Fight with a car....on the bike path!

Those of you who know me know I'm a pretty relaxed and calm sorta guy
and I don't get mad often but today I blew it.

I work from home, quite close to the Yarra trail in the Banyule area.
Today I jumped on the bike path on my way to Kew Blvd for some
training. Those of you familiar with the section of the path along
Manningham Rd (or whatever its called there) will know you have to
cross over the drive in entrance to the Greenery nursery. It's well
signposted for cars to look out for cyclists crossing

I was already going slow but slowed down further looked for cars
turning in and noticed one was about to do so but I had plenty of time,
kept going and the car duly proceded after me. He may have had to slow
down 2 seconds if that to let me go past. All is sweet so far.

As I pulled away the driver winds down his window and shouts "Get off
the f$#@$%g road you ******". I couldn't believe it. Normally I have a
thick skin and I'd let this sort of thing go past on the road. But this
is the bike path - our patch! I turned around and chased him into the
nursery and confronted him explaining very calmy I had done nothing
wrong, he was supposed to give way to me and he hardly needed to slow
down at all in doing so.

"Why don't you ride on the f$#@$%g road instead of the footpath?"

"I wasn't on the footpath I was on the -bike path"- And I bet if I
was on the road you'd be complaining too"

"You f$#@$%g idiots should be off the road"

That's just a summary there was more in between and I was getting
quite upset with each passing second. This guy was a fat slob, his only
form of exercise would be carrying the slab of VB from car to fridge. So
I replied

"You should get your fat arse on a bike so you lose some weight. I was
a fat slob like you once"! (In retrospect I'm proud of that reply. I was
100kg once but never as big as this dickhead but forgive me the poetic
license)

He then proceded to tell me where to go and what to get and told me to
stay out of his way or I'd get what was coming to me. So I got my mobile
out, took note of his number plate and told him I was going straight to
the police station to report him for road rage and abuse. (I just made
that up - don't really know what to report him for).

I continued to Kew Blvd did crap at my hill sprints and have been
shaking ever since. Confrontation is not my style. Maybe that's why my
wife and daughter always get their own way!

Sorry for the long post. Thought you'd all like to know though.

BTW The car was a "Brockadore"

D


--
Deest

Deest Wrote:
Those of you who know me know I'm a pretty relaxed and calm sorta guy
and I don't get mad often but today I blew it.

I work from home, quite close to the Yarra trail in the Banyule area.
Today I jumped on the bike path on my way to Kew Blvd for some
training. Those of you familiar with the section of the path along
Manningham Rd (or whatever its called there) will know you have to
cross over the drive in entrance to the Greenery nursery. It's well
signposted for cars to look out for cyclists crossing

I was already going slow but slowed down further looked for cars
turning in and noticed one was about to do so but I had plenty of time,
kept going and the car duly proceded after me. He may have had to slow
down 2 seconds if that to let me go past. All is sweet so far.

As I pulled away the driver winds down his window and shouts "Get off
the f$#@$%g road you ******". I couldn't believe it. Normally I have a
thick skin and I'd let this sort of thing go past on the road. But this
is the bike path - our patch! I turned around and chased him into the
nursery and confronted him explaining very calmy I had done nothing
wrong, he was supposed to give way to me and he hardly needed to slow
down at all in doing so.

"Why don't you ride on the f$#@$%g road instead of the footpath?"

"I wasn't on the footpath I was on the -bike path"- And I bet if I was
on the road you'd be complaining too"

"You f$#@$%g idiots should be off the road"

That's just a summary there was more in between and I was getting quite
upset with each passing second. This guy was a fat slob, his only form
of exercise would be carrying the slab of VB from car to fridge. So I
replied

"You should get your fat arse on a bike so you lose some weight. I was
a fat slob like you once"! (In retrospect I'm proud of that reply. I
was 100kg once but never as big as this dickhead but forgive me the
poetic license)

He then proceded to tell me where to go and what to get and told me to
stay out of his way or I'd get what was coming to me. So I got my
mobile out, took note of his number plate and told him I was going
straight to the police station to report him for road rage and abuse.
(I just made that up - don't really know what to report him for).

