A Confession, a Warning, a Rant and an Anti-Rant

gingaman

Forgive me fellow commuters, for I have sinned.

Last night I lost my zen like calm state and had an altercation with a motorist. For any of you that know the area, I was travelling between the reservoirs on the B369 heading from Walton towards Molesey. It was dark with no street lighting, I had my lights on, I was in a good position on the road due to there being some nasty drains along that stretch.

With about 150 yards before the junction, some cars decided to overtake. The last car in the bunch, a dark Audi, decided there wasn't enough road left to complete so dropped onto my wheel and leaned on his horn. Repeatedly. :roll: then revved up and zoomed past almost brushing my handlebar he was that close.

Now, here's where I made my mistake: I turned my light to flash mode, to indicate to the driver I was there, occupying the space he was trying to (I might have also angled it upwards slightly).
This seemed to enrage the driver as he put his car into reverse and tried to back into me! I saw his reverse lights come on so nipped up the side to try and get away, but he was very quick to pass me again and nose into the kerb to cut me off and stop me moving. He lowered his window and the abuse flowed forth :evil: " Why don't you f**kin get out me way, you f**kin c*nt. I'll knock you off that bike and f**k you up, you don't know who I am" :shock: ranting and raving etc etc

"Yeah, Yeah" says I, "What's your f*rkin problem" and tried to edge past. He was having none of it, did a bit of stop/start driving trying to intimidate me, holding traffic up (we were now past the junction heading toward Molesey), until I suppose he got bored and drove off.

I shouldn't have reacted by switching light mode, but to be honest passing that close scared the sh1te out of me.

So to the warning: If you see a dark Audi saloon type car, reg BK04 K** in the Walton/Molesey area, watch out. The driver doesn't like cyclists and I'm afraid I didn't react in the way I should have and the way I normally do :oops: , thereby raising his blood pressure and his hatred of cyclists.



Rant at the workers on the river Wey by Coxes lock. I don't know what work they are doing, but they have overlaid the surface of the path with loose sand, mud and rocks to a depth of about 4 inches. One can't really cycle on loose sand, and when one doesn't know it is there, one comes to a rather abrupt halt.

I am all in favour of renewing the surface, as it was quite rutted and needed some TLC, but surely they should have tamped it down once they were finished? All it will do now is rut and pit again as if they hadn't done anything at all, not to mention the safety aspect (no lighting, loose surface material, deep water, steep slopes)

Anti-Rant:
Even with all of the above, life is good
I got paid today. More than I was expecting
I've got homemade carrot cake. Yum
I've lost nearly 1.5 stone since mid October (even with carrot cake )

arran77

Right, so the motorist might have been in the wrong in the first place but then you deliberately wind him up and you're surprised by his reaction to you :roll:

daviesee

Don't wind up people with a bigger weapon than you.

arran77

daviesee wrote:

Don't wind up people with a bigger weapon than you.

A bigger, faster more lethal weapon

asprilla

What an arse. I'll keep an eye out, cheers.

That stretch of road is best avoided as it's the only 60mph road in the area. You are best off staying on the A3050 and then turning south on one of the residential roads to get back onto Walton Road in Molesey.

gingaman

I'll admit to provoking the guy with the flashing lights, but as I stated I was trying to warn him I was there, he passed so close it was as if he wanted a go on my bike!

@Arran77 How would you have reacted in that situation? Or in any situation that scares you? I'm not surprised by his reaction, more the vitriol and anger he displayed after a dangerous and stupid manoeuvre.

@Asprilla, The choice of the B369 or the A3050 I think doesn't really make a difference, the A3050 is 40mph (I think), but how many cars stick to that limit?

arran77

Warning him is fine but you said that you 'might' have angled it upwards, to me that seems like you were deliberately trying to point it in his face?

I would have just let it go, like Daviesee said, never take on someone with a bigger weapon.

gingaman

arran77 wrote:

Warning him is fine but you said that you 'might' have angled it upwards, to me that seems like you were deliberately trying to point it in his face?

Hence the reason for my 'confession'

Usually my front light is pointing at the floor about 6 feet in front of me, angling it upwards makes it more apparent.

gingaman wrote:

I shouldn't have reacted by switching light mode, but to be honest passing that close scared the sh1te out of me.

arran77

gingaman wrote:

Hence the reason for my 'confession'

So you admit you did something wrong but you're surprised that I don't support you and your actions.

gingaman

No sir, each to their own. Maybe I should sit on the naughty step for a while?

arran77

Good we're agreed then, you did something stupid and you don't expect any support.

t4tomo

gingaman wrote:

Rant at the workers on the river Wey by Coxes lock. I don't know what work they are doing, but they have overlaid the surface of the path with loose sand, mud and rocks to a depth of about 4 inches. One can't really cycle on loose sand, and when one doesn't know it is there, one comes to a rather abrupt halt.

I am all in favour of renewing the surface, as it was quite rutted and needed some TLC, but surely they should have tamped it down once they were finished? All it will do now is rut and pit again as if they hadn't done anything at all, not to mention the safety aspect (no lighting, loose surface material, deep water, steep slopes)

sounds like work in progress - they will be putting a top surface on later. doesn't excuse leaving it in a crappy state with no warning though

gingaman

t4tomo wrote:

sounds like work in progress - they will be putting a top surface on later. doesn't excuse leaving it in a crappy state with no warning though

I hope so, although judging by the state of the rest of the path I wont be holding my breath.

gingaman

gingaman wrote:

Even with all of the above, life is good
I got paid today. More than I was expecting
I've got homemade carrot cake. Yum
I've lost nearly 1.5 stone since mid October (even with carrot cake )

asprilla

arran77 wrote:

Warning him is fine but you said that you 'might' have angled it upwards, to me that seems like you were deliberately trying to point it in his face?

