Spotted...

Yeah, I'm OK thanks.

A colleague who was riding along Strand heard the commotion and we rode the rest of the way to work together, chatting about it. That helped calm me down and see the lighter side of it.

I'd just been wondering about whether I should be more ready to run red lights, as I'd been skimmed by a bus at the Old Vic when I stopped as the lights changed and the bus driver clearly hadn't intended to. And then this guy in the Vauxhall does an emergency stop on my tail, starts effing and blinding at me and barges into the ASL alongside me, so I move forward so that I'm not squashed between his wing and the kerb when he pulls away. More effing and blinding; I look round and ask him why he's so worked up. He drives his car into my back wheel. I climb off the bike and get the camera out of my saddlebag (I'd packed it today because it was so sunny and i thought it would be cool to be able to take pictures of London's famous London on a glorious sunny Friday, not because I was going to gaffer-tape it to my head and record my commute...). I take a picture (or at least I try) of his reg plate and therefore don't bother to memorise it myself. He's then out of the car, barging me and trying to throw my bike to the side of the road.

I was not really taking everything in (focussing on staying calm) but I was aware of a large audience and some shouts from passers-by, which all seemed to be on my side. Nutter returns to his car, shouting at passers-by "Look what he done!". I pull over to the ped crossing bit in the central refuge and repack the camera and to keep out of this guy's way.

I was delighted, in retrospect, at how polite I had been. And I'm also pleased not to be too shaken by it. Now a bit torn about embarking on the hassle of reporting it, even though I know it's my duty as a member of the oppressed cycling community...

Oh, and I managed to take a picture of my foot.

Shame no registration but still worth reporting https://secure.met.police.uk/roadsafelondon/