Punishment pass

Mr. Cats

This morning I was on the bike in the bike lane and approaching a pedestrian crossing. There were one or two cars stopped at the lights. There was a man crossing and when he was across I rolled on through the red light. I could see clearly that there was no one else crossing.

I continued along the bike lane and next thing I know there’s a merc blaring it’s horn and it’s in the bike lane with me, literally inches from my front bars. The merc then pulled into an estate about 200m up the road. I followed the car as it pulled into the owners driveway. When he got out I asked him why he had done it. He said it was because I broke a red light. I got fairly heated as you can imagine at him putting my life in danger for something that had nothing to do with him. The guy was unrepentant, said I should grow up, that I should get a car, and that my life was never in danger. Anyone that was out this morning in Dublin knows how gusty it is and quite hard to keep a straight line at times.

On the way home I stopped at Garda station. I asked if they would give a call to warn driver. They replied that basically unless I’m willing to go to court there’s no point making a statement. I said I’d go home, cool off a bit, and think about it.

Looking for opinions on best steps next? I’m not too bothered about prosecuting etc but at same time this guy could kill someone in future so would like to take some action that makes him realise this.

07Lapierre

Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Forget it, move on, life’s too short.

droidus

The guards were trying to save themselves some work. Anyone willing to use their car to intimidate someone shouldn't be on the road. Try traffic watch or go back and make a statement.

JeffKenna

So you can do whatever you want but if it's someone else you call the guards... Seems fair.

fatbhoy

Mr. Cats wrote: »

This morning I was on the bike in the bike lane and approaching a pedestrian crossing. There were one or two cars stopped at the lights. There was a man crossing and when he was across I rolled on through the red light. I could see clearly that there was no one else crossing.

I continued along the bike lane and next thing I know there’s a merc blaring it’s horn and it’s in the bike lane with me, literally inches from my front bars. The merc then pulled into an estate about 200m up the road. I followed the car as it pulled into the owners driveway. When he got out I asked him why he had done it. He said it was because I broke a red light. I got fairly heated as you can imagine at him putting my life in danger for something that had nothing to do with him. The guy was unrepentant, said I should grow up, that I should get a car, and that my life was never in danger. Anyone that was out this morning in Dublin knows how gusty it is and quite hard to keep a straight line at times.

On the way home I stopped at Garda station. I asked if they would give a call to warn driver. They replied that basically unless I’m willing to go to court there’s no point making a statement. I said I’d go home, cool off a bit, and think about it.

Looking for opinions on best steps next? I’m not too bothered about prosecuting etc but at same time this guy could kill someone in future so would like to take some action that makes him realise this.

It happens all the time. Don't worry about it. He's an asshole. A lot of drivers don't seem to realise that it takes cyclists energy to take off after stopping. Personally, I don't stop at all red lights: I just take super care not to intimidate or put pedestrians in danger.

Johnny Sausage

Don't break red lights

Can't jut decide the rules of the road don't apply to you

sparrowcar

Only emergency services and numtpies break red lights...are you in the emergency services?

Put yourself in the drivers shoes. Your actions caused him to react the way he did (not condoning them). Had you followed the rules of the road then no issue, take some responsibility.

Let it go, move on and stop breaking red lights.

droidus

A lot of idiotic sanctimommy going on here. The OP took an illegal action that had absolutely 0% chance of harming anybody. The driver then used his car as a weapon to intimidate and threaten him, putting his life at risk.

Would you be OK with the merc driver,mounting the pavement to intimidate a pedestrian who'd failed to cross at a crossing? Or perhaps swerve in front of another car that was driving in the bus lane? After all, their actions would have caused him to react the way he did.

Shai

sparrowcar wrote: »

Your actions caused him to react the way he did (not condoning them). Had you followed the rules of the road then no issue, take some responsibility.

What a load of ****e.

Amazing how none of this "had you followed the rules of the road then no issue" is ever brought up when it comes to speeding or mobile phone usage, or just about anything when it comes to drivers really.

droidus

droidus wrote: »

The OP took an illegal action that had absolutely 0% chance of harming anybody.

Absolute drivel. They broke a red light and therefore the rules of the road.

That's the start, middle and end of it.

martyc5674

This guy In the merc has no right to do what he did. We employ guards to enforce the law not assholes in Mercs. If you beat up an old lady he still shouldn’t give you a punishment pass.

Johnny Jukebox

Shai wrote: »

What a load of ****e.

Agreed. He acted the way he did because he's a cnut.

Shai

Deleted User wrote: »

Absolute drivel. He broke a red light and therefore the rules of the road.

That's the start, middle and end of it.

Awesome. Should I pull out a knife on the next driver I see breaking the speed limit? I won't stab him though, I'll just wave it a few inches from his face. Cause apparently that's okay.

Atlantic Dawn

May he who obeys the rules of the road cast the first stone.

jon1981

sparrowcar wrote: »

Only emergency services and numtpies break red lights...are you in the emergency services?

Put yourself in the drivers shoes. Your actions caused him to react the way he did (not condoning them). Had you followed the rules of the road then no issue, take some responsibility.

Let it go, move on and stop breaking red lights.

Oh so it's ok that he can take the law into his own hands using his car to intimidate the OP?

Cop on. The issue here is the guy driving the 1 tonne vehicle and not being able to control his temper.

I observe law breaking on the roads every day by all sides, if people reacted this way you'd have far greater deaths on the road. It's not normal behaviour to react the way thar driver did.

Shai

Shai wrote: »

Awesome. Should I pull out a knife on the next driver I see breaking the speed limit?

