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So today on a local xc spin with my friend we had a little "encounter" with two walkers. I've read many such accounts on here and often thought " I would've done this, or that" well today it was my turn.
We were riding along a (mixed use) gravel trail, the section of trail had a gentle downhill, at the bottom a small stream then a steep uphill. The trail/path was about 5ft wide at this point with no obstructions or verges on either side. Out of the corner of my eye I saw two walkers, in single file walking towards the stream. When my mate crossed the stream the walkers split up and one stepped directly in front of him. He squeezed between them, despite the walkers making a pretty obvious and deliberate attempt to stop him in his tracks.
As I approached the stream crossing I saw the closer of the two walkers side stepping along the width of the trail, trying to place himself directly in my way. So I splashed through the stream, and stopped dead, right in front of him, which was obviously his intention. He got some water on him, which he hadn't anticipated. That's when it all went a bit pear shaped. The first walker grabbed me and tried to shove me off the bike. Due to my surprise at this, he almost succeeded. But then I ditched the bike and stepped up to confront him, at this point I could see in his eyes he had realised he had just done a potentially very stupid thing.
I informed him that he had just assaulted me, and asked him if he thought I should reciprocate the gesture. I got up in his face as it were. He denied assaulting me, and accused me of splashing him, and claimed my friend had almost run him over. I informed the two walkers (they were both involved now) that they had deliberately obstructed us, and were out to cause trouble. I told them that they were lucky I was in control of my temper, and that someone else may well have killed them. It was obvious nothing constructive was going to come out of the conversation so I walked on, and the guy who shoved me shouted back " you know what it is, you are just b*stards".
I thought it was amusing and surreal that they had so completely lost the plot. So, I think by and large I did the right thing by not making the situation worse. Right?
pretty much, no point in getting in a fight if you can avoid it.
calm is always king....
Yes, I think so. There are some berks about.
Nah. Deck the pair of them. **** em.
you did the right thing m8, and it was indeed lucky for them that they didnt do it to a nutter.
Did well there mate I'd say. Fronted a couple of beauts without letting things get out of hand. Result.
Real result, actually, if he literally grabbed you and shoved you off your bike. Many would argue a bridge has been crossed at this point.
+1 I think you handled it well.calm is always king...
What was the physical size / age difference between you and the walkers? Do you think they would have taken it further had they been noticably fitter / bigger than you?
You did totally the right thing. However much he deserved a punch, you did the right thing by not doing it.
A few years back a walker sprang across a trail, totally unprovoked, and pushed my wife off her bike. She went over the bars and headfirst into a tree, cutting her neck quite badly. At the time I really, really, REALLY wanted to hurt him. I'm glad now that I didn't (spat in his face and threw his glasses a long way into the bushes instead).
Unfortunately there are arseholes out there, don't let their hatred infect you.
We were riding along a (mixed use) gravel trail
You were on a legal trail? Jeez. If I thought anyone would give even 10% of a toss I'd suggest reporting it. Don't know who to though, I doubt the police would be interested. Local council RoW people perhaps? Stepping in front of bikes could be a habitual thing for these bellends, so maybe others have had the same thing happen.
Let's just hope that one of them accidentally steps in front of an MXer or something one day.
Really, you's reckon? If I was in that position and at least fancied my chance I would have smacked the biggest one... always works.
In the forest, no one will hear them scream.
I do think you handled it in the correct manner though, I'm a bit of a 'hot head' - some say dick! 😉
things like this never seem to happen to me when i am out riding.......... 😀
Yeah, not sure I would have remained so calm, good for you.
I wonder what their problem was? Mistaken identity? Previous problem with other cyclist(s)?
We should mock them with comedy supposition.
I think they were frustrated lovers, both suffering "bedroom problems" and were enraged by the sight of a virile mountain biker?
APF
Never happens to me either Ton, I must ride round uninhabited caves or summink!
Man, I git all up in his grill as it were.
FTFY
Well done for your restrained tete a tete with the cycle racist(s)!
Bizarre. Why would they do this? Really don't understand people sometimes!
You seem to have been very calm about it.
Not sure i'd have handled it with as much restraint.
esselgruntfuttock - Member
Never happens to me either Ton, I must ride round uninhabited caves or summink!
mate, your hideous bike scares em away......... 😉
I'm sure most of the time they just see the bike and presume 'bloody kids' as they always seem very surprised when you stop and they are confronted by a 40 yr old with a beard. I find being overly polite confounds the shit out of them....
EDIT - unless of course they pushed me off the bike as in your case. I doubt i could show that much restraint.
