Thought I’d share this with you, as an example of what self control can achieve!

Friday night, 5 of us riding down a country lane nearly at the pub. Two abreast, but moving to single file if we hear a car approach (enough room for car to pass comfortably).

We hear another car and drop into single file, but it whizzes past inches from our handlebars with a woman yelling out of the window at our leading rider about two-abreast being illegal. I mean really yelling, and forcing him into the verge. His instant recartion is to fold the wing mirror back as they slow up quickly together, and the wing mirror drops off, hanging by a wire!

A short discussion ensues accusing us of dangerous cycling for being two abreast, and damage to the car. Its nearly 9pm and the kitchens close soon, so we dodge round the car and pedal on.

Cue tyre spinning and revving, and they carreer past us again and swerve straight into the bank, almost taking out the lead rider again, nearly grounding the car and wrecking the front plastic bumper. Our lead rider, whos 6ft 3 and fit, is also incredibly tolerant and patient, and has another brief discussion about the perils of driving with intention to murder. We pass and head on.

Again, more tyre spinning and revving of their small people carrier and they shoot past, fast and close, this time swerving the other way and blocking the road. They threaten to call the police and give a torrent of abuse.

We ask politely what started all this, and their response is due to riding two abreast, which is illegal. Also one of our five had his rear light switched off, which in everybody’s book is grounds to kill a cyclist of course. By now, two of my colleagues are filminmg the debacle in iphones and taking car details, and we also start to call the police (which they have threatened but haven’t done). I would point out that they are a couple in their 40’s, not fit looking, had a blue badge and a sticker on the drivers window asking to keep clear for disabled access.

We politely explain (albeit in quite loud voices) that we are all professional people – doctors, lawyers etc (a slight exaggeration, but not that far from teh truth) and that we would welcome police intervention as they would be far more interested in his driving antics and intent to cause bodily (and bicycly) harm than talking to us.

His manner is beginning to change, a definite calming as he starts to contemplate the seriousness of his situation. We continue to explain that his wing mirror was already broken (which it was, plastic housing already gone) and that his actions had done more harm to his car. After a few further minutes of being bombarded with logic from us all, he backed right down and asked if the whole thing could be forgotten. We ended with a handshake (he really didnt want to let go, and was visibly shaking), and let him drive off. With about £600 damage to his car.

Cyclists 1, Road Rage driver 0

Having given this some consideration over the weekend, I have now convinced myself that this was a planned attack (or at least opportunistic). You can see the press – vigilanty mountain bikers block road and attack defenseless disabled drivers, damage car. Good for a hefty insurance claim at least.

So be careful out there, and don’t lose it – patience and logical discussion really throws red-misted eejits off course!

being overly polite to someone who, by rights, you should lose it to is possibly the best way to disarm them. chapeaux my son! hazzaaa to the bikists!

Good job on the pleasant and logical front but I can’t help thinking someone this unhinged who has “two more go’s” would be better off explaining his actions to plod.

Thats Section59, you should report him. I don’t think I could have carried on cycling along after he hit the bank. No way.

He could, in theory get home and mentally ‘blame’ all cyclists for his spannered car. Thats the scary bit.

Great to here that logic came out on top.

My wife out on her MTB with friend (they only ride 300yds on road before bridleway) got deliberately cut up as she was indicating to turn right at a roundabout (loads of look signal move, waay before the road rager was near). Car took offense to a cyclist being in front, drove up behind with hand on horn, tried to overtake with no space and then undercut with no space. Got up close (to now shaken wife) wound down window (guy in 70s and wife in back seat – road ragers take all types) and said “I hope you F*&^*^*g die”. Stopped at roundabout the wife came up with the immortal “You will before me” smiled and rode off.

So as you’ve got the car reg you’ll be serving some cold revenge sometime?

Easy to say that when there were a large number in your group though. Perhaps they didn’t see it as logical, polite discussion but more a case of being outnumbered.

We politely explain (albeit in quite loud voices) that we are all professional people – doctors, lawyers

Why is that relevant, should not professionals behave differently?

Well done though.

His instant recartion is to fold the wing mirror back as they slow up quickly together, and the wing mirror drops off, hanging by a wire!

We explain in quite loud voices that we are all professional people – a slight exaggeration

They had a blue badge and a sticker on the drivers window asking to keep clear for disabled access

We ended with a handshake – he was visibly shaking

yeah your lot really covered yourselves in glory, nice one. 😕

I’m pretty patient myself but if someone actually swerved their car at me and forced me to stop to prevent a collision I’d go medieval, I’d have it’s windows in and dents in most of the body panels before the red mist cleared. And if some big f***er got out I’d be off like a rocket :p

Where does this idea that riding two abreast is illegal come from?

I’ve heard numerous stories, read comments and watched YouTube vids where this nonsense is spouted.

Personally if someone repeatedly swerved their car at me then I’d be calling the police and allowing them to explain the relative legalities.

Funnily enough, we were all shaking too having just been run off the road 3 times on a quiet country lane in the dark.

The mirror was folded back before it became entangled in handlebars.

Load voices were used to make ourselves heard over the car occupants shouting (we weren’t as loud as them).

Of course, being white middle class cyclists we should have just laid down in the road to be run over with as little fuss as possible.

Tell me, flatboy, honestly, how you would have reacted please.

Why is that relevant, should not professionals behave differently?

It’s very very relevant. Part of the problem is that drivers often see cyclist as low class, it’s part of the reason they act the way they do. Take the way drivers treat horse riders, it’s not that they’re just extra careful, they almost doff their caps.

