Motorist threatened to run me down

[Parrot of Doom]

Cycling down a road today (dead end, public right of way/bridleway) a BMW X6 was driving toward me. The lane is only 1 car wide, with 3-foot grass/mud verges on either side. I pulled across as far left as I could go without going into the mud, and stopped. I'm on a roadie and the verge is quite deep, so can't get onto it. The car continued driving toward me. I expected him to put 2 wheels onto his verge, so we could both pass each other, but instead he stopped, directly in the middle of the lane, wound his window down, and started giving me jip.

He claimed I rode at him (25lb bike vs 2 tonne X6), that I refused to get out of his way. When I countered that I was as far over as I could get, and not moving, he claimed that I shouldn't be cycling there. I told him it was a public right of way, he claimed that as a local resident he owned the road. I asked him why, in a large 4x4, he couldn't simply drive up the verge a little so we could pass each other.

Then, he said "if I ever see you ride at me again, next time I won't stop, I'll run you down".

That crosses a line for me. I've been given all kinds of st, but nobody has ever threatened me like that. I took his licence plate (as he did what he should have done, and drove around me), his parting words as I told him I'd phone the police were "aaahhh fkoff!" He then did the usual pedal-to-the-metal thing and roared off into the distance.

I've phoned the police and just spoken with an officer (a cyclist himself), but he seems to think that no offence has been committed. He said the details have been logged, and that if it happened again, then he should be able to take action.

Am I right for standing my ground? Should I be expected to get off my bike and stand in the mud, so a motorist can use the full width of the road, and not have to do similar?

Location:
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnea...

Pics:

This is where I stopped. You could fit about a car and a quarter down there:



This is where I was positioned. My left brake is directly above the leaves and mud.



This is what he would have had to drive over, to get past me. Can you see the tyre tread marks? That's how far he had to drive up onto the verge, to get by.

[robpearson]

why would you buy an 'off road' vehicle and actually get it muddy? he probably doesn't have a clue how wide his car is, and is suffering from diminished manhood.
I know its no comfort, but a friend of mine posted this on facebook yesterday - with any luck the same karma will find your BMW driving friend.

"Just seen a chap in a Range Rover nearly run over a cyclist. Cyclist shouts at him. He gets out his car leaving the engine running and drivers door wide open gobbling off at the cyclist. Turns round to see random man get into the drivers seat of his 60 plate range and drive off in it. Lights turn green cyclist rides off giving him the finger."

[Parrot of Doom]

Thanks, that made me lol

[NitroNick]

Parrot of Doom said:

Am I right for standing my ground?
Should I be expected to get off my bike and stand in the mud, so a motorist can use the full width of the road?

Yes absolutely.
No, not at all.
st like this really annoys me.
I find that the most appropriate option for a motorist meeting a cyclist on this type road is to pull as far over to the left of the road as possible and bring your car to a complete stop or at minimum a walking pace(if you are comfortable to pull on to the verge then fine)
Then wait for the cyclist to make their way past you.
Using a >2 tonne car to force a <150kg (i don't know you but give you the benifit of the doubt ) obstacle off the road is in my opinion absolute bks.
If I get held up by a cyclist when I'm driving I take my time to get past them and then make up the time cost by driving slightly faster.
I don't mean to generalise but I find that range rover x5/6, tourag q7 etc drivers are always the most aggresive when I'm out cycling.

[HundredthIdiot]

Nice bartape! You do know it's December, right? :-)

I don't think his behaviour is acceptable. If I was plod I'd ring him up and let him know the complaint was on file. Would only take a couple of minutes, and might make him think twice in future.

[NitroNick]

oh btw...what colour was the x6. I'm doing a search of the aerial view of the google maps link you posted.
If i see an x6 parked up close by i'll let you know. We can then burn the fkers house down.



eta

Edited by NitroNick on Thursday 16th December 16:14

[Roman]

To be fair he may have got stuck on that grass !:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8-NNEK1kGo

[IainT]

Looking at your wheel position you could have eaily pulled over another 8" to the left and stopped with your right foot down to steady yourself as he passed without any major issue BUT equally he could have pulled over with his LHS on the grass/mud. A bit more give and take either way and this would have been non-event.

The rageing at you (and any return thereof) was pointelss and rather pathetic.

Quite right that the BiB don't do anything at this point but further complaints from others may have effect.

[Parrot of Doom]

IainT said:

Looking at your wheel position you could have eaily pulled over another 8" to the left and stopped with your right foot down to steady yourself as he passed without any major issue BUT equally he could have pulled over with his LHS on the grass/mud. A bit more give and take either way and this would have been non-event.

