Getting too close, same car same driver...every day..advice?

kiwirob

Hi All
Sorry to bother you with my problems, but I need some advice.
My commute to the train is down a short steepish hill to the train.
Over some weeks 1 dirver has been getting really close (today about 1 ft away)and actually seems intent on knocking me off.
It's the same bloke, middle aged, mondeo..etc.
What are my options?
Get to the station early and have a quiet chat?
Thump him if he gets aggressive?
Call police? Before he actually does hit me.
I've called out and waved the usual greetings but no response.

Getting as little scared now.
Adveice needed
KR

spursn17

Get his number, advise police. Hopefully one of them will be watching one morning.

Tim.s

Kick his wing mirror off, obviously.

No, don't really

Mark_K

Helmet cam! expensive i know but with out evidence or witness to his bad/dangerous driving the cops cant or wont do anything !

kiwirob

Advise Police?
Does anyone have any experience of them helping in this sort of case?

skyd0g

Depending on your / his relative speed down the hill, I'd suggest taking a more "positive" road position.

...that is, less "in the gutter" and more in the "centre of the lane" (if this is at all practical), so that he has to make a positive move to overtake you, rather than him just drifting past, if this is what he's doing?

kiwirob

We've had previous on this one. I've tried that too.
He honks from behind and then carries on...and gets REALLY close. Am I right in thinking he has it in for me..or am I paranoid?
KR

vorsprung

Sounds like he doesn't realise that he is driving dangerously
If you could talk to him at the station that would be great

King Donut

vorsprung wrote:

Sounds like he doesn't realise that he is driving dangerously
If you could talk to him at the station that would be great

+1 Sometimes a quick chat is all it takes. Personally I'd have a tool in my pocket as well just in case.

R_T_A

+2

Obviously it depends on how you do it. If you verbally lay into him straight away, you'll get the same in return. I

t doesn't sound like you would, and he may not realise how dangerous he's being, and just focussing on the "inconvenience" of you being in front of him.

il_principe

vorsprung wrote:

Sounds like he doesn't realise that he is driving dangerously
If you could talk to him at the station that would be great

Try having a chat before escalating, if hes doesn't see reason - get his plate and call the police, if they do nothing then report him everytime he does it until they take notice, and yeah, ride in primary regardless of the twunt's honking.

Porgy

When someone is that pig ignorant speaking to them can make them worse. I had a bloke just last week who pulled out in front of me - forcing me to brake and swerve to avoid him. When I had a word with he insisted he was nowhere near me, that it was my fault becasue i panicked, and that I should wear a helmet as if this magically make his driving acceptable.

I reckon a helmet cam and then straight to the police.

king_rw

leave a slightly different time-you might miss him

TarmacExpert

How wide is the road? Is there plenty of room for him to get past? How busy is it, is he being held up behind you waiting for a gap in oncoming traffic? Is there any other reason why he might feel he's being held up behind you, e.g. blind corners that mean he has to sit behind you for a while till he has a clear view to overtake?

Paulie W

I've had something similar happen to me and in the end the simplest least stressful thing to do was find an alternative route - now that may not be reaslly feasible for you but if not then leaving earlier gets the same result.

always_tyred

Il Principe wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

Sounds like he doesn't realise that he is driving dangerously
If you could talk to him at the station that would be great

Try having a chat before escalating, if hes doesn't see reason - get his plate and call the police, if they do nothing then report him everytime he does it until they take notice, and yeah, ride in primary regardless of the twunt's honking.

I would advise just happening to have your mobile phone recording video when you do this. Discretely.

Personally, I'd hit the side of his car, pretend my hand was hurt and start spouting off about hit and run and demand his insurance details, then make a show of trying to call the police with your LEFT hand if he doesn't brick himself and start apologising profusely.

(I advise taking all, or some, or none of this advice.....)

kiwirob

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.
Have tried:
Leaving at a different time
Findsing alternative routes

No joy!

No he is not being held up in long line of traffic. I live in the Chilterns...quite wide roads for the UK...perhaps wide enough to think you can pass...but he's not ACTUALLY passing...he's almost skimming me...if that's the expression to use.

kiwirob

Actually I have thought of the "eye for an eye" approach but he comes up so fast behind me ..as others do...and he must be going 40+...hitting the car or kicking it might actually cause me an injury.
Keep 'em coming.
KR

Tim.s

Find out where he parks his car and put a banana up his exhaust pipe.

That'll teach him.

dilemna

If he is persistently coming close to you - take a more assertive road position, look over your shoulder several times, eyeballing him until he has passed you. If he still comes close or tries to cut you up you can either film him with your camera as he tries to pass you which generally works and makes them give you more space or alternatively if he is really close a swift bang on his car's roof with the flat of your palm or glove. It won't do any damage and will scare the censored out of him or either hold onto his wing mirror as he squeezes past you. Either way you don't have to suffer this driver's repeatedly dangerous driving. Have your mobile to hand just in case he gets nasty with his car. Keep a diary of incidents as well.

