Getting too close, same car same driver...every day..advice?
kiwirob
Posts: 53
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
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
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Comments
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Get his number, advise police. Hopefully one of them will be watching one morning.0
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Kick his wing mirror off, obviously.
No, don't really"Didn't hurt"0 -
Helmet cam! expensive i know but with out evidence or witness to his bad/dangerous driving the cops cant or wont do anything !0
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Advise Police?
Does anyone have any experience of them helping in this sort of case?0 -
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?Cycling weakly0 -
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?
KR0 -
Sounds like he doesn't realise that he is driving dangerously
If you could talk to him at the station that would be great0 -
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.0 -
+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.Giant Escape R1
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- Terry Pratchett.0 -
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.- 2023 Vielo V+1
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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.0 -
leave a slightly different time-you might miss him0
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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?0
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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.0
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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.
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.....)0 -
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.0 -
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.
KR0 -
Find out where he parks his car and put a banana up his exhaust pipe.
That'll teach him."Didn't hurt"0 -
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 crap 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.Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
Think how stupid the average person is.......
half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.0 -
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 ?
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
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.
KR0 -
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)0 -
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 shit out of his car!
I wouldn't report him and then tell him about it coz that'l prolly piss him right off!0 -
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!
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.0 -
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.0
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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 matePain is only weakness leaving the body0 -
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 themOrganising the Bradford Kids Saturday Bike Club at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre since 1998
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Wycombes full of knobend 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.Told ya itll hurt!0 -
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
KR0 -
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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