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After a recent incident with a car driver I'm wondering what the safest way to deal with a driver who has decided to get out of his car to 'sort you out'. In my case there was probably a bit of blame on both sides to cause the problem but I don't really want to get into a big description about what led to him stopping and getting out of his car.
What I'm really wondering is what the best way to keep yourself safe is. Most of the time the opportunity to just ride away is there but what I'm worried about is that he could get back in his car, catch you up, and just drive into you. Or if he finds a brick or something else to throw at the back of your head as you ride away.
My feeling is that it's best to just wait for him to come at you and deal with whatever it is he's going to do, whether it's to rant and rave or attack you. In my case the guy came up shouting and tried to push me. I just stood my ground, locked my arm, and leant forward pushing my palm into his chest while shouting "Back the **** off!" IME this will stop most people who are trying to push you using their arms. As it was, he looked like this took him by surprise a bit so he did back off and just carried on shouting for a while. Then he got back in his car and drove off.
My thinking is that once a driver is out of his car he doesn't have a 2 ton weapon to use but then he could have a knife, bat, or even a gun. Or there could be more than one of them. In my case there were two of them in the car but the passenger was his daughter who looked like she was maybe 4 or 5 🙄
Leg it - every time. I do / have got into arguments with car drivers but if they look like stopping and getting out of the car I am out of there - preferably where they cannot follow. Onto pavements, down one way streets or whatever
Don't get into the argument in the first place? Accept that some drivers are cocks, do cockish things, and get on with it.
Get your retaliation in first...either a sucker punch or my preferred option of a swift kick in the balls. Best not take amy chances I say :0)
as with most things, prevention is better than cure so ride sensibly and don't do anything that could antagonise potential nutters. if it's completely unprovoked then you have a confirmed nutter so fleeing ASAP would be the favourite option!
njee20 - Member
Don't get into the argument in the first place? Accept that some drivers are cocks, do cockish things, and get on with it.
^^This^^
I suspect your answer is hidden in there somewhere.BruceWee - Member
I don't really want to get into a big description about what led to him stopping and getting out of his car.
A Zefal frame-fit pump with an iron bar secreted inside is helpful.
Otherwise, my best advice would be to remember to shift onto the lower chainring, then pick your bike up by the saddle and the bars and jab him just beneath the nostrils with your big chainring.
If you were on a bike then this is different.
It is funny, the vast majority of people think they can get away with being extremely rude from the saftey of their metal box on wheels. As soon as someone steps out the car then this all goes out the window.
The answer is to not be rude or argue with people in cars or if you do, be prepared to get out and speak to them face to face (and risk physical confrontation)
Being in a car does not give you the right to act like a prick, but then again being on a bike does not give you the right either.
Sometimes I find it hard to follow my own advice.
Get off bike and give him a slap - don't take that crap. If he's prepared to get out of his car, then he's obviously in the mood.
Unless he's a big bloke and looks a bit mental - then leg it. 😀
Kind of agree with prezet - however, it all totally depends on the circumstances.
If it's my fault (ha!) I'd apologise, just as I'd expect a driver to do. It always completely defuses a situation.
If it's their fault, they've put me in danger, I'll probably fly at them, I get pretty wound up about people trying to kill me, strangely.
I had a weird bloke stop and get out of his car once - he'd cut me up on a corner and almost knocked me off - he stopped and got out cos I shouted "C0CK!". As we fronted eachother a copper drove out of the jnctn right next to us, asked me if all was ok and told the driver to go! Pretty funny. (edit) yeah, he was weird cos he couldn't look me in the eye was saying stuff and looking at the ground, anywhere but at me. I think he'd expected me to scarper in fear when he stopped, not ride up to him.
it depends on how confindent you are. myself personally would square up back and never back down. i no thats probaly wrong, but i belive in an eye for an eye. usually most "bullys" think most people will cower and not react, but reacting maybe the surprise which defuses the situation, but if its not, you have to be prepared to cross the line, which comes down to how confindent you are....
[i]If you were on a bike then this is different.
It is funny, the vast majority of people think they can get away with being extremely rude from the saftey of their metal box on wheels. As soon as someone steps out the car then this all goes out the window.
The answer is to not be rude or argue with people in cars or if you do, be prepared to get out and speak to them face to face (and risk physical confrontation)
Being in a car does not give you the right to act like a prick, but then again being on a bike does not give you the right either.
Sometimes I find it hard to follow my own advice.[/i]
This is pretty much exactly the way I feel.
From near miss to him getting out the car took between 5 and 10 seconds. I was just having one of those rides where I'd had two near misses already (both times drivers seemingly doing the 'look but not see' thing when pulling out so my adrenaline was up and my temper got the better of me. Try not to let it happen but sometimes it does. As it was a loud "HEY!" from me was what kicked it off.
