So, at the weekend I went on one of my regular runs. Left the house and ran up the pavement with the road on my left. Good line of sight to an approaching bend. A Mercedes CLK soft top (roof up) overtakes me and pulls over to 'my side' of the road.
Driver gets out and leaves door open, and stands talking to (presumably) the owner of the house he had just stopped at.
Now, I can see there is no way through for me, which is fair enough. So I think, ok, take to the road, run around the car and re-join the pavement. Because I'm approaching the bend, I thought I had better hug fairly close to the Merc, although the road is wide, and not a risky manouvere.
I stick close to the Merc, and with perfect timing, the unseen passenger flings her door open right into me. I end up crumpled over the door glass in a heap, passenger yelps and squeals as if an escaped lion had just attacked her. Then, driver and friends stood on pavement launch into a verbal assault etc.
You try to do the right thing, and what do you get?
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let me be the last to let you down....
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Arrogant rich people think the world revolves around them, so I wouldn't expect anything less.
I'd have ranted back and thrown the chip on my shoulder at them for good measure. They'd have brayed and haw-hawed and snorted at you for a while if they're "proper" rich, and given you Estuary English "I made it to the top on moi own, I am considerably richer than you" if they're nouveau riche.
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Get onto Claims Direct or similar and get some compensation! Did you suffer any injury? If you did it is a police matter, bearing in mind that his parking had 'forced' you onto the road.
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I've been in similar situations when out running and my attitude is : I'm on the pavement they're blocking it, either they move or I "accidentally" brush my watch along the side of said very expensive car. I always give fair warning with a polite "excuse me" as I approach though.
Also, it's amazing how quickly people move out of your way if you stick you head down, put on a good sprint and charge!!! :->
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I jog.
When jogging I treat all cars parked on pavements with occupants as muppets who may open their doors/start engine/reverse/clean windscreens etc without notice of me.
I give them a wide berth.
So insted of complaining and whingeing and showing off your inferiority complex:-))) just avoid them by running rings round them:-)
madf
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Didn´t fancy hurdling the driver´s door? If his window was down it could have been an interesting addition to the urban assault course.
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Highway code, rule 214
you MUST ensure you do not hit anyone when you open your door
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Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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Happens to me when I am walking down a city street-car pulls up, passenger says their goodbyes then flings door open, totally ignorant to the 6foot 2inch 20 stone bloke just about to take the car door with him down the street. One day I'm tempted to dive in the passenger seat, just to see what the reaction is. Probably think I'm a car jacker and not the poor sod they have just tried to break his bones.
Trouble is, it is the general attitude of people, be them drivers, passengers or someone who walks out of a shop door and into the flow of pedestrians, then stops whilst they decided where to go next, oblivious to the pile of human bodies building up next to them.
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>>either they move or I "accidentally" brush my watch along the side of said very expensive car
A bit extreme, perhaps ? Hardly the most heinous of crimes. And haven't we all unwittingly got in someone's way at least once ?
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Yeah, it was said partly tongue in cheek - but if somebody resolutely ignores you and blocks your path even when you've asked nicely for them to make way for you - what else can you do?
Some people just treat others with complete contempt, thinking that they can get away with it - its amusing sometimes to show people they can't...
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Local athletics tale ...
During a road-race, somebody ignored a race-marshall and drove out from a side-road, to turn right, in front of a group of guys running in the race. (Oh, we sensibly organise road race here where the runners run INTO the oncoming traffic - I recall running the Twickers 8 miler, and being very nervous because I couldn't see what the hell was coing up behind me...)
The traffic coming from the left was heavy so the clown sat in the middle of the road, and one of the racers opened the rear door, ran crouching over the backseat, opened the other door and carried on his way - followed by 4 or 5 others!
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Next time, wear padding in the appropriate places and run faster. With any luck you'll at least fold the door beyond its stay!!
HeeHee.
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Not far from where I live, cars drive across the public footpath to reach a private car park. Some people do it courteously, some don't.
I have been tempted, when someone almost takes my toes off, to punch the side window in, saying "Oh dear! I am so sorry, I just couldn't stop in time"
Needless to say, I haven't done that.
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There's a specific offence of negligantly opening a door !
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*****deleted*****
Lets keep this and other discussions constructive rather than risk being seen to condone wilful damage.
Hugo - BR Moderator
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>>Some people just treat others with complete contempt, thinking that they can get away with it - its amusing sometimes to show people they can't...
Now that I completely agree with. People should, within reason, be forced to deal with the consequences of their own actions. If you let them get away with it, they'll just keep on doing it.
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