Moron Motorists #3

[Bah77]

Car rolls the stop sign before seeing me, then shortly after (25 seconds) mgif to turn into their driveway

[AKO]

Saturday morning must be the time all empty heads jump in their cars and take to the streets. Had to go pick up some car parts and lawn sprinklers so took the car. While driving down what can only be described as avert open and wide street in a commercial area, an Asian chap eye balls me, slows down and then guns it as I'm right on top of him. I was covering the brake in anticipation of such a move but still couldn't believe it. The exact same thing happens less than 200 metres from my driveway. A woman pulls out a side street just after a left hand kink in the road. I had the windows down, Pantera blasting doing 40 in a 50 zone, feeling good when this moron hesitates than pulls out. Worst part was the mouth full of abuse I copped for her stuff up. Being abused for doing nothing wrong..........Thought I was on the bike for a sec.

[ldrcycles]

doing nothing wrong

You were so, you were listening to Pantera!

[LinzOC]

What was his motivation for deliberately chasing me down and menacing me with his vehicle? I speculate that his warped ego couldn't handle a cyclist making the turn across Plenty Rd before him, and he felt he needed to impart some sort of vehicular superiority lesson.

Not excusing the latter behaviour, but he could have got annoyed because you blocked his vision of the traffic from the left when you effectively overtook him at the original intersection.

I know if you'd parked like that with my car I wouldn't have been able to see the oncoming traffic.

Why overtake and not wait behind him like any other vehicle would have to do?

[zero]

What was his motivation for deliberately chasing me down and menacing me with his vehicle? I speculate that his warped ego couldn't handle a cyclist making the turn across Plenty Rd before him, and he felt he needed to impart some sort of vehicular superiority lesson.

Not excusing the latter behaviour, but he could have got annoyed because you blocked his vision of the traffic from the left when you effectively overtook him at the original intersection.

I know if you'd parked like that with my car I wouldn't have been able to see the oncoming traffic.

Why overtake and not wait behind him like any other vehicle would have to do?

The driver was indicating a right turn. Nobody waits behind a right turner when going straight if their vehicle can fit. Motorists certainly don't wait behind me under those circumstances.

[TailWind]

Quick update.
I dropped off all of my prepared statements, copy of the clip etc at the local police station. A young constable was at the desk, took my material and wrote some details into the case book. I showed him the high-res video clip on my iPad, which I had taken along, and he uttered a few grunts of surprise/shock at the scenario. He didn't promise any specific action, only mentioned that they would contact me if they needed any additional details. On the whole, he seemed happy with everything I had provided. Kudos to Oxford for compiling the original templates.

To clarify a few points raised in the comments (always happy to learn, if I'm wrong):
On approach to traffic circles, choke points, traffic calming devices that make it dangerous for me to be passed by a vehicle (think gutter squeeze, sideswipe, dragged under wheels, etc), I will always ride wide, as well as for the length of the dangerous bit, which usually not far, and mostly I match or exceed the speed of the vehicles through these spots anyway. If someone hits you in this position, it will be out of pure malice, or because the driver is a psychopath or under the influence.
Any other time, I'll generally ride 1m off the gutter or in the left wheel track, depending on the circumstances.

As far as the original right turn across the main road goes - damned if you do and damned if you don't head to the front. If you queue behind and cars wanting to turn, you'll have the impatient ones behind you that feel you are impeding their progress, with perhaps similar results.
Also, it's safer upfront than at the back of a queue, with cars entering the turn lane coming over a rise at 80km/h - I don't fancy being rear-ended....

Anyway, thanks all for the comments, I'll keep you posted.

[herzog]

Did they give you an incident number?

[gretaboy]

Did they give you an incident number?

@TW - I back this one up. If they dont give you an incident/event number....watch it go by the wayside. You may be lucky and the young const might past it onto someone who cares.

I would maybe pop into the station mid next week and just ask what if anything has happened.

[Lukeyboy]

Car rolls the stop sign before seeing me, then shortly after (25 seconds) mgif to turn into their driveway

All too common along there. I still reckon its because some drivers are just hopeless at judging the speed of cyclists along there. From the next street along.

