Road Rage - What would you do?

rwoofer

On my commute home I took the first exit off a roundabout when a Mercedes car coming from the 3rd exit accelerated really hard to come right up my backside, beeped and shouted you've got to give way to me. Now I was ahead of him even after he accelerated hard, so I was clearly ahead when we entered the roundabout.

It was a single carriageway with traffic queuing the other way and he stayed glued to my rear wheel revving his engine and trying to squeeze past me. With my adrenaline pumping I tried to keep my cool until he effectively pushed me into the kerb, whereupon I hit his wing mirror with my hand shouting to him to keep his distance. He accelerated ahead pulled over, opened his door and got out to physically assault me, however he then noticed his car rolling as he hadn't put on the hand brake. So had to jump back in as I overtook. He then accelerated from behind me so I mounted to kerb to make sure he would not hit me.

He went further ahead to park his car properly. I realised he wanted to have another go, so I accelerated to pass him as he jumped out and he took a swing at me with his fist. Because he was right handed he only caught my rucksack thankfully. A lady in an Audi A3 then overtook him and stayed a safe distance behind me, so that the Mercedes couldn't get near me.

When the Mercedes turned off I spoke to the woman, who just said are you OK and that the Mercedes man was a nasty piece of work. I thanked her for protecting me and then carried on home.

Now I think the big mistake was hitting his wing mirror, but when you are under threat it is very difficult to keep rational, so what would you have done?

kingstongraham

Let him past as soon as I know he's a wrong 'un.

Have been in a very similar situation, and wouldn't touch the car in that situation again. He's in the wrong, but that's no use in your obituary.

DeVlaeminck

I have smashed a wing mirror in the past but yeah best not to escalate it.

First.Aspect

If it's that mental, get out of there. Aside from anything else, cleats and bike shoes don't offer much grip, for setting yourself to punch back. Or to run away.

MattFalle

Avoid the whole situation. If he's beingadick just get on the pavement and let him go on his angry way.

As above, unless you're a bit tasty you're just going to get your head kicked in fighting in lycra and stupid cycling shoes.

rwoofer

Just to be clear, I did not smash his mirror, but folded it back as I wanted to make the point he was too close.

rick_chasey

You won’t get much mileage out of reporting it to the rozzers but there might be an off chance he is a repeat offender.

In future, engaging with nutters runs risk of this, doubly so if you fold in mirrors.

Alas that is your lot.

First.Aspect

rwoofer said:

Just to be clear, I did not smash his mirror, but folded it back as I wanted to make the point he was too close.

Not sure many would blame you if you had. But the average UK rozzer is quite hard of thinking and would be prone to considering you just as bad, as a result of even what you did.

me-109

Kick the feck out of the side of his car as he passed and tw@t him if he stops for punch up. I do remember pulling one ar5e out of his open window for nearly wiping me out on a motorbike. I'm not much for forgiving and walking on by when incidents get that close.

MattFalle

rwoofer said:

Just to be clear, I did not smash his mirror, but folded it back as I wanted to make the point he was too close.

Just to be clear, he nearly punched your head in. He only wanted to make the point that not only had you wound him up but you had messed with his car.

Don't go round touching nutters` - or anyone's to that extent - stuff if you don't want your head punched in.

You wound up a bad situation by shouting at him them started messing with his car. Not only did you lose any brownie points with the Police by doing this - potential criminal damage - but you also nearly got your head punched in.

rick_chasey

me-109 said:

Kick the censored out of the side of his car as he passed and tw@t him if he stops for punch up. I do remember pulling one ar5e out of his open window for nearly wiping me out on a motorbike. I'm not much for forgiving and walking on by when incidents get that close.

🎶 it’s never gonna be the Jackie Chan scene you think it could have been 🎵

MattFalle

me-109 said:

Kick the censored out of the side of his car as he passed and tw@t him if he stops for punch up. I do remember pulling one ar5e out of his open window for nearly wiping me out on a motorbike. I'm not much for forgiving and walking on by when incidents get that close.

That's all fine if you're not wearing cleats and slipping all over the pavement.

Tbh, the OP doesn't sound the guy to be quite tasty so perhaps he should put this down as lesson learnt.

DeVlaeminck

rwoofer said:

Just to be clear, I did not smash his mirror, but folded it back as I wanted to make the point he was too close.

Your honour.

No that's what I did too, but due to adrenaline I did it with more force than intended and because it was one of these new type wing mirrors it broke it.

seanoconn

Had the same on more than one occasion for no reason other than being on the road. It’s not worth getting involved if you can avoid confrontation. Nothing good will come of it. Usually people that behave in this way have a lot less to lose than you do, they’ve done it before and are known to the police or will be.

MattFalle

DeVlaeminck said:

rwoofer said:

Just to be clear, I did not smash his mirror, but folded it back as I wanted to make the point he was too close.

Your honour.

No that's what I did too, but due to adrenaline I did it with more force than intended and because it was one of these new type wing mirrors it broke it.

So that's criminal damage, a conviction and costs awarded against then.

And the bloke now knows your name so may well pop down to your place and repeatedly punch you in the head and testicles.

davidof

I had some bus driver woman ranting at me on Tuesday - for giving way to her !
Apparently the cycle path and pedestrian crossing I was on has to yield to traffic on the road (which is debatable) and I hadn't come to a complete stop with my feet on the ground waiting to let her pass (when I arrived her bus wasn't yet there).

She's clearly had a bad day and needed to rant so I just waited for her to go on her way.

I agree with the others that it is best to try and calm any situation, if only because dick drivers generally go off up the road driving even more like dicks in a rage and are likely to cause further carnage. Of course if you have camera footage forward it to plod.

