Went out for a train yesturday afternoon. Came across a very small section of cycle track, which I never use becuase it is on a downhill and I feel riding at 30mph on a very rough cycle track. Bloke in a red car skimmed past and shouted 'get on the f~~~g cycle track'. He was waiting for me at the next junction and kicked me so hard I almost feel off the said if he saw me again he would run me over!
Did try to say about the current debate, but he didn't seem interested. Phoned police right away and they have been very good, although the bloke was on false plates! Doh! What makes this worse is that I am only 5ft and really look like a little girl in my kit. Obvously no blooming morals at all!
Went out for a train yesturday afternoon. Came across a very small section of cycle track, which I never use becuase it is on a downhill and I feel riding at 30mph on a very rough cycle track. Bloke in a red car skimmed past and shouted 'get on the f~~~g cycle track'. He was waiting for me at the next junction and kicked me so hard I almost feel off the said if he saw me again he would run me over!
Did try to say about the current debate, but he didn't seem interested. Phoned police right away and they have been very good, although the bloke was on false plates! Doh! What makes this worse is that I am only 5ft and really look like a little girl in my kit. Obvously no blooming morals at all!
All sympathy accepted!
There are tossers in all walks of life and this one can't even use the usual motorist canard that he has paid his road tax. It sounds like he's the sort of person who would have taken his personal problems out against whoever was around and you were just unlucky it was you. But don't let his problems become yours. Hopefully even on false plates, with a car description and numberplate they should be able to spot him and pull him over when they will have plenty of book to throw at him.
-- Tony
"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way." - Bertrand Russell
[email hidden] said the following on 10/05/2007 08:47:
Quoted message said:
Went out for a train yesturday afternoon. Came across a very small section of cycle track, which I never use becuase it is on a downhill and I feel riding at 30mph on a very rough cycle track. Bloke in a red car skimmed past and shouted 'get on the f~~~g cycle track'.
Whatever happened to the various campaigns the government used to run in the 1970s? It seems to me that a lot of these problems could be reduced by educating people. (I will admit that this particular [censored] sounds beyond education). A great big "on your bike" campaign is what is needed, although I suppose it will be spoilt by lots of idyllic scenes of Mr & Mrs Average with Joaquin and Tocasta Average wearing poorly fitting helmets pootling along cycle tracks, which I suppose will have a worse effect.
Tony Raven said the following on 10/05/2007 08:57:
Quoted message said:
Hopefully even on false plates, with a car description and numberplate they should be able to spot him and pull him over when they will have plenty of book to throw at him.
Not really related, but he's probably the type of person who can't get false numberplates right. There's an apparently abandoned car hereabouts with the letter U as the age-related part of the registration. Hmmm....
Went out for a train yesturday afternoon. Came across a very small section of cycle track, which I never use becuase it is on a downhill and I feel riding at 30mph on a very rough cycle track. Bloke in a red car skimmed past and shouted 'get on the f~~~g cycle track'. He was waiting for me at the next junction and kicked me so hard I almost feel off the said if he saw me again he would run me over!
Did try to say about the current debate, but he didn't seem interested. Phoned police right away and they have been very good, although the bloke was on false plates! Doh! What makes this worse is that I am only 5ft and really look like a little girl in my kit. Obvously no blooming morals at all!
Thanks for your nice replies. I was desperate to see another cyclist on my way home and have a rant! We may disagree on a lot of issues, but I have never failed to find sympathy and support from the cycling community when it is really needed! My partner was very supportive, but didn't really get the cycling on the road thing.
I shall also bow slightly to the H debaters and admit that in this case, my H did not stop me from being kicked by an irrate driver! I will also admit that as my H is very distinctive and I cycle a lot in the area where a driver is looking out for me, my H may also lead to my downfall! Might go and buy a new one...and a new top, new bike, new shorts, new face if possible!
On a serious note, should I start carrying some sort of alarm or pepper spray do you think?
Ken has just launched another one for London cycling. There's supposed to be some telly ads. Has anyone seen any yet?
I guess I won't see them, not living in London :-)
Ken does have some barmy ideas, but he also seems to get done what he wants to get done. We could do with a lot more politicians with that attribute, but receptive to sensible ideas! I've read that the number of cyclists in London is increasing rapidly, so perhaps some of his ideas are working. Don't take me to task for that though because I only have a passing outsider's view :-)
[email hidden] said the following on 10/05/2007 10:31:
Quoted message said:
On a serious note, should I start carrying some sort of alarm or pepper spray do you think?
If you really feel threatened, then that may not be a bad idea. These days though, I wouldn't be surprised if you were the one that got arrested for assault if you felt the need to use pepper spray :-(
On a serious note, should I start carrying some sort of alarm or pepper spray do you think?
Well pepper spray is illegal to own and could get you into trouble. In fact squirting anything at someone, even if it is only water, would technically be an assault - so don't go filling up a spare water bottle with lemon juice or anything. An alarm would be OK - it might frighten the guy off or it might draw bystanders attention to you.
-- Andy Leighton => [email hidden] "The Lord is my shepherd, but we still lost the sheep dog trials" - Robert Rankin, _They Came And Ate Us_
Went out for a train yesturday afternoon. Came across a very small section of cycle track, which I never use becuase it is on a downhill and I feel riding at 30mph on a very rough cycle track. Bloke in a red car skimmed past and shouted 'get on the f~~~g cycle track'. He was waiting for me at the next junction and kicked me so hard I almost feel off the said if he saw me again he would run me over!
That's appalling. Obviously you got an extreme reaction there but among their many other failings on-road farcilities do tend to lead to increased motorist aggression. The harm they do far outweighs any good done by the very small number of useful ones.
