Pride comes before a fall

[Bicycler]

...and whilst using something that came to hand could likely be explained away as an act of self defence in a moment of panic and fear, that doesn't really apply of you are carrying it for the sole purpose of using it as a weapon.

[thirdcrank]

I'd certainly urge caution over carrying anything for "self defence."

The Prevention of Crime Act 1953 has been the subject of a lot of case law but it has stood the test of time: the legal system doesn't like weapons. There's generally no problem with something picked up and used when there's no alternative - ie back to the wall - but anything carried "just in case" is dodgy. Of course, that case law included people who were acquitted as well as those convicted, but for most ordinary people, being acquitted after months or even years waiting for the system to reach a final decision is no fun.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eli ... /section/1

A growing problem that the legal system has not yet come to terms with is that ordinary people are losing faith in its ability to protect them. IMO a symptom of that is the fall in reported crime: why bother reporting things if you feel nothing will happen?

[Manc33]

Arming yourself lol... most cyclists that do a reasonable mileage could just dance around a guy like him, or run off.

You could probably run off pushing your bike faster than he could run after you without one.

You do need half a brick in your pocket while cycling... but that's for Taxi drivers.

[Redvee]

Looks like the clown has made a privacy complaint.

which and how do u know and where?

The originator of the video posted on YouTube, saying he's had a message from YouTube moderators.

The Streisand effect will kick in.

[Bigdummysteve]

Although he seems justified in being upset by the pass if you look at his other videos he's just looking out for trouble and its finding him. Taking the lane when the road is empty( in another vid) is just rude, if there's a car behind you and it's safe/ easy to do so just give him some room, what we don't see is the preceding video where most likley he was 'taking the lane' where there was no need. I see the same thing with cycle lanes, there is a great cycle lane and you see someone (usually on an expensive carbon race bike) on the road because it's "His Right!" Of course is, but we have to remember we travel relatively slowly,imagine how you would feel if on a shared use trail a group of walkers ' took the lane' and made you cycle at walking pace. Yes we have rights but we don't have to go looking for a fight, this them and us mentality is not doing cyclings image much good.

[TonyR]

Although he seems justified in being upset by the pass if you look at his other videos he's just looking out for trouble and its finding him. Taking the lane when the road is empty( in another vid) is just rude, if there's a car behind you and it's safe/ easy to do so just give him some room, what we don't see is the preceding video where most likley he was 'taking the lane' where there was no need. I see the same thing with cycle lanes, there is a great cycle lane and you see someone (usually on an expensive carbon race bike) on the road because it's "His Right!" Of course is, but we have to remember we travel relatively slowly,imagine how you would feel if on a shared use trail a group of walkers ' took the lane' and made you cycle at walking pace. Yes we have rights but we don't have to go looking for a fight, this them and us mentality is not doing cyclings image much good.

I think you need to have a read of the national cycling training manual, Cyclecraft.

[Tacascarow]

The rider was justified in taking the lane, he was passing parked cars & needed to be out of the door zone.
I agree entirely about looking for trouble.
He even admits he was trying to wind the driver up at one point IIRC & think his motive is less about road safety & more about becoming a you tube star IMHO.
Catching up & pointing out a drivers failing isn't wise unless you can stay very calm & very friendly.

[TonyR]

Catching up & pointing out a drivers failing isn't wise unless you can stay very calm & very friendly.

I find the approach they teach you in assertiveness training - not attacking what they did (which usually leads to "No I didn't; Yes you did" type exchanges) and instead focussing on how it made you feel which they can't dispute: "When cars overtake me too close it can be very scarey so I'd really appreciate it if you could give me a bit more room in future". Doesn't always work but usually works far better than confrontation IME.

[blackbike]

The driver is obviously an inadequate person with little control over his temper.

How could any reasonable person get so mad at such a minor incident and disagreement?

In my opinion people who are convicted or cautioned for such behaviour on the roads should be banned from driving for life, just as we ban others with physical and mental impairments from driving.

[Bonefishblues]

The driver is obviously an inadequate person with little control over his temper.

How could any reasonable person get so mad at such a minor incident and disagreement?

In my opinion people who are convicted or cautioned for such behaviour on the roads should be banned from driving for life, just as we ban others with physical and mental impairments from driving.

Edited for another perspective

I see my edit has itself been edited, presumably by Mods, making it somewhat confusing to anyone reading it - it's sometimes a more elegant way of making the point, and I do very clearly indicate that I have edited it by saying so, but hey-ho.

OK, let me say it again.

The driver was a man with anger issues, that would be a fact. Assault is never justified.

I would also view as a fact that the cyclist lingered to bait the driver when he could, and should in my estimation, have been the bigger man by leaving when it was obvious that his point was not being received.

[horizon]

The driver is obviously an inadequate person with little control over his temper.

How could any reasonable person get so mad at such a minor incident and disagreement?

In my opinion people who are convicted or cautioned for such behaviour on the roads should be banned from driving for life, just as we ban others with physical and mental impairments from driving.

I think most people who drive are wound up, overweight, frustrated and angry - it's in the nature of driving. That's why the car ads are so laughable - all those empty roads. In fact, AFAIK, Ford build their cars in such a way as to be pleasant when sitting in a traffic jam, though they don't tell you this.

[bikerwaser]

I've watched the vid over again and as others have said, the cyclist was right in being where he was because of the door zone.
The driver broke highway code rule 163 by passing too close.
The driver started being aggressive from the start and continues to do so while swearing. Finally commits assault.

That driver should not be on the road. End of !

[Bicycler]

I see the same thing with cycle lanes, there is a great cycle lane and you see someone (usually on an expensive carbon race bike) on the road because it's "His Right!"

I don't believe this. I mean... I can't quite comprehend. Never in my life have I seen such a thing.

Is there really a great cycle lane in the UK?

[Si]

I wonder if there would be much mileage in having that extract from the HC printed onto T shirts. Then you just need to knock on their window point to your chest and ride off without a word (hopefully with them stuck in traffic). Of course, it would probably be a breech of copyright....but there again so is (more or less) pasting it into this thread.

[bikerwaser]

I wonder if there would be much mileage in having that extract from the HC printed onto T shirts. Then you just need to knock on their window point to your chest and ride off without a word (hopefully with them stuck in traffic). Of course, it would probably be a breech of copyright....but there again so is (more or less) pasting it into this thread.

Or easier and maybe better to get it printed out and keep small leaflet sized copies with you and politely hand it to the offending driver and cycle off without having more of an interaction that , as we can see, may end in assault.

Maybe it could be good for people to post that image on their Facebook pages. We have thousands of members , many of which have Facebook. Surely reminding people of this potentially lifesaving rule is a good thing.