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… http://www.spservices.co.uk/item/EMI_EMIWindscreenCenterPunch_95_0_24_1.html

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 😛

Definitely the latter!
nah, a little bit of insurance should the driver decide to ‘accidentally’ run me over in the next week or so.

muddy – I know I may of been a short with you before but here’s some free advice.

A friend of mine had a run in with some local neds. He ended up pinning one to ground. Didn’t punch him or anything. He subsequently phoned the police and explained what happened. They sent a PC round, who “asked what happened”, he told him, then was arrested and prosecuted from his own statement. Ended up with an assault conviction.
So if a friendly PC turns up don’t say too much.

Also, I’m not sure how it gives you much insurance if you don’t have a reg or are even certain of the make and model?

If the driver runs me over, and if i recognise the vehicle it can be seen as background to the ‘accident’ not really being an accident if you catch my point.
Police aren’t following anything up and just keeping it on file.

PS – I’ll do the short jokes thank you! 😛

Glad you’re ok Muddy, sounds horrible to go through.
Don’t be bullied off your bike by crap driving. As said above, it might be worth revising your route to avoid busy roads / junctions

Not sure what’s annoyed me more on this thread; The driver nearly hitting you or the sanctimonious gits judging you on your reaction when they weren’t there.
FWIW – Whilst wrong, punching the wing mirror is better than punching the driver.
Well done for informing the police, but i doubt the driver will report it and neither will the company as it could draw embarrassment for them due to one of their employees driving carelessly

Well in fairness i would have smacked the driver if i could have got at him – and judging by the expression on his face he knew that very well indeed.
It was the dismissal that got to me, the idea that almost hitting a stationary, well lit cyclist at a well lit and visible junction wasn’t anything to be worried about.

@Winston – if he got prosecuted off his own statement, then he must have broken the law otherwise the CPS wouldn’t have put it through to the courts.
The issue with your anecdote isn’t that he got prosecuted, more did the neds get done as well or were they just provoking him and didn’t break the law themselves?

Don’t be surprised if you get a bollocking from an officer following this up muddy

@spawnofyorkshire I don’t know the exact details.

It was a few years ago and that was basically how he told me the story. He did break the law as he technically did assault the guy.

Apparently, they were a troublesome group who were always causing a nuisance of themselves with anti social behavior. On this occasion they punched his car when he drove past or something like that, petty and annoying and he just lost it.

Glad you’re ok Muddy, sounds horrible to go through.

Group hug?

I fully expect to get a visit even though they said there was no action to take. From what i could gather they were at the back of the control room in hysterics!

I enjoy cycling, i do it every day. I commute, ride road and MTB and i don’t want to feel like i don’t want to get on a bike again like i do presently.

sanctimonious gits judging you on your reaction

I love this place.

muddydwarf has admitted causing criminal damage and threatening behaviour. It is road rage.

I know there are a lot of drivers who act like arseholes but I can’t see how that achieves anything.

Have you never made a mistake when driving or riding a bike? That driver may be just be a bloke struggling to make a living and he is now having to fork out for a new mirror. It will also just look like “urban terrorist” cyclist kicking off again to all the other road users.

As much as we don’t like it, genuine accidents do happen. They are not all down to careless driving. There was a thread on here recently where a couple of people mentioned their own “Sorry I didn’t see you” experiences when driving.

Besides, I still don’t believe it happened in the manner in which it is described.

How else can i describe it?

Sat/stood astride my bike at a red light on a right turn junction on a 49mph Dual Carriageway.
Vehicle comes down the same lane that i am occupying, swerves drastically at the last moment and comes to a halt halfway into the next lane along, and extremely close to my leg.
When i shouted “what the —- are you doing he then said “its ok i saw you just in time”.

Sure. But do you then go:

a) “Oh christ, I’m really sorry mate”

or

b) “I didn’t hit you so what’s your problem?”

There’s two sides to every story of course, but you do appear to be suffering from selective reading here.

Muddydwarf – did you check the road where the incident took place to see if there were any skid marks ( from the van )? Might be helpful if anything more comes of this incident.

