Video: Close-passing driver becomes enraged by cyclist who taps his car

The cyclist behaved exactly as I would have in that situation. Unfortunately I'm a bit of a twat sometimes on the bike who has been warned more than once by wife and cycling mates not to seek confrontation unecessarily. The rider could have slowed slightly and gone through the cycle chute to the left of the traffic furniture and there would have been no need for the confrontation. The fact that the driver is an unpleasant aggressive twat (who should have got way more than a caution for the outrageous behaviour following the initial confrontation) doesn't alter the fact that the cyclist deliberately went looking for a confrontation when there was no need. That driver looks just the kind of little prick who'd carry a Stanley knife or a sharpened screwdriver and be itching to use it to prove what a man he is - just let him go and pat yourself on the back for having a lot more brains and sense than him.

Two men with a hypertrophied sense of entitlement.  Whether on a high powered motorbike or a bicycle it's important to me to ride defensively. Only the paranoid survive so whilst competing with, rather than giving ground to a bloke in a car, using foul language and having to defend yourself with a D-lock is lovely macho handbags, it's nothing I would want for myself. 

Do you want to be right and maybe dead, or do you want to get along (and stop feeding the cycle of mutual loathing)?

Another dickhead driver who values a lump of metal more than a human life.

The biggest offence there was the car and the fact he cleary thinks he's cool in it. I'd have excused him a Mk1 Golf cabrio but that's about it as cabrio hatchbacks go. 

I can't actually work out the need for the cyclist to have done what he did.

It seems - from the video - that the driver didn't really look when pulling out. However, when he pulls out there actually is plenty of room, and more to the point plenty of time to slow down.

Yes the driver should have looked, yes he should have left a cars width, but the whole thing could have been so easily avoided by the cyclist just tapping his brakes.

And really, there's no excuse for f'ing and blinding like that.

I cycle in West London, and experience this sort of driving on an almost daily basis.

By challenging the driver the cyclist escalated the motorist's aggression, putting himself at greater risk of harm. Which is what happened to me a few years back and I ended forced into the curb and onto the pavement. Being right isn't enough, as cyclists we are very vulnerable, and can look to zilch support from the police and the courts. 

My strategy is to be helpful: "Sorry, I think there's a problem with your indicator." "Don't want to worry you but there's a £60 fine and three points if the police take a dislike to you on an ASL." (I wish!) 

In my opinion both reactions are over the top. The motorist's outburst was waay too aggressive, but if I was the cyclist I would have held back, and let the guy go, rather than potentially get into the argument in the first. I certainly wouldn't have tapped his car for that manoveur, but the motorist shouldn't have reacted like that.

Initially the cyclist was being a bit of self righteous tw@. He didn't need to pull up to the side of the car, and he chose not to use the 'cycle escape' bit on the left of the traffic calmer, when he could have just backed off a bit, and the car would have been long gone. The driver did then start driving like a bloody idiot, so didn't help himself. My verdict, pair of tw@s.

Impressed with road.cc commenters resisting the urge to "joke" about this drivers gender or race due thier behaviour. Well done. Keep it up. .. please ?

What is this world coming to. I must have thumbs downed his whack job, chem trail, flat earth video; and it has pushed him over the edge. 

I keep asking, but not one of them can tell me what is on the other side?

Cyclist is an idiot for escalating the situation... Driver is stupid for pulling out... Newsflash, people are stupid and do not always behave appropriately, hopefully they both learn for next time.

Trivially avoidable...

So what now? Are we supposed to put ourselves in harm's way and let drivers do stupid things then report them and hope for the best?  Or do we defer to them and let them get on with it such that it continues?  Either option sucks.

Yeah driver was a muppet but I'd rather have backed off a bit than risk something more serious.

Bike v car there's only going to be one winner and I like my legs intact.

All it takes is for a few vids of these twats being laid out unconscious and that'll put an end to this kind of moron using their cars like that.

Do you think he's related to Jason Wells? He reminds me of him!

http://road.cc/content/blog/153639-angry-cafe-owner-jason-wells-jon-rons...

At least the driver was listening to Opera. 

Why is there never a convenient dog poo-bag hanging from a nearby branch when you really need one?

It's all a conspiracy theory maaaan, seek the truth! (Check out his T Shirt).

By the way, that's a girls car.

Does happen, if you are paying attention it shouldn't catch you out and frighten you. Open top car, what would be wrong with a cheerful "good morning" to warn the driver of his near miss and lack of observation. Much more likely to get an apology rather aggression.

Having said that, I reckon the MTB bar ends would make a splendid dent in paintwork that got too close.

This happens a lot. Driver sees you, so they calculate that it's safe to pull out as long as they stay on the wrong side of the road for a while.

Mostly they get away with it and I'm not bothered either way.

Why is it that these people are in such a damned hurry that they will risk running into others, and "must get in front" (TM) , and yet somehow they always have the time to stop and lecture people on what *they* did wrong?

(Agree with velodinho above: if I get the opportunity then I'll mention (with a friendly smile) that their indicator/brake-light/whatever seems to be broken, did they know?  Still generally doesn't get any response other than f- off, mind...).