THE RAGE

shoulder_of_orion · May 2009

Hot diggity dang!

I lost my rag a little bit yesterday. I was crossing Vauxhall Bridge heading South in the evening rush hour.

Some fool was making the already narrow cycle lane even narrower by driving in it. Just as I was overtaking him he swerved further to the left and almost hit me.

As I passed I hit the passenger window quite hard with my fist. Both passenger and driver looked shocked for the instant that I saw them as I passed. I think they had been chatting away oblivious to me until I hit the window.

I only acknowledged the beeping with a solitary finger as I went on my way.

I am annoyed with myself as most people who saw the incident will have seen an irate cyclist first hit the window of a car with his fist and then give the driver the bird. The driver probably has no idea why I reacted the way I did.

I am sure most of the drivers were thinking "typical cyclist"...

cjcp · May 2009

Shoulder of Orion wrote:

The driver probably has no idea why I reacted the way I did.

I am sure most of the drivers were thinking "typical cyclist"...

Which, IMO, is much worse than you (a) banging on the window, and (b) giving them the bird, neither of which are as likely to cause the amount of harm a car can cause.

Roastie · May 2009

I respect the confession Orion, I can relate.

I did a similar a few weeks back. Waited for the driver, pulled him over and then gave him a good piece of my mind. He was such a friendly bloke and it made me feel like a prize d**khead. The light went green and so I didn't get a chance to properly articulate my apology to him.

In truth, tho' he was to blame - true blame for the incident was shared. I keep looking out for him on my commute - if I see him I will flag him down again and apologise.

cee · May 2009

Roastiecp wrote:

I

In truth, tho' he was to blame - true blame for the incident was shared. I keep looking out for him on my commute - if I see him I will flag him down again and apologise.

he probably won't stop after the fizzing you gave him last time!

downfader · May 2009

I had an incident this morning that prolly resulted in a "flacking cyclist!" from the driver. Riding behind a bus which had just overtaken me I knew there was a traffic island with a plastic bollard a few feet (about 10) ahead. I saw a car flick up to the side of me and had I not stuck my hand out and shouted "NOT YET!!" he would have ended up hitting the bollard in a proper overtake-fail.

Did he thank me? Nah, he just pulled over ahead to have an argument with his missus. :?

DonDaddyD · May 2009

I use to come on here to vent my frustrations but much like motorists some here would have me believe that I'm not allowed to have thoughts oppinions or a sense of humour....

Anyway :roll:

I don't think you did anything wrong Shoulder, I suspect even the driver would have acted in the same way, when your personal safety is at risk...

Rockbuddy · May 2009

DonDaddyD wrote:

I use to come on here to vent my frustrations but much like motorists some here would have me believe that I'm not allowed to have thoughts oppinions or a sense of humour....

Ya feeling sorry for ya self fella? Come on if you start so many contentious threads ya gotta expect a bit of conflict right

It's all fun in the end, isn't it?

Lysander · May 2009

I'm also a keen runner and I find that some motorists sound their horn just to give you a jump. Had this the other day when I was running along a pavement and suddenly there was a loud blast from about 10 feet behind me. A clapped out Renault Laguna then past . It was rush hour so I caught up with the car a minute later and I could see the driver and his God awful girlfriend smiling at me. Did think about stopping to have a go but whats the point bothering with white trash. That sort of thing just really gets to me. Why?

benno68 · May 2009

Lysander wrote:

I find that some motorists sound their horn just to give you a jump. That sort of thing just really gets to me. Why?

Yup - they seem to think it's"a laugh". I often get cars beeping, usually when it's a struggle to get up a hill etc, I try to think of it as a sign of encouragement and just have a laugh to myself - better than getting angry.

However, I did have some to$$er in the passenger seat of a cabriolet call me a "w@nker" on a nice downhill stretch (CJ knows the hill

). I maxed out trying to catch him (40+ mph).
As I pulled alongside at a set of lights I just had a quiet word "lucky I'm in a good mood mate" and just left it at that!

I wouldn't have minded so much if he'd have known me

benno68 · May 2009

@Lysander - always worth keeping your water bottle topped up. I did once squirt it at a driver who upset me, his window was closed but it still made him jump

.

Bassjunkieuk · May 2009

I've had 2 window thumping incidents and that was only because I could "safely" whack their vehicle as warning!

Once was as I was filtering down in the bike lane towards some green lights when the taxi alongside me decided to literally leave it until the stop line before the ASL to indicate his intentions to turn left. I grabbed a handful of brake lever and managed slow down enough and whacked his rear 3/4 window. I felt rather sorry for his fare as I think it was them that got a bigger scare

Second was as I was coming down Denmark Hill on one of those rare instances where the lights at bottom are green. I was in bus lane but it runs out about 10 yards from the stop line and with cars queueing to turn right drivers normally use this bit to go straight on. I was in primary due to carrying about 25mph of speed when a MPV just indicated and pulled into the lane. I was anticipating this as it's a regular occurance but they normally realize and let me past. Not this guy so he got a friendly "reminder" that he almost flattened me.

SoO - At the end of the day you have as much right to use the road as the car driver, if someone had encroached or attempted to sideswipe him I'm damn sure he would have used his horn and given them a right mouthful, unfortunately bike bells aren't very effective against those in tin boxes to we have to resort to other methods to warn drivers of their infringements on us.

cjcp · May 2009

Benno68 wrote:

@Lysander - always worth keeping your water bottle topped up. I did once squirt it at a driver who upset me, his window was closed but it still made him jump .

Did this to dullard driver who squirted me with windscreen wash. Grrrr.

And as for that chap in the cabriolet, oh dear. Hairdressers' cars.

tardington · May 2009

DonDaddyD wrote:

I use to come on here to vent my frustrations but much like motorists some here would have me believe that I'm not allowed to have thoughts oppinions or a sense of humour....

Anyway :roll:

I don't think you did anything wrong Shoulder, I suspect even the driver would have acted in the same way, when your personal safety is at risk...

Oh DDD!
Cuddle this :

while I get teacher...

THE RAGE

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