An incident like that does shake you up for a few days, but you should return to normal before too long. Cycling makes you a highly visible target but assaults can happen at any time to non-cyclists too. It's just a fact of life.
Trying to engage him in debate was a mistake IMHO. Firstly his pea brain is not equiped for that kind of thing. Secondly he was already behaving irrationally. Thirdly he had just assaulted you twice in quick succession. The second best course is to cycle away showing no emotion whatever. Let him know you're not interested in playing. The first best course is to have a chain gang of hulking triathletes appear over the brow of the hill at just the right moment but sadly that doesn't often happen.
Thanks for your nice replies. I was desperate to see another cyclist on my way home and have a rant! We may disagree on a lot of issues, but I have never failed to find sympathy and support from the cycling community when it is really needed! My partner was very supportive, but didn't really get the cycling on the road thing.
I shall also bow slightly to the H debaters and admit that in this case, my H did not stop me from being kicked by an irrate driver! I will also admit that as my H is very distinctive and I cycle a lot in the area where a driver is looking out for me, my H may also lead to my downfall! Might go and buy a new one...and a new top, new bike, new shorts, new face if possible!
On a serious note, should I start carrying some sort of alarm or pepper spray do you think?
I think it is illegal to carry any sort of weapon for "self defence".
I have my doubts whether an alarm will actually have any benefits - but if it makes you feel more confident then it's probably worth it.
But an airzound might be the best thing of all. It's an alarm if you ever need an alarm. It should be set up to be easily usable while on your bike and it might actually be useful in "normal" traffic situations.
I think it is illegal to carry any sort of weapon for "self defence".
But something that you happen to have with you for legitimate purposes, which happens to be usable as a weapon in emergency, is OK.
Maybe we need to get the bike mags to start waxing lyrical about the benefits of filling your tyres with capsaicin - then all you need to do is take the adaptor off your "emergency reinflator". :-)
On a serious note, should I start carrying some sort of alarm or pepper spray do you think?
Alarm maybe, but don't carry a weapon. It could easily be grabbed off you and used against you. This often actually happens, apparently.
Hopefully the police will take the matter seriously and track the bloke down and get him prosecuted. Being *kicked* is well beyond the normal kind of hassles cyclists get from motorists.
Alarm maybe, but don't carry a weapon. It could easily be grabbed off you and used against you. This often actually happens, apparently.
Yea, I think in retrospect you are all right about some sort of physical defence. To be honest, I continued with my ride for about 20 miles afterwards just to ensure I didn't wimp out. Rode into work today and felt fine about the whole thing. Been a serious rider since a child and this is the first time anything like this has happened. The police were a bit puzzled as well.
Went out for a train yesturday afternoon. Came across a very small section of cycle track, which I never use becuase it is on a downhill and I feel riding at 30mph on a very rough cycle track. Bloke in a red car skimmed past and shouted 'get on the f~~~g cycle track'. He was waiting for me at the next junction and kicked me so hard I almost feel off the said if he saw me again he would run me over!
Did try to say about the current debate, but he didn't seem interested. Phoned police right away and they have been very good, although the bloke was on false plates! Doh! What makes this worse is that I am only 5ft and really look like a little girl in my kit. Obvously no blooming morals at all!
All sympathy accepted!
Sympathy offered. Presumably the police are treating this as assault?
Went out for a train yesturday afternoon. Came across a very small section of cycle track, which I never use becuase it is on a downhill and I feel riding at 30mph on a very rough cycle track. Bloke in a red car skimmed past and shouted 'get on the f~~~g cycle track'. He was waiting for me at the next junction and kicked me so hard I almost feel off the said if he saw me again he would run me over!
Did try to say about the current debate, but he didn't seem interested. Phoned police right away and they have been very good, although the bloke was on false plates! Doh! What makes this worse is that I am only 5ft and really look like a little girl in my kit. Obvously no blooming morals at all!
All sympathy accepted!
The traditional reply here (well, in the late '03s) is
"Cut 'is goolies off".
I see no reason why that should not apply in this case.
Truly an ugly situation. I may well have got myself into trouble had it happened to me. You didn't.
<[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Went out for a train yesturday afternoon. Came across a very small section of cycle track, which I never use becuase it is on a downhill and I feel riding at 30mph on a very rough cycle track. Bloke in a red car skimmed past and shouted 'get on the f~~~g cycle track'. He was waiting for me at the next junction and kicked me so hard I almost feel off the said if he saw me again he would run me over!
Did try to say about the current debate, but he didn't seem interested. Phoned police right away and they have been very good, although the bloke was on false plates! Doh! What makes this worse is that I am only 5ft and really look like a little girl in my kit. Obvously no blooming morals at all!
All sympathy accepted!
Have some more sympathy!
I try to ignore 'canned abuse' but on the rare occasion when I don't I feel a bit foolish afterwards as I would be no good if it went ugly (except if it came to a sprint :-p!!!) and as you say, I am easily recognisable in the area!
Andy Leighton <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:
Quoted message said:
On 10 May 2007 02:31:39 -0700, [email hidden] <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
On a serious note, should I start carrying some sort of alarm or pepper spray do you think?
Well pepper spray is illegal to own and could get you into trouble. In fact squirting anything at someone, even if it is only water, would technically be an assault - so don't go filling up a spare water bottle with lemon juice or anything. An alarm would be OK - it might frighten the guy off or it might draw bystanders attention to you.
I'd agree, the battery powered alarms we issue to our staff are such that you don't want to be around one for too long, and would definately attract attention in an urban environment. Plod would probably point you in the direction of a reasonably priced example; Google might find a louder, state of the art example.