I continued to Kew Blvd did crap at my hill sprints and have been
shaking ever since. Confrontation is not my style. Maybe that's why my
wife and daughter always get their own way!

Sorry for the long post. Thought you'd all like to know though.

BTW The car was a "Brockadore"

D
Good to hear that only words were thrown.

I use words in my job to argue legal matters and I have sufficient
grasp of the English language to be able to argue for days about the
meaning of a single phrase in a 250 page contract. I front for my
organisation when they want someone argued with. But in confrontations
like yours, I usually lose the power of rational argument and about the
best I can normally manage is "you f**kwit, you almost hit me", or
similar.

I think you did really well to put together a rational argument given
the nature of the incident.

Have a glass of something refreshing and relax

SteveA


--
SteveA

Deest wrote:
snip

I work from home, quite close to the Yarra trail in the Banyule area.
Today I jumped on the bike path on my way to Kew Blvd for some
training. Those of you familiar with the section of the path along
Manningham Rd (.....


I'm not sure of local laws but I think that he was actually breaking the
law by driving on a DUP or dedicated cycle path. I'm sure that if you'd
told him this then told him to back off or you'd bring the cops down
there he'd change his tune. Threatening to call the cops on some jerk is
never as good as when he really knows that he's in the **** if they
come, just threats on their own are just noise, similar to the noise
he's making at you.
OTOH perhaps you could in the longterm change his attitude but making
him feel self-conscious about his weight problem and that he goes about
offending ordinary folk, regardless of their mode of transport.

In future remember that you don't want confrontation and every such
incident is an opportunity to turn the tables on the antagonist even
while extricating yourself. If someone abuses me while I'm out biking
and I can catch them I start a discussion about road rules, rights, why
they did what they did, why they thought that they in particular had to
do that, what their kids would think of them, how nice a day for them to
enjoy but instead they're arguing with another roaduser, and so on.
Whatever it takes so that when I leave them they're saying to themselves
"WTF just happened?", or better, it isn't worth to do that again.

Know the road rules, be righteous and be polite, be happy to toss the
insides of their heads like so much salad in the intent of making them
happier and more considerate motorists (if not cyclists), and always,
always leave by saying "have a nice day" and without any anger in your
voice.
Yep that'll do it.

Deest Wrote:
Those of you who know me know I'm a pretty relaxed and calm sorta guy
and I don't get mad often but today I blew it.


One major problem here - you're applying intellect and logic with a
cockhead who clearly *isn't logical*. It isn't about you, it's a sad
indictment about a shi1head who gets a rise via abusing others. I'll
agree it's frigging annoying when a idiotic situation trips the self
control and causes you to bite back. But again, at least the only thing
that was thrown around was words. You're ok, it didn't escalate. Go and
have beer or beverage of choice. Peace.


--
cfsmtb

"DD" wrote in message
...
Deest wrote:
snip

I work from home, quite close to the Yarra trail in the Banyule area.
Today I jumped on the bike path on my way to Kew Blvd for some
training. Those of you familiar with the section of the path along
Manningham Rd (.....


I'm not sure of local laws but I think that he was actually breaking the
law by driving on a DUP or dedicated cycle path.

I am familiar with this driveway as I go across it twice a day on a regular
basis during my commute. Without wanting to side with the motorist, I have
always treated that particular part as the cars having right of way due to
the fact that the bike path ends on either side of the driveway and is not
marked for the section that crosses the driveway. I will take Deest's word
that there are signs advising cars to watch for cyclists but I have never
noticed these myself. I find that it is worse in the afternoons for me as
when you are coming back from the city direction, it is hard to see cars
coming out of the nursery due to the angle of the driveway and the plants
growing on the fence.

