Motorist threatens to Kill you

[scubadude]

...while you're on your bike, obviously :-)

On Sunday morning a swerved and braked to avoid a van that shot out of its parking space without indicating, it then stopped so I passed and shock my head in exasperation. (I guess he was manouvering to get out of a tight space so didn't need to indicate but he shot out the first 3ft very quickly and scared the cr*p out of me.)

Shortly after the same van shot past me and stopped up ahead, when I reached the van (he'd blocked the lane and I had no option but to stop) I got an earful of abuse about shaking my head and the fat plumber driving threatened to kill me if he saw me again before tearing off in a cloud of clutch smoke.

Usually I wouldn't give it a second thought but this happned 300mtrs from my house in a small town, so chances are I'll see and pass this plonker regularly. He was also driving a stickered up van which I recognise and have seen often, so I know the business, phone numbers, reg etc.

My only solace is that he probably doesn't know one cyclist from another, this time of year we all have black tights, yellow waterproofs and full gloves on... on the other hand he's clearly a prize pr*ck.

So;
1, Do nothing he's just a nob.
2, Report it to his company
3, Report it to the Police

99% of me wants to ignore this, I have a nagging 1% asking me what will happen when I ride past his van again... which will happen, will it be better or worse if I said something?

[anonymous-user]

I think 3 is your only option really, next time he might just decide to "teach someone a lesson".... I had a similar incident recently, called the number on hte van and suggested if he continued to drive like a moron, he didnt do it in a van with his name and telephone number on the side,his response .... "fair point, mate"...

The Police might not do anything but at least its on record.

[itsnotarace]

Definitely 3, and I would probably look at calling his employers too assuming it's not a 1 man band

[Vocal Minority]

Well if was serious about killing you surely he would have dropped you on the spot. Sounds like an impotent rage special - tool bag needed to feel like he had won.

However, definately notify fuzz/employers. Society doesn't need Mr Angry's with an alpha male complex driving round.

[danjama]

To be honest i would have put my bike aside before he came over and thumped him as soon as he threatened me. That's not internet hard man talk, just being honest. It's not on.

Now that that time has passed, I would definitely report him to the Police and his Company. That sort of behavious is not on, and how dumb is he to do it in his vinyled van?

[TonyHetherington]

I had a passenger try and push me off my bike. Fortunately I was going pretty quickly and so it didn't actually make me sway much at all, but the kid was an idiot.

Wasn't going to report it but a friend persuaded me to.

Police took it very seriously, came to my house and took a statement. Couple of weeks later; guys car got crushed

Turns out he had a "Section 59" (I think that was it) on the car, which is essentially a "do something wrong again and we're crushing the car", because he's been a naughty boy before. His passenger pushing me was the final straw apparently.

So, report it, even if it's just to be on record.

[antspants]

TonyHetherington said:

Couple of weeks later; guys car got crushed

Excellent result!

[scubadude]

Cheers folk, have reported it just to be on the safe side.

I wouldn't have stopped if he hadn't blocked me in, I'd rather not get into a confrontation while cycling, my concern when riding is that your adrenalin is running and you might act with less consideration than normal behaviour.

Also wouldn't want to get into a fight wearing cleats- that'd just be embarrasing :-)

[IroningMan]

TonyHetherington said:

I had a passenger try and push me off my bike. Fortunately I was going pretty quickly and so it didn't actually make me sway much at all, but the kid was an idiot.

Wasn't going to report it but a friend persuaded me to.

Police took it very seriously, came to my house and took a statement. Couple of weeks later; guys car got crushed

Turns out he had a "Section 59" (I think that was it) on the car, which is essentially a "do something wrong again and we're crushing the car", because he's been a naughty boy before. His passenger pushing me was the final straw apparently.

So, report it, even if it's just to be on record.

Meanwhile, in another thread, PHers are bemoaning Section 59 as prone to abuse and lacking in judicial oversight.

[TonyHetherington]

Indeed - it's one of those things that's great if you're on the right side of it, I imagine, rather than the wrong side.

[Pothole]

IroningMan said:

TonyHetherington said:

I had a passenger try and push me off my bike. Fortunately I was going pretty quickly and so it didn't actually make me sway much at all, but the kid was an idiot.

Wasn't going to report it but a friend persuaded me to.

Police took it very seriously, came to my house and took a statement. Couple of weeks later; guys car got crushed

Turns out he had a "Section 59" (I think that was it) on the car, which is essentially a "do something wrong again and we're crushing the car", because he's been a naughty boy before. His passenger pushing me was the final straw apparently.

So, report it, even if it's just to be on record.

Meanwhile, in another thread, PHers are bemoaning Section 59 as prone to abuse and lacking in judicial oversight.

