PSA – Aggressive, violent commuter on North Embankment

On the way home last night, I was riding between blackfriars and putney, and came across an absolute menace on the roads, with violent and aggressive tendencies.

He was short, fat and slow, yet proceeded to ride slowly off every set of lights, then catch up at the next set, weave to the front of the queue, and repeat. I got in front on an open stretch, holding a relatively relaxed pace, when I realise he’s riding about a foot from my rear wheel. Now, it’s dark, there’s cars, trucks, cyclists etc in front and to the side of me, the last thing I want is this tubby fool riding like that – fair play if it’s someone I know, but if I have to react suddenly, I don’t want to collect him and be ridden over.

So, I momentarily lock the back wheel, and all hell breaks loose. I have this fool screaming at me, at the next set of lights raising his fists, and then for the next mile or so repeatedly grabbing and shaking my shoulder whilst riding, trying to get me to stop and “sort it out”.

Aggressive and violent behaviour is just pathetic, and the guys a menace. So, if you commute along the North Embankment, watch out for a short, fat 40 something, with anger issues riding a ribble with panniers and mudguards. And give him the widest berth you can. The guys a menace, and really should be taken off the road.

If he’s on here as well, I’d be delighted to give him an education as to how I do actually know how to ride a bike, contrary to every expletive filled sentence he was screaming for about 3 miles. I feel sorry for his boyfriend, who was probably subjected to some really angry sex.

I was driving through town this morning in my Astra coupe (2.2) replenished with ‘Pioneer’ and other decals down the side and I was abused by a cyclist. I dont think he liked my dustbin exhaust at all!

This is serious…..hilarious mind and I was embarrassed but said ‘what up’ to him and made a ‘gang-sign’ before driving off 😆

not sure a ‘brake test’ is the solution to tailgaiting in either a car or on a bike.

couldn’t you have just pedalled a bit harder and lost him?

so why didn’t you stop?

there’s cars, trucks, cyclists etc in front and to the side of me, the last thing I want is this tubby fool riding like that

So, I momentarily lock the back wheel

Oh yeah, cos that was a good idea!

I reckon hes prob nice and normal till the guy infront does somthing idiotic making him almost swerve into traffic!!!!

He was an idiot for riding too close, your a **** danger for almost causing an accident!

If he was so fat and slow couldn’t you just drop him?
Or is that why you’re p1ssed off? 😉

He was an idiot for riding too close, your a **** danger for almost causing an accident!

I agree – locking back wheel with someone that close IS aggressive – a turn round and a chat about why that was not a great idea would have been better.

sorry to hear that, if i were you i’d stick some ‘bombers’ in your backpack and ‘OWN’ him at the next set of lights.

Clear your nostrils next time? 😉

it was me!

nice tag but I was in Sheffield last night!

I’m with stato, brake test was a stupid move, your own fault realy

I used to ride along the north embankment – enjoyed racing off the lights but figured cyclists should vaguely group in speed order so that people are less likely to get held up. Found it odd that some weak cyclists would push past lycrad up roadies; I did go in front of those I thought I was probably faster than but stayed behind the more obvious speedsters.

Folks, the traffic lights on that stretch of road are sufficiently close together and badly phased for bikes that it is very, very hard to drop someone who is happy to filter to the front of the cyclists at each stop line. It is one of London’s miseries that you have to overtake the same fat asses over and over again.

🙂

He was short, fat and slow but managed to catch up with you?

locking brakes aint a brilliant idea – but fair enough

if the litlle git had tried pushing my shoulder whilst riding id have gone ape on him. you probably did the litlle fatty some good by making him rider harder/faster for a little while anyway!

see if you can make him chase you for every ride home for a couple of weeks and see if he loses any weight – could sell your services to the NHS!

simonfbarnes – Member

it was me!

then there’ll be pics – put ’em up (see what I…. nah, never mind)

he was probably cycling close to get a good bottom shot.

Mudshark, that is an eminently sensible approach. The world would be a marginally happier place if we all did that.

🙂

matt_outandabout – Member

He was an idiot for riding too close, your a **** danger for almost causing an accident!

I agree – locking back wheel with someone that close IS aggressive – a turn round and a chat about why that was not a great idea would have been better.

I’d already tried that twice, a polite turn, with a quick hand signal to suggest dropping back.