[LinzOC]

What was his motivation for deliberately chasing me down and menacing me with his vehicle? I speculate that his warped ego couldn't handle a cyclist making the turn across Plenty Rd before him, and he felt he needed to impart some sort of vehicular superiority lesson.

Not excusing the latter behaviour, but he could have got annoyed because you blocked his vision of the traffic from the left when you effectively overtook him at the original intersection.

I know if you'd parked like that with my car I wouldn't have been able to see the oncoming traffic.

Why overtake and not wait behind him like any other vehicle would have to do?

The driver was indicating a right turn. Nobody waits behind a right turner when going straight if their vehicle can fit. Motorists certainly don't wait behind me under those circumstances.

Yes, he was turning right into the street across the multi-lane road. Same as the bike. as he is turning right from the original multi-lane road.

[AKO]

doing nothing wrong

You were so, you were listening to Pantera!

So we're the neighbours

[ldrcycles]

doing nothing wrong

You were so, you were listening to Pantera!

So were the neighbours

[TailWind]

Did they give you an incident number?

@TW - I back this one up. If they dont give you an incident/event number....watch it go by the wayside. You may be lucky and the young const might past it onto someone who cares.

I would maybe pop into the station mid next week and just ask what if anything has happened.

Thanks guys - didn't get a reference number when I attended. The constable did make a note in his case/incident book though, so I'll take your advice and swing by there later this week to follow up....

[Summernight]

Not excusing the latter behaviour, but he could have got annoyed because you blocked his vision of the traffic from the left when you effectively overtook him at the original intersection.

I know if you'd parked like that with my car I wouldn't have been able to see the oncoming traffic.

Why overtake and not wait behind him like any other vehicle would have to do?

The driver was indicating a right turn. Nobody waits behind a right turner when going straight if their vehicle can fit. Motorists certainly don't wait behind me under those circumstances.

As an add-on to that, if I'm in a car trying to turn right, all the straight ahead or left-hand turners will go on my left if there is space, and some will move out and block my view of the left, thereby necessitating my waiting until they have moved so I can see on the left again (or inching out further if there is space, although then they'll just inch out further to see on their right so no-one wins). That is standard procedure for pretty much all right hand turns if there is space for another car on your left. The right hand turner has to look left and right and the left hand turner has to look right.

I have to say that I highly doubt a cyclist would block the amount of space that a car would and impair vision so much as to cause someone to rage.

TailWind, as already mentioned, if there is no reference number your complaint may just be lost in the black hole. My grandmother claims she reported vandals who graffitied her garage the first time and she mentioned it to the police the second time she had to report vandalism, but the police say they don't have the first incident on their system (and she didn't get an incident number).

[herzog]

Yep definitely follow up to get a reference number.

Without that you may have well reported it at the local milkbar!

[hannos]

Stopped at the lights on Heathcote Rd at Wattle Grove Rd yesterday afternoon.
5 cars went through incredibly red lights at this intersection in one light cycle.
3 of these cars were displaying P-Plates...

[herzog]

Boy Racer Crashes

[leighthebee]

Whilst tailwinds riding is within the letter of the law, it does also view as pretty discourteous to those that don't ride and understand why he's riding like he is. We see (and its backed up by his thoughts on the issue) a rider claiming the lane. The moron see's someone who's just undercut him at the intersection, then arrogantly block him from making any attempt to get past, then when confronted about it tells you to f@&k off.

People are time poor and a brain snap is never very far away, particularly when people are numbingly driving from a to b.

Surely a different scenario could be considered here. We all moan about how little time a car actually loses behind us when we claim the lane. What's to stop us pulling aside and letting the car past. How much time would we lose. Bit like a truck pulling over on a highway and letting banked up cars past. Is it that big a deal? Your never going to educate a driver like that. Especially when you know the road ahead is pretty tight and full of traffic calming.

Remember. The reason that traffic calming crap is there to begin with is because of drivers like that. Why push the issue?

[Coolabah]

Whilst tailwinds riding is within the letter of the law, it does also view as pretty discourteous to those that don't ride and understand why he's riding like he is. We see (and its backed up by his thoughts on the issue) a rider claiming the lane. The moron see's someone who's just undercut him at the intersection, then arrogantly block him from making any attempt to get past, then when confronted about it tells you to f@&k off.