Nothing here to prove that it's not. Something 'working' once doesn't make it perfect.

[Furry Exocet]

Report it, you've got a couple of offences. The obvious traffic related stuff, or you've got the public order act, section 4 or the lower section 5.

It may not be the first time he's done this and it could be the icing on the cake that is needed.

[RGambo]

PUlling out on you, that's one of those things, NOT condoning it, but he MIGHT not have seen you, but overtaking, getting out and abusing you, that's worrying.
I would have to report that.

[yellowjack]

scubadude said:

Cheers folk, have reported it just to be on the safe side.

I wouldn't have stopped if he hadn't blocked me in, I'd rather not get into a confrontation while cycling, my concern when riding is that your adrenalin is running and you might act with less consideration than normal behaviour.

Also wouldn't want to get into a fight wearing cleats- that'd just be embarrasing :-)

This is a huge potential problem - if you were to be attacked by a nutcase motorist, how the hell would you go about making a spirited defence, if it became unavoidable. I imagine it would be akin to a boxing match on an ice rink, with you on skates and your opponent wearing ice spikes.

Not cycling related, but there are a couple of right gems near me.

http://goo.gl/maps/cq0o3

The son, who perceived me to have offended him - (my offence was to fail to stop to allow him to reverse out onto the road ahead of me) - and then proceeded to (attempt) to terrorise/tailgate me all the way up the Fernhill Road. You live there, dhead. If I wanted to have it out with you, you'd not be hard to find, eh? Saddest thing was, the reason I didn't "let him out" was that I was the only bloody car on the road, so his waiting wouldn't delay his journey more than 5 seconds if he drove at the speed limit. It probably angered him because I thwarted his plan to roar off up the road way in excess of the posted limit.

Then it was his dad, who regularly stands in the road to stop traffic in both directions while his useless wife takes forever reversing out onto the road. I daren't stop for him and his silly waving arms, as I was turning right into a minor road, so stopping would have meant leaving the rear of my car sticking out onto the Fernhill Road, obstructing traffic, as well as risking being rear-ended by other right-turning vehicles. This time he followed me (on foot) up to the school (it was parent's evening) to 'have it out with me'. Again, dude, if you are going to behave like this, better not to do it right outside your own house, no?

When I suggested to (the dad) that they would all be far better off reversing INTO their HUGE driveway, so as not to be delayed in the morning having to reverse out, or even use the massive hard-standing to turn the cars around on their own property, I was met with a mouthful of vile abuse and lightly veiled threats. My response, of which I'm not massively proud...."anything happens to this car while I'm inside the school, I know where you live". I think he realised the error of the thought process that brought him to that point, and just shuffled off home, mumbling expletives under his breath. Talk about an over-blown sense of entitlement.

Reversing out into traffic, virtually ON a busy 'T' junction, within a few hundred yards of 4 schools - 1 large comprehensive, 2 infants, and one junior, is not your greatest contribution to road safety is it now, Mr Agrresive, Jnr and Snr, of St John's Road, Farnborough?

[Furry Exocet]

yellowjack said:

This is a huge potential problem - if you were to be attacked by a nutcase motorist, how the hell would you go about making a spirited defence, if it became unavoidable. I imagine it would be akin to a boxing match on an ice rink, with you on skates and your opponent wearing ice spikes.

Not cycling related, but there are a couple of right gems near me.

http://goo.gl/maps/cq0o3

The son, who perceived me to have offended him - (my offence was to fail to stop to allow him to reverse out onto the road ahead of me) - and then proceeded to (attempt) to terrorise/tailgate me all the way up the Fernhill Road. You live there, dhead. If I wanted to have it out with you, you'd not be hard to find, eh? Saddest thing was, the reason I didn't "let him out" was that I was the only bloody car on the road, so his waiting wouldn't delay his journey more than 5 seconds if he drove at the speed limit. It probably angered him because I thwarted his plan to roar off up the road way in excess of the posted limit.

Then it was his dad, who regularly stands in the road to stop traffic in both directions while his useless wife takes forever reversing out onto the road. I daren't stop for him and his silly waving arms, as I was turning right into a minor road, so stopping would have meant leaving the rear of my car sticking out onto the Fernhill Road, obstructing traffic, as well as risking being rear-ended by other right-turning vehicles. This time he followed me (on foot) up to the school (it was parent's evening) to 'have it out with me'. Again, dude, if you are going to behave like this, better not to do it right outside your own house, no?

When I suggested to (the dad) that they would all be far better off reversing INTO their HUGE driveway, so as not to be delayed in the morning having to reverse out, or even use the massive hard-standing to turn the cars around on their own property, I was met with a mouthful of vile abuse and lightly veiled threats. My response, of which I'm not massively proud...."anything happens to this car while I'm inside the school, I know where you live". I think he realised the error of the thought process that brought him to that point, and just shuffled off home, mumbling expletives under his breath. Talk about an over-blown sense of entitlement.

