Drivers who block cyclists!

Mike400

There is a stretch of road on the final leg of my commute home, which is single lane carriageway and is pretty slow moving.

Im usually travelling faster than the traffic at this point, and slower moving vehicles in front usually move to the right as far as possible to let me skim up the inside.

I was coming up to a black clio, when he swerved over tight to the left, blatantly blocking me. Now given that he was trundling along at maybe 10mph, and im doing 18mph, I thought I would nip up the outside. As I moved to the right he done the same, blocking me on the outside, so I decided just to hang back.

A few seconds later he had to stop as the cars ahead ground to a halt. At this point he is still on the outside so I manage to pass him on the inside. I glanced in and shook his head, and he laughed back while doing the "wanker" sign.

About five minutes later, The traffic had picked up, and he drew alongside me, smiling, while he slowly edged closer and closer to the bike, then sped off.

What the hell is wrong with some people? What had been a really good ride home left me feelin agitated and stressed for ages afterwards.

I wish I remembered his reg but at the time I was too busy second guessing him.

Its unlikely ill encounter him again even if it is his regular route as I was working late last night, and am usually on that stretch an hour or two earlier. Thankfully.

I guess its just par for the course eh?

UndercoverElephant

A well placed wobble is always your friend in these situations. Preferably one which makes your feet come out at the sides. :twisted:

ride_whenever

I wouldn't worry, you get di*ks everywhere. The trick is to be on the outside well in advance of the slow traffic then they can't really do anything about it

DonDaddyD

At this point someone on the FGSS website would be posting

Shoulda D'locked the f*cukers window! << insert angry face emoticon >>

:evil:

Paulie W

Take solace in the fact that he is probably wracked with a deeply felt self-loathing.

jimjamyaharr

Mike400
I get that all the time on my motorbike it drives me mental, if car drivers dont like traffic jams get a bike.

i have also accidently knocked a few wing mirriors off

jimjamyaharr

Mike400
I get that all the time on my motorbike it drives me mental, if car drivers dont like traffic jams get a bike.

i have also accidently knocked a few wing mirriors off

jimjamyaharr

Mike400
I get that all the time on my motorbike it drives me mental, if car drivers dont like traffic jams get a bike.

i have also accidently knocked a few wing mirriors off

Mike400

DonDaddyD wrote:

At this point someone on the FGSS website would be posting

Shoulda D'locked the f*cukers window! << insert angry face emoticon >>

:evil:

Often tempted with idiots to unclip and drag a cleat up the side of their car. But I know it would make me no better, even though it would feel pretty good at the time!

Porgy

jimjamyaharr wrote:

Mike400
I get that all the time on my motorbike it drives me mental, if car drivers dont like traffic jams get a bike.

i have also accidently knocked a few wing mirriors off

I did this once in Dulwich years ago - one idiot in a Volvo who decided to stick himself as far left as possible when he saw me coming - I tried to avoid him but disintergrated his wing mirror. I was all ready to stop and offer to pay for it, etc. when the bloke got out of his car and threatened to smash me and my bike up - so i legged it.

I couldn;t use that route again in case I ran into him again.

RyanB

Some of us are simply quite happy with the endowment the Big Man gave us. Other feel the need to drive cars in the manner described above to complement their masculinity.

Wouldn't worry about.

If it happens again? I suggest the D-Lock move as others recommend.

Wallace1492

It galls me that drivers can toy with our lives so easily and nothing gets done about it. Basically if the driver injures you or kills you the Old Bill might do something about it. However if by clever manouvering, hard braking, anticipation and vigilence, you namage to avoid a collision with a car driver breaking traffic rules they will have no comeback, even if you get his number, (as I found out last night when a 60mph BMW shot through red lights as I was going through green). Unless you get other credible witnesses.

Wallace1492

It galls me that drivers can toy with our lives so easily and nothing gets done about it. Basically if the driver injures you or kills you the Old Bill might do something about it. However if by clever manouvering, hard braking, anticipation and vigilence, you namage to avoid a collision with a car driver breaking traffic rules they will have no comeback, even if you get his number, (as I found out last night when a 60mph BMW shot through red lights as I was going through green). Unless you get other credible witnesses.

seataltea

Phlegm.

tuxpoo

Open the boot and polity tap on the window saying .." your boots open M8"

Much more effective and legal than damaging his car. Might get sued by his wife when he has to waddle round the car and dies from over exhaustion .

funny how they wait until your gone until they get out the car

Tux

jimjamyaharr

Porgy
hahaha sounds like a common story, iv hit a blokes wingmirror it didnt break but moved abit so i stoped to say sorry, said man jumped out of his car with a face the colour of beetroot and pushed me off my bike, then just tured around adjusted his wing mirror and drove off laughing at me :oops:


It wasent a very nice experiance, i was only 17

tuxpoo

Open the boot and polity tap on the window saying .." your boots open M8"

Much more effective and legal than damaging his car. Might get sued by his wife when he has to waddle round the car and dies from over exhaustion .

funny how they wait until your gone until they get out the car

Tux

turnerjohn

treat every car driver as tho their out to get you! although I find a bar-end close to their presious motor normally does the trick !

Bassjunkieuk

RyanB wrote:

Some of us are simply quite happy with the endowment the Big Man gave us. Other feel the need to drive cars in the manner described above to complement their masculinity.

Wouldn't worry about.

If it happens again? I suggest the D-Lock move as others recommend.

Very well put :-D As for the D-lock technique I'm not sure I can speak (or type) for other users but I tuck mine in the backpack so it would be a rather involved process to tackle them with it ;-) I'd normally just either give them the finger or if their window is down I might suggest that they enjoy the queue as I disappear into the distance.

