my altercation

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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honesty
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my altercation

Post by honesty »

I feel like one of the inner circle today. I have had my first road rage incident!

Happened last night on Eastreach in Taunton. For people who don't know it here it is https://goo.gl/maps/zGc2Q I came down the road shown to the left on that link, stopped at the lights waiting to turn left. Lights change and I head off. The traffic was pretty much as can be seen in the link as well with traffic queuing back from the Victoria street junction to the 2nd tesco's garage entrance. As I'm turning right at the cross roads I go into the outside lane and accelerate up to about 16mph towards the traffic queue.

Then it happens. The silver BMW that was behind me at the lights floors it, over takes me over the central hatching, cuts back in front of me close enough that I have to stick out an arm to fend off the car (instinctual response rather than rational thought) and swings right across into the inside lane. Then stops as he's got to the traffic.

I go up to the window and ask what he was playing at. Queue 3 minute discussion where he is firmly of the opinion that I was in the wrong because I was in the outside lane. I should have been hugging the left etc. I filmed it all on my mobile.

In the end I get back on my bike and set off, turn right at the lights, start heading home. Then I realise hes following me, so I stop, he stops. I call the police.

Seriously considering investing in a bike mounted camera now. I've not wanted to, but this has really put the wind up me.
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661-Pete
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Re: my altercation

Post by 661-Pete »

Your beemer boy sounds like a real nutjob. Hopefully he'll get a good talking-to from the cops, if not more.
Seriously considering investing in a bike mounted camera now. I've not wanted to, but this has really put the wind up me.
Get one.

My line of thinking is, it's there if it's needed but I hope it never is - in anger. A bit like a fire extinguisher: you forget it's there until one day you need to use it. Well, OK, you can't quite forget your camera because you need to keep on recharging it and deleting the 'uninteresting' videos on it, but you know what I mean.

What I do hope to capture one day, on my video, is something exciting in the wildlife department. Catching a few seconds of nightingale song doesn't really quite cut the mustard, but you see what I mean. Like the pair of foxes I saw (alas! no camera that time) having a tussle right in the middle of the road, late one evening. One thing I'd really like to pick up on camera, is a hare bounding across the road. Not particularly uncommon around these parts, but seldom seen because they're shy and avoid human contact.
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
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honesty
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Re: my altercation

Post by honesty »

Well I have to go into the police station tomorrow to give a statement. Luckily the other bike rider went past when I was on the phone with the police and they got his details to give a statement as well.

Im thinking about picking up a garmin virb camera as they are massively discounted at the moment. I think I'd rather bar mount a camera than helmet mount it anyway.
Psamathe
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Re: my altercation

Post by Psamathe »

honesty wrote:...
Im thinking about picking up a garmin virb camera as they are massively discounted at the moment....

Their ads say "Lasts Up To 3 hrs". Is that long enough for a longer ride ?

Ian
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honesty
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Re: my altercation

Post by honesty »

Well really long rides it's going to get plugged into the dynamo, or it does have a user replaceable battery.
Tonyf33
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Re: my altercation

Post by Tonyf33 »

This is what I'm using Ion Air with wi-fi transmission so you can send the video footage straight to your phone/laptop without any direct connection.
Run time is approx 3 hours
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=93098&p=853248#p853248
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Redvee
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Re: my altercation

Post by Redvee »

honesty wrote:Well really long rides it's going to get plugged into the dynamo, or it does have a user replaceable battery.


Replaceable battery, twistlock releases the bottom and a fingernail flips the battery out. I've got a 64Gb card in mine and the quoted time onscreen is based on memory capacity not battery life.
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honesty
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Re: my altercation

Post by honesty »

been into the police station this morning and gave my witness statement. They did state that he'd actually phoned in as well to complaint about me. Not sure what though, but the police officer who took my statement sat and watched the video of our conversation and seemed to think that there was nothing there. There was no public order offence (probably because he didn't f and blind at me). When I asked about the traffic incident she was not hopeful that the CCTV would have captured it. There's still the witness, but I think driver may just get a bit of a talking to and that's it. Bike camera bought. I will not commute without it now...
Phil Fouracre
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Re: my altercation

Post by Phil Fouracre »

Just seen this, sorry to hear about the altercation. I cycle all around the area, coming into Taunton from Fivehead regularly and don't seem to get much aggro. One incident that I had recently was, coincedently with a BMW driver, no way of knowing if it might be the same one! White one roared up behind me on the A road back to Fivehed from Taunton and blasted his horn, I assume for me to get out of his way. Gave him the obligatory single finger wave whereupon he slammed his brakes on in the middle of the road. Um! This could be interesting :-) started to catch him up and pulling out to the drivers side to 'have a discussion' when, at the last minute he changed his mind and roared off. Perhaps one of the only benefits of being six four! Could be the same one if you felt threatened as well, shame I didn't get his number, trouble is I always tend to try and let these things go as quickly as possible, otherwise I feel they would 'get to me'.
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity
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honesty
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Re: my altercation

Post by honesty »

Mine was a silver BMW estate, registration RG51 AAN.
The fat commuter
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Re: my altercation

Post by The fat commuter »

honesty wrote:Im thinking about picking up a garmin virb camera as they are massively discounted at the moment. I think I'd rather bar mount a camera than helmet mount it anyway.

Can you give a review please. I could do with a decent camera - thinking similar to you that I'd bar mount it (not much space on my handlebars mind).
chocjohn9
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Re: my altercation

Post by chocjohn9 »

Sorry to hear of your woes.....I'm not surprised that it was a BMW......they are more aggressive, for sure. A kind of "look at me, I've made it...ha ha and look at you on a bike" mentality.

If you want a VIRB, check this out -
was £250 now £90
http://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/pro ... /id/604759

These flash sales don't last long.....
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honesty
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Re: my altercation

Post by honesty »

Got mine from Clifton Cameras for the same price. Be aware that the bar mount is not included and is £22. Clifton gave me a fiver off that for buying it together. When I get it and use it ill add a review to the review section.
thidwick
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Re: my altercation

Post by thidwick »

chocjohn9 wrote:Sorry to hear of your woes.....I'm not surprised that it was a BMW......they are more aggressive, for sure. A kind of "look at me, I've made it...ha ha and look at you on a bike" mentality...


Hey..... Less of the generalising. I have a BMW. It is highly reliable, cheap to run, comfortable, and takes the bike in the back or on the roof. Best of all it will sit quite happily on the drive for days and weeks, whilst I ride my bikes, until I need it. I don't believe I drive it aggressively. I look out for cyclists whilst I sing along to the rather excellent stereo. :D
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mjr
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Re: my altercation

Post by mjr »

Commiserations. I'd not had trouble like that on East Reach before but it was rubbish like that in Somerset that motivated me to buy a camera. A cheap £25 one - not great but good enough to read a number plate. Its battery is not holding much charge now and it's not replaceable, so I guess I'll get one of those muvi clones before long.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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