That's entirely up to yourself.

ted1

JeffKenna wrote: »

So you can do whatever you want but if it's someone else you call the guards... Seems fair.

This isn’t AH.

Shai

Deleted User wrote: »

That's entirely up to yourself.

And you would of course react the same way, right? You'd defend me doing so?

martyc5674

Johnny Jukebox wrote: »

Agreed. He acted the way he did because he's a cnut.

This is basically what it boils down to. We all know the type.

Ludikrus

martyc5674 wrote: »

This is basically what it boils down to. We all know the type.

And the merc driver thinks the cyclist who broke the law is a cnut. They say if you’re encountering 3 or more cnuts a day you’re actually the cnut.

tdf7187

07Lapierre wrote: »

Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Forget it, move on, life’s too short.

Generation Snowflake never forgets any wrong, apart from their own.

skallywag

OP, sorry for the bluntness but you were a dickhead for breaking the red.

I'm an avid cyclist myself but it really pisses me off when I see people doing this. Why could you not have waited 20 seconds? You do realise that red lights are there for a reason, no?

martyc5674

Ludikrus wrote: »

And the merc driver thinks the cyclist who broke the law is a cnut. They say if you’re encountering 3 or more cnuts a day you’re actually the cnut.

The merc driver is a cnut because he took the law into his own hands, ... he’s probably a bully at work and it has worked for him there.

martyc5674

skallywag wrote: »

OP, sorry for the bluntness but you were a dickhead for breaking the red.

I'm an avid cyclist myself but it really pisses me off when I see people doing this. Why could you not have waited 20 seconds? You do realise that red lights are there for a reason, no?

But let’s say you were driving your car and you saw this, would you have swerved at him?
I don’t like it when I see it either the caveat being only if it is dangerous/mindless.
Any progressive country wrt cycling allows cyclists move first at junctions/filter left on red etc.

fatbhoy

fatbhoy wrote: »

Personally, I don't stop at all red lights: I just take super care not to intimidate or put pedestrians in danger.

The OP was wrong, and the Merc driver should be prosecuted for dangerous driving (OP make a statement and go to court as a witness if necessary), but no comment from forum users to the above?

Edit. Only seeing Skallywag's post now.

jon1981

skallywag wrote: »

OP, sorry for the bluntness but you were a dickhead for breaking the red.

I'm an avid cyclist myself but it really pisses me off when I see people doing this. Why could you not have waited 20 seconds? You do realise that red lights are there for a reason, no?

The point has just sailed right over your head. This same prick would probably punishment past most cyclists for merely being on the road.

A cyclist breaking a red light and a motorist punishment pass are not equivalent threats to safety.

mrcheez

Mr. Cats wrote: »

This morning I was on the bike in the bike lane and approaching a pedestrian crossing. There were one or two cars stopped at the lights. There was a man crossing and when he was across I rolled on through the red light. I could see clearly that there was no one else crossing.

I continued along the bike lane and next thing I know there’s a merc blaring it’s horn and it’s in the bike lane with me, literally inches from my front bars. The merc then pulled into an estate about 200m up the road. I followed the car as it pulled into the owners driveway. When he got out I asked him why he had done it. He said it was because I broke a red light. I got fairly heated as you can imagine at him putting my life in danger for something that had nothing to do with him. The guy was unrepentant, said I should grow up, that I should get a car, and that my life was never in danger. Anyone that was out this morning in Dublin knows how gusty it is and quite hard to keep a straight line at times.

On the way home I stopped at Garda station. I asked if they would give a call to warn driver. They replied that basically unless I’m willing to go to court there’s no point making a statement. I said I’d go home, cool off a bit, and think about it.

Looking for opinions on best steps next? I’m not too bothered about prosecuting etc but at same time this guy could kill someone in future so would like to take some action that makes him realise this.

There was a discussion about cyclists breaking red lights on Newstalk a day or so ago. I didn't hear it but my Mum mentioned it.

This sort of coverage usually coincides with more aggressive behaviour toward cyclists, particularly if they see you doing something that annoys them.

On any morning when I find I'm frequently getting passed far too closely I usually find out that George Hook has been venting, or something similar.

skallywag

martyc5674 wrote: »

But let’s say you were driving your car and you saw this, would you have swerved at him?

Not a chance, that's an awful thing to do, and if some driver did it to me I would very quickly lose the rag and things could very likely get violent if I caught up with them.

That said it is still complete bolloxology to be going through red lights. Sorry, there is just no excuse for it. Wait. It will take the best part of 20 secs usually. It really gets to me that some cyclists think that it's 'harmless'.

jon1981

skallywag wrote: »

Not a chance, that's an awful thing to do, and if some driver did it to me I would very quickly lose the rag and things could very likely get violent if I caught up with them.

That said it is still complete bolloxology to be going through red lights. Sorry, there is just no excuse for it. Wait. It will take the best part of 20 secs usually. It really gets to me that some cyclists think that it's 'harmless'.

But you'll agree a punishment pass is the more serious offence and discussion topic here, right?

skallywag

jon1981 wrote: »

But you'll agree a punishment pass is the more serious offence and discussion topic here, right?

If you want to go down the road of who was more in the wrong, then yeah, I completely agree with you. Like I said, if I can catch up someday with someone who does that to me then I will not be holding back.

That said, it's still no excuse for the OP to be completely acting the bollox.

punisher5112

punisher5112 wrote: »

Where's andrew he usually has an agenda

Op you should be fined for running the red and the driver for not giving room...

2 of you were wrong.

Hope you are fined if you proceed.