"asked him if I should reciprocate". That's classic, how very polite (although I'm sure your eyes said something different). I think this is where a GoPro makes sense. I wonder how they would have responded if you calmly informed them that (a) yes, he had assaulted you and (b) you had video evidence of deliberate obstruction and the following assault and (c) you were fed up with arseholes like him and would report the insident to the authorities.
That would be quite fun 👿
I think you did the right thing but you'll spend the next week thinking up every better retorts you could have used. Always the way...
Hadouken!
yes, best to walk away
or punch them in the throat
Very true that. Riding a bike drops you way, way down the 'looks hard, him' scale. Those walkers wouldn't lay hands on a big / hard bloke out hiking in a million years - put him on a bike though and suddenly they fancy their chances.I'm sure most of the time they just see the bike and presume 'bloody kids' as they always seem very surprised when you stop and they are confronted by a 40 yr old with a beard. I find being overly polite confounds the shit out of them....
We should mock them with comedy supposition.
this^ but do it to their face
smile at them "are you O.K? "is there a problem?" " you look upset,but it's a lovely day" keep smiling and repeat back at them anything they say but add a question mark by the use of rising intonation.
watch them go red in the face and apoplectic with rage as you remain even calmer. say goodbye with a cheerio and "enjoy your walk" etc.
they will be fuming for days.
i had an alteration with a red sock once (not as bad as yours) only i passed him 3 times on my ride round the surrey hills and my "hello" and "mornin" got more cheerful each time. really spoiled his day.
Nothing about owning with bomber or weeing in shoes? This place isn't what it used to be.
I'd just go straight for the law but the media would always spin it badly so the best thing is just ride away along the moral high ground.
own them with a set of...
Shocking. Common assault. You did right.
Clearly he was prejudiced and thumping him would have just confirmed to him his own warped beliefs.
I have a rule not to engage with people who are unhinged like that, you can't tell how far they'll go - they clearly don't have the usual mental processes about acceptable behaviour.
[i]mate, your hideous bike scares em away.........[/i]
Ton, I used to like you (even though we've never met!) 😆
Hadouken!
The minute he grabbed me he would be picking himself up from the floor.
never had it to that level, but fully agree with
I have had numerous Sunday morning Mugdock encounters when the 'indignant walkers' get quite taken aback when we haul up the brakes and question the comments, and they realise that the riding group is of a similar age and demographic to themselves 🙂I'm sure most of the time they just see the bike and presume 'bloody kids' as they always seem very surprised when you stop and they are confronted by a 40 yr old
edit - but then we are quite old...
I think you showed a remarkable restraint, something I'd not be able to do quite frankly. *keyboard warrior time* as soon as someone touched me in an aggressive manor, I'd do my best to put them on their arse. This is assuming I couldn't get away [i]Very[/i] easily.
Bloody well done.
A simple hard two handed push to the chest and a shout of "back away" would do the trick.
They where most probably local council workers ,and read what some have said on here about them.
I find people like these walkers end up saying or doing something to the wrong person
Good to see the keyboard warriors are out in full tonight! Well done for not murdering him there on the spot. Your restraint is commendable.
I do think that anyone who genuinely imagines themselves beating up these people is a pretty unpleasant person!
I thought it was amusing and surreal that they had so completely lost the plot. So, I think by and large I did the right thing by not making the situation worse. Right?
Right.
I do think that anyone who genuinely imagines themselves beating up these people is a pretty unpleasant person!
Well put.
This
and the guy who shoved me shouted back " you know what it is, you are just b*stards".
makes you the winner. By a mile.
I bet he has spent the rest of the day thinking of so many better things he could have said 🙂
I think I would have just ploughed right into him, or bunny-hopped his ass! 😀
I've had similar incidents around the Wrekin in Shropshire.
The walkers there do seem very confrontational at times. My size, current large beard and collie dog in chase seem to change the matter.
It is like they see a bike,determine your an illiterate thug and assume the appropriate pose. A little unfair!
I do like defying the stereotype though. I was driving my big white van around the back lanes of cressage/kenley in Shropshire, when i saw a group of bikers coming towards me.
The lane was too thin for them to pass. So in plenty of time I stopped and reversed back to where they could squeeze passed.
It was such a shock it made 2 of them stop and talk.
Made me feel better anyway!
Well. If someone shoves me or my girl off our bikes Im coming out swinging.
Very well done squire! far more restraint than I could show, I'm afraid I would have gone just a little bit mental.
strangely as a delicate looking little soul people don't seem to want get aggro with me.
Yep sounds about right, I don't do turning the other cheekis a pretty unpleasant person!
Well. If someone shoves me or my girl off our bikes Im coming out swinging.
Really? Think about that for a moment.
So Pawsey Bear and his mrs are going out swinging? 😆