Around 9 PM last night, I was pootling home, my intention being to drop some of my kit off at home and then get a further nightride in.
I had just finished a descent which takes me down into the bottom of the valley, on the other side I nip off the main road down a side street which is a dead end, the only thing down there is some derelict industrial units and potbanks, I only go down there as it links you up with a stretch of tow path. Just as I get on the towpath a set of car headlights picks me out, the car is cruising and keeping pace with me, then the car turns toward me and hits the full beams. There is no reason for a car to be down there at night so I think it's the coppers. Nope, some Mercedes 4x4 thing. I decide I don't like the look of things so I carry on down the tow path towards the lake where I then rejoin the road.
I leave the park next to lake, a short road links it back onto my route, the same car apears in front of me again and passes me, to have got there in that short time he has jammed it in reverse and then driven it another half a mile perhaps at speed to catch me as I reach the lake. I think "is this guy following me?"- then he stops and turns around again and heads back towards me. Now by this stage I think he is either looking for a cyclist to run over or to try and assault, he is most certainly following me.
I kill the lights and get well back off the road so he can't mount the kerb and hit me, I am also getting ready to fight the guy should he get out and have a go, he pulls up along side and asks in very very camp voice "are you Ian?"
I ask him why he is following me, he says "sorry, I saw you and thought you were Ian"
Now he obviously didnt know what "Ian" looked like but for some reason he though he was going to be meeting "Ian" in the dark, in the woods next to the lake and canal, at 9pm at night.
