Incident on my commute home

Ripper wrote:P3t3 wrote,
“The

Ripper wrote:

P3t3 wrote,
“The Teflon cyclist just rides on like it never happened, they never get involved in pointless arguments. If there is an incident the Teflon cyclist stays totally frosty and rides on without even looking back, inside the Teflon cyclist is a pool of calm. The Teflon cyclist realised that whilst everyone was trying to kill them, it wasn’t personal and dealt with it years ago… even sh1t won’t stick to the Teflon cyclist!

Be a Teflon cyclist. ”

I want to thank P3t3 for telling us all to be “Teflon cyclists”. I recommend that if any of you out there is as aggressive as I’m when riding, then please read this and also become a “Teflon Cyclist” like P3t3 and myself.

I have been riding on the road for 37 years (both bicycle and motorbike) and have had so many incidents that I could not possibly recall all of them. However, there is one that I will always remember and it’s the one that also changed my attitude and life.

It was 1990 and my first full season playing rugby for a club down under. I was based in south Melbourne and used to do a training ride from where I lived in Dandenong to Mount Eliza and back everyday. On one occasion I was riding along doing my thing when two blokes in a “shaggy” (station wagon utility vehicle) threw a beer can at me and shouted something offensive. The can missed, simply because it was empty and got dragged away in the wind, but I gave them the finger, and that sparked off some events that I’m quite ashamed of. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TEFLON. Words were exchanged, a bit of shouting; they were obviously high and tried to run me off the road. Then they decided to drive off but park-up and wait for me.

When I arrived they both blocked my way and I had no choice but to stop. Then while I was still dismounting I caught a blow on the side of my head and things got ugly. Only one of them actually stood-up to me and I beat him to a pulp. Actually, I broke the chaps jaw; which I’m not proud of at all.

Then came the police and carted all three of us off to Frankston police station. Mister broken jaw was off to hospital. Anyway, there were no charges filed from either party and we all went home at the end of it. But here’s what happened to me – I realised that I’m a naturally aggressive character but even more so when I ride a bicycle and therefore decided that I’d never again react to anything aggressively when riding – even if provoked. One could say, I became Teflon…and that has served me well throughout my life since, and not just when cycling.

So, like P3t3 recommends, it’s best to become a Teflon Cyclist and never revert to road-rage when cycling. There is enough misunderstanding and violence in the world…and my ride became my church.

Good point Ripper and I agree with you. I was much more aggressive when I was younger and used to react in an aggressive way to confrontational situations. Like you, I learned that doesn’t help either yourself or the person you’re responding to. If you respond aggressively they probably won’t learn a thing and modify their behaviour. And the repercussions for you could be bad, with possible assault charges.

Being a Teflon cyclist is by no means easy, but it is the best thing to do for everyone. Buy a camera if you like and I’ve been thinking of doing the same. My son has a Contour and it’s pretty good. And if you think the incident is sufficiently bad, report it to the cops. they may do nothing at all, but it’s best to report it and then move on with your life.

Great thread, food for
Great thread, food for thought here.

OP, I don’t think you could do much else. Not sure what the scrote crossing the road was trying to do, perhaps they knew the people in the car? I am assuming the passenger and the road crosser were both young?

Report it to the college definitely, would have thought they would have cctv but it may be pointed at the college rather than out at the surroundings.

And report it to the Law, they may do nothing but if they do there is a chance the perps may behave in a more civilised way in future.

I have been riding on the roads for 37 odd years too, and am pretty aggressive, at least with the incident and its immediate aftermath. I yell at the top of my voice so everyone in the vicinity takes notice, which may or may not be a good thing. I also drop the c word a lot, which I’m not proud of and am trying to stop, but I’m so angered by a careless fool trying to kill me it isn’t always easy to contain that rage. I used to punch and slap vehicles, but that will never lessen the conflict.

I don’t let anyone “get away” with bad driving around me, whether it’s a close passes, turning left across my front, blocking my progress, anything crappy.

