Nutter blocking the track. -Who's wrong?

A nutter jumps out deliberately in front, so as to obstruct the path of a rider. If nutter gets knocked down or hurt, who’s fault is it?

I had one this morning, 4 Metre wide empty hardpack on the flat. MOD land, used by walkers, MTB’ers and regular races. Me spinning along nicely going to work just enjoying it. A single bloke on his own (definitely no dog with this one) going the other way sees me 100M off and starts waving his hands and saying “slow down”. His manner says no reason other than “I’m a nutter who hates cyclists”. No dog, no kids, no emergency anything. He’s prancing about from one side to the other about trying to block me as I change sides about three times.

In the end I gave up and rode straight at him fast. He swore at me when he dodged at the last moment, and continued to his “slow down” rant as I continued on the empty track.

I do slow down for nice people, normal people, kids, and the responsible dog owners (those ones who care to look and manage a smile). I don’t slow down for nutters who deliberately obstruct me on an empty and very wide track.

I’ll be on the lookout for him tomorrow, but should I ride straight at him again or should I stop? If I’d hit him, who’d be liable if injuries caused an issue?

You rode into someone deliberately. Your fault, even if he is a nobber. If you were in a car would you do the same or actually slow down/stop?

Sorry, you’re in the wrong

You should’ve slowed down and stopped.

That way you can be more accurate when you punch him in the face.

stop and have a chat?

I think you lost the moral high ground when you said:

In the end I gave up and rode straight at him fast.

he’s trying to mug you… otherwise he’d shout whatever information he wanted you to stop for so he could give it to you, or you would have ridden off the edge of the cliff he was warning you about. as you haven’t mentioned a cliff or him actually telling you anything i think we can all safely say that he was definitely, without question, a highwayman trying to mug, rape and kill you.

well done for riding on.

i’m glad you’re safe

*is glad you’re safe*

In seriousness, I think I’d have stopped and asked exactly what his problem was. Unless he looked big and scary.

When confronted with such a strong difference of opinion, I find it’s worth walking a mile in their shoes. Then if they get cross they’re two miles away and barefoot, so the chances of them catching you are fairly slim.

Hmm, what to do if I did. He was quite threatening, I’m not sure I’d want to stop.

Oh and I slow down for soldiers too. They are normally very civil and friendly – unlike this one.

You should have shouted “speed up” as you went past.

He may however have been in dire need of your assistance with some important matter and sadly you let him down. Maybe the next time you see him will be on the news or lying dead at the side of said path.
Maybe.

As I understand it, the great legal scheme of things is that bikes are at the bottom of the pile in terms of priority (ie must give way).

You be better getting a horse and training it, as, because I understand it it is never the horses fault, therefore if the horse was trained in unarmed combat and did him over you’d be fine. (I also think the same is true of cats, so maybe you could train up a posse…..)

I’d probably find out what he had to say, if he just hates cyclists then maybe ride at him tomorrow

Are you sure he wasn’t having an epileptic fit and needed help?

(I also think the same is true of cats, so maybe you could train up a posse…..)

I would suggest that you are most definitely wrong….. But I’d do exactly what you did.

Philconsequence makes a good point, actually. You might’ve had your back doors kicked in and your bike stolen.

“Well, officer, I would have stopped of course, but the gentleman’s behaviour gave me cause to fear for my safety. And bottom.”

of course i’m correct, he wanted your bottom.

40MPG “Epileptic fit”? He didn’t sound very epileptic but I’m no expert. Do epileptics do this? (sidle about to remain directly in front of a rider while waving their arms and shouting)

OK, if he does it again I’ll stop. I’m sure he just hates cyclists but that’ll prove it.

Please tell me this didn’t happen on MOD land in the Aldershot/Ash/Pirbright area. There’s enough anti-bike stuff kicking off there currently without randoms* kicking up even more of a fuss.

* he may have been an army bod even.

There is the possibilty he might want to steal your bike you so you did the right thing.

Sadly not so far away. More Fleet side.

I’ve seen the notices on the trees and I aplaud them, the attiutude is right and the way they are written is sensitive. This guy was taking the piss though

i grew up in fleet. definitely somebody after your bottom.

Not an Army bod. They are quite different.

– I always say hello and slow down for those guys. It gets quite rythmic sometimes when there is a string of them either side hello..hello.. hello. – Quite fun weaving through!

“i grew up in fleet. definitely somebody after your bottom” 😆

That’s scary actually, I’ve had that walking alone in Italy. Didn’t know till then that I was cruising though the “red light bushes” near Como.

I had something similar happen to me on a night ride near Woking a while back. I stopped as the chap reckoned he needed help (had to stop as he had blocked the path). When I stopped and tried talking to him, he got very animated and started to get aggressive. I managed to get past him but I should not have stopped, you did the right thing.

Yeah, you did the right thing. Fight nuttiness with increased nuttiness. My spidey-sense would have been tingling big time – sounds like a mugger or bike-nicker.

I had an old nutter leap in front of me brandishing a scythe. He was most upset when i stopped, marking the ground with my tyres. He ranted about not being allowed to ride there and look at the enormous skid i had just done(!)etc, i explained about responsible access and made friends with his dog, he grumbled a bit more, i rode off.

Never thought about the sanctity of my arse!

Last night an old couple just stared at us as we slowed our pace but continued to cycle towards them up a bridal path (tractor width), they were completely put out by us ‘just’ being there.
I’d have happily talked to them but they made it obvious from there body language, and “no” answer to the “alright?” question, that they weren’t about to move aside (both on either side with a dog between them) or be convinced by a polite word.

People, there lots of stupid ones about….

But then I’ve cycled up trail centre tracks to find idiots just blocking the track, who happily watch you cycle uptowards them, and just stand there looking gormless…

People, there lots of stupid ones about…

haterz gonna hate no point engaging with them IME.

Not sure how you were in the wrong here in some people’s opinions?

When someone moves 3 times to block your path what should you do? Move a fourth time? At least riding straight let him know you weren’t stopping and not letting him bring you to a halt. Even if he was a small bloke they can do a lot of damage with a knife/needle/bottle/rock and could very easily be off with your bike.

I’d have done the same as you and felt perfectly within my rights.

A bloke walking on a cycle trail tried to punch me once, it was only due to my lack of stoping that he missed. I was so shocked I had no response and just cycled on.

I tend to stop and talk to most people who don’t like cyclist and just agree with them (especially the ones with riffles), its to confussing for them to comprehend cos I won’t argue.

i had similar when i was driving in my motor once … old woman standing in the middle of the road – figured she was in trouble so i stopped.

she was a 65 year old hitch hiker in the middle of no where in the middle of winter needing to go to grantown on spey …. so i took her to the top of the lecht.

nothing sinister- sorry

People are random, get weird stuff like this round our way sometimes.

Trouble with summer is all the weirdo’s like to come out as it’s too warm to stay indoors.

14 years ago I was riding along a canal towpath when a man stepped out in front of me. So I stopped thinking he had something important to tell me. He then pulled out a knife and stole my bike.

Ever since then I always ride with my trusty baseball bat and swing at anyone who comes within striking distance. I’ve had no problems since.

Must be this fella expanding his “theatre of operations”

sounds pretty much like a STW’er wanting to know your user name

think bringing it up on here a mistake – will know what your intended tactic is next time

I bet you can’t sleep from your loss of the moral high ground

For future reference, stop well beforehand, check for accomplices hiding in undergrowth, call police and report you have just been assaulted by said idiot then proceed to ‘own with bombers’. Or, more sensibly, just repeat what you did last time.

being called MountainCarrot he must be James in real life – there, real name sussed