Does anybody else get abuse from passing cars?

JesseD

ownworstenemy wrote:

rossbarney2003 wrote:

I haven't had any abuse myself, but my friend actually does try and scare cyclists when i'm in the car with him, even though he knows fine i'm a cyclist!

He tends to drive close to them when taking over and makes lots of noise. Oh and he drives a vauxhall!!! lol

We were in the pub a couple of weeks ago talking about cycling when my friend's boyfriend announced that he hates cyclists and would quite happily run me off the road. Did he think he was being funny?! I didn't know quite what to say to him to be honest. I know where he parks his van and car though - a bit of 'preventative maintenance' could be arranged...

Did you ask him why he hates cyclists, I dare say with a little probing and questioning he wouldn't be able to actually tell you why, it maight actually make him think if you did question him.

Gussio

Black cab driver: "cycle in the cycle lane you idiot!"

Me, half a mile further down the road with black cab stranded in a box junction: "don't clutter box junctions you idiot"

All harmless fun 8)

fenski

I was reading this thread on Friday, thinking to myself how grateful I was to be able to ride on roads where you rarely met cars, let alone cars driven by brain dead morons like those described.

Needless to say... I was out on Saturday morning for a ride with a friend on the A822 from Gilmerton to Dunkeld. A d1ck in a silver BMW estate proceeded to announce his/her arrival behind us by blowing his horn, and then deliberately driving within what felt like inches while overtaking. I was totally shocked - I've had cars get close through driver ignorance, but this was the first time I can remember someone doing it deliberately and with such agression. I cannot understand what is going on a someones head when they do something like that. Do they not realise they are running the risk of putting someone in hospital or worse?

ownworstenemy

JesseD wrote:

ownworstenemy wrote:

rossbarney2003 wrote:

I haven't had any abuse myself, but my friend actually does try and scare cyclists when i'm in the car with him, even though he knows fine i'm a cyclist!

He tends to drive close to them when taking over and makes lots of noise. Oh and he drives a vauxhall!!! lol

We were in the pub a couple of weeks ago talking about cycling when my friend's boyfriend announced that he hates cyclists and would quite happily run me off the road. Did he think he was being funny?! I didn't know quite what to say to him to be honest. I know where he parks his van and car though - a bit of 'preventative maintenance' could be arranged...

Did you ask him why he hates cyclists, I dare say with a little probing and questioning he wouldn't be able to actually tell you why, it maight actually make him think if you did question him.

I thought about it but half suspected he was just trying to get a reaction from me so didn't want to rise to the bait. Everyone there knew he sounded like an a**e. I often go very near his house in the mornings though so it's probably only a matter of time until we encounter one another. We'll see how he behaves then.

When did it become a national pastime to harass cyclists on the roads? It's madness...

cee

ColinJ wrote:

cee wrote:

My father taught me a slightly different tactic, but of equal value. Yes breaking bones sends a strong message, but if there is more than one of them, you need to make the first one you hit bleed as much as possible. Shock and Awe!

The trouble is these days, that you'd stand a very good chance of ending up being kicked, stabbed or shot to death, while the whole thing was being filmed for YouTube .

I do not believe that it is any different than it was ten years ago. We just have better reporting from all over the place these days so we hear about the bad stuff more.

i.e. On saturday evening, a group of us were inflating a solar airship in a park in west lothian. cue a load of local kids, ranging between 10 and 17 the older of whom were drinking, started shouting what are you doing.

They were asking us for beer and cigarettes (we said...I'll give you a beer for that full halfdecker of buckie....to which they declined!) and were really just interested in what we were doing. Thats exacly (well maybe minus the drink) as I remember being as a kid when I was 10 - 14.....

I suppose it could have been quite intimidating as about 15 of them were suddenly there, but in all honesty they just wanted to see the airship.

A laugh was had, and then we went on our merry way.

Some young people have caused problems since.....for ever. I reckon that we hear the 5 stories a week and forget that 10 years ago we wouldn't have heard any of them, unless they happened in our local area.

robmanic1

[They were asking us for beer and cigarettes (we said...I'll give you a beer for that full halfdecker of buckie....to which they declined!)


