I was enjoying a nice ride in this morning. Everything was going swimmingly. No wind. Good legs. I was making the most of the draft from a Stockport council swimming bus when the driver for a grey VW Golf registration MT54 VLM passed me. I was pot-hole dodging in secondary position. She was too close, especially considering it took her an age to pass me. I was keeping pace with the traffic and I had to ease off in order to open up a gap to let her in.
I let go as we hit some open road. The next two drivers to pass overtook me properly. "I hope the driver of that Golf was watching in her rear view mirror", I thought to myself.
I caught her up at the next set of lights and stood by the drivers window. I waited a full five seconds before she noticed me. I had rehearsed what I was going to say in my head. "You're supposed to overtake, not pass". Any how I didn't say a word. I couldn't get one in with the torrent of abuse that flowed from her vile angry mouth. Whilst we were still stationary, she flagged down a police panda car heading in the opposite direction.
The police woman driving the panda car managed to shut the woman up after she had yelled that I was all over the road and that she had to cross into the other lane to pass me and that I had shouted at and threatened her. (I did manage to utter something about cyclists, horses and mopeds and allowing them as much space as you would a car when overtaking, but I honestly don't think it was audiable).
The officer threatened us both with a public order offence if "we" didn't shut up. She then asked if anyone was hurt, then told us to get on our way. The police officer did as if I was turning left, to which I said "yes". I think she assumed the VW Golf driver was going straight on as she wasn't signalling.
Anyway, I had the pleasure of passing the VW Golf driver again as she was stuck in traffic and I wanted to get to work. This was after having witnessed her cross an ASL on a red light. When I passed she said "If you f*ck1ng pass me again I will knock you off".
I've never had a response like that before from a woman driver. In fact I haven't had a verbal threat that someone would deliberately try and do that. It took my breath away. And not in a good way either.
On a plus note, making my way along the A57 Hyde road last night towards Hyde, an Audi A6 passed me and then a police van. They pulled the A6 driver over. The A6 did pass a bit close, but not more than what I'd normally expect so I don't think it was that. Speeding could have been a possibility though. Again, I've never had that happen before!
Commuting definately makes life colourful!