Only one thing for it – pop across to the South Bank and play dodge the pedestrian / ogle at the totty :o)

a polite turn, with a quick hand signal

He probably thought you were just checking to see he was still ‘on the back’ or suggesting he have a turn on the front (which he prob couldnt manage if he so slow as you suggest). Far more sensible in these situations is to slow down and let him pass, having a word as he passes if possible or waiting till you both stop if not.

BigDummy – well I suppose I’m stating the obvious but others didn’t seem to think it so obvious. I was on a SS Inbred with 48/16 ratio and used to beat pretty much everyone across the junction but the roadies tended to catch me before too long. That was great training for me; now I’m out of London sometimes think I should go for rides where I repeatedly stop then start again accelerating as quickly as possible….

Here’s another appraoch.

Eat lots of beans / cabbage, curry, etc.

When fatboy is behind you, release your stored gas.

Either slow down or speed up so he can’t follow you. Brake testing him is stupid.

maybe pk-ripper didn’t lock the brakes intentionally? I don’t like people riding on my rear whel either, pretty rude if you ask me. If I were you I’d just have stayed behind him rather than getting in front and not getting away from him cleanly.

then for the next mile or so repeatedly grabbing and shaking my shoulder whilst riding, trying to get me to stop and “sort it out”.

Why didn’t you kick him off his bike? That is a serious suggestion. Sounds like a tosser.

miketually – Member

He was short, fat and slow but managed to catch up with you?

Good point, well made

So you tried to make someone crash and think

Aggressive and violent behaviour is just pathetic

is bad?

Hmmm….

The good thing about being on a bike is that you can actually talk to people. I recommend it – try it some time.

The other day I was riding home at a reasonable pace, and this bloke came up right behind me really going for it on a sit-up commuter bike (chainguards, the works) with hi-viz clothing and the like. I thought ‘who are you trying to kid, why do commuters always flog themselves to race me?’.. at the next lights tho it turned out to be the bloke from my lbs who is a damn quick rider. So he probably wasn’t even trying.

I love the high horseness on here. If tailgating he was in the wrong. I think a quick locking of the rear wheel, (which won’t actually slow you down by much), is an acceptable deterrent. How many of the people condoning this behaviour have actually ridden in central london?

Maybe he didn’t want to ride fast that day?

If someone kept grabbing and shaking my shoulder whilst I was riding I would instictively stop and punch them, honestly.

How many of the people condoning this behaviour have actually ridden in central london?

Damned right. Oh sure, I was in ‘nam in 64 but, no, I’ve never ridden in central london

Tell me maaan, do you still get the flashbacks ?

You sir are an idiot. A slow unfit idiot too by the sounds of it.

I wouldn’t have brake tested him to be honest but if he was grabbing my shoulder and trying to push me off my bike I’d have most definitely unclipped and booted him off his bike without a doubt. No one has the right to push you on bike or off bike.

I only ever got tailgaited by roadies and I didn’t care – more worried that I might not be smooth enough for their safety. Only got a bit annoyed by fatties pushing past me at the lights but I just took enjoyment in out sprinting them when the lights changed.

If someone kept grabbing and shaking my shoulder whilst I was riding I would instictively stop and punch them, honestly.

Not sure I would have the balls to do that, but it would be tempting.

If I was riding behind someone and they “brake checked” me then I’d probably react pretty much the same as the guy that you did it to.
I know how to ride in a group, I often ride about an inch off someone’s wheel if I know them, but if there’s someone I don’t know or don’t like who’s riding on my wheel I stop pedalling until they bugger off and then carry on on my own.
Why don’t you just learn how to get along with people?

Wasn’t the fat bast**d actually assaulting you by grabbing and shaking your shoulder. I’d say it gave you the right to “defend” yourself.

And anyhow, if fatty wasn’t on a lead you should have kicked him in the head

I’d at least stop and have a row with him, even if I didn’t punch him. If he was causing me to be very unstable on a bike I’d consider it self defence!

If I was riding behind someone and they “brake checked” me then I’d probably react pretty much the same as the guy that you did it to.
I know how to ride in a group, I often ride about an inch off someone’s wheel if I know them, but if there’s someone I don’t know or don’t like who’s riding on my wheel I stop pedalling until they bugger off and then carry on on my own.
Why don’t you just learn how to get along with people?

You shouldnt be riding that close behind people who have not given you permission to do so (i.e. club/group riding). You might know how to ride in a group but I for one would not want you riding on my arse, regardless of how good you are. Why dont you just learn not to provoke people by hugging their rear?