I had a really nasty confrontation with a car driver today. My reaction was to get my head down and get on with the journey but he was out of his car and blocking my way every time I tried to move off. He just continued to scream all sorts of names and pointing his finger in my face. Feeling rather rattled now as was in fear for my safety. Can’t help wonder if I was male if that would have happened. Do any other female cyclists feel they may get a slightly harder time occasionally?

FWIW he would probably have hit a bloke and that was him showing restraint and respect

I am not a girl though but I assume they notice the bike way before they notice our gender

Did you get the registration?

I chased a car round town for 20 minutes tonight (was peeved and then it just became fun) so it evens out……

Wack the kettle on, stick a hot chocloate sachet in mug, have a hot bath and report back with photo of happy face.

Try adding some buddhist meditation music on stereo or download some then simply empty mind of any bad feelings, take an hour if needed, put some perfumeon if it makes you feel better even.

Whatever you think/do, I would thoroughly suggest not going over the event, it’s an opportunity to cleanse your mind.

😀

You should have taken his registration number and reported him.
Not sure about the offence but if you felt threatened for you safety due to the abusive behaviour then he at least needs a visit and spoken to.

Wack the kettle on, stick a hot chocloate sachet in mug,

Hot chocolate with water, are you insane?

Grab finger and bend upright, till you hear a crack, folowed by a huge arrrrrrrghhhhhh.

That sounds like an awful experience but I expect he would of gladly done the same to a male or female.

from the sound of it the guys raised is blood pressure to silly level, he’ll probably die of a heart attack soon , you win!

Sounds awful, what happened?

Gah, keep seeing more and more of these threads. Really hope something changes as I worry for people’s safety. I hope you can relax and enjoy your next ride.

Section 4 Public order – if you got his reg, ring the feds – If you didn’t get his reg I wouldn’t bother.

have a hot bath and report back with photo…

eh?!

of happy face.

Phew……

It’s hard not to let it get to you. But don’t think it’s (just) because you’re female. I’m a 6ft 1 bloke 17st and I’ve had people be confrontational too, some people are just idiots.

Always carry a camera.and take their picture, another good tip is to look at the number plate, and see if it has a company stamp on it, eg, lloyds , lombard, blackhorse , vauxhall etc etc, its a company owned car then, and email the leasing company

Stop take out phone take pic and call police – also set up dropbox or similar on your phone so the pic is synced back to the web at the time. Explain what you are doing and that you have his registration and it is uploaded to the internet.

I’m sure you’re right, that it wasn’t just because I’m female. Mind you, by his choice of names, I don’t believe he has a lot of time for us ladies. Annoyingly I didn’t get his reg number so shall just have to put it down to experience! Thank you all, I actually feel lots better now.

It sounds like he was bullying. Seems rather extreme behaviour whatever led to the confrontation. Clearly he has issues which needs resolving. I doubt it’s the first time he’s tried to take them out on someone he perceives as weaker than him. Today you just happened to be that person.

Your life is undoubtedly better than his. And Karma will surely come and get him. Karma’s having a good time right now by the looks of things 🙂

coffeking is right it happens to male cyclists as well, and its not personal in so much as they are out to get you as an individual – they just lose the plot and then the cyclist is the target whoever it is

Can’t help wonder if I was male if that would have happened.

I’m male and exactly the same happened to me. And then he hit me in the face and drove off.

Try and relax, it wasn’t personal, you were just in the wrong place. Be sure to report it the police. In my case the car wasn’t registered and they failed to find the driver.

EDIT : junkyard is absolutely correct. The fact that he didn’t hit you meant he showed you some respect 😉 – although it probably didn’t feel like it at the time.

PS it wasn’t a silver Peugeot 407 estate was it? Around Windsor?Bracknell/Heathrow area?

I can’t offer you much advice. Except the way to make hot chocolate is to heat a mug of milk, then put a bar of chocolate in it.
At least you’re not his poor wife.

Ha, did not think but typed instead, of course it would be milk on pan, with real cocoa powder.

Silly me for even recommending boiling a kettle! D’oh.
Some may say kettle failure!

Djaustin, it was a metalic blue ford in Scarborough . I am kicking myself for not taking note of more details – just wanted to get away.
Sweepy, I did think about his poor wife tonight…
Toblerone in hot milk = perfection in a mug.

He is a total cock and would not have done that to someone that would have stood toe to toe with him. A total waste of good skin, and the sad thing is, he is still thinking he was right.

Surly it’s coca powder with a little boiling water then hot frothed milk from the coffee machine???

This happens to most who commute to a certain degree at some point …. Relax and let it go .. my last had me so angry I chased the guy through two red lights caught him in a traffic jam and got my apology . A win to me you may think but when a got home I puked from all the adrenaline and tension it would have been much better all round to have shrugged it off .

that sounds horrendous. the guy obviously has tiny self esteem and probably a tiny penis as well.

How come no one has mentioned the whisky or rum?
Tossers everywhere.
It could have been worse, he could have tried to engage you in a debate about Lance!

Last night, a random car passenger shouted some abuse at me. I then caught up the car and shouted back at close range “oi fatty shut yer trap you **** fat ****”. Not grown up or clever but felt good at the time. Apologies to any fatties.