Altercation in Strand

[Schmorglebot]

So a friend of mine and his mate were cycling in Strand yesterday (Sarel Cillier into Fagan street, if you know Strand) when this BMW pulls up behind one of them and starts sitting on his hooter. My friend then (perhaps unnecessarily) gives him the one finger salute. The car passes but eventually my friend ends up in front again. The same thing happens, hooting, saluting, but this time the driver thinks that he is now entitled to intentionally drive into my mate. Takes his back wheel out, friend and bike (which is a grand total of 1 day old) are on the floor. The other cyclist gets off his bike and jumps in front of the car, and slams his hands on the bonnet in frustration.

 

The injured cyclist gets up and in a heightened state goes to the driver window for answers. The driver (who is travelling with his wife and kids) ignores my friend and in his heightened state my friend hits his mirror breaking the housing. The driver then decides that this is enough and starts to reverse in order to make his escape! Luckily in his haste he reverses into another car and it is perhaps only due to this that he was caught. The car that was backed into chases after the offender and catches him a few blocks down. They then all meet up at the police station.

 

It doesnt sound like my friend wants to press charges and go through the hassle of court and all that. He's offered to pay for the mirror but the driver is unresponsive.

 

How have we gotten to a situation where people either have so little regard for other people, or are so sensitive that they will drive into a cyclist?

 

Anyway, this was just a bit of a rant. Just thankful that everyone involved is alright and that the only casualty was a rear derailleur

 

[Sepia]

Joh, heavy Christmas spirit going down there in the Cape  - Dehydration Syndrome?

 

Your mate sounds like a big boy and should have walked away, no matter what.  Has a broken wheel to show for it.....not good.

Oh, to be young again, guess I would have done the same?

[GLuvsMtb]

The driver is a chop, and so is your friend. It is not clear whether or bot they were riding side by side, and to be honest, it is irrelevant. The smart thing to do when a motorist gets agro is to put up your hand and try and try and accommodate him, not to put yourself, your riding partner and most likely the next cyclist up the road in danger.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[(Deon)]

 

How have we gotten to a situation where people ... are so sensitive 

 

Your answer.

[Patchelicious]

Driver of BMW and your friend do not belong on our roads if thats how they are going to behave.

 

MORONS!!!!!

[Vetplant]

Road rage happens between cars, so it is probably inevitable that you will get road rage between a cyclist and a car driver, you are probably never going to stop that part of the equation.

 

We as cyclists will piss off drivers, either by being arrogant(riding three abreast somewhere like chappies) or even by just claiming what is rightfully ours(going through a traffic circle in the middle of the lane to protect ourselves)

 

What is not on, in any situation, car-car or bike-car, is inflaming the situation. What do you expect is gonna happen when you flip the bird?! How is that going to dissolve the impasse?

 

"O no, he showed me the finger, I'd better reconsider my next step, I may have been in the wrong.." That never happens.

 

In the same breath, there is no justification for driving into someone during road rage, again, be it car-car or bike-car. The only difference is that I think the bike-car scenario actually leaves the door open for prosecuting some with an intent to cause grevious bodily harm.

 

Lets all take a chill pill everyone, we need to think about our own lives and not add fuel to the fire in these situations. 

 

IMHO, the guy should lay a charge at the Police if his version is full and true.

[etienne_jordaan]

What the driver of the car did was uncalled for and totally unacceptable, but then I ask the question what caused his anger and frustration? I think we all know the answer to this one, but where they perhaps cycling side by side?

[BLACKvoodoo]

I stopped reading after "one finger solute"  typical roadie dick..

[BaGearA]

Ask your self what is harder , A car or A human ?

 

Simple

 

 

Friday is still far off

[BLACKvoodoo]

Going on a hissy rant about your @$$hole friend flipping the bird It just shows over and over again most roadies are @#$%heads 

[Fat Boab]

Going on a hissy rant about your @$$hole friend flipping the bird It just shows over and over again most roadies are @#$%heads 

 

Who said the cyclist was a roadie? I read nothing about sock length........

[Slowbee]

Who said the cyclist was a roadie? I read nothing about sock length........

or saddle bag

[Schmorglebot]

It was a mountain bike... 

[BLACKvoodoo]

It was a mountain bike... 

On the road ? Shame 

[Mojoman]

Crazy summer days....was the BMW GP plated??!!

[Coolspin]

Couldnt have been a MTB guy, their fingers are always too busy up their noses to make signs. He he.