I am not sure who the law would favour here but I would guess that the
driveway was private property and I think that you have to give way when
entering or departing a driveway (not sure......wild arse guess??).
Regardless of who has the law on their side, it doesn't excuse the driver's
behaviour. I think that your response was pretty good, but ease up on the
100kg jokes or I might get offended

Ride On,

Gags

Gags Wrote:

I am familiar with this driveway as I go across it twice a day on a
regular
basis during my commute. Without wanting to side with the motorist, I
have
always treated that particular part as the cars having right of way
due to
the fact that the bike path ends on either side of the driveway and is
not
marked for the section that crosses the driveway. I will take Deest's
word
that there are signs advising cars to watch for cyclists but I have
never
noticed these myself. I find that it is worse in the afternoons for
me as
when you are coming back from the city direction, it is hard to see
cars
coming out of the nursery due to the angle of the driveway and the
plants
growing on the fence.

I am not sure who the law would favour here but I would guess that the
driveway was private property and I think that you have to give way
when
entering or departing a driveway (not sure......wild arse guess??).
Regardless of who has the law on their side, it doesn't excuse the
driver's
behaviour. I think that your response was pretty good, but ease up on
the
100kg jokes or I might get offended

Ride On,

Gags
Pretty sure there is a sign of some description warning about cyclists
crossing, please check for me tomorrow, but you miss the point. It's not
about who gave way to whom. I really don't think he even had to slow
down as he turned -into- the driveway. To give you an idea I was almost
to the other side of the driveway as he went through behind me. That's
what made his outburst so unbelievable. He didn't have to stop for me,
he didn't have to give way or slow down even. I was out of his way
before he turned. I'm sure he thought I would just keep riding given
the distance between us when he gave his spray. It was the verbal abuse
for no good reason that I was objecting to.

Also I was very calm and collected when I first approached him and it
was only when he continued swearing at me that I lost my cool. And in
losing my cool all I did was call him a fat slob. Not a single
articulate recognisable profanity escaped my lips.

To summarise: It was the verbal obuse that got me. The right of way
issue was a non issue as we were never going to be occupying the same
bit of earth at the same time

And sorry about the 100kg jokes and no offense meant to anyone. I bet
I'm a lot shorter than you so for me 100kg was very heavy. I'm now 80kg
and that's still too heavy for my height.


--
Deest

report the redneck to the cops, even though they will not act, but your
report may remain on the record, so if arsewipe does somthing bad later
the cops may act then.

"cfsmtb" wrote in message
...
:
: Deest Wrote:
: Those of you who know me know I'm a pretty relaxed and calm sorta
guy
: and I don't get mad often but today I blew it.
:
:
: One major problem here - you're applying intellect and logic with a
: cockhead who clearly *isn't logical*. It isn't about you, it's a sad
: indictment about a shi1head who gets a rise via abusing others. I'll
: agree it's frigging annoying when a idiotic situation trips the self
: control and causes you to bite back. But again, at least the only
thing
: that was thrown around was words. You're ok, it didn't escalate. Go
and
: have beer or beverage of choice. Peace.
:
:
: --
: cfsmtb
:

On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 15:40:16 +0800, DD wrote:

Know the road rules, be righteous and be polite, be happy to toss the
insides of their heads like so much salad in the intent of making them
happier and more considerate motorists

Seconded. That's great fun. Especially when you can point out everything
they've just done. For bonus points, quote chapter and verse. I need to
reread the act to be able to do that again.

--
Dave Hughes |
"Never make any mistaeks." (Anonymous, in a mail discussion.)

Gags wrote:

snip
I am not sure who the law would favour here but I would guess that the
driveway was private property and I think that you have to give way when
entering or departing a driveway (not sure......wild arse guess??).
snip

I thought drivers on driveways had to give way?

Tam

Tamyka Bell Wrote:
Gags wrote:

snip
I am not sure who the law would favour here but I would guess that
the
driveway was private property and I think that you have to give way
when
entering or departing a driveway (not sure......wild arse guess??).
snip

I thought drivers on driveways had to give way?

Tam

VicRoads says

"When entering the road from a driveway or adjacent land, you must give
way to pedestrians on any footpath, path or nature strip you cross to
enter the road. You must also give way to bicycles or other vehicles on
the footpath, path or nature strip.

This also applied when leaving the road to enter a driveway or adjacent
lane."

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/vrpdf...inginVicRR.pdf


--
sinus