Nothing to see hear…

The whole “cyclists all jump red lights” and “drivers don’t watch out for cyclists” subject has been annoying me for a while, and I’ve been trying to avoid adding fuel to the fire.

BUT.

Moments ago I was cycling home through the residential streets of Camden..

It’s dark, but both of my lights are working. I’m heading north-east-ish on Hungerford Road at around 15-18mph. Up ahead there’s a junction on the left, and a car approaches it. I see the driver look left, and continue to look left, but not right, as he turns onto the road. Onto the wrong side of the road. FFS. He’s driving towards me still looking the wrong way. I shout f@!k pretty loudly, which to be honest is about all I can manage as I fling my bike sideways in one of those wobbly ’shit-that-tarmac-looks-hard’ manoeuvres, managing to avoid his bonnet.

Now to be honest, this kind of thing happens fairly often – perhaps not generally as close as this – but still it’s pretty common in my experience, and I’m sure other city cyclists can tell similar stories.

Today however, was an entirely different experience.

As you’d expect, the car screeches to a halt as he sees me pass the bonnet. Yet immediately a passenger (large male) jumps out of the car shouting “oi you [various expletives]” and proceeds to chase me on foot! Next, the driver wheel-spins whilst turning the car around and joins the chase.. leaving his mate behind and tearing down Hungerford Road after me!

Luckily, I’m downhill otherwise he’d have caught me in no time.. I’m flat out as I hit Hilmarton Road knowing he can’t cross the central reservation onto Penn Road without doing serious damage to his car. I dissappear at almost 30mph into Holloway.

My legs were still shaking when I got home.. so clearly this unnerved me slightly! But besides being scared (I admit, I was terrified), I’m pissed off that their reaction can only really be explained by a pre-conceived hatred of cyclists.. They blamed me almost instinctively before they had a chance to realise they were in the wrong. Fucking apes.

I don’t have a conclusion for this. Just thought I’d share my rage whilst the adrenalin is still pumping.

Hmph.