<<<<reaches for Scottish/English translation book

Marko1962

Got a near empty plastic bottle thrown at me today from a passing school bus, little ******ers, didn't hit me but it's the thought that counts and then a few miles down the road along a cycle path I caught up to a commuter on his MB just as he stops to cross over a road, I'm coming alongside when he decides to roll backwards blocking my path causing me to hastily get a foot out of the pedals and only just managing to do it before hitting the deck :shock: , I count myself lucky laugh it off with him and carry on. An hour later I'm coming to a stop at a junction and this time for whatever reason I couldn't get my foot out and fell over, arse so embarrassing, lucky it was onto a grass verge so nothing damaged except my pride, just lucky I had my shades on so nobody could recognise me :oops: oh and that fall was my first so not too bad considering I've been riding since early this year and have been expecting it for a while now...

bobpzero

i always hav real difficulty not reacting to bad drivers. trying to remember to keep my hands on the handlebars near the brakes and keep my mouth shut lol. i avoid going inner city. so i just stick to the country roads and cycle paths that dont hav obstacle(s). i just get the usual driver tryin to find that invisible gap to push through, so no abuse, just runners/power walkers being deaf on cycle paths.

JWSurrey

I think the You-Tube happy-slap generation are making these encounters all the more frequent.
Most of the time it's people looking for a negative reaction from cyclists, so I generally ignore it or wave.

What's worrying are the attempts at pushing people off, or attempting to make them fall off with dangerous driving or using the horn as a rebuke at close quarters, which can cause nasty injuries.
At what point does abuse become assault / something the police are willing to deal with? Would be interesting for Cycling Plus to interview the plod and ask them at what point something is reportable.

CrookedCucumber

JWSurrey wrote:

At what point does abuse become assault / something the police are willing to deal with? Would be interesting for Cycling Plus to interview the plod and ask them at what point something is reportable.

An assault, by (legal) definition, is an action that puts a person in apprehension of immediate violence. The apprehension and the possibility of violence are necessary elements of the offence.

A female friend of mine did successfully pressurize the police to take action against a bunch of young men, who had shouted abusive remarks at her from a car whilst she was cycling. All were eventually convicted

But I suspect that it was because she was a woman, out on her own, that carried the case. I doubt that a big strapping lad would be able to convince the court that he really felt threatened by violence in such a situation.

Of course, if you actually were injured (e.g., by falling off) as a result of such an encounter, the legal situation would be somewhat different. I think that anybody who experiences this should involve the police and press really hard for a prosecution. Sadly, you've really got to be able to identify the vehicle, which will probably be difficult if you end up face down

hisoka

I had an odd incident myself.
Filtering past none moving cars at a traffic lights that were on red. They change and within half a second a car starts to turn, right into me without signalling. I end up hitting into the side of the car lightly as I slam on the anchors and try to not weave into any other traffic.
Guy just starts to get out and I hear the blaring music from another car, big thumping music from across the road and about 4 heads of youths sticking out and just starting to be mouthy. I expect them to be egging on the driver, saying "kick his head in" or something, but to my shock I hear "you a**hole, don't you know to look for someone on a bike? He is so going to sue your a** for that. You alright mate, we saw him cutting you up." and basically supporting me. I was just shocked, and really happy. The car driver I think just was confused totally but still was saying "I'm taking you to the police station and going to have your license for this, what's your insurance details?"

yackers1

Before reading this thread I had never encountered any grief from car drivers, van drivers, lorry drivers, pedestrians - absolutely no-one! However, whilst out for a ride last night it happened.

Some young chav "Shazza" in a black Vauxhall Corsa (funny that...) with blacked out windows not only decided to try and park her car on my rear tyre for the nearly a quarter of a mile (the road from the Brick Kilns pub to the Salhouse roundabout for anyone who knows the Plumstead/Salhouse area of Norfolk) but to continuously yell abuse and tooting her horn.

The road is plenty wide enough for two cars, and whilst I don't ride in the gutter I don't cycle down the middle of the road either.

I am hoping that this immature b***h resides around this area and that I meet her again - only in a place where I can actually have a chance to say something back.

markos1963

yackers1 wrote:

Before reading this thread I had never encountered any grief from car drivers, van drivers, lorry drivers, pedestrians - absolutely no-one! However, whilst out for a ride last night it happened.

Some young chav "Shazza" in a black Vauxhall Corsa (funny that...) with blacked out windows not only decided to try and park her car on my rear tyre for the nearly a quarter of a mile (the road from the Brick Kilns pub to the Salhouse roundabout for anyone who knows the Plumstead/Salhouse area of Norfolk) but to continuously yell abuse and tooting her horn.

The road is plenty wide enough for two cars, and whilst I don't ride in the gutter I don't cycle down the middle of the road either.

I am hoping that this immature b***h resides around this area and that I meet her again - only in a place where I can actually have a chance to say something back.

Its getting worse as I previously posted on this thread. Out on a club run on sunday with about 20 others we were blasted by horns, shouted at and bullied with revved engines as well as cut up. Now you would have thought that winding up 20 fit bikers would be the last thing you would do. Shame we never caught up with any of them

allen

ColinJ wrote:

cee wrote:

My father taught me a slightly different tactic, but of equal value. Yes breaking bones sends a strong message, but if there is more than one of them, you need to make the first one you hit bleed as much as possible. Shock and Awe!