I didn’t, good point. Was dark at the time.
In retrospect it may not have been brakes squealing i heard but tyres on the tarmac, after all most vehicles have ABS now don’t they?

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 happened to me exactly here, whilst riding to Guildford apparently the raised section on the left is a cyclepath! She started to accelerate away and had to swerve last minute to avoid hitting the island as she was too busy leaning over to shout at me, amusing and worrying in equal measures.

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

I’ve managed to slam the mirrors on two cars forward, probably wrecking them, because they’re designed to fold backwards. One occasion I was riding in a marked, but narrow, (bar width, just) cycle lane, with traffic moving at about my speed alongside. One dumb woman suddenly touches the brakes as I’m alongside, unable to see a brake light, so I carry on and hit the near side mirror with a hell of a bang, slamming the mirror into the door pillar.
The shocked expression on the woman’s face was a delight to see.
The second time was in almost exactly the same place, this time some dimwit wanted something from the garage shop on the opposite side of the road, and couldn’t be arsed to drive into the carpark, instead parking half on the footpath, half on the cycle lane, forcing me to ride into the stream of traffic.
In attempting to minimise the amount I was intruding into the line of moving traffic, I just happened to hit the offside mirror, slamming it forward. I believe I heard a tinkle of glass.
Before anyone raises the obvious question about personal injury, hitting a hard object with my knuckles at some speed,
my chosen type of cycling gloves, generally speaking, are Oakley Factory Pilots. Which have well-padded, carbon-fibre knuckle protectors.
Good for punching out side windows too, if need be… 😈

…One dumb woman suddenly touches the brakes as I’m alongside,

Just out of interest, why was she “dumb” ?

One dumb woman suddenly touches the brakes as I’m alongside, unable to see a brake light, so I carry on and hit the near side mirror with a hell of a bang, slamming the mirror into the door pillar.

In attempting to minimise the amount I was intruding into the line of moving traffic, I just happened to hit the offside mirror, slamming it forward. I believe I heard a tinkle of glass.

Is it any wonder some drivers have little respect for cyclists?

Ahhh Militant Cyclists….exactly what a public road doesn’t need 🙄

…One dumb woman suddenly touches the brakes as I’m alongside,

Just out of interest, why was she a “woman”?

Just out of interest, why was she a “woman”?

Vagina instead of willy.

My son (15) started to bike commute to his first work experience this week….i told him NEVER wait at red lights on the RHS always on the left…..if busy and lots of cars then go on the pavement…..its hard to teach the instinct for urban bike riding which we all learnt over the years….its a survival game and you can never assume cars have seen you…to the OP this should not have happened but it did and there are loads of drivers like the van you met….revise your tactics and position yourself out of harms way…good luck ! Regarding your anger, thts fine and understandable….

he was turning right on a three lane road and you want him to stay left or get off and become a pedestrian
Every time you are on a road you could get hit. He did nothing wrong and it is not really practical to walk every single junction you see just in case.

Defensive riding is fine but you cannot avoid everything as some drivers behaviour is well below the standard expected and the rules of the highway.

You know sometimes folk just hit you and it is not your fault beyond being there.

That said I may well tell my kids what you have.

CountZero – Sir you are an arse.

Good for punching out side windows too, if need be…

It isn’t even easy in the movies……

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKgAGgeAi0Y[/video]

Shock news! The interweb is full of people with fantasy personas.

Agree with you JY, what i told my son was a “starting out” strategy…..i might do the same and i might not it depends on loads of factors, right turns are deadly dangerous so survival is the name of my game !

No other choice than to be where i was on that road and turning right. Other option is to walk the bike through three separate sets of light operated crossings that are synced with the road lights.

Yes, i see that MD, but consider that it might (agree that it shouldn,t) happen again….we all roll the dice every time we urban ride……

That junction has always worried me when i arrive at the line alone, always feel better if there are vehicles in front of me.

Yeah MD, thats the one, when you arrive alone…….not trying to be clever here, could happen to any of us…..maybe just maybe if you look like arriving first at the lights move left and reposition in front on the right before they go green ?

Across two other lanes that are green (and 40mph) when the right turn is red?