I would have got the police I think. You could still report it now if you have the number of the car

40mpg – Member

Tell me, flatboy, honestly, how you would have reacted please.

probably exactly the same or worse, to be honest. but i wouldn’t have then have portrayed myself as a reincarnation of buddha.

I would have got the police I think. You could still report it now if you have the number of the car

+1. I know of one case where a driver assualted a cyclist, and reported it to the police with a very different version of events. Fortunately for the cyclist, he had witnesses to corroborate his story, and the driver was cautioned. Had the cyclist not reported it himself, he may have had the police after him.

I’m no Buddha (although I did gain a few pounds over Christmas). I just wanted to run away!

I think I’d report this too. Well done for staying calm (not sure I could have) but next time this person might actually be so insensed that he’ll knock someone off their bike and/or do some serious damage, it could be some yoof or someone less able to deal with the situation on the receiving end.

Guys, guys, guys. We did this a while ago. The correct response is to unzip your cycling jacket to reveal the following t-shirt:

was visibly shaking

not from fear but the grim reality that dawned as he realised had been attempting to run cyclists off the road.

if you have the number of the car

I have lots of photos; the driver, the reg plate, the wing mirror and the marks from the verge where the car was 3ft up it! 😯

I was at the back of the group (i’m well slow these days!) he overtook me fine. then I watched the chaos unfold. was pretty scary.

Well done, its all to easy for a situation like that to get out of control. Its amazing how we can all get angry sitting in our little metal boxes!!!

It’s not illegal anyway…

Rule 66 is it?
never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

Where does this idea that riding two abreast is illegal come from?

The same place as:

“You should have got onto the verge to let me past” as a horse-box lorry comes barrelling towards you on a singletrack road with nowhere to pass

and

“The M5’s over there – take your clippy pedals and ride there…”

and

“you saw my blinkers” as the car overtakes you then cuts left in front of you

All genuine responses I have had in the last couple of weeks

Can we see the verge destruction? Sounds lucky no-one got hit.

“You should have got onto the verge to let me past”

Here’s a nice one from CycleGaz on YouTube of a driver telling him to ride on the pavement (rather than the cycle lane) so he can overtake!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YZrwMWFgxQ[/video]

Thank the Lord you were professionals, could’ve ended in a bloodbath otherwise. 🙄

I was right behind you up until that line…

vorlich – Member
Thank the Lord you were professionals, could’ve ended in a bloodbath otherwise.

I was right behind you up until that line…

steady, you’re going to get threatened with a ban just as i have been for the “inflammatory and argumentative” post i put up there ^^^ 😕

(and yes, i realise i’ll probably get one now but seriously, wtf?)

[/url] Picture 006 by thom1984, on Flickr[/img]

that was the third(?) and not the highest verge. rubbish photo i know. i was shaking and it’s the infamous first gen iphone

Where does this idea that riding two abreast is illegal come from?

Shane Warne on Twitter

@warne888

I read professionals in the context they weren’t kids messing about riding up the verges and tail-whipping across the centre line.

We threw in the ‘professionals’ comment to reinforce the fact that he wasn’t going to easily pull one over on us, and that we would sort this out amenably no matter how much he antagonised us. Kind of in your so-called ‘professional manner’.

If the driver was by himself you should have just dragged him out the car and kicked the **** into him in a nice quiet field. But I guess you could possibly get in trouble for that.

Had it twice this morning, first an old biddy couple turning around in the school entrance nearly hit me…twice!!!. Then another old biddy turns into the road in front of me, across my path. I slow down, see that she’s stopped then as I’m passing she reverses back out nearly T-boning me.

I admire anyone that can remain even relatively calm when faced with stupid or malicious driving that could seriously injure someone.

I just tend to completely lose it! The Glaswgian equivalent of “Button it Fatty!” gets used pretty often

Lucky Ash wasn’t with you 😉

Would have been a very different discussion!

Going to pop the video up?

I had a bunch of giggly girls do a ‘drive by’ with a water bottle on me the other day. First time I just shrugged it off and carried on as they only hit my leg. Got past at a set of lights only for them to retake and do it again, but this time in my eye.

Lets just say, they wont be doing it again in a hurry. I certainly didnt keep calm.

thomthumb – Member

was visibly shaking

not from fear but the grim reality that dawned as he realised had been attempting to run cyclists off the road.

if you have the number of the car

I have lots of photos; the driver, the reg plate, the wing mirror and the marks from the verge where the car was 3ft up it!

I was at the back of the group (i’m well slow these days!) he overtook me fine. then I watched the chaos unfold. was pretty scary.

Report it to the police for sure then.

The mean-mindedness on here sometimes beggars belief.

yeah your lot really covered yourselves in glory, nice one.

Eh? So it would have been better to have not let discretion be the better part of valour and perhaps own the driver and passenger with a set of bombers? I’d say that all parties got off extremely lightly and with the best possible result – namely that the driver of the car will not be pulling a move like that again and understood the error of his actions.

As the OP said, the dispute was resolved without anyone being injured. I would call that a hell of a result given that the driver gave the OP the impression that he was about to be rammed off the road.

I’ve had a driver try and do that to me and let me tell you that it’s bloody terrifying. At that particular moment I only had two things on my mind, escape or physical self defence. At no point did the use of logic or reason seem feasible.

As a driver it annoys me when cyclists take up a complete lane (or even an entire country road) and wont move into single file to allow cars past…i’m of the viewpoint that the car driver has hopefully paid tax to be on the road so as a cyclist i do the polite thing and always give cars right of way.

what an outrageous point of view from a supposed cyclist.

FFS man

Book ’em Danno!

Hang on whats happened here? Load of posts missing?