Cycling UK Forum

@MikeF
If you can live with poorly surfaced minor roads, the route 18 is an enjoyable slow pace ride right through from Tunbridge Wells to about Shadoxhurst. After Shadoxhurst its a waste of time due to busy roads, crossings and Ashford getting in the way. I head south at Shadoxhurst, then go Appledore, Oxney, Rolvenden Layne, Benenden and back to Goudhurst on the 18 from there.

If you went from Paddock Wood, I'd still recommend the Castle Hill climb (Knowle Road) and picking up the 18 to Goudhurst.

MikeF wrote:You could also make TWBUG aware of the incidents. You may not be the only one. Where abouts in TW is this happening? I am frequently cycling in that area.

Hey Mike
Thanks for the link. I have never heard of the TWBUG I shall certainly check them out. It happens in Goudhurst. Hopefully not any more mind.

Thank you very much yet again.

I have reported this to the police and received a call back from a local officer who is personally looking into this. A really nice guy by all accounts with a very calming disposition. I was very impressed with his attitude, approach, knowledge and understanding of these situations. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he was a cyclist himself... He gave me his name, number and HQ location so I can contact him direct.

He basically told me what you guys have said in threads on here. He has the chaps info, will check if there are any other outstanding complaints and arrange a visit. He seemed fairly confident that a police visit should be sufficient to stop this in its tracks. He made it clear that at this time it is one documented encounter and one his word vs mine; so that's about as far as it will go at this stage. He will let me know when he has spoken with the driver of the vehicle out of courtesy.

He did point out that the best place for a go pro to be mounted is on the helmet, because it is both looking the same direction as you are, and on full display for others as a deterrent. Turning it on is also advisable!

He said if I capture any additional encounters with the same driver,I am to send the footage in to him directly and call the police straight away. If this continues after they have spoken with him then there is a lot more the police can do to keep me safe on the road.

That's about it...

I did not report the first incident. I do have that one on video though, stored away safely on a hard drive, so its not as if it can be denied.

I will report to his employer today. I have no idea who in the police to send a copy of the same complaint to but it wouldn't hurt to send it to my local policing team I suppose; this the is T. Wells policing unit. https://www.police.uk/kent/247/

I just need to calm down a bit until I am capable of wording it in a way that shows that I am really concerned about the situation escalating, rather than looking for any kind of retribution.

It helps to think of happy commuting memories, such as my spring commute.

Now I realise that it seems like the only time I post is when its something bad but there you go.. Sorry about that!

Following on from my last encounter with an ignorant thug - viewtopic.php?f=7&t=115085&p=1135114#p1135114

I had the misfortune of meeting the same idiot this morning on the same stretch of road but this time it ended in me being forced into the kerb and falling off my bike. He came straight at me, I had nowhere to go so I tried to mount the kerb and it all went a little wrong at that point and I ended up in a heap.

He then lent half out of his little van (door open) and began to swear and ridicule me. Which was nice of him. He then drove off.

Stupidly my go pro was not switched on, but through the power of social media I do now know who he is, who he works for, what he looks like, what his number plate is and even where he lives... trouble is, what do I do with that information. I am no vigilante..

I am at a real loss here. I don't want to be forced off my daily commute but equally I like being alive too.

Believe me I would love to have a bit more bark but the reality is that I am about as terrifying as a Pug.

Its a quiet road the time I cycled through there this morning at 06:35am and I can't remember having seen that car anywhere on my route before(not that I would remember cars).
Knowing my luck I will no doubt have the pleasure of meeting him along the same stretch of road every single day from now on.

I guess I could go a different route, or leave earlier, but that would be very inconvenient and part of me thinks "why should I have to do that"

I suppose if it happens again then that would justify a police complaint.

I feel better now anyway, thanks for the thoughts...

I had my first ever little road rage incident this morning on my commute to work which has left me feeling perplexed.

I was cycling along a minor road with houses either side and a line of cars parked on the opposite side of the road to me. As the road veered round to the right and downhill a car came around on my side (due to the parked cars). Neither of us were travelling fast and neither of us could see each other until we were basically 20 feet from each other. I braked and pulled up snug as I could to the kerb and the driver just shook his head at me and kept coming. As we past each other he stopped; so I pulled in to see what was going on and he reversed towards me with his head out the window...

I can type the interaction because I have it all on GoPro. (I don't post the videos, its purely a "just in case" safety device)

Driver "Alright mate?"
Me " Yes, Are you alright?"
[I went over to him as he seemed concerned]
Me (half laughing and smiling in bemusement) "Why are you shaking your head, I was just cycling on my side of the road"
Driver (getting Red) "You were coming straight at me!"
Me "I was against the Kerb"
Driver "So is there a problem or something?"
Me "I don't have a problem with you, I was just cycling against the Kerb and you came by shaking your head, that's all that happened"
Driver "That's alright then" [Pause] "You best get out of the way before you get run over!"
Me "Alright"

I left at that point because I didn't like the sound of the "Run over" part...

It was one of those unavoidable encounters, nobody was in the wrong in my mind but somehow despite being friendly and polite, it made him angry - Funny world we live in.