I had a weird bloke stop and get out of his car once - he'd cut me up on a corner and almost knocked me off - he stopped and got out cos I shouted "C0CK!"
Doesn't sound weird. If you'd not called him a cock he'd have not stopped. Life's too short. People seem to expect to be able to sink to the drivers level with no retaliation.
unleash your penis, men find it very difficult to keep shouting at you and get close enough to physically assault you if you're spinning your cock around like a helicopter. screaming "BUUUUDGIEEEEEE THE LITTLE HELICOPTERRRRRRRRRRRR!" adds the the effect.
it depends on how confindent you are. myself personally would square up back and never back down. i no thats probaly wrong, but i belive in an eye for an eye. usually most "bullys" think most people will cower and not react, but reacting maybe the surprise which defuses the situation, but if its not, you have to be prepared to cross the line, which comes down to how confindent you are....
In that case I hope you fight better than you spell.
I'm 6' 3", 15.5 stone and played rugby for the best part of 20 years so I'm used to getting knocked about and taking the odd punch. Regardless, if they're way smaller they know something I don't so I leg it. If they're bigger I try to make alot of noise (works with bears apparently) and then leg it...
...basically it's not really worth the risk, there's no ref on a roadside.
Luckily it doesn't happen often.
Doesn't sound weird. If you'd not called him a cock he'd have not stopped. Life's too short. People seem to expect to be able to sink to the drivers level with no retaliation.
I've shouted much worse - only because these people drive like idiots. If they want to stop and get out, then so be it.
Had a taxi driver do it a few months ago, pulled out on me at a roundabout because he was to impatient for me to go past. Once I he him know how I 'felt' he came after me, pulled in front and got out. Immediately I got off, and fronted up - in the end he ended up getting back in his car and almost apologising.
No way will I take that from other road users. Be it car, motorbike or bicycle. Drive like a c*nt, expect to be treated like one.
[i]unleash your penis, men find it very difficult to keep shouting at you and get close enough to physically assault you if you're spinning your cock around like a helicopter. screaming "BUUUUDGIEEEEEE THE LITTLE HELICOPTERRRRRRRRRRRR!" adds the the effect.[/i]
You know what, I'm defiantly doing that next time. Seriously
I think if a driver cuts you up / puts your life in danger than you have to let them know - forcefully if needed. But don't ever stop / get off your bike - leg it if they come out of the car
i hope that no ovulating females read this, such unbridled manliness can only result in unwnated pregnancy.
In that case I hope you fight better than you spell.
Generally I find that as an indicator of fighting prowess, ability to spell is not big factor.
I've shouted much worse - only because these people drive like idiots. If they want to stop and get out, then so be it.Had a taxi driver do it a few months ago, pulled out on me at a roundabout because he was to impatient for me to go past. Once I he him know how I 'felt' he came after me, pulled in front and got out. Immediately I got off, and fronted up - in the end he ended up getting back in his car and almost apologising.
No way will I take that from other road users. Be it car, motorbike or bicycle. Drive like a c*nt, expect to be treated like one.
The internet hardmen are here already! That's a great mentality, but what do you do when the driver doesn't get out, he just mows you down? All because you had to look hard and insult him. Calling them names doesn't tell them they've done wrong, you could just shout "you cut me up, that's terrible driving", but I'll bet people don't.
Tandemjeremy: Leg it - every time. I do / have got into arguments
really!!?
Very occasionally when I am so wound up I no longer am my usual reasonable and placid self 🙂
In that case I hope you fight better than you spell.
sorry, did'nt realise it was a spelling test !!
The internet hardmen are here already
And I see the PC people have arrived too.
Living in a land where fear of every driver 'mowing' you down - it's fine, if you want to let drivers cut in too close to you, cut you up, or knock you off - and your only response will be once of "oh dear chap, please don't do that again". That may be the fluffy little world you want to live in - but I'd rather let them know they're idiots - because with your response, they really won't give a sh*t.
This kind of behaviour is another reason why we should be increasing Police numbers out and about, as well as stopping burgling scrotes walking around neighbourhoods. Speed cameras don't do anything to stop [non speed related] bad driving and road rage.
tbh I'd pull my seat post out of the frame and beat them round the head with the saddle. While I have my penis out to distract them! 😀
[i]Doesn't sound weird. If you'd not called him a cock he'd have not stopped. Life's too short. People seem to expect to be able to sink to the drivers level with no retaliation.[/i]
"Sink to the drivers level"? What? Did I ignore the fact that he was another road user and put him in danger? No. Hardly the same thing shouting something. Its instinctive you know - I think drivers should know they are being cocks so I tell them. Why should they just get away with it?
[i]"you cut me up, that's terrible driving"[/i] 😆 do you do much road riding? They hear "You cu..!" 😆
Cameraphone is always useful in such situations.