Tom Butcher

I'd report it to the police straight away - it sounds like it's deliberate - the guy probably thinks all cyclists should get out of his way.

as an aside - you aren't the KiwiRob formerly of Leicester are you - aka red card Rob ?

kiwirob

Tom
There are 2 of us?
My wife won't be pleased! But "red card" sounds like an interesting pseudonym. Interesting bloke?
Sorry no relation.
KR

always_tyred

Another vote for advise police. 40mph open road is a bit worse than I'd imagined. I know its not what you want to think, but if anything DOES happen and you've made a record of it now, you will be in a far stronger position.

Alternatively, or in addition, speak to the guy on the train/station, when he's well away from the influence of the car and when you don't look like a cyclist (if that's possible - drive one day if you have to) and where there are a lot of people. Calmly tell him you've made a report and why. Explain that you had to do so before speaking with him because you feared his subsequent behaviour behind the wheel. He'll sh!t himself.

At the station, he'll have his guard down and he will no longer have the super power strength and anonymity of his vehicle - people adopt alternate personas in a car. At the station, he'll be facing another person, on an equal footing and it may be helpful for the boundary between his behaviour in a vehicle and the rest of his life to be breached. Of course there is no actual barrier, but people drive as if there is.

Imagine how much fun you'll have grabbing him by the throat and holding him within a foot of a passing train. (Do not do this)

sebastiandangerfield

Common sense approach. Speak to him first, be polite and explain what he's doing is dangerous. Guage his reponse, he may well appologise and stop, he may well kick off and be an idiot but at least you tried. If that doesn't work, inform the Police, I doubt they could do much about it for you other than talking to him and logging your call so it's recorded though. Final option, kick censored out of his car!

I wouldn't report him and then tell him about it coz that'l prolly piss him right off!

always_tyred

sebastiandangerfield wrote:

Common sense approach. Speak to him first, be polite and explain what he's doing is dangerous. Guage his reponse, he may well appologise and stop, he may well kick off and be an idiot but at least you tried. If that doesn't work, inform the Police, I doubt they could do much about it for you other than talking to him and logging your call so it's recorded though. Final option, kick shoot out of his car!

I wouldn't report him and then tell him about it coz that'l prolly wee-wee him right off!

He might be wee'd off anyway. I know there are those who hate the whistle blowing attitude, but I really think its an appropriate precaution if this guy is playing roulette with cyclists. I'm assuming that the OP is genuinely now in fear of cycling to work.

For sure the police won't do anything, its about leaving a record of concerns. The advantage of doing it before having a quiet word is that there is then no argument that you only reported it because you had a falling out at the train station. Its something you can chose to say, or not to mention, in conversation with the driver.

CiB

Any chance of an independent witness to his behaviour? I reported a woman the other week for shooting though the next village to us past the kids playground at way more than 30 with her phone stuck to her earlobe, Plod admitted that they'd love to have taken it further but without another witness there's no chance.

The Chingford Skinhead

Speak to the police and ask them for advice. They may not want to give it, but insist. If they say take an alternative route, leave later etc tell them that does not address the driver's behaviour to you or other cyclists and that you've tried this anyway.

Then I'd speak to him. I wouldn't necessarily say from the off that you've spoken to the police but if he cuts up rough I'd mention it and that you're going to speak to them again.

Best of luck mate

Mike Healey

If it's this consistent, it's deliberate, whether thro' ignorance (unlikely) or malice. In either case he is endangering you. Take his number and report it to the police, preferably every time.

And yes, they may well have a word - I reported a couple of idiots driving onto a local roundabout infront of me, causing a rapid stop and they came back to me having had a warning word with them

stev68

Wycombes full of censored drivers,thats why i dont do urban anymore,safer up the woods lol,im about a mile away from the train station,what road you avin bovver on?
perhaps i could look out for you im out the house at 7.20am if its any good.

kiwirob

Wow!
Thanks all for the replies.
Update:
I read everyone's suggestions and decided to have a word first.
My Mondeo man doesn't in fact stop at my station (Gt Missenden)otherwise I would already have said something...which I have done on several occasions to inconsiderate drivers with most outcomes positive.
I decided to get up pretty early and wait at the bottom of the hill (Martinsend Lane) at 655 and waive him over.
This was very interesting as, when he saw me beckoning him to stop he carried on despite my running a short distance to see if he would in fact stop.
My plan is to continue until he stops and then we can have a chat.
Maybe he will get sick of this and maybe he will change his times/ routes etc. It's a wait and see situation.

My wife also informed me that she will phone the police as a concerned wife and register the situation.
Keep up the good ideas!
Cheers
KR

AndyManc

kiwirob wrote:

Wow!
Thanks all for the replies.
Update:
I read everyone's suggestions and decided to have a word first.
My Mondeo man doesn't in fact stop at my station (Gt Missenden)otherwise I would already have said something...which I have done on several occasions to inconsiderate drivers with most outcomes positive.
I decided to get up pretty early and wait at the bottom of the hill (Martinsend Lane) at 655 and waive him over.
This was very interesting as, when he saw me beckoning him to stop he carried on despite my running a short distance to see if he would in fact stop.
My plan is to continue until he stops and then we can have a chat.
Maybe he will get sick of this and maybe he will change his times/ routes etc. It's a wait and see situation.

My wife also informed me that she will phone the police as a concerned wife and register the situation.
Keep up the good ideas!
Cheers
KR

Take your camera and take a pic of him and his car, that will give him something to worry about , in fact he may stop and ask what you are doing.



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