What happens next varies. I’ve had the hard nuts stop and get out, and try and stop me, I’ve had vehicles alongside me with rabid passengers yelling more expletives, I’ve not yet had a fight. I suspect I’d come off worst in 90% of fights even without the silly shoes and other cycling paraphernalia. I have had a few keystone cop chases with idiots repeatedly turning round and coming back at me, I’ve disappeared up alleys before now. Usually the nutter calms down and drives off.

I would love to be more Teflon, but I can’t. I also think that attitude lets the guilty party off to do it again, they think it is ok. And it isn’t, bad driving is not acceptable. Driving a vehicle in a threatening way should be punishable.

P3t3 wrote,
“The Teflon
P3t3 wrote,
“The Teflon cyclist just rides on like it never happened, they never get involved in pointless arguments. If there is an incident the Teflon cyclist stays totally frosty and rides on without even looking back, inside the Teflon cyclist is a pool of calm. The Teflon cyclist realised that whilst everyone was trying to kill them, it wasn’t personal and dealt with it years ago… even sh1t won’t stick to the Teflon cyclist!

Be a Teflon cyclist. ”

I want to thank P3t3 for telling us all to be “Teflon cyclists”. I recommend that if any of you out there is as aggressive as I’m when riding, then please read this and also become a “Teflon Cyclist” like P3t3 and myself.

I have been riding on the road for 37 years (both bicycle and motorbike) and have had so many incidents that I could not possibly recall all of them. However, there is one that I will always remember and it’s the one that also changed my attitude and life.

It was 1990 and my first full season playing rugby for a club down under. I was based in south Melbourne and used to do a training ride from where I lived in Dandenong to Mount Eliza and back everyday. On one occasion I was riding along doing my thing when two blokes in a “shaggy” (station wagon utility vehicle) threw a beer can at me and shouted something offensive. The can missed, simply because it was empty and got dragged away in the wind, but I gave them the finger, and that sparked off some events that I’m quite ashamed of. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TEFLON. Words were exchanged, a bit of shouting; they were obviously high and tried to run me off the road. Then they decided to drive off but park-up and wait for me.

When I arrived they both blocked my way and I had no choice but to stop. Then while I was still dismounting I caught a blow on the side of my head and things got ugly. Only one of them actually stood-up to me and I beat him to a pulp. Actually, I broke the chaps jaw; which I’m not proud of at all.

Then came the police and carted all three of us off to Frankston police station. Mister broken jaw was off to hospital. Anyway, there were no charges filed from either party and we all went home at the end of it. But here’s what happened to me – I realised that I’m a naturally aggressive character but even more so when I ride a bicycle and therefore decided that I’d never again react to anything aggressively when riding – even if provoked. One could say, I became Teflon…and that has served me well throughout my life since, and not just when cycling.

So, like P3t3 recommends, it’s best to become a Teflon Cyclist and never revert to road-rage when cycling. There is enough misunderstanding and violence in the world…and my ride became my church.

Not sure I would have done
Not sure I would have done anything different.

I would report it to the police, purely so they know that the traffic parking is clearly a problem and that consequently drivers are getting themselves into bother with other road users. It sounds like its only a matter of time before there is an accident.

And get a camera, at least then you have something to show to the police if things like this happen again and they would be more likely to act as you will have some hard evidence (plus its always fun to name and shame on YouTube).

You’re obviously of a calm
You’re obviously of a calm disposition. I think I would have ended up in a fight in this situation but that’s not a good thing.

I like the teflon cyclist thing. Don’t rise to idiot drivers and just carry merrily along your way. In this situation though you’ve been directly confronted and had to make a fight or flight decision so the teflon thing doesn’t apply.

Really hard but you just have
Really hard but you just have to forget about it. I just get the axe out at home and split a few logs X( It’s worth testing out some alternative routes (Cyclestreets website is good). Sometimes a route that looks longer, isn’t and is a whole lot more pleasant.

I’d report it to the police.
I’d report it to the police. The person crossing the road has actually assaulted you, even if you’re willing to write it off as minor. The next cyclist(/pedestrian/whatever) who encounters that situation/person might not come off so well.

It is unlikely that anything will come of it – unless there is CCTV cover – but not reporting it hides the fact that these sort of incidents happen (and not just to cyclists) with increasing frequency. At the very least, if there is a marked increase in reports in the area, the police might actually start to look into having a presence there.