Why does being on a bike in London cause so much conflict? (this time, a jaywalker)

there is no doubt that she knew that she was in the wrong, because she was running when I hit her (there were two of them).

It's like being raped, being painted as the bad guy in this situation...

I say all this because a taxi driver who did not see the incident, but did see me hurling (very limited) abuse and her nursing her arm, jumped in and started playing Batman.

this idea of 'being in the wrong' is a bit misguided. this was an accident. you need to be much calmer and more philosophical. berating a woman, or anyone who just ran into the road and then into you at high speed is nasty and serves no purpose, at all. she didn't deliberately pick you, or run out in front of a bicycle as some kind of crazy new game, this is london, you choose to cycle through it, and through the busiest tourist bits of one of the busiest tourist cities in the world. shouting the odds reflects badly on you. it is no wonder the taxi driver (assholes that they are, him pushing you into the kerb is bad) felt the need to intervene.

i've been riding with a friend before and he totally bawled out a pedestrian who strayed into the road, and it was totally embarrassing and unnecessary, i mean, what exactly is it going to do apart from entrench opinions people have of cyclists being total dicks riding round like sandanistas, somehow outside of society, with no brain, just a bit of a brain that makes them think they're so fucking special because they ride a bicycle. just help her up, make sure she's ok and ride off. no-one wants to hear you rant.

and i very much doubt that this situation was anything like being raped.