I don't balance well on my right foot, left foot is usual for me, but if I had stopped on my right foot I'd still have been occupying the same amount of road space, surely, as I'd have been leant over toward the vehicle. In fact had I slipped, I would have risked falling into his path, whereas on my left foot I'd fall into the mud.

[IainT]

Parrot of Doom said:

IainT said:

Looking at your wheel position you could have eaily pulled over another 8" to the left and stopped with your right foot down to steady yourself as he passed without any major issue BUT equally he could have pulled over with his LHS on the grass/mud. A bit more give and take either way and this would have been non-event.

I don't balance well on my right foot, left foot is usual for me, but if I had stopped on my right foot I'd still have been occupying the same amount of road space, surely, as I'd have been leant over toward the vehicle. In fact had I slipped, I would have risked falling into his path, whereas on my left foot I'd fall into the mud.

Fair enough. I naturally put my left foot down too and doing it the other way would be counter-intuitive.

[Harry Flashman]

You played this badly. You should have approached the vehicle, as if to say sorry. While chatting through the open window, you should have then performed a ninja grab-keys-and-chuck-into-field manoeuvre, before cycling off, cackling with glee.

Amateur.

[trace1967]

So he owns the road does he this local resident. then why the fk has he not cleaned up all the leaves and mud the lazy bd.

Knobhead total!

[a11y_m]

Parrot of Doom said:

I've phoned the police and just spoken with an officer (a cyclist himself), but he seems to think that no offence has been committed. He said the details have been logged, and that if it happened again, then he should be able to take action.

My experience with the police after being struck by a passing van (brushed by wing mirror lightly TBH) then verbally abused and chased by the driver on foot with him yelling "I'm going to f**king kill you", was similar. I had it all on video too. They didn't even want to see the video as they claimed there's nothing they could do. I got informed They'd only take things further if I'd been seriously injured or physical damage had occured to my bike...

I've given up reporting these sort of things now as it's a f**king waste of my time. Hate to let these things pass as it's effectively letting them win, but until extra support/protection is given to cyclists there's no point reporting from my expereinces.

[FraserLFA]

In the defence of the BMW driver, have you seen them off road!?

OP, most people would move over for you, He's just a dick. He's in a big car and is more important than any of us mortals. Karma catches up with everyone eventually.

[RRS_Staffs]

Your biggest mistake is posting your experience in the public domain

If he really does live there you should be able to spot his house fairly easily and then post something lovely through the letter box like a dog turd

Oh did I say dog turd?
I meant mince pie

Etc

[Mr Gear]

I think technically, threatening to run someone over is assault.

It's the same as threatening to stab someone or hit them with a hammer. Regardless of any actual injury sustained, I was always led to believe that assault was the assault when you feel threatened by someone's action or words.

[Deva Link]

Mr Gear said:

I think technically, threatening to run someone over is assault.

It's the same as threatening to stab someone or hit them with a hammer. Regardless of any actual injury sustained, I was always led to believe that assault was the assault when you feel threatened by someone's action or words.

I agree - If someone threatens you and you're in fear of being attacked then that constitutes assault.

This answer https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q383.htm suggests that it's a waste of time reporting it unless you have witnesses though.

Edited by Deva Link on Friday 17th December 11:42

[The Walrus]

a11y_m said:

Parrot of Doom said:

I've phoned the police and just spoken with an officer (a cyclist himself), but he seems to think that no offence has been committed. He said the details have been logged, and that if it happened again, then he should be able to take action.

My experience with the police after being struck by a passing van (brushed by wing mirror lightly TBH) then verbally abused and chased by the driver on foot with him yelling "I'm going to f**king kill you", was similar. I had it all on video too. They didn't even want to see the video as they claimed there's nothing they could do. I got informed They'd only take things further if I'd been seriously injured or physical damage had occured to my bike...

I've given up reporting these sort of things now as it's a f**king waste of my time. Hate to let these things pass as it's effectively letting them win, but until extra support/protection is given to cyclists there's no point reporting from my expereinces.

That's people for you I suppose, as for the police I don't understand their point of view on this, surely if someone said that to them as a police officer they would arrest them for public disorder or threatening behaviour

[Efbe]

combine this thread:
http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&amp...

with this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[a11y_m]

Efbe said:

combine this thread:
http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&amp...

with this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Those are basically the same sort of camera I use for MTBing, and also what I was wearing on my helmet in that video linked above. Quality is OK but not great, but they're amazing value for money at around £10-15. This is the sort of quality, using my only car-related clip since this is PH: CLICKY

The one I'd been using above died after 12 months but I've just received one of THESE - thought the windscreen mount could be entertaining. Yet to test it all.

But whether any video evidence will be any use is another matter...