Reversing out into traffic, virtually ON a busy 'T' junction, within a few hundred yards of 4 schools - 1 large comprehensive, 2 infants, and one junior, is not your greatest contribution to road safety is it now, Mr Agrresive, Jnr and Snr, of St John's Road, Farnborough?

Travel that road most days and there are some right mongs along there!

[ocsine]

Someone threatening to kill you after driving a car into your path is a section 3 public affray offence:

http://freelegalweb.org/5155/2010/07/offences-affr...

Please take this up with the police. Were there any witnesses to the event? The dhead could pick up a three year sentence at Her Majesty's pleasure for this.

Edited by ocsine on Tuesday 29th January 09:21

[AyBee]

2 and 3. If he gets wound up by that, it's likely that he's done it before and will do it again. If I was a company owner, I wouldn't want him driving around in my van acting like a tt! All it would take is a nice article in the local rag and it would quite possibly be damaging to the business.

[supersport]

Furry Exocet said:

yellowjack said:

This is a huge potential problem - if you were to be attacked by a nutcase motorist, how the hell would you go about making a spirited defence, if it became unavoidable. I imagine it would be akin to a boxing match on an ice rink, with you on skates and your opponent wearing ice spikes.

Not cycling related, but there are a couple of right gems near me.

http://goo.gl/maps/cq0o3

The son, who perceived me to have offended him - (my offence was to fail to stop to allow him to reverse out onto the road ahead of me) - and then proceeded to (attempt) to terrorise/tailgate me all the way up the Fernhill Road. You live there, dhead. If I wanted to have it out with you, you'd not be hard to find, eh? Saddest thing was, the reason I didn't "let him out" was that I was the only bloody car on the road, so his waiting wouldn't delay his journey more than 5 seconds if he drove at the speed limit. It probably angered him because I thwarted his plan to roar off up the road way in excess of the posted limit.

Then it was his dad, who regularly stands in the road to stop traffic in both directions while his useless wife takes forever reversing out onto the road. I daren't stop for him and his silly waving arms, as I was turning right into a minor road, so stopping would have meant leaving the rear of my car sticking out onto the Fernhill Road, obstructing traffic, as well as risking being rear-ended by other right-turning vehicles. This time he followed me (on foot) up to the school (it was parent's evening) to 'have it out with me'. Again, dude, if you are going to behave like this, better not to do it right outside your own house, no?

When I suggested to (the dad) that they would all be far better off reversing INTO their HUGE driveway, so as not to be delayed in the morning having to reverse out, or even use the massive hard-standing to turn the cars around on their own property, I was met with a mouthful of vile abuse and lightly veiled threats. My response, of which I'm not massively proud...."anything happens to this car while I'm inside the school, I know where you live". I think he realised the error of the thought process that brought him to that point, and just shuffled off home, mumbling expletives under his breath. Talk about an over-blown sense of entitlement.

Reversing out into traffic, virtually ON a busy 'T' junction, within a few hundred yards of 4 schools - 1 large comprehensive, 2 infants, and one junior, is not your greatest contribution to road safety is it now, Mr Agrresive, Jnr and Snr, of St John's Road, Farnborough?

Travel that road most days and there are some right mongs along there!

Reversing onto a road is a nono in the highway code

[yellowjack]

supersport said:

Reversing onto a road is a nono in the highway code

I know that, you know that, but it seems an alien concept to most people.

Logic (and to a certain extent physics) dictates that if you drive in forwards, you need to reverse out. Some people seem to spend an inordinate amount of their time waiting to reverse out onto fairly busy roads at fairly busy times. A fair proportion of these idiots also end up raging mad because of the amount of time it takes to get out. Can they simply not see that it would be far easier for them, and safer for everyone, if they took the simple step of reversing INTO their friggin' driveways when they came home. At least then they'd be able to nip out into a smaller gap in traffic instead of making traffic in both directions slow to a stop while they perform their bumbling turn outs and fumble between forward and reverse gears.

Also, if you don't want a gobfull of abuse from a leathery old pensioner (and wannabe hardman), then don't, whatever you do, have the sheer audacity to point out that only uniformed Police Officers, HATOs, VOSA Traffic Officers and School Crossing Patrols may stop or direct traffic except in a dire emergency.

I've lived a lot of life in a relatively short time, and it seems to me,from experience, that there's no man so stupid as the one who is wilfully ignorant.

[JuniorD]

Option 4.

Call his company, preferably at night, tell them you have an emergency, a big plumbing job is reqired etc., and give him a location in the middle of nowhere at the end of a track up a mountainside.