Just noticed from the Clinton email releases, Cameron and Clegg 'snobbish and arrogant' – emails to Clinton (
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015 ... ry-clinton). Hardly comes as a surprise, eh? Typical public school boys.
Talking of surprises, was just coming up a side street when a blue car stopped ahead of me at the end of the road. I'd held back because of a car parked on the opposite side of the road and began to pull forward as he was pulling off when he suddenly braked, so did likewise. An almost full bodied piece of tattoo artwork about 20 possibly 30 years my junior began heading toward me indicating to me to wind my window down; I duly obliged. Talk about finger jabbing and shouting directly into my face, something about my having frightened his wife by hanging onto her bumper from an adjacent road (where I live actually - a semi-main road) and along the one he was about to head off in the opposite direction
I was rather perplexed as it really didn't sound like me. Yes I tend to drive faster than perhaps I should on open roads, but not about town and I never tailgate. Personally I get angry about those that do, not so much because they can't react to the vehicle ahead, one assumes they're paying extra attention in that regard, but because they're likely to be unaware of other hazards by so doing. Unperturbed I naturally told him he must be mistaken as it really didn't sound like me. Slightly taken aback but still aggressively he said if it were to happen again blah, blah... again I repeated, "Honest mate that doesn't sound like me" and off he went.
Lucky I guess that I had held back in the circumstances and that he left it at that because easy going I may be but intimidated I am not. Had he not stopped his fuming my door would likely have crashed firmly into him and he certainly looked the stronger, possibly even pumped up and I'd likely still have been struggling to release myself from the seatbelt. Oh well...
Coincidentally it reminds me a car chase through the centre of Burton on Trent. Two cars had ended up chasing me over the Old Trent Bridge and down High Street at speeds of up to 90 mph on a Sunday lunch. Reverse lock cornering from High Street into Station Street and such like. No traffic to speak of apart from buses, the drivers busy on their intercoms. We came to a halt at the bottom of the station bridge when two buses blocked the road ahead of us, shortly followed by two behind.
I was immediately confronted by the drivers of both vehicles whilst my wuss of a passenger ran onto one of the buses ahead. It had all kicked off when I was leaving the Royal Oak otherwise known as the Sump after one pint (honest) before starting my shift, my passenger (and landlord I guess) asked if I could give him and two young ladies a lift into town. Apparently there had been a bust up with one of the ladies. I asked that he calm down which was when he tried to kick me through my open window; fancied himself as a bit of kungy. I just drove off but he'd caught his foot in my door. Such is life and I thought no more about it until I saw him approaching quickly as I waited at the lights at the end of Newton Road; he had another go at me through the window as the light s changed.
I saw the other car, a Jag overtake him on the bridge at high speed, which is when I really sped up when advised by my passengers that he was from Birmingham and a bit gun crazy and I only had a Mark III Cortina. All I bloody needed on a peaceful Sunday afternoon.
Anyway two guys in my face one trying straight fingers for the eyes, which I obviously avoided, I value them too much, when I tried to calm things by advising the police would be along as the bus driver were on their intercoms and we had better leave down these adjacent side streets. ';And so it was some few minutes later, "Base to Alpha Three, come in please. Return to base, Alpha Three". I did as I was told and after explanation was sent to the Police Station.
The offensive lad caught up with me several days later, pretty angry too because he thought I'd grassed him up. On the contrary I explained the bus drivers had all our numbers. He treated me with respect thereafter and asked whether I was scared as had others, he had a bit of a reputation around town you see. Not particularly apart from hearing your mate possibly had a gun. I've no idea whether it made the local press, nobody approached me. As it happens it was ohso's reference to Cameron the wuss that reminded me of it the other day... and now I am reminded yet again. I guess the story had wanted telling after all.
Postscript: me tailgating? Never. I've just realised I lie, never unless that is... a track day. A schoolmate in the same village as us was sponsored racing driver and I worked weekends on the forecourt of a quality car, mainly sportscars, dealership. I guess that was the start of my learning to drive, but quite frankly couldn't afford the tyres not being sponsored myself. Just had the odd go.
Edit: misplace 'and', 'And I thought I'd proof read for a change!
