[Closed] close shave..

The frequency of harassment of cyclists at the moment is pretty intolerable if you're riding regularly - several times a ride it's either a close pass, beeping horn, pulling out, shouting etc

It's very very hard to put up with this time and time again and very scary. I'm really losing confidence that I can come home unharmed unless I'm very very alert. Feeling there's little chance I can do anything about stopping it, or getting the perpetrator punished isn't great either

It is your life or serious injury you're talking about here, not mild inconvenience or a bit of banter...

A driver last week slowed down as she passed last week, wound down the window to tell me to get off the road and use the (more dangerous) cycle path, then sped off. Doing that 800m before a set of traffic lights though is a beginners mistake

Similar thing happened to me a while ago except it was two lovely ladies in a convertible Beetle - with the top down and I had a full bottle 😀 Don't even think the traffic lights were more than 100 metres away

It's just a wing mirror.

So are you short or not?

Was the offside mirror BTW.

I'm now at a point where i don't want to ride back home, this has really, really scared me. That feeling of utter helplessness and terror as i heard the van tyres sliding keeps coming back.
I'm not ashamed to admit at that point i almost physically wet myself. Its brought home to me exactly how worthless i am seen as when riding a bike during the commute, he was more upset about his mirror than the fact he very nearly seriously injured another human being - and that the standard of his driving was perfectly acceptable as far as he was concerned.

yes, I'm short 🙂

Think I'll leave the bike here at work 🙁

You been to get your broken hand looked at yet?

Knocking off a wing mirror actually makes it more dangerous for all other cyclists on the road though, seeing as the driver now has a massive blind spot.

This assumes that the driver used his wing mirrors in the first place, which given the standard of driving reported in this case, is doubtful.

It also makes it illegal to drive the vehicle, so the driver should head to the nearest garage to get the damage repaired, thus meaning that he will be off the road, and therefore not endangering cyclists.

[i]Stopped at the lights this morning, right turn lane. Hi viz, lights plural, reflectives.
Van screeches to a halt next to my left knee and driver claims its ok cos he saw me just in time.
Hope explaining to his boss why the company van has a missing wing mirror is ok too.
Driver refused my offer of discussing it further, maybe due to the fact i tried to climb through his window! [/i]

Sorry what happened, I don't understand. A van stopped beside your left knwee?

[i]I'm not ashamed to admit at that point i almost physically wet myself.[/i]

As opposed to what, almost mentally wetting yourself.

How can you 'almost wet yourself', you either do or don't.

was it this white van, driven by a semi blind overweight,middle aged muppet, badly.

[quote=project ]
was it this white van, driven by a semi blind overweight,middle aged muppet, badly.
Nah -[i] he[/i] was on a bike

Loosing your temper - fair enough.

Attempted assault & damage to property, no, I don't do either.

GaryM - i was in the third lane/right turn feeder lane from a dual carriageway at a right hand junction.
Light was on red, i was stopped at the white line in the centre of the lane waiting for the lights to change.
The van driver came down that right hand lane, failed to see me in time and had to make a panicked swerve to his left (Central reservation to the right) and came to rest halfway into the next lane and up against my left knee.
I was stationary throughout.

Ah right, so you broke the mirror off the van. Excellent work. Must be great to be perfect.

if you were at the white line and the light was red it seems to me he failed to see the red light, not you?

Possibly, but i was stopped at thr red light and lit up with two red flashers myself.
Never claimed to be perfect Gary..

up against my left knee.

next to my left knee

Make your mind up.

Ah right, so you broke the mirror off the van

Only he didn't. He's lying/exaggerating.

[img] [/img]

Think a lot of people need to do this....

Christ.

Am i lying mr Winston ?
i punched the mirror, the glass broke, the housing shattered and the assembly fell off the van to hang by the wires.
Is that lying? Or are you a professional nitpicker?

i punched the mirror, the glass broke, the housing shattered and the assembly fell off the van to hang by the wires.

That would take some force. You also never injured yourself. And this ferocious blow was performed whilst on your bike. Hats off.

Nothing adds up though.

The van driver came down that right hand lane, failed to see me in time and had to make a panicked swerve to his left

How did you see him? If it was me I would of been watching the lights, probably the ones on the oncoming traffic waiting for it to change to amber to give me the heads up and a make a quick getaway.

are you a professional nitpicker?

You needed to ask that on STW?

That would take some force. You also never injured yourself. And this ferocious blow was performed whilst on your bike. Hats off.

Seems to take very little force in fact.

