Upset car driver?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
sisavedbygrace
Posts: 17
Joined: 3 Nov 2015, 12:37am

Upset car driver?

Post by sisavedbygrace »

Just wondered your thoughts on this,

I was cycling along a road and a car passed me and he was clearly upset about me not using the cycle lane, I must point out that the cycle lane is only part of the road so not worth using, however several cars including a coach passed me with no problem at all, this guy pulled over and gave a barrage of abuse shouting and swearing about not using the cycle lane, they built that ******* cycle lane for the likes of you etc etc, I remained calm asking if I could explain, but he wouldn't listen and preceeded to speed off, I spotted him again soon after. However I reported it to the police and their decision was:

The details of this report have been retained on the Operation Crackdown database for intelligence. This means that if additional reports are received this case will be further reviewed.

I was at least expecting him to get a letter explaining to him the highway code regarding vunerable road users or something, so as to make him aware that he was spotted on camera and to be a bit more careful

WARNING: bad language
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gazRS8na3Tk

I showed 2 mins before the incident to show no one had a problem passing me, am I making more of this than I needed too??
boblo
Posts: 799
Joined: 24 Sep 2009, 7:35pm

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by boblo »

Yes you're making more of this than you need to IMO. You'll always get people who think you should do this or that and he looks like one of them. Forget him and move on.

Incidentally, I'm not clear why the cycle lane is unsuitable, that road looks quite narrow narrow and busy. If there's a segregated road bit, I might be inclined to use it. Having said that, I often choose not to use them as they're often not fit especially on a tandem.

Your parting shot of 'you're on camera' is just a bit lame. You sound like a nervous wannabe vigilante... You can't reason with people like that and drawing attention to your camera will just inflame the situation further.

Sorry.
Last edited by boblo on 3 Nov 2015, 4:23pm, edited 1 time in total.
recumbentpanda
Posts: 286
Joined: 6 Apr 2009, 12:13pm

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by recumbentpanda »

Sorry too Boblo, I couldn't disagree more!

If a driver who has not been inconvenienced in any real way, stops their vehicle and gets out purely for the purpose of haranguing someone about 'rules' in some version of a Highway Code that exists only in their own heads, they are clearly emotionally unstable and not a fit person to be in charge of a motor vehicle.

Reporting them may contribute to building up a picture that enables the police at some future point to intervene and hopefully take a menace off the road.
User avatar
squeaker
Posts: 4112
Joined: 12 Jan 2007, 11:43pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by squeaker »

Thoughts:
- Wot 'bike lane'? Is there a pavement conversion that I (probably) missed?
- You seemed to be doing more than 10mph through much of the section with double white lines, so the driver who stopped was not the only one in error
- Looked like the sort of road I'd only use as a last resort :roll:
- Agree that it's better to report than ignore
HTH
"42"
sisavedbygrace
Posts: 17
Joined: 3 Nov 2015, 12:37am

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by sisavedbygrace »

You can't see the cycle lane part very well, there is one but it doesn't start until halfway up the road before that it is a narrow glass collecting area. I agree I did sound a bit sad shouting out your on camera as he drove off, it was more out of frustration tbh, I only wanted to explain that I could ride on the road and the unsuitability of the cycle lane, it is in fact new sadly they didn't finish it for the length of the road, I guess I couldn't really explain and shouldn't have bothered, just surprised at the amount of anger he had. I'm not someone who goes out filming people for the purpose of trouble, only so if anything horrible happens (knocked off etc) there is evidence as it tells the story, many times I don't bother which some mistakes drivers do as its sometimes simply that.

Thanks for your comments
Mark1978
Posts: 4912
Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 8:47am
Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by Mark1978 »

I've had the same - except from a bus driver! Upset that I didn't use the footpath cycle lane around the roundabout - you know the type which makes you give way 8 times instead of giving way once like everyone else does.
eileithyia
Posts: 8399
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by eileithyia »

Couple of questions;
What bike lane? Have i missed something somewhere?
Why did you stop? I would not have done so.
Why would you expect the police do anything? there is always some idiot out there who thinks we should only ride on a provided cycle track, have them on most of my commutes, usually when i am on the local DC with only myself and the overtaking car on the road, loads of room to move into another lane, but no they cut close and gesticulate that i should be in the cycle lane (shared with peds and full of street furniture to negotiate).
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Mark1978
Posts: 4912
Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 8:47am
Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by Mark1978 »

eileithyia wrote:Couple of questions;
What bike lane? Have i missed something somewhere?


It's a shared use path on the right hand side of the road. As the OP says it only runs for a short length, so is it worth waiting to cross the road, using it, then crossing back again?

Why did you stop? I would not have done so.


Easy to say that he should have ridden off. But once in a situation like that we all want to get our point across.
Psamathe
Posts: 17647
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by Psamathe »

sisavedbygrace wrote:.... However I reported it to the police and their decision was:

The details of this report have been retained on the Operation Crackdown database for intelligence. This means that if additional reports are received this case will be further reviewed. ...

Last year after a close pass by a driver I came across a PCSO (with a Police bicycle) half a mile away and went and had a chat about how worthwhile it is reporting dangerous passes, etc. to the Police (not wanting to waste Police time but also wanting something done about the behaviour of a few drivers towards cyclists). She said that it was worthwhile as, even though they may not act, the will record and if they start to get more complaints about a vehicle they might then go and "have a chat" with the owner; i.e. the cumulative reports indicate a pattern that justifies action. Any one incident might not be enough for them to act, but several such incidents may easily.

So her comments fit with them saying how your report will be retained etc.

Ian
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by horizon »

eileithyia wrote:Couple of questions;
What bike lane? Have i missed something somewhere?
Why did you stop? I would not have done so.


I'm impressed with the driver - he saw the cycle lane, I certainly couldn't.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by mercalia »

I would have thought the op was going too fast for a cycle lane? Like many I was wondering where the cycle lane was. Cycle lanes unless they are very very wide are only fit for modest speeds?
700c
Posts: 535
Joined: 5 Jul 2007, 6:49pm

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by 700c »

You should have knocked him out.
jatindersangha
Posts: 155
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 11:19am

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by jatindersangha »

I thought there were a number of very close passes before your incident with the driver.

Especially the big red truck - I'd have been more worried about those...

--Jatinder
User avatar
Heltor Chasca
Posts: 3016
Joined: 30 Aug 2014, 8:18pm
Location: Near Bath & The Mendips in Somerset

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by Heltor Chasca »

I love the bit (or words to the effect), 'How can I be expected to be able to go 40mph AND go round you?' I suppose he should have driven through you ghost rider.

Still: Why did you bother stopping to gave a conflab with such a numpty?
Mark1978
Posts: 4912
Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 8:47am
Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: Upset car driver?

Post by Mark1978 »

OP is braver than I, that's exactly the sort of road I hate riding on :(. Just look at all those close passes.
Post Reply