AGGRESSION TOWARDS CYCLISTS

[stringer]

I really want to appeal to all two wheeled road users, roadies and mountain bikers alike, to take note of what happened to me yesterday, and the very valuable lesson I learnt indeed.

 

 

 

I was hit by a car last year in September (road bike), which resulted in a broken arm and no riding for 3 months. Recovery was very slow as the crack was in the elbow itself. I have just started mountain biking, much to my delight and really just needing a change. Yesterday, I was returning home after another great ride in Majic Forest in Durbanville CT, when I was almost hit 3 times in a space of 1 km. First a guy talking on his cell phone who pulled out and did not see me, then a bus which suddenly pulled out as I was passing it, then, the final straw, a BMW with four 20 old year old arrogant "skollies" nearly took me out at well over 100km per hour in a 60 zone on Durban Road. My blood was understandably boiling, but the mistake I made was to confront these youngsters at the next robot, foaming at the mouth and labeling them as the reason cyclists get killed on the roads. I made sure I threw my chirp as I was turning right down a hill (they were going straight). As I rode down the hill, I had a bad feeling, and suddenly realised after a few hundred meters that these guys were chasing after me, with 3 guys hanging out the windows with baseball bats!! Luckily I was on my mountain bike, so I was able to jump off the road and up onto the grass verges of residences as I passed them, but these guys chased me around, up and down a double carriage way (which I jumped one way then the next) for a good 5 minutes. I eventually managed to escape them by turning into a private residence and asking for assistance at their front door! I was unarmed, outnumbered and on a bicycle. These guys were in a car, four in number and 3 of them were wielding baseball bats. I arrived back to my two children and wife very shaken and stressed out. I did not bargain on that happening. I have over all my years of riding, always "chirped" motorists who have ventured too close to me or our group, but yesterday I learnt a valuable lesson: RATHER JUST KEEP QUIET.

 

 

 

Please guys, don't be a fool like I was. Put your egos aside and think responsibly in those heated moments on the road. The possible consequences are not worth the satisfaction of venting your fury on a passing motorist, possibly with a baseball bat in his car.

 

 

 

When I looked into the eyes of my two kids, I realised the stupidity of aggression towards motorists. I just does not help.

 

 

 

I think we should create more awareness of these incidences, which is why I started this post.

 

 

 

Regards to you all and safe riding.

 

 

 

JMstringer2010-02-11 06:05:55

[BrendonMyb]

just glad youre okay, Punks like that 10 to 1 would have gotten away with it should they have gotten hold of you

[Cyclewizz]

Dude I'm glad you ok and never got taken out yesterday and I agree with you it was a totally silly thing to do.

 

But like you said you you've always chirped motorists and yesterday you went one chirp too far.

 

If you going to chirp anybody make sure the odds are in your favor 1st.

 

These guys chased you with bats if it had been a taxi he would have squashed you.

 

Think before you act!!!

 

 

[waynex]

Hi it seems like you had a hectic ordeal. Last year I also had an incident with a driver which turned bad very fast. There are a couple of things to remember the first is to keep your cool no matter what and the second point is that 99% of the time it is not an intentional act on the drivers side. Take a deep breath it will help. If you feel it was intentional take down the number plate and call the cops.  

[messenger]

damn man!

what did you exactly say to them or is tic getting that bad down there...

 

 

[E1A104]

As i learned the hard way a few months back, leave the bottle in the cage!!

[stringer]

If you must know, I said "you &%$?@ng okes are the reason cyclists get killed on the roads"

 

 

 

Valid point, but thats not the point, is it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[hagar]

sjoe hectic glad you managed to escape them and you are ok !!! yes i am also guilty of venting my anger when i was also nearly wiped out but the guys in the car did not say a word or try anything maybe i was just lucky I suppose we just react out of instinct and we should try and contain ourselves however hard it might be i wonder what they would have done if there was a group of 6 guys on their MTB's if they would have tried the same intimidation trick ???neway just glad that you are safe and sound

[Bike Mob]

I don't understand motorists... this morning, on Silvermine road, I was riding with a bunch of 3 other guys...we were abreast and I was in the road... but heard the car and was moving aside...

 

Before I could even start into the yellow line the white tazz driver was on the hooter for a good 10 secs. Speeding clearly at over 80 in a 60 zone and windows frosted so badly she could hardly see and wipers were flapping trying to get some vision, she could however throw her hands in the air on the way past.

 

I just smiled nicely and waved at her on her way past.

 

I was more concerned about the starling I hit on Chapman's peak actually.

 

[Bike Mob]

PS normally okes riding around with baseball bats are looking for a fight - and in Durbanville there are some lekker big farmers who dont carry bats but guns.

 

Someday they are going to find trouble, and I doubt they will like the lead salad they get served.

 

[MaxUmis]

I don't understand motorists... this morning' date=' on Silvermine road, I was riding with a bunch of 3 other guys...we were abreast and I was in the road... but heard the car and was moving aside...Before I could even start into the yellow line the white tazz driver was on the hooter for a good 10 secs. Speeding clearly at over 80 in a 60 zone and windows frosted so badly she could hardly see and wipers were flapping trying to get some vision, she could however throw her hands in the air on the way past.I just smiled nicely and waved at her on her way past.I was more concerned about the starling I hit on Chapman's peak actually.

 

[/quote']

 

HAHAHA, that's one of the things I'm trying to understand. People have time to let go of the steering wheel and lay on the hooter for ages when approaching a dangerous situation...

 

Forget about the Effing hooter and concentrate on AVOIDING the dangerous situation you nana head.

 

 

 

That's like a mountain biker, coming downhill approaching a half meter drop onto a rocky section and then reaching for his water bottle... NO!

[dirtrider]

Most of the times I cycle to the place where I am going to do my off-road riding and except for when I got to cross a rode I NEVER ride in the road . It is more fun to either ride on nicely fresh cut lawn or next to the road in the gutter . So confrontation with motorists are minimum .

[niklasvm]

does it help at all to report an incident like this?

[patches]

It definately is tough to keep cool, especially when the motorists are being a$$-clowns!

...but I learnt a trick from a friend... 2 weeks ago I got clipped by a taxi, and he had the nerve to slow down to give me a dirty look (even though I was as far left as could be)

 

...so what did I do...

 

...I looked at him... and blew him a kiss!

 

It totally throws aggressive people off... they don't expect it, and it's less likely to result in a fist fight... but you still get the satisfaction of getting to them, haha!

[Marius]

One of the 1st things they teach you at school is Math hehehe:-P

 

Listen, if you had mates with you, sure, you can chirp like a bird but man alone on a bicycle, not a wise move.

 

Just last week about 20 of us were returning from Killarney, we went over a intersection , we had right of way and a car came right at us, WRONG MOVE, not with 20 cyclist Adrenalin still pumping, words were said, car got a firm hand on the bonnet and we were off.

 

Next thing the pansie came tyre screeching chasing after us, stupid clown could also not count and he was in the wrong!? The guys just laughted him of and he turned around after a while.

 

[splat]

Before I could even start into the yellow line the white tazz driver was on the hooter for a good 10 secs. Speeding clearly at over 80 in a 60 zone and windows frosted so badly she could hardly see and wipers were flapping trying to get some vision' date=' she could however throw her hands in the air on the way past. [/quote']

 

I find that its often the smaller cars that hoot the most...