Should I report this?

[Wowbagger]

I was overtaken today by a Morrison's lorry, far too close. This was on a fairly narrow 20 mph limited road, a one-way street, with cars parked on the right. Further on there is a pinch-point which is definitely one vehicle only. Where I was, I would say that it's reasonable for small cars to overtake, but nothing bigger. This was a medium-sized tipper truck. I was cycling about a meter from the kerb. I'm pretty sure he was doing more than 20.

Immediately I turned right onto the main road, the truck was parked with the driver's window down. I mentioned the driver that he overtook me far too close. He accused me of being in the middle of the road and that he wasn't too close. I countered that I was about a metre from the left kerb, which was where the HC says I ought to be, and that he should have either given me far more room or, if there wasn't enough space, not overtaken. Furthermore, I questioned the entire point of overtaking when he stopped only 100 yards or so further on. Eventually:

"You're beginning to wind me up. Do you want me to get out and talk about it?"

Me: "That's entirely up to you."

At this point he opened the door, leaped out and stood squarely in front of me, not far off eye-ball-to-eyeball and he raised his voice considerably. I thought at one point that he was about to hit me, but an old lady pushing a shopping trolley appeared and he calmed down again, or at least, bottled his anger.

The encounter ended when he agreed that he had been far too close, that he would never again overtake a cyclist dangerously and would generally drive in a much more considerate fashion. I thanked him and went on my way.

Clearly he didn't mean any of the last bit and it was designed to get rid of me, which it succeeded in doing.

I made a note of the vehicle registration number.

Ironically, the page I linked to above states "Nothing that we do in Morrison is so important that we cannot find the time to do it safely."

[clarion]

Should you report it?  You'd be very wrong not to.

[Charlotte]

Of course you should.  Preferably via email to the MD of his company.

[Jaded]

More reasons to shop a Morrisons driver.

[Polar Bear]

A rhetorical question, no?

[Wendy]

Of course you should report it!

[Wowbagger]

More reasons to shop a Morrisons driver.

This was not Morrison the Supermarket but Morrison the construction company.

[spindrift]

There are two things a man will never admit to. Sounds like this bloke admitted to one. Had he not done so, I'd report it, I've reported a few and the feedback is invaraibly positive, apart from Ideal Scaffolding of Greenwich who hung up when I reported a driver flicking butts at me on hackney Road. 

[David Martin]

It might be worth taking a lenient view of the drivers actions rather than a confrontational one when writing to the company.

Dear sir,

As I was proceeding ... etc.

As the vehicle had stopped further up the road  I spoke to the driver. At first he appeared unaware that he had caused me some considerable concern, but after a full and frank discussion he apologised and promised to be more aware in future of the needs of vulnerable road users.

In the light of Lambeth council introducing cyclist awareness training for their heavy vehicle drivers, will Morrisons be introducing the same? As your company motto states 'xxx' and a days awareness training may help avert a tragedy such as those which have lead to the deaths of more than 8 cyclists in the last year under the wheels of HGVs in London.

Kind regards,

Rev Hon Col Justice Wowbagger MP PTO KGB LMSTG and Bar.

[Wowbagger]

I'm sure you are right when you say I should report it. It's just that I have a "Here we go again" feeling now every time something like this crops up.

I'm certain he was trying to be intimidating and I was shaking when I left the scene. So far as false apologies are concerned, they are far too easily dished out and, in schools I've taught at, are a very convenient currency for wrong-doers to avoid punishment for their misdemeanours and head teachers to avoid taking the irksome step of taking bad behaviour to a higher level.

Of course I must report it.

[Tourist Tony]

Report it AND emphasise his attempts to intimidate. You're a poor old white=bearded pensioner........

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

And if you'd been hurt, millions of children around the world would be waking up on Christmas morning to empty stockings...

[her_welshness]

Bimey Wowbagger - what a stupid pathetic twunt he is - what is the sheer bloody point of it?

'Ironically, the page I linked to above states "Nothing that we do in Morrison is so important that we cannot find the time to do it safely."'

Sunlight (who one of their delightful employees decided to throw a bottle at me) have a similar 'roundel of words' on their web-site 'Care: represents who we are and forms part of everything we do’ which I put in the final sentence of the letter that I sent to them.

[teethgrinder]

Yes, report it to the company if you're that way inclined. Especialy the intimidating behaviour. Also tell the story to the local press. I'd suggest emphasising the fact that he tried to threaten, bully and intimidate you when all you were doing was talking to him, which isn't what most ould consider to be normal sane behavour. I'm sure that any building company could do without bad publicity with this financial climate. Redundantworkers make bad employees much more sackable and the company won't want bad PR.