I don't normally post on here, but I had a very bad experience yesterday evening. I cycle home past Heathrow Airport and ride fixed with a front brake and have foot retention, SPD pedals. Yesterday I stopped at the petrol station opposite Hatton Cross station to buy some food, the petrol station is used by mini-cab drivers as a waiting area as it is close to the airport. I presume this is so that they don't have to pay to park at the airport and can just use the pick-up area when they get a fare. I don't know the legalities of this as there is signage indicating that it is not a car park. When I came out one of the mini-cab drivers was holding my bike and spinning the pedals backwards and forwards. I asked him politely to let go of my bike, I could not understand his reply due to his strong accent and tone of anger in his voice. Eventually, after repeating himself several times, I could make out 'fixie' 'no brake' 'did you see the news' 'how do you stop?' so I presume that he thought my bike was illegal. I pointed to the front brake and told him that I use this to stop, please could I have my bike back. I could not understand his reply, again there was a tone of anger in his voice, so I grabbed my bike, and got out of there. I was very shaken.
I am just wondering if us cyclists will receive some sort of backlash / aggressive behavior from the general public due to the Charlie Alliston case?
This is not to belittle the tragedy of a wife and mother being killed.
I don't normally post on here, but I had a very bad experience yesterday evening. I cycle home past Heathrow Airport and ride fixed with a front brake and have foot retention, SPD pedals. Yesterday I stopped at the petrol station opposite Hatton Cross station to buy some food, the petrol station is used by mini-cab drivers as a waiting area as it is close to the airport. I presume this is so that they don't have to pay to park at the airport and can just use the pick-up area when they get a fare. I don't know the legalities of this as there is signage indicating that it is not a car park. When I came out one of the mini-cab drivers was holding my bike and spinning the pedals backwards and forwards. I asked him politely to let go of my bike, I could not understand his reply due to his strong accent and tone of anger in his voice. Eventually, after repeating himself several times, I could make out 'fixie' 'no brake' 'did you see the news' 'how do you stop?' so I presume that he thought my bike was illegal. I pointed to the front brake and told him that I use this to stop, please could I have my bike back. I could not understand his reply, again there was a tone of anger in his voice, so I grabbed my bike, and got out of there. I was very shaken.
I am just wondering if us cyclists will receive some sort of backlash / aggressive behavior from the general public due to the Charlie Alliston case?
This is not to belittle the tragedy of a wife and mother being killed.