[url= http://road.cc/content/news/39588-bexley-video-attacker-sentenced ]That nob end was prosecuted and paid £600 for his attack.[/url]
In that case I hope you fight better than you spell.
sorry, did'nt realise it was a spelling test !!
**didn't 😉
Kiss and make up.
I recommend the Glasgae Kiss
😈
Living in a land where fear of every driver 'mowing' you down - it's fine, if you want to let drivers cut in too close to you, cut you up, or knock you off
I don't live in fear in the least, I suspect I do more road miles than many on here (including riding into central London), but I'm not naive enough to think that screaming obscenities at them will stop them doing it again.
If someone cuts me up I can take evasive action and get on with my ride, or I can shout obscenities and risk a confrontation I can't be arsed to have (only to run away scared as most are advising), which will just serve to make me angry. What's the point?
People are advocating abusing car drivers, but then running away when they retaliate. If you want to make a difference get video of them doing it and do something with it.
Kaj jay foive sixx ahccch geeeefeeef
Sounds like you all live a horrible life commuting and you should move to the countryside
What I do is shout at them as they cut me up - in the hope that they will give me more room. I will sometimes remonstrate with them afterwards if they have failed to notice me as is common. However thats the he end of it.
A loud "OI!!" as they cut me up. If they continue with the manoeuvre then if I get the opportunity a " leave me some frikking room" then cycle off. if they get angry or attempt to remonstrate further laugh in their face and ride off. Occasionally the impatient overtaker that you pass again in traffic a bit down the road I give them a wave and a smile as I ride past them again
Make sure it doesn't spoil your day by getting angry, make sure they know that they have been stupid.
Sounds like you all live a horrible life commuting and you should move to the countryside
+1
12 mile commute into the city centre of Newcastle/Gateshead of which only the last 1/2 mile is on the road.
I've yelled obscenities at idiot drivers quite a few times - but has it ever made them think about their actions? I suspect not. The trouble is, that we can't be expected to react calmly and rationally when we've just had our lives endangered.
that video is shocking....
What ransos said. I also use a video camera on my bike.
[i]If someone cuts me up I can take evasive action and get on with my ride, or I can shout obscenities[/i]
Is there really a [i]choice[/i] between the two? Sorry bud, but your posts just don't hold up in the real world! 😉
Water bottle filled with nitromorse would be my weapon of choice if i was needlessly agro like most of you.. I cant really work out the commuters problem.. Its not as if you dont know idiots exist and that a lot of people cant drive and yet you get annoyed when this is prooved? Id have taken myself out of the horrid situation in the first place as the last thing id want is getting found dea in lycra on the side of a shit city road at 8am
Basically that. I see more examples of bad cycling while commuting than bad driving. I'd rather stay chilled and calm than get myself worked up - or cause someone else to get worked up and perhaps precipitate an accident.I'm pretty sure I've only once ever had words with a driver and that was of a bus that kept using the ASL.njee20 - Member
I don't live in fear in the least, I suspect I do more road miles than many on here (including riding into central London), but I'm not naive enough to think that screaming obscenities at them will stop them doing it again.If someone cuts me up I can take evasive action and get on with my ride, or I can shout obscenities and risk a confrontation I can't be arsed to have (only to run away scared as most are advising), which will just serve to make me angry. What's the point?
People are advocating abusing car drivers, but then running away when they retaliate. If you want to make a difference get video of them doing it and do something with it.
that video is shocking....
Yep, the driver punches like a girl. 🙂
What I find amusing about that is apparently the "CID investigation" got nowhere - despite a video, numberplate and a handful of eye witnesses.
Only when it gained a bit more publicity did they catch the guy.
i posted about a incident on here in the past.
a driver cut me up turning left, which caused me to jump onto the pavement.
i gave him the finger, he then reversed back to where i was stood.
he jumped out of the car and came running round to where i was stood, screaming that he was gonna ****I*g kill me.
when he was right in my face, i headbutted him square in the face.
he collapsed into a heap on the floor, crying like a baby.
if you invade someones space in a very threatening manner, be prepared to carry through your threat.
I see more examples of bad cycling while commuting than bad driving
Perhaps you should think about the consequences of bad cycling vs the consequences of bad driving.
druidhBasically that. I see more examples of bad cycling while commuting than bad driving
I suspect that is because you don't notice the bad car driving. I see more than every second car in the same city breaking traffic law, ignoring the highway code and generally driving badly. Breaking speed limits, illegally parking, not using indicators, coming too close to bikes, on their phones, not leaving safe stopping distances, stopping in the ASLs etc etc.
I think this is the difference between a car driver who cycles and a cyclist. the former is far more tolerant of bad driving
I do agree with you about not getting wound up by it all.