I would have just let it go, like Daviesee said, never take on someone with a bigger weapon.

I'm not entirely sure adjusting your lights is an aggressive action. Would you count me shouting 'Holy Fucking Shit!' When someone does a near pass as provocation?

arran77

Asprilla wrote:

arran77 wrote:

Warning him is fine but you said that you 'might' have angled it upwards, to me that seems like you were deliberately trying to point it in his face?

I would have just let it go, like Daviesee said, never take on someone with a bigger weapon.

I'm not entirely sure adjusting your lights is an aggressive action. Would you count me shouting 'Holy ******* shoot!' When someone does a near pass as provocation?

No, shouting would just be a reaction, going to the effort of changing the lights mode and angling it up is a deliberate and thought out action.

jds_1981

I don't get this, so the driver went past, then became enraged by a flashing light in his rearview and tried to reverse into you?

I have one of my front lights angled forwards in flash mode. Should I now expect this to be interpreted as aggressive and to be reversed in to?

arran77

jds_1981 wrote:

I don't get this, so the driver went past, then became enraged by a flashing light in his rearview and tried to reverse into you?

No. The OP turned his light onto flashing mode after the driver went past and then 'might' have angled it up as well, quite different from having your light on flashing mode and have it pointed in a sensible direction!

asprilla

arran77 wrote:

jds_1981 wrote:

I don't get this, so the driver went past, then became enraged by a flashing light in his rearview and tried to reverse into you?

No. The OP turned his light onto flashing mode after the driver went past and then 'might' have angled it up as well, quite different from having your light on flashing mode and have it pointed in a sensible direction!

It's not that different. I think that you, like the guy in the car, are blowing his actions out of proportion.

arran77

Asprilla wrote:

arran77 wrote:

jds_1981 wrote:

I don't get this, so the driver went past, then became enraged by a flashing light in his rearview and tried to reverse into you?

No. The OP turned his light onto flashing mode after the driver went past and then 'might' have angled it up as well, quite different from having your light on flashing mode and have it pointed in a sensible direction!

It's not that different. I think that you, like the guy in the car, are blowing his actions out of proportion.

No. I'm just making the point that the OP admits to doing something daft and then complains when people don't fully support his actions

daviesee

Asprilla wrote:

It's not that different. I think that you, like the guy in the car, are blowing his actions out of proportion.

Antagonising anyone in charge of a 1 1/2 tonne potential weapon isnt a good idea.
Proportional or not.
Warranted or not.
Deserved or not.

Personal safety and preservation comes before being "right".

asprilla

It's not about 'right'. I would class his actions as innocuous and so I would find it difficult to say they were 'daft'.

arran77

Putting yourself in unnecessary danger is daft, the OP's reaction did put him in unnecessary danger, therefore what he did was daft.

stu-bim

OP was not right but in no way could he have expected to have provoked the reaction he got.

I am not one for causing trouble but his actions were minor and did not warrant someone reversing. That is a very deliberate action.

arran77

stu-bim wrote:

in no way could he have expected to have provoked the reaction he got.

That's the crux of it, you don't know how people will react so just don't do anything that could potentially make the situation worse.

Coach H

arran77 wrote:

stu-bim wrote:

in no way could he have expected to have provoked the reaction he got.

That's the crux of it, you don't know how people will react so just don't do anything that could potentially make the situation worse.

Works both ways.
The driver didn't know he wasn't confronting Chuck Norris, but it didn't stop him .

To me the poster offers a balanced description and confession; there is no need to flame them further.
A discussion about the overall situation is OK but rightious indignation is really not the point, is it??

arran77

Coach H wrote:

The driver didn't know he wasn't confronting Chuck Norris, but it didn't stop him .

True but I'd say the odds were stacked in the drivers favour.

Kieran_Burns

arran77 wrote:

Coach H wrote:

The driver didn't know he wasn't confronting Chuck Norris, but it didn't stop him .

True but I'd say the odds were stacked in the drivers favour.

This isn't the hunger games you know....

asprilla

I'm hungry. Is there cake?

porlyworly

I did the same to a transit van driver this morning, was flying down a long hill and he was at a junction waiting to turn right, instead of waiting for me to pass he decided to pull out in front of me leaving me about three or four seconds to get from 35ish mph to a full stop. Banged on his window and gave him some abuse which probably wasn't the most sensible thing to do but hey ho.

jds_1981

Asprilla wrote:

arran77 wrote:

jds_1981 wrote:

I don't get this, so the driver went past, then became enraged by a flashing light in his rearview and tried to reverse into you?

No. The OP turned his light onto flashing mode after the driver went past and then 'might' have angled it up as well, quite different from having your light on flashing mode and have it pointed in a sensible direction!

It's not that different. I think that you, like the guy in the car, are blowing his actions out of proportion.

Quite, as aggressive gestures go, adjusting ones lights aren't that high up. Indeed, I'm normally guilty of doing so several times per commute - Mako 5.0 - good light, poor handlebar holder. As an experiment I also tried turning it onto flashing mode several times on my way home just now. Don't think anyone even noticed.