What would you do??
I was minding my own business out cycling one day,
Warming up towards a race which I came 3rd.
On the way to that race I had Jamie with me (riding partner) sucking my wheel as usual.
I paased Meadows and decided to crank it up to 50km/h to get my HR up,
I was going to overtake a motorist (Car) just like any other car (Right lane)
I decided not to and stayed on the left lane, I went futher off the shoulder next to the gravel and passed this car with safe and space.
Later after passing I cranked it up more on speed.
To my suprise approx 2kms later the same car pulled up alongside me with Jamie sucking my wheel.
This car pulled inside causing me to move over avioding being hit, I found myself on the gravel out of control in no time, I got back in control.
I sped up, drafted and caught this car again approx 60km/h.
I pulled to the inside again, rode up and grabbed the passangers mirror, I started to swear so loudly, abused and swore so dirty at the couple in the car, I thumped on the passanger window sereval times.
Both driver and passenger got suprised and suddenly sped off.
I spoke to CSA officals when I got to the race, they shook in disappoinment,
One Offical said to squirt your water bottle onto the windscreen.
One Offical said to use a full water bottle and try and smash the Passanger window.
and to report the rego plate...
What would you do if it was you??
Did I do the right thing??
Justin
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Justin Dunn on -
Gday Jeff
Yes the CSA Officals are aware of my deafness and they know that they must speak face to face,
I get acknowledged at the races by the officals even if they just say Hello.
I feel known well enough,
I told them firsthand when I did my first race with NCC
That first race I did break rules which didnt suprise the officals by dropping D grade and rolling up behind the C grade and staying there.
CSA understand me well as I have to make a mistake to learn the hard way, they give me warnings instead of fines about this and that and when it is clear to me I know the rules better.
They even take me aside before and/or after the races to explain it more clearly. etc.
Some hearing cyclist have came up to me etc after the races for a talk, for some reason they already know Im deaf. It grows on the club, they get to know everyone better as the time comes.
I dont feel disabled, it is something that I work around with.
Always a Positive over a Negative.Justin
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Permalink Reply by Matt Sarre on -
Hey Justin, I'm with Simon on this one. Understand why you would do it and have felt like doing it myself often but think it wiser next time someone cuts you off to pull back and let them pass.
Similar to Simon I communte 46kms a day + a solid ride on the weekend and figure we need to do everything we can to encourage good relations between cars and bikes and no matter how right we feel we are to get angry I don't think it helps.
But like I said, when you're in the moment that isn't always so easy - you're doing a good thing to reflect on this so you can decide how you want to react next time.
Ride safe mate.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Dunn on
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Thanks Matt
Good to know your comment and thought.
Sounds like you ride more than I do ;-(Stay Gold.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Sarre on
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A bit over 200kms per week .. but that's all about to change.
I lost it going down Morgan Rd on Saturday at over 80km and crashed it up pretty bad. I have two fractured vertebrae and will be off the bike for at least 6-8 weeks.
My beloved Cervelo is a mess.
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Permalink Reply by Smudge on -
Good luck with the recovery Matt, hope you heal up well.
Bad luck about the bike being written off, but better the bike than you mate.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Dunn on
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Same here just over 200kms a week,
But been working more and more, wet week and was feeling flat etc.
Havent done much riding this week but a good recovery for the A and B Grade Championships this Sat.
Sorry to hear you have came off,Came off the bike at over 80km/h!!
Thats insane, it wont be a light crash for sure.
That doesnt sound good there hopefully you arent in a wheelchair??
How do you deal with a broken vertebrae? Lying in bed all day atm?
Shame about the bike though, a new bike can always be purchased later but not a life.Justin
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Permalink Reply by Simon Lownsborough on -
Matt, sorry to hear this, hope you recover well. The bike is replaceable, look after yourself.
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Permalink Reply by Doddsy on -
I have suffered from temporary insanity on the odd occasion. Never when motorists have made honest mistakes, only when i've been targetted or they've done something really stupid (like a burnout u turn in front of me or a burnout off of a footpath into my space without looking).
Never really anything i've being proud of, although i have been cheered and congratulated by onlooking motorists and pedestrians on a few occasions.
I normally end up hoping they've learnt their lesson and don't spend the next few days stalking me around town.
Once i did something similar to what you did and the driver ended up chasing me and did about 10 three point turns on pirie street then left his car to chase me on foot a few times. I kept either doubling back sharper than he could turn or riding faster than he could run. The support from onlookers was overwhelming, he was oldish and i was fit and bigger but i had no intention of fighting.
I ended up taking off before the police arrived as i had work to do (people were yelling at him to stop as they called 000 while i was doing my best to publicly humiliate him). but it did get so close that i took my bike inside a building and used a fire escape after making a delivery. I guess i was gambling that he wasn't that smart otherwise i may have ended up beating up an old man that thought attempting to use a car as a weapon to intimidate me as funny.
Not really worth it if you can keep your cool.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Dunn on
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Really,
Im taken back what has happened to you.
Im glad you still have confident to keep cycling.
I dont seek much point running (cycling) away from something you feel you have done nothing wrong in the first place.
I understand sometimes the fuss isnt worth taking up, more time (police/reports) but it may save that driver from doing it again??That old man must have a bad temper.
Thanks for sharing your experience.Justin
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Permalink Reply by Doddsy on
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That was a long time ago, I was young, i wasn't afraid and i wasn't running away.
I was playing.
But yep i did snap and i believe knowing it was my supposed last day as a bike courier made me feel like i could get away with it. (the possibility of being stalked around the city the next day).
Must of been a few years of ignoring that type of stuff building up to that 1 moment.
Not sure if i proved anything, but if i was him i would have found the whole experience humiliating.
He didn't come across as a rational thinker.
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Permalink Reply by Simon Lownsborough on
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I once had a guy in a 4WD run me off the road at a roundabout. I caught him at the next intersection, started to yell, but he got out of his car, IN TRAFFIC, and came towards me with a jemmy.
I high-tailed it up a one-way lane the wrong way to get away.
Thats' the beauty of bikes - faster than someone on foot, and way more manouvereable than a car.
But that's the scary thing, some people just get p#ssed off very easily.
Irrational. Probably more to do with their own life issues, not that that helps - hardly the time to try counselling!!
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Permalink Reply by Justin Dunn on
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Thanks Simon,
That certainly does sound awful to go thr,
ie. putting yourself at riskj just by getting away from a manaic.Glad ur ok.
Keep those wheels going,
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