People are time poor and a brain snap is never very far away, particularly when people are numbingly driving from a to b.

Surely a different scenario could be considered here. We all moan about how little time a car actually loses behind us when we claim the lane. What's to stop us pulling aside and letting the car past. How much time would we lose. Bit like a truck pulling over on a highway and letting banked up cars past. Is it that big a deal? Your never going to educate a driver like that. Especially when you know the road ahead is pretty tight and full of traffic calming.

Remember. The reason that traffic calming crap is there to begin with is because of drivers like that. Why push the issue?

Ummm.. a truck won't pull over to let traffic pass if it is unsafe for the truck to do so ( eg soft shoulder ).... same here for the bike , it was unsafe to do so.

With all due respects :

Nothing to do with "time". I do not see how the OP was "pushing the issue " ... he was trying to stay alive , and as you point out was riding lawfully. When I am driving in my car I occasionally get tailgated for driving at the speed limit. I am obviously discourteous and should pull over and let all speeders pass me (??) .I do not think OP for a moment considers himself an educator of stupid motorists, not sure where that comment came from ! I am pretty sure if I took your advice on how to ride on the roads my life expectancy would be shorter than a fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain....

Just MHO

[human909]

Yep cyclists should get off the road.

I was assaulted on Saturday by a driver who though I shouldn't have been in "his" lane. He chased me for several kilometres from Lygon to Nicholson to St George's yelling for me to pull over and face him. It went on for several kilometers because he struggled to catch up with me in the moderate traffic. When he finally did he pulled over 100m ahead and then attempted to push me off my bike. He connected but I stayed upright.

I kept riding and I again lost him in traffic but I did continue on the route rather than deviating to escape. He again chased me down but I was on a bike path so he jump out of his car again. But I ducked down a side street. He then looped around and confronted me for a third time screaming abuse and telling me to pull over and face him. I ducked down a few side streets again and lost him.

It was all a bit of a laugh really as he had little chance of catching me after the first time. But it still shows that there are nutters out there.

[Xplora]

BOught a cam yet Human???

leighthebee, you have to control the situation BECAUSE those people are idiots and can't make good decisions on their own volition. They aren't smart enough to realise that they do it all the time with their car, it's just that they are used to behaving like that and usually aren't smart enough to realise the rider who is prepared to ride in traffic will sometimes be VERY skilled at managing the ability of cars around them to behave in dangerous ways.
It is not my fault that their vehicle isn't agile enough or fast enough or small enough to get around me safely and legally. They chose it. Learn to live with the decision. I don't sit there complaining I can't go at 50kmh. I pedal faster and take quiet streets so I'm not sitting behind someone the whole time. Cars promote a mindset similar to trains, rather than the freedom machines society pretends they are.

tailwind, get that incident report, and take it to council. Ask them how those traffic calming devices are helping the neighbourhood since the dumbcab clearly can't handle being unable to overtake

[Percrime]

You can't go at 50? Why not?

[Xplora]

Because the car in front is holding me up!!!!!

[human909]

BOught a cam yet Human???

Nah, no desire really. I am grateful to others use cams, unfortunately things like this need to be aired for it to be taken seriously.

That was the first time I've ever had a real nutter. Though I have had a couple of other incidents that got my anger and adrenaline going. For some odd reason the incident on Saturday didn't really rattle me or even arc me up. I just found the whole thing a little humorous at the time. Each time I thought it was over. Though I am very mindful and grateful that he kept choosing to try to sort it out with fists rather than a metal bonnet. After the first confrontation though I kept my distance from his car to ensure he didn't change his mind.

[jules21]

BOught a cam yet Human???

Nah, no desire really. I am grateful to others use cams, unfortunately things like this need to be aired for it to be taken seriously.

some people give, and some people take. you're a taker human! the purpose of having a camera is to share the hilarity/insanity of these people with the rest of us. that would have been excellent footage - an opportunity missed. you could have put that guy on A Current Affair (ch.7 keeps running some of my footage).