping. He looked straight into my eyes & pulled clean out then stopped in front of me blocking my path. I braked hard stopped & unclipped & put my leg down. Amazingly he then waved at me to go!!!!!! I just shrugged & waved him on. It owuldn't have been as bad if he had just gone but he just blocked the road.

I carried on my route & the same thing happened again only far worse. This time I was turning into the side street (on my right) Iwas approaching the turn & a people carrier appeared, again at quite some speed & stopped at the line. As soon as I saw it I stuck my right arm out & signaled & looked at the driver to check he had seen it. He looked & pulled clean out & stopped in front of me. It was the closest I have come to a serious accident by far. When he pulled out I was doing about 14mph & about 3 car lengths from the apex. I swerved past the front of the car & braked real hard as I was now approching the kerb & had to abandon taking the corner. The bike nearly went from under me & the back wheel was all over the place. I pulled the bars so hard to correct it I pulled something in my arm which hurt like hell. I turned in when it was over & glared through the driver. All I got was a mouthed sorry. I was sorry too. Sorry he doesn't know how to f***ing drive :evil: