Folding Bikes - What should I do?

So I was cycling along the Cromwell Road in London (A4 heading west), just past the Natural History Museum when "boom" I got hit by a van's wing mirror in the shoulder. Reaction was shock and fury and the van didn't stop, I just saw the passenger leaning out of the window to readjust the wing mirror (he hit me with enough force to completely flatten the wing mirror). I was furious and took after it as quickly as I could. I managed to catch it in traffic and the driver rolled down the window and told me to "chill out". Obviously furious, I asked him what the hell he thought he was doing and he continued to say "yeah mate, whatever, you should have been further over". At this I said I wanted his details and went to my bike which I had put to the ground and he drove off. I wrote down his number plate.

I'm not hurt really, probably lightly bruised my shoulder, but I'm pretty bloody pissed off. The bloke didn't stop to check if I was alright, when I confronted him he seemed to think it was amusing and still didn't check before leaving the scene.

I believe that he probably could be done for leaving the scene of an accident - should I take the time to go to my local police station to report him?

Matters against:
No real damage done (bike is fine, I'm ok)
He was driving a rental van and therefore probably didn't know its width
What good will come of it
Should I just chalk it down to experience
There were 3 people in the van and therefore will the police really care?

Matters for:

He didn't just clip me - he hit me pretty hard in the shoulder - if I don't report him, will he continue "clipping" cyclists?
He didn't stop, he didn't check I was ok he just drove on
When I confronted him, he thought it was hilarious, didn't apologise and blamed me.

Am I over-reacting and should I just let it go? Or as I have his details, should I do something about it? I definitely was not in the wrong (I was cycling along a road and got hit from behind). Your thoughts would be welcome as I guess I just too full of indignation and rage to make a clear judgement!

Perhaps it's on cctv and worth reporting as it could be proven?

To be honest, if anything really happened, I'd just want this guy bollocked by someone that he'd care about receiving a bollocking from. I just really hate that attitude, if I hit someone, I'd be all over them making sure they were ok and if someone was like that to me, I would be less furious than I am right now.

It's really a personal decision as to what you should do. Do you have grounds to make a police report? Yes. Will it be productive? Maybe. Will it make you happy? I have no idea.

Sorry to hear about your situation. Post this in the Commuting forum, and you'll probably get even more responses.

Report it for sure. Don't take **** from the coppers.

First of all good thing you are not hurt, by the way same thing happened to me a few years ago when riding my motorcycle....
Take the time to memorize all the details and go down to the police station and report to the police.
I am from Canada and IMHO this is a really bad act, if it was a rental they have a pretty good chance to hunt him down.

I really think you need a Take A Look mirror. You have to know what is going on behind you at all times. I suspect a huge portion of the accidents on this forum are the result of the cyclist not knowing what is going on behind him.

Just calm down, praise God, nothing happens to you.

In some countries doing what you did approaching the guy could result in being shoot to dead, that guy could be really a bad guy.

Don't do that again, no hurt no problem...

Regards

I really think you need a Take A Look mirror. You have to know what is going on behind you at all times. I suspect a huge portion of the accidents on this forum are the result of the cyclist not knowing what is going on behind him.

Get a mirror. Today on a 77 mile ride, country road. I saw a truck coming from behind.
He was pulling an old boat hull.
The trailer wheels stuck out 2 feet passed trailer.
The mirror saved me from being hit by the wheel.

You should report it to the coppers.

Report , especially because of his attitude. Sounds like he might do a hit and run someday.

he will kill your best friend or a family member the next time ....

no doubt .......go through the hassle and report him

thor

:mad:
Report it, dont have high hopes but report it, what he did is a dangerous body harm, he is using his car as a weapon.

Yeah, do make a report, if only to have something on file for when the next time the guy does the same thing to some other unsuspecting cyclist. But somnatash is right, don't expect much from it except maybe the satisfaction of having reported it.

Do get a mirror, and hope no more jerks like that appear.

I really think you need a Take A Look mirror. You have to know what is going on behind you at all times. I suspect a huge portion of the accidents on this forum are the result of the cyclist not knowing what is going on behind him.

Just calm down, praise God, nothing happens to you.

In some countries doing what you did approaching the guy could result in being shoot to dead, that guy could be really a bad guy.

Don't do that again, no hurt no problem...

Regards Where did these comments come from, not very constructive are they? :notamused:

Emm excuse me we live in the UK. While it is not perfect it isn't a gun-toting society. So Mroli should let the vehicle driver away with this? Is that good advice? A do-nothing if you, bury your heads in the ground ostrich approach? What would society be like if we all did this? Then in the other quote from stevedahon, you seem to assume cyclists are mostly to blame because theu don't have eyes i the back of their head? Have you ever dealt with arrogant commercial drivers in white vans in a city like London? If you haven't then you aren't qualified to comment! Most of us do look over our shoulders and use peripheral vision, what would you know about most riders who had accidents on this forum? Are you an expert on each incident and causality?

It's ironic as Sesamecrunch, littlepixel, the lumatic EvilV and myself cycled by there on Sunday. Sesame of course posing on his molten hot Moulton.

Mroli sorry to hear about your experience, not very pleasant. Your reaction was entirely natural and rational for most of us and well done for getting the reg. For all they know you could have easily bruise dor fractured the shoulder and were lucky not to be thrown off the bike if it had been a few more inches. To walk away and let a thug driver who then sneers at you would be a disfavour to yourself and everyone else who cycle responsiblty everyday. I have come across the infamous 'whote van man' or skip lorry commercial drivers who have absolutely no respect for cyclists,l pedestrians or drivers.

Report him asap and insist the police make an official report of the incident so its put on the database, even if they decide not to take further action. Nekohine's logic is right it will be ther efor future reference. There is even an outside chance if you supply a very precise time and location of the incident that they may be able to replay this on CCTV as we live in the CCTV capital of thw world! For once it may be a good thing who knows? The driver could then still be fined for careless driving. You were cycling in a very high profile area so it was liley to be covered by the cameras. They should always keep an acceptable distance from cyclists.

If you are ever around central London and want to join us lot for a Hyde Park ride on the 1st Sunday of every month, would be great to meet you. I am glad to hear you weren't badly bruised or thrown but it is still a nasty experience all the same.

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I will make a report. I really just wanted to get an idea of whether I was over reacting or not. In regards to the rear view mirror, I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm not sure if it wouud have helped me in this instance. Basically traffic is pretty continuous there and I would have to be cycling along looking at the mirror ALL the time.

I think (and drawing on my experience as a motorcyclist), the only thing that would have saved me would ironically to have been further out from the kerb. That way the van would have had to have gone in another lane .

Mulleady - I WILL make it to a Hyde Park meet someday - I've been away every first sunday (and will be for Sept too!), but the first one I can - I'm there!

Mroli - taking the lane might have helped, but really, lane splitting is the norm in London, and everyone else manages to pass cyclists without impact. The person who was acting outside the norm was the idiot in the van. Report it.

You definitely didn't overreact mroli from what you've told us.

I love this quote:
“Usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change.” Malcolm X

Controlled anger and outrage is a good thing against any injustice and you suffered an injustice from not only a careless driver, but a mildly pyschopathic thug who took pleasure in your shock and discomfort. You shouldn't even fell remotely guilty or self-conscious but then that just shows you to be a normal decent person.

A mirror won't prevent careless drivers like this but it does help in other situations. It's hard to fit one to a Brompton though, especially on the M type handlebars. Anyone evert adapted one without effecting the fold etc?

Yes would be great to see you at one of the meets in due course :)

Mroli - taking the lane might have helped, but really, lane splitting is the norm in London, and everyone else manages to pass cyclists without impact. The person who was acting outside the norm was the idiot in the van. Report it.

:thumb: Exactly!

I’d certainly report him if only due to his bad attitude, the least he could have done was check you where not hurt and said “sorry”.
A couple of years ago I was walking back to work after picking up something to eat from Sayers the bakers and I saw a guy just ahead of me waiting at the kerb as a single decker bus rounded the corner.... he was hit in the side of his head with the wing mirror. The ambulance rushed him to the hospital 200 yards away but he died from his injuries.
I doubt the bus was doing more than 10 mph but it was still fatal.

I’d certainly report him if only due to his bad altitude, [/FONT]

In fairness, a van can't really fly any higher than street level......:D

In fairness, a van can't really fly any higher than street level......:D


A van might begin to fly above road level if it saw you riding along naked behind it Sammyboy :P

In fairness, a van can't really fly any higher than street level......:D

Oops, that’s automatic spell checking for you :lol:

Rumour has it that Sammyboy has been seen reaching altitude on his Mini using the Embankment as a runway to take off!

if someone did that to me i would give them a right good hyding. Whilst were on this topic last year when my family and i were driving down to winchester on a quiet road and there were two walkers and this man clipped one of the walkers arms with his windmirror while going at a fair speed and easily broke his arm because i saw it wrap around behind his back, the driver knew what he did because he started swerving all over the road but he just simply carried on driving. It makes me sick and it is probably classed as a hit and run offence so it might be worth going to the police about it.

The answer is very simple, really.......Get Francis "NUCLEAR CALVES" Mulleady to pay him a visit....problem solved. ;)

Sue him and/or the entity that owns the van.

Regards
T

P.S. I say this as one who did not sue a driver who hit my front wheel by coming up from behind me and turning right, across my path, which flipped me over so that I landed on my coccyx, and then for a year afterwards I could not lift a gallon of milk out of the fridge without severe pain in my tailbone because of the stresses translated down the spine. Soft tissue damage only. I was in college and was laying heavy flagstone patios that summer, and only asked for $300 recompense, since there was only a month remaining in the summer. I was an idiot.

I'd tell you that the driver broke more than one law and that you should file a report, but since I've never ridden in London around white commercial vans, I can't and won't. You didn't see this, I wasn't here.

The answer is very simple, really.......Get Francis "NUCLEAR CALFS" Mulleady to pay him a visit....problem solved. ;)

And he will put the Mulleady Mighty Mancalves Squeeze on him. :injured:

...A mirror won't prevent careless drivers like this but it does help in other situations. It's hard to fit one to a Brompton though, especially on the M type handlebars. Anyone evert adapted one without effecting the fold etc?
...

Hi mulleady,
I envy you a little for being in uk and so have the mirror at the right hand side bar (?) - it will be easier to fit it there as the left bar is so close to the ground when folded. Here are some pics of mirrors on brommi for your inspiration:
http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/c56d.jpg
http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/4b83.jpg
http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/b-8.jpg
http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/ErgonSpiegel1.jpg