Had some ar$e this morning thinking he's The Stig racing around, late braking and not following lane disciplines. Last I saw of him I think he was stuck in the queuing cars at some temporary traffic lights that I'd easily got through on the first change :-D

jimjamyaharr

Bassjunkieuk
i know we are not all saints but wouldent sticking your finger up at motorist reinforce there veiws that cyclist are tits, see RLJING THREAD

Eau Rouge

Wallace1492 wrote:

It galls me that drivers can toy with our lives so easily and nothing gets done about it. Basically if the driver injures you or kills you the Old Bill might do something about it. However if by clever manouvering, hard braking, anticipation and vigilence, you namage to avoid a collision with a car driver breaking traffic rules they will have no comeback, even if you get his number, (as I found out last night when a 60mph BMW shot through red lights as I was going through green). Unless you get other credible witnesses.

Without a witness it's your word against his. You can't expect the Police to go about talking to people based on nothing more than "some guy told us something almost, but didn't actually, happened" Is that the sort of country you want to live in?

spen666

DonDaddyD wrote:

At this point someone on the FGSS website would be posting

Shoulda D'locked the f*cukers window! << insert angry face emoticon >>

:evil:

What is his ethnic background? :twisted:

I'm just curious that's all

Bassjunkieuk

jimjamyaharr wrote:

Bassjunkieuk
i know we are not all saints but wouldent sticking your finger up at motorist reinforce there veiws that cyclist are tits, see RLJING THREAD

Maybe I overstated it a bit there, I'll usually save the finger for the drivers who attempt to kill me or feel the need to race past far to close.

In contrast to the OP tho I have had experiences (that I've mentioned on other threads) where drivers have actually moved to let me through :-)

IMO idiots such as this only represent a small percentage of drivers and I've never been unfortunate enough to encounter someone who intentionally blocks me, but then I think I put most of it down to drivers just not seeing me rather then seeing me and moving to block :roll:

spen666

DonDaddyD wrote:

At this point someone on the FGSS website would be posting

Shoulda D'locked the f*cukers window! << insert angry face emoticon >>

:evil:

What is his ethnic background? :twisted:

I'm just curious that's all

spen666

DonDaddyD wrote:

At this point someone on the FGSS website would be posting

Shoulda D'locked the f*cukers window! << insert angry face emoticon >>

:evil:

What is his ethnic background? :twisted:

I'm just curious that's all

Animal100

is there an echo going on with this thread?

Wallace1492

Eau Rouge wrote:

Wallace1492 wrote:

It galls me that drivers can toy with our lives so easily and nothing gets done about it. Basically if the driver injures you or kills you the Old Bill might do something about it. However if by clever manouvering, hard braking, anticipation and vigilence, you namage to avoid a collision with a car driver breaking traffic rules they will have no comeback, even if you get his number, (as I found out last night when a 60mph BMW shot through red lights as I was going through green). Unless you get other credible witnesses.

Without a witness it's your word against his. You can't expect the Police to go about talking to people based on nothing more than "some guy told us something almost, but didn't actually, happened" Is that the sort of country you want to live in?

My analogy was that if the guy had a swipe at me with a knife and i managed to get out the way, would they still do nothing? And yes, I do expect the Police to do something if I report a driver doing over 60MPH in a 30 residential area, careeing through a red light. If I am lying the full weight of the law can come down upon me. We do live in a country where we should be able to keep the streets safe for ourselves and other users. You seem to belittle the close call that I had, let me assure you that it was the most frightening thing I have seen in 30 years of cycling, it was a very close thing.

Wallace1492

Eau Rouge wrote:

Wallace1492 wrote:

It galls me that drivers can toy with our lives so easily and nothing gets done about it. Basically if the driver injures you or kills you the Old Bill might do something about it. However if by clever manouvering, hard braking, anticipation and vigilence, you namage to avoid a collision with a car driver breaking traffic rules they will have no comeback, even if you get his number, (as I found out last night when a 60mph BMW shot through red lights as I was going through green). Unless you get other credible witnesses.

Without a witness it's your word against his. You can't expect the Police to go about talking to people based on nothing more than "some guy told us something almost, but didn't actually, happened" Is that the sort of country you want to live in?

My analogy was that if the guy had a swipe at me with a knife and i managed to get out the way, would they still do nothing? And yes, I do expect the Police to do something if I report a driver doing over 60MPH in a 30 residential area, careeing through a red light. If I am lying the full weight of the law can come down upon me. We do live in a country where we should be able to keep the streets safe for ourselves and other users. You seem to belittle the close call that I had, let me assure you that it was the most frightening thing I have seen in 30 years of cycling, it was a very close thing.

Paul E

Just had my first taste of London traffic on a bike, didn't have anyone do it to me today (30 mile round trip warm up), had plenty not giving enough room though, was soooo satisfying to breeze past them in traffic, can't wait to get a road bike now, not sure what average speed I was doing as I smashed the bar mount for my garmin before xmas on an bad off up in Scotland.

chuckcork

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

In contrast to the OP tho I have had experiences (that I've mentioned on other threads) where drivers have actually moved to let me through :-):

My experience too.

I find its more annoying when someone overtakes me right before a junction or some narrowing of the road and completely blocks me from getting through what wouldn't have been a problem.

If I can I just move out and take primary but its frankly a right pain. :evil:

Mr_Cellophane

Wallace1492 wrote:

And yes, I do expect the Police to do something if I report a driver doing over 60MPH in a 30 residential area.

The point is you can not prove that he was doing 60. The best you can say is that he was going fast. You do not have a radar gun, nor all the high tech, regularly calibrated equipment that the police have.