I find it difficult to remain calm when a negligent motorist has come very close to wiping me out.

Do mirror not usually bend beck when you knock them?

What kind of van was it?

Do mirror not usually bend beck when you knock them?

The one in the video smashes to bits and falls off.

how many punches to get the mirror off?

My mirrors bend back or in when hit.

[i]My mirrors bend back or in when hit. [/i]

mine bend back if hit from the front, they don't bend forwards if hit from behind.

Obviously means that every single mirror on every single vehicle in the whole world ever will do the same every single time.

While not condoning muddy's actions I find myself clearly able to understand them and incredibly frustrated and angry with the can driver.... And the 'law' in this instance. I'm not suggesting handing out summary ' justice' should be legal, rather that drivers shouldn't be able to be such ****s and not offer an apology. It is the unfortunate reality that taking a more polite and restained approach to reasoning with such drivers rarely works....I was reminded of this last week after attempting it with a black cab driver on Lambeth bridge who had just forced me out of a cycle lane and made me mount the pavement to escape. I started the conversation politely.... It didn't stay that way long.

Glad you are still alive Muddy, and hope this is the end of the incident.

[i]My mirrors bend back or in when hit.[/i]

You'll be just as safe annoying cyclists when driving as you are on here then.

Small van, think it was a Vauxhall but not sure.
I did see him at a distance pulling into the feeder lane about 100yds back, then turned to face forward to watch the lights.
next time i see him he's coming to a rapid halt on my immediate - VERY Immediate - left.
Surprisingly easy to break the mirror assembly as well.

The 10's of car mirrors on Histon Road in Cambridge that used to get broken off on a regular basis on a Friday night due to drunks staggering home would attest to the fact that it's not that hard to break a wing mirror off a car.

I think I'd have been pretty annoyed in muddydwarf's position.
If there had already been a car to his left at the lights, the chances are the van would have driven into him as he wouldn't have had an 'escape route' to the left. Not sure I'd have knocked his mirror off though, but hey ho - we don't always react rationally in the heat of the moment.

don't stop riding - you said yourself this is the first time you've felt like this in 25 years.

for what it's worth I'd have probably smashed his wing mirror off too.

Just ridden home after my shift - really didn't enjoy it.
Was nervous, hesitant and jumpy.

[i]Was nervous, hesitant and jumpy. [/i]

Hopefully that'll pass with time.

Even if I disagree with what you did I can understand you being upset and sympathise with how you feel now.

Maybe try a different route to/from work for a few days?

Muddydwarf has well documented anger issues IIRC

Seriously do something about it pal before you pick the wrong target and they put you in a wheelchair.

At least he's got a short commute.

Don't lose my temper very often and normally have a happy and peaceful commute. Having my safety put at risk - and that risk dismissed with a casual wave is one way to make me lose it though.
If he had been aware of what he did it would have ended differently but he wont have even considered his driving was dangerous.
Thinking of putting the commuter bike away for the winter now.

I'm sure one could conduct one's self better. But when faced with a potentially life threatening situation, I'd say that's a completely normal response.

Ive just reported myself to the Police!
The driver hasnt reported it yet for some reason.

Did this in case there is any potential agro in the next few weeks, looks better if i admit my fault straight up.

I'm fantasising about one of these again... [url= http://www.spservices.co.uk/item/EMI_EMIWindscreenCenterPunch_95_0_24_1.html ]http://www.spservices.co.uk/item/EMI_EMIWindscreenCenterPunch_95_0_24_1.html[/url]

Muddydwarf, whilst I can understand your regret about losing your temper, don't beat yourself up about it. You can bet that the idiot who nearly killed you isn't feeling the same.

I don't want to be that person and i keep thinking that the company will have to pay out for the drivers actions and my temper tantrum, which isn't fair.

Dont beat yourself up Muddy. It was understandable what you did. I had a confrontation with a speeding telephone using driver the other week which left me feeling bad for a while.

There are plenty of sanctimonious types on here (WD being one of them) By all means avoid confrontation and stay safe but I dont agree with those who argue that you should just allow bad and dangerous drivers to simply carry on unchallenged just in case they behave even more selfishly in future!

Lady on the police line could hardly contain her mirth at me dobbing myself in!
I don't regret losing my temper and i certainly don't regret telling the clown exactly what he did and why i wanted to belt him, do regret punching the mirror - but i suspect that is the moment that will stick in his mind, not the point where he nearly crippled me.

you confessed?
seriously?
I'm not sure if that's commendable or certifiable 😛