Colin if you see W621 NHD (green fiest} around Ripponden way feel free after his driving on Sat

deal

anyone find people deliberately spray there window washers as they pass in an attempt to direct some of it towards you ? beats getting bottles thrown at you I guess.

i once managed to catch up someone who did the window washer trick at the next lights and emptied nearly a litre of energy drink through his sunroof, amazingly he just sat there covered in my sticky liquid

Anonymous

yackers1 wrote:

Before reading this thread I had never encountered any grief from car drivers, van drivers, lorry drivers, pedestrians - absolutely no-one! However, whilst out for a ride last night it happened.

Some young chav "Shazza" in a black Vauxhall Corsa (funny that...) with blacked out windows not only decided to try and park her car on my rear tyre for the nearly a quarter of a mile (the road from the Brick Kilns pub to the Salhouse roundabout for anyone who knows the Plumstead/Salhouse area of Norfolk) but to continuously yell abuse and tooting her horn.

The road is plenty wide enough for two cars, and whilst I don't ride in the gutter I don't cycle down the middle of the road either.

I am hoping that this immature b***h resides around this area and that I meet her again - only in a place where I can actually have a chance to say something back.

If she was behind me that close to my back wheel I would have just pulled into the middle of the lane and slowed down and stopped.

bonk man

A local cyclist was knocked off by a cretin driving a chav Fiesta, he is local and other riders know who he is so he gets evil glares when he is spotted.................. must be making him paranoid by now, ha, look forward to seeing him out and about today, little worried boy

cannondale41

I get regular abuse.Deserved it once as I was pushing the bike uphill. Most bizarre one was when someone threw half a soft toy squirrel at me!!

cee

Robmanic1 wrote:

[They were asking us for beer and cigarettes (we said...I'll give you a beer for that full halfdecker of buckie....to which they declined!)


<<<<reaches for Scottish/English translation book

apologies....... what i meant to say of course was an 'unopened half-size bottle of buckfast tonic wine'.

Stewie Griffin

Little bit of justice follows, make sure you get to the slow motion bit if you read the comments it appears he survived;

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3aBevFpt3 ... re=related

doktorsteve

I was driving out out of Mkt Harborough the other Friday when I noticed a guy on a roadbike dissappearing round a tight bend in front of me. I slowed down as I went round the bend to see where he was. He was cycling in the middle of the road so I crawled along behind him waiting for him to get back on to the left side of the road. A bit further on he wandered over to the right side of the road where he stayed until a car came towards us. At this point he came back to the middle of the road. I really could not tell if he was going to switch back accross to my side of the road. After the car had gone he wandered back to the opposite side again so I decided to make a break for it and accelerated up my side of the road. I looked behind and the guy on the bike was back in the centre of the road, looking really angry and making punching gestures at me. Funny thing was it was a half decent bike - Speciallized if I remember right - and the guy was pretty steady on it.

I have to say the experience really shook me up. I really wondered what the hell I should have done and whether it was legal to overtake him on the inside.

Nuggs

doktorsteve wrote:

Stuff

It sounds like the guy was riding like a weapons grade nob. It goes to show that a nice bike does not a good rider make.

Not sure what I'd have done in those circumstances. You got past him (and, more importantly, away from him) safely and that's the main thing.

yorkshireraw

My story headline - I got shot at from a passing vehicle.

Reality of what happened wasn't half as dramatic as it sounds - was heading along an empty country road when a minibus (I think as it turns out it was from the local school for 'problem' kids) passes by, I then hear this noise but don't feel or see anything.

Next thing the bus slams to a halt up the road and I see the front passenger (adult) jump out and start shouting at some kid through the rear kerbside window to 'give it here now!'. As I roll up on the drivers side he (the driver) asks if I'm ok - 'fine, what happened?' I reply. Turns out one of the kids had a BB gun on him and had shot at me out the window as they passed! Luckily for me he obviosuly hadn't done the advanced 'drive by' course yet.

Bronzie

YorkshireRaw wrote:

Luckily for me he obviosuly hadn't done the advanced 'drive by' course yet.

Is that the one they show in "Natural Born Killers"? :shock:

AT4

I got egged on sunday, bloody stung even though it half hit my seat and ass, could have been worse. It was on a 60mph road and the car was travelling at some speed. Luckily only got egg on my foot and bit on my pump.

Sadly this is no yolk :oops:

Coach H

Don't get much abuse but it does happen and when it does I have always found that my skin is much thicker than the brains of the abusers and just ignore them.

However for every cocky git there is always someone who they regret messing with and every now and again these people meet. When thay do we can be appauled and satisfied all athe same time.

