When will I clump my first car driver?

[cd365]

Being a new cyclist, over the last couple of months I have seen how bad the British roads are and also how ignorant a lot of car drivers are! A lot seem to believe that cyclists are there to be abused, the number of times I have been shouted at through an open car window is ridiculous, none of it warranted. Some of it seems to be by clowns who think it is funny to shout as they go past a cyclist to try and scare them. Then you get the morons who believe that only cars are allowed on the road and you should get out of the way for them.

Friday night I was riding along about 2 feet from the edge of the road (a very long straight) avoiding the drains when a BMW driver pulls up alongside and shouts something at me through the open passenger window, since my head was down and I was doing about 22MPH I couldn’t hear what he said, but I sat up and put my hand out to which he decided to bang on his brakes, I was in a foul mood so put a sprint on to catch up, jump of the bike (remembering to unclip from the pedals) and give him a clump (or two), he took a good look in his rear-view mirror, gave me the finger and sped off, coward!

I know it won’t be long before some other ignorant moron decides to put my temper to the test. But after being nearly run off the road each time I get on my bike, or so it seems, I am generally not in the best of moods a few miles into my ride!!

 

[numbnuts]

welcome to the real world of cycling

 

[garrilla]

please join the mentalists in commuting where you will find support, guidance and nice cup of tea.

 

[snorri]

Being a new cyclist,

Many on here recommend this publication
http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/

User3143 gives good advice too

 

[Garz]

Sadly your not the only one who experiences this, indeed it is a skill to control your temper.

 

[HLaB]

Sadly it the way of the world whatever you are doing (walking, cycling, driving, pogo-sticking) you'll always come across that one idiot. You can't let them spoil it for you otherwise they've won, enjoy your ride and forget about them.

PS I find it better to vent any frustration here rather than on the road, which is thankfully getting less and less often; thanks everybody for putting up with my rants.

 

[Archie_tect]

It's quite often the owners of very loud sports cars or expensive 'all singing-all dancing saloons' who make the most noise... clearly a measure of their own inadequacy on every level..

Was passed in a very showy manner by an Aston Martin driver who I'd clearly held up on a vital mission of national importance for a number of seconds....he dropped down 146 gears, belching a cloud of turbo-charged afterburnt gases from his 5.7 litre bohemoth and roared past me in a fit of pique. Less than two minutes later he was nonchalantly leaning against the nearside wing of his car waiting for his latest lady-friend [though I shouldn't jump to conclusions] to emerge from the video-protected, gated driveway of a large house... at least he had the good grace to look sheepish as I cycled past serenely....

 

[yello]

I can recommend leaving the UK!

But, in truth, I'm sure it's a city thing in any country.

 

[yello]

...but like lee implies, you just can't let it get to you. Chill and let the car drivers get themselves all wound up.

 

[Garz]

or would be nice to recite the exact highway code rule they are violating at the time (I always forget).

 

[aJohnson]

or would be nice to recite the exact highway code rule they are violating at the time (I always forget).

I cant remember any of them normally (well there numbers) However the "road tax" argument is always a hot one.

 

[HLaB]

I cant remember any of them normally (well there numbers) However the "road tax" argument is always a hot one.

My first commutes were in Dublin and at first they had no vehicle registration tax (I can't remember when it came into force) so I the argument was never used. I was back in the UK amazingly for 3 1/2 years before I heard it shouted here, I've heard it lots of time in the last 6 months though

 

[Norm]

I'm waiting for someone to throw that crap at me, as I pay tax on 4 road vehicles, all of which are garaged and off the road when I'm out on my bike.

 

[ufkacbln]

or would be nice to recite the exact highway code rule they are violating at the time (I always forget).

You don't need to!

They won't know the difference........ I find "section 17" is a particularly useful one as in "You realise that maneouvre was an offence under section 17 of the Road Traffic Act"

 

[upsidedown]

I remember when i started commuting, reading a post by Tynan where he said "they can smell fear", always stuck with me and i think there's a lot of truth to it.