M
Matt G
Guest
Any advice anyone can give me on how to pursue a rather
nasty incident that happened to me last night? The police
say that since the witnesses' names and addresses were not
collected there is nothing they can do. The Public Carriage
Office - well, the response I got from them on the phone
reminded me that they're really just a professional
association looking to protect the interests of their white,
male, members, and therefore wholly uninterested in dealing
with complaints using a proper, formal process. If anyone's
had any success through any channels in having this sort of
thing addressed properly, advice much appreciated.
I was cycling along a quiet road in central London and
noticed that a black cab travelling in front of me and in
the same direction had pulled over to the side of the road.
I don't remember whether the vehicle indicated or not. As I
started to pull around the vehicle the drivers side door
opened and the driver stepped out. I had to swerve to avoid
him, and the door. This is such a common incident in London
– drivers not checking the road to ensure that it is traffic-
free before opening doors onto the road – that I didn't stop
to complain. About 20 seconds later, I realised that a
vehicle had pulled up alongside me and was trying to force
me off the road. I had to swerve onto the pavement. It's a
high kerb there so to mount the kerb in such a hurry made me
almost fall off my bike. I have no doubt that he was trying
to hit me. The vehicle then drove off in the same direction,
turning right at the next T junction. I shouted at him,
noted his license plate number, and then turned left at the
T-junction.
A further 20 seconds later, I realised that the same vehicle
was pulling up behind me and that the driver was hurling
abuse at me through the open window. Terrified, I pulled my
bicycle onto the kerb again, in fear that he would attempt
to run me down, and called 999 on my mobile as quickly as
possible. He then did a U turn and headed south along the
Outer Circle. All I can remember about what he shouted was
one line: "You don't like it much when someone tries it on
Matt
nasty incident that happened to me last night? The police
say that since the witnesses' names and addresses were not
collected there is nothing they can do. The Public Carriage
Office - well, the response I got from them on the phone
reminded me that they're really just a professional
association looking to protect the interests of their white,
male, members, and therefore wholly uninterested in dealing
with complaints using a proper, formal process. If anyone's
had any success through any channels in having this sort of
thing addressed properly, advice much appreciated.
I was cycling along a quiet road in central London and
noticed that a black cab travelling in front of me and in
the same direction had pulled over to the side of the road.
I don't remember whether the vehicle indicated or not. As I
started to pull around the vehicle the drivers side door
opened and the driver stepped out. I had to swerve to avoid
him, and the door. This is such a common incident in London
– drivers not checking the road to ensure that it is traffic-
free before opening doors onto the road – that I didn't stop
to complain. About 20 seconds later, I realised that a
vehicle had pulled up alongside me and was trying to force
me off the road. I had to swerve onto the pavement. It's a
high kerb there so to mount the kerb in such a hurry made me
almost fall off my bike. I have no doubt that he was trying
to hit me. The vehicle then drove off in the same direction,
turning right at the next T junction. I shouted at him,
noted his license plate number, and then turned left at the
T-junction.
A further 20 seconds later, I realised that the same vehicle
was pulling up behind me and that the driver was hurling
abuse at me through the open window. Terrified, I pulled my
bicycle onto the kerb again, in fear that he would attempt
to run me down, and called 999 on my mobile as quickly as
possible. He then did a U turn and headed south along the
Outer Circle. All I can remember about what he shouted was
one line: "You don't like it much when someone tries it on
Matt
