Cycling through Middlewich on the gravel/road bike - looking to raise my VeloViewer Max Square count.
Ended up in a situation where a car was reversing and encroaching towards me, and I was about to get squashed.
I shouted and slapped the rear windscreen firmly, and the car stopped.

Driver gets out blind with fury, lunges at me, knocks me off the bike, we both fall over, get up again.
He's coming at me with fists raised, I'm backing away holding up my outspread hands to defend against his punches.
He grabs both my hands in his - manages to get a good purchase on my left little finger and deliberately tries to break it.

Having done enough to teach me a damn good lesson (not sure what it is yet), he releases me and retires still screaming abuse.
Fuckwit that he is - he did it right outside his own house, I couldn't resist laughing out loud when I watched him reverse onto his drive.

Damage - bike not too bad. He could have really gone to town on that Norco carbon frame if he'd thought about it.
Me - not fared so well. Finger was dislocated and fractured. 1 trip to A&E on Saturday, an operation today, and a visit next week to chat to the surgeon about the next steps.

jesus wept, glad you are ok PJG.

There definitely seems to a complete lack of tolerance for some people. 0 to incandescent rage in just a few seconds.

Blooming eck!

It does sometimes seem that we, as cyclists, are considered second class when on the road.

Unfortunately, from my own run ins with motorists (getting knocked off rather than abuse) the police don’t seem to care.

Even when a cyclist is killed with no intent (there is no such thing as an accident, someone is always to blame) the punishment seems minor; Mike Hall’s tragic death being an example

Glad you’re mostly okay.

Crikey Pete. Hope your injuries aren't serious and you recover quickly.

there is no such thing as an accident, someone is always to blame

Sorry, that's bollox and just a reflection of the society we live in. I think we need to be a little more pragmatic perhaps ... I'm sure we used to be.

Police are likely to take this very seriously I imagine. Glad you're generally okay.

That sucks, hope you're feeling better soon.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:

there is no such thing as an accident, someone is always to blame

Sorry, that's bollox and just a reflection of the society we live in. I think we need to be a little more pragmatic perhaps ... I'm sure we used to be.

Police are likely to take this very seriously I imagine. Glad you're generally okay.

Not at all, what changes is whether the incident was with malicious intent.

There is always culpability

You said 'accident' not 'road accident'. In the case of RTA, then generally one, both or all parties could (somewhere down the line) have taken steps to prevent or at least limit the potential for 'accident'.

You know where he lives now. I won't give you my answer....

Mike wrote:You know where he lives now. I won't give you my answer....

Definitely tempting, but wouldn't be worth it

My main aim now in pursuing this is to try and make him understand that his behaviour after the initial incident was completely unacceptable - so it's less likely for it to happen to someone else.

Really sorry to hear that man, must have been shocking.

I've had a few close calls like this. I've seen it happen to others too (including one idiot doing it to someone that you really, really wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of).

That sounds scary and horrific

I'm not sure what I'd do in that situation. I find it difficult to see how it wouldn't end up in a brawl, but you did the right thing and were the bigger person there so good job. The guys needs some help

OP glad you are mostly Ok and that does seem a strange act from the driver and hopefully plod act on the incident and your injuries
Clearly a non rational actor if he does something like that outside his own house and what do they expect you to do get run over ?

There is always culpability

there is but that does not mean it was not an accident
accident = 1.an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.
culpability = responsibility for a fault or wrong; blame.

That VeloViewer has a lot to answer for!
Hope you are OK. The system will not deliver justice, and karma doesn’t happen on it’s own...

Asposium wrote:

Bearbonesnorm wrote:

there is no such thing as an accident, someone is always to blame

Sorry, that's bollox and just a reflection of the society we live in. I think we need to be a little more pragmatic perhaps ... I'm sure we used to be.

Police are likely to take this very seriously I imagine. Glad you're generally okay.

Not at all, what changes is whether the incident was with malicious intent.

There is always culpability

As a society, we all love a bit of blame, but it is entirely subjective, and has little impact on preventing re-occurrence. When we investigate air accidents, it is not even a consideration; objective causal factors, and trying to understand why certain behaviors occurred are the only things that lead to effective interventions to prevent re-occurrence. The blame culture evident in so many places (including the NHS, but it is trying to follow the aviation just culture model) just suppresses understanding of the issues and never tackles the underlying organizational failings that allow people to do the wrong things.

That's sub standard that PJG, for your info, I think you can get out down that gravel track,
Theres a very overgrown footpath at the bottom you can push through, I had to
Take that detour when the canal bank was collapsed a few months ago.....
On another note, I drive a 3 ton van through Middlewich most days....if you
Publish the house number, I'll try my best to attempt a 17 point turn on the offending
Drivers lawn......allegedly

FFS. I'm absolutely seething here Pete. Fingers crossed this prick gets his comeuppance.

Hope you're OK mate.

I'm no marine biologist, but if this ever went to trial is there a possibility that even the very sketchy details you've posted here could be deemed to be predjudicial? I'd be very tempted to remove the link to your statement.

Asposium wrote:there is no such thing as an accident, someone is always to blame

Absolute nonsense. Even the HSE will (eventually) admit that some instances are just accidents.

In Reverse wrote:FFS. I'm absolutely seething here Pete. Fingers crossed this prick gets his comeuppance.

Hope you're OK mate.

I'm no marine biologist, but if this ever went to trial is there a possibility that even the very sketchy details you've posted here could be deemed to be predjudicial? I'd be very tempted to remove the link to your statement.

Cheers Andy, have taken your advice.

Thanks all for the kind words, I'm doing pretty well considering

Should have knee’d him in the effing balls the bass turd

That's unbelievable Pete, Adam told me about it on Saturday. Keep us updated on finger and outcome!

Cheers Ian.

ericrobo wrote:Should have knee’d him in the effing balls the bass turd

Eric - if this had been the movies, I'd have kneed him in the bollocks then maybe given him a roundhouse kick and delivered a VeloViewerExplorer-related pithy one-liner.
Maybe something like "Explore THIS, mother-flipper !".

As it was real life, and I was outgunned, I just took my punishment like a man

Finger is on the mend, it's strapped up in a fancy splint currently. Surgeon is happy with how it's healing.
Police have been friendly, sympathetic but so far have done virtually nothing as far as I can tell.

Whereabouts in Middlewich?- I'm up the road in Northwich, and this seems about par for the corse with a lot around here..
Not really that fun riding around here of late.

Teetosugars wrote:Whereabouts in Middlewich?- I'm up the road in Northwich, and this seems about par for the corse with a lot around here..
Not really that fun riding around here of late.

It was on the A530, just south of the town centre.
TBH, most drivers I met that day were generally courteous - or no worse than usual.