Last summer I was riding with a friend who has been trained by the MOD for a number of years to be an occasional psycopath. As we approached a town an Saxo loaded with youths tailgated us for a while honking the horn. Having got bored of this they pulled alongside and threw a cup of coke over us and bravely sped off. Friend went quiet but we carried on without much fuss. Rounding the next bend we found the culprit car stopped at railway crossing. We stopped one car behind, freind dismounted and calmly asked me to hold his bike. Just as calmly he walked over to the car, reached in the passenger window and grabed the youth by the throat. The then leant in unclipped the seatbelt and dragged the youth out of the car through the window by their hair and throat and onto the verge. There he asked the youth if he was right handed or left handed and on hearing the reply proceded to break the thumb, index and middle finger of his right hand. he than remounted and rode off asking if I was comming. Such was the calmness that he did this neither myself or I am sure the car behind could quite relate to the violence we witnessed but it certainly had an effect on the youth and his white faced friends left in the car.

Not sure if the words 'horror' or 'comeuppance ' best describes this incident but I doubt they did it again and we didnt talk about it

SteK

Tattoos are the answer!

(although maybe a little extreme!)

The usual d*cks that used to just give abuse now only shout to comment on 'how cool' the tattoos on my legs are - and anyone that falls into the 'ignorant driver' catagory usually only ever looks intimidated when they get a mouthful of abuse from a tattoo'd 20-something after cutting me up....

I even roadtested it on some hardcore looking leather clad motorbikers the other day.

North Leeds, I pull into the centre of the road 50 yards before the lane I need to take bares off to the right. Plenty of room. However, because I'm not doing 60mph the 3 bearded (and one of them was a woman) people that are sat aboard the trike-chopper that has sped up behind me take huge objection aned start waving fists.

I manage to stay along side them for a couple of seconds - just enough to time for the red mist to make me say something along the lines of "pull over up there you ***** ****s and do something about it".

I can only thank the powers that be that they didn't. I'd have surely lost me life tottering towards them in my Sidis with the fighting ability of a 4 year old child - but still - I can only put their reluctance down to the copious amount of tattoo peaking from under the lycra.

Looking, as I sadly do, like Rick Astley - I doubt it was my aggressive face



Ste

aracer

st68 wrote:

i was in the alps last year riding up to les deux alps an got cut up by a range rover shock horror it had british number plates the only time in 8 days

Riding in Brittany a few years ago we got a car overtake us far too close - wouldn't have been such a surprise over here, but was somewhat unexpected there. Surprise, surprise it had a GB plate. A few miles later we came across a big traffic jam heading into the next town and caught up with said car. I stopped and knocked on the window - when it was wound down I said something very much like: "You know sometimes I'm ashamed to be British, Maybe you should watch the French cars and see how much room they give cyclists when overtaking". Then went on our way, leaving behind what looked very much like the wife in the passenger seat having a big go at the husband driving

Occasionally it is possible to educate people - recently got somebody overtake too close to which they got the usual reaction, a bang on the side of the car. They stopped a little way up the road, leaving me a bit worried, but I shouted "give me more room" as I went past anyway. He then overtook again giving me lots of room and calling "sorry" out of the window!

webbhost

oddly enough, abuse is fairly infrequent to me... The worst I have had in the recent months was 1 bunch of kids standing at the side of a patch laughing at me (which is all in fun.... I like wearing my aero helmet lol - looks a little daft and I dont mind people commenting it makes me laugh that they have nothing better to do).

Actually I did have 1 thing about 2-3 months back.... chavs in a car (surprise surprise) opened their window as they passed me and big gust of white smoke covered my view. They were possibly runnig a smoke machine in their car? Id love to have seen them sitting next to a lamp post 100 yards down the road.

Apart from them, im talking ages back now, I have had 1 van driver accidentally cut me up (i had a word he was a bit surprised), and I have had a moan at a driver whilst going down hill, he just braked for no apparent reason THEN indicated that he was pulling in. I said fkkin hell mate, he shouted ya what...... I got off me tot and legged it.

I guess something will happen to me sooner or later! Living in somewhat of a chav town, quite surprising that I get away with it.

Be interesting to see if there is any difference once I mount an all terrain camera to my helmet hehehe

McBain_v1

My dad got squirted by some butt-hole who thought his water pistol was quite funny... until I caught him at the lights and forcibly removed it, and then dumped the contents of my water bottle (filled with sticky Ribena) all over him inside his car. Lights went green - no other drivers seemed to want to get out and help him, so his mate who was driving decided he'd better get going.

It does really irk me though - the good thing is I guess that with petrol prices going higher, chav's daddy/mummy might think twice about letting the little scrotes drive their car for fun.