I sent this letter to Southwark News.
Have you realised how rude motorists have become? I had a chat with a bus driver on Tooley Street recently. “Car drivers are under a lot of stress and have become very aggressive”, he said.
That might explain the very unpleasant encounter I had on Wednesday. I stopped at a red light on the junction Borough High Street St and Thomas St. I was in the lane for the right turning traffic which is clearly marked as such. The motorist behind me, who apparently wanted to go straight on, honked and, as I ignored him, overtook me. There were only a couple of centimetres between his car and my jeans.
I then complained and waved my hands at him because I felt threatened by his manoeuvre. He immediately stopped his car in the middle of the road, jumped out of his car and ran towards me. I won't repeat the words he yelled at me, but they weren't nice. He came so close to my face that I had to move back in order not to hit it.
And if that was not bad enough the next car in the lane behind me started honking and complaining. And swearing. I pointed to the red light and tried to communicate that it was a right turn lane. But no one seemed to care.
I can understand when motorists are stressed because of heavy traffic. But it's neither mine nor other cyclists fault. The fact that we can get around the traffic more easily should not be punished by motorist by threatening and dangerous behaviour, but encourage them to cycle too.
The London Cycling Campaign has a commendable bike to work programme and also offers cycle training.
Florian Leppla (working in SE1)