Sorry if that is victim blaming.

dabber

Tbh, I don't think the OP would need to fess up to hitting/pushing the mirror and could claim the pass was so close that the mirror hit him.
Last year I got knocked off my bike by a passing wing mirror and the mirror was broken with the impact.
I was lucky and other than hitting the deck had no injuries to me or the bike.
The driver stopped and was badly shaken by what she'd done. I had an intitial rant at her but nothing violent. I toned this down when I realised that she had some "special needs" and whilst being firm with her I calmed her down.

I ended up getting a very apologetic and nice call from her father.
A totally different scenario though... I understand that.

rwoofer

No damage, he just needed to fold his mirror back.

I think the key thing here is to try and keep the adrenaline under control and retreat at the first sign of aggression (which I should have known from his driving). As an ex motorcyclist I've alway been taught to be assertive on the road and claim your space/rights as the safest thing to do. Takes a lot to unlearn that.

First.Aspect

rwoofer said:

No damage, he just needed to fold his mirror back.

I think the key thing here is to try and keep the adrenaline under control and retreat at the first sign of aggression (which I should have known from his driving). As an ex motorcyclist I've alway been taught to be assertive on the road and claim your space/rights as the safest thing to do. Takes a lot to unlearn that.

Don't unlearn it. Just realise that the guy you encountered was already amped up, had an adrenalin head start and is demonstrably more aggressive as a whole. Rationally, what's the most likely outcome if you square up to someone like that?

monkimark

No matter how handy you are, you're unlikely to outpunch a Mercedes.
Let it go and report it to the police if it makes you feel better, or follow him home and torch his car while he sleeps - whatever floats your boat.

de_sisti

First.Aspect said:

If it's that mental, get out of there. Aside from anything else, cleats and bike shoes don't offer much grip, for setting yourself to punch back. Or to run away.

That's why I ditched mine and decided to use SPDs.

MattFalle

de_sisti said:

First.Aspect said:

If it's that mental, get out of there. Aside from anything else, cleats and bike shoes don't offer much grip, for setting yourself to punch back. Or to run away.

That's why I ditched mine and decided to use SPDs.

Eh?

So you ditched road cycling shoes so you could go fighting?

#howbizarre

davidof

MattFalle said:

de_sisti said:

First.Aspect said:

If it's that mental, get out of there. Aside from anything else, cleats and bike shoes don't offer much grip, for setting yourself to punch back. Or to run away.

That's why I ditched mine and decided to use SPDs.

Eh?

So you ditched road cycling shoes so you could go fighting?

#howbizarre

pshhhh... the first rule of road bike fight club is...

MattFalle

.

davidof said:

MattFalle said:

de_sisti said:

First.Aspect said:

If it's that mental, get out of there. Aside from anything else, cleats and bike shoes don't offer much grip, for setting yourself to punch back. Or to run away.

That's why I ditched mine and decided to use SPDs.

Eh?

So you ditched road cycling shoes so you could go fighting?

#howbizarre

pshhhh... the first rule of road bike fight club is...

cut up a bloke in a Merc on a roundabout?

MattFalle

monkimark said:

No matter how handy you are, you're unlikely to outpunch a Mercedes.
Let it go and report it to the police if it makes you feel better, or follow him home and torch his car while he sleeps - whatever floats your boat.

Nope to torching car. Soz. Utterly appalling, stupid ieaa. Its a car, mans nothing. Pointless waste of petrol.

I'd burn his house down, that way at least he has nowhere to live and no possessions.

That'll proper learn thefuckingmoujee.

DeVlaeminck

MattFalle said:

DeVlaeminck said:

rwoofer said:

Just to be clear, I did not smash his mirror, but folded it back as I wanted to make the point he was too close.

Your honour.

No that's what I did too, but due to adrenaline I did it with more force than intended and because it was one of these new type wing mirrors it broke it.

So that's criminal damage, a conviction and costs awarded against then.

And the bloke now knows your name so may well pop down to your place and repeatedly punch you in the head and testicles.

Yeah it was a few years ago now but I'll look out for him.

MattFalle

DeVlaeminck said:

MattFalle said:

DeVlaeminck said:

rwoofer said:

Just to be clear, I did not smash his mirror, but folded it back as I wanted to make the point he was too close.

Your honour.

No that's what I did too, but due to adrenaline I did it with more force than intended and because it was one of these new type wing mirrors it broke it.

So that's criminal damage, a conviction and costs awarded against then.

And the bloke now knows your name so may well pop down to your place and repeatedly punch you in the head and testicles.

Yeah it was a few years ago now but I'll look out for him.

He's in your loft waiting for the right moment, watching your every move

#shallowgrave

Defblade

Police hot on prosecuting close passes at the moment. So long as you're sure you did no damage folding his mirror back, even saying that he was close enough that you were able to do it (rather than claiming it hit you) gives proof that he was passing too close, even without the other stuff.

Seems hard to tell what stance the police will take on any given incident though...

I'd also consider that if it was my regular commute, you'd be likely to meet the same dickhead again... would he be calmer after a visit from the police? Who knows...

Much as I hate DashCamWarriors, it might be time to consider getting a camera - it is possible to have one and not post utter rubbish to YouTube every day

MattFalle

Carry a pick axe handle where pumps used to be and if you see him again smashfuck out of his car

That'll learn the moujee

MattFalle

Alternatively, find out his name and I'll send a MF to sleep with his wife.

That'll proper learn him.

First.Aspect

MattFalle said:

Alternatively, find out his name and I'll send a MF to sleep with his wife.

That'll proper learn him.

Taking one for the team.