My first experience of abuse from behind the wheel

[Cunobelin]

"Well if you are that concerned, I think we should involve the Police - I'll call them now?"


Works wonders!

[thirdcrank]

I did once have the circumstance where a young man pulled up in front of me, jumped out and ran back and offering violence and a lot of mouth. He was unimpressed by the line I had taken around a mini roundabout. We were outside Morley Police Station and I suggested in a very loud voice we might be better in there discussing my cycling. I was hoping that somebody might look out of the window but nowadays it is ofetn unstaffed, I think. Anyway, he thought better of it and jumped in his car and scarpered which probably saved me from a good hiding.

[VanDriver]

Hello, i'm new. I bike to work, where i drive a big van..... so i know everything!
The mysterious thing is that so many people are willing to drive with aggression and without consideration for cyclists, but rarely seem to realise that cyclists might be big strong fellows who'll catch 'em at the traffic lights.

[james01]

cyclists might be big strong fellows who'll catch 'em at the traffic lights.

....we cyclists tend to be a bit wimpish from the waist upwards, but we can dole out a terrific beating with our thigh muscles

[goatwarden]

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=31533&start=30

I still think my action was irresponsible and childish and I am still very pleased I did it.

Although a keen cyclist and not having been pysically assualted in my adult life, I am 1.84 m, 95 kg, very fit, naturally argumentative and generally only too keen to point out the error of drivers' ways. They don't often seem to want to stay around to listen!

[eltonioni]

Sounds a bit like me. I'm very very placid right up to the point where I become ridiculously belligerent as the bloke with the busted wing mirror and side window found out when he tried to bully me off the road with his van.

Obviously that runs the risk of one day encountering some wannabe (or actual) gangster.

[Cunobelin]

I was "abused" by a small pedestrian today!

Cycling up a fairly steep road when this voice says loudly...

"Look Mummy that mans riding a bike up the hill!"

I was amused by the child's obvious amazement that such a feat was possible!


Although my favourite was a child on an obviously new bike - and me on the Brompton.

"Look - his wheels are even smaller than mine!"

[san0]

From my commuting experience, during rush hour on a daily commute, you will soon recognise the drivers/cars in standing traffic. So best not to shout back as you may see them again on another day. I just laugh it off, however insulting they get, as I will get home quicker than them. Maybe they had a bad day, or dying for a pee?

[Ivor Tingting]

Hi John,
Welcome to the 'abused' club.

For the benefit of other contributors it may be of interest to note that the originator of this thread is an experieced karate-ka with many years of training behind him

As a fellow practitioner it good to see that John maintained a calm if somewhat flustered demeanour; it is also fortunate that the motorist did not attempt to escalate the incident beyond verbal abuse

I should get a sign made for my backpack saying "Back off .... I'm a karate-ka" OR "Karate-ka do it with focus" or summit ....

So why didn't you beat him to a pulp? When I did martial arts a few years back there was a 3rd dan black belt in my club who was also a cyclist. He had some very entertaining stories to tell. Morons who picked on him when he was on his bike didn't do it again for a bout 2 months whilst their fingers, arms and legs were in plaster. I believed it as sparring with this guy he hit hard to hurt. He said you only know how hard to hit some one when you know how it feels to really feel pain yourself. In your situation I would have allowed myself every excuse to deck the guy.