Appeal For Cyclist Attacked On Camera

[AndyBSG]

Not sure if this has been posted already.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/search-for-cyclist-after-alleged-attack-on-london-road-caught-on-youtube-video-9081104.html

In all honesty, the cyclist was an idiot for chasing after the guy then shouting abuse at him but the way the driver deliberately drove into the ASL and dangerously sped past the cyclists at the junction seems to suggest he was just looking for an excuse to give some of those cyclists who rudely got ahead of him their 'comeuppance'

[661-Pete]

This is a classic example of how anger can boil up a minute or two after the event. This happens to me occasionally, but since I'm rarely in a position to 'catch up' the offending motorist, my rage can at best be vented on empty air.

This may sound patronising, but the cyclist should have held back his simmering resentment. As should I, if this ever happens to me. The minute he swore at the driver, he took upon himself a share of the blame. And what if he had been pushed under a moving vehicle and killed as a consequence of two road users' stupidity?

[StellaLdn.]

Not sure why people continue trying to 'educate' other road users. Just mind your own business. Yes, the driver did wrong, and I bet he knew, so chasing him and shouting at him won't make him 'learn'.
In addition to this, you're putting yourself in danger as a chase makes you lose concentration. I admit that I swear quite a bit, but it's more like 'shooting daggers' after the person who endangered me, followed by a swear word, and once that's out, I'll be merrily pedalling on, the incident behind me.

[Vorpal]

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a word, but that's not the situation I'd choose, nor the opening line

I've had a word a time or two with a driver... even followed one into a petrol station once. But I would never say anything if I couldn't be polite about it.

I hope they find the person who did that, though. No one deserves to be assaulted like that.

[VanDriver]

Audi.
Aggression.
Hmm.

[Coffee]

Does anyone here react violently, whilst cycling, to grumpy pedestrians who swear, right or wrong? Do hop off and smack them, aim your bike at them?
Why is it almost excused if you are in a car?

We'd all be on a pedestrians side who pointed out that you shouldn't be cycling on the footpath, and you'd showed utter disregard for their safety, they caught up with you and you had the nerve to knock them to the ground, oooooh it would be a Daily Mail field day.

I can understand a natural reaction to a disregard to your safety, but when you are protected by a metal shell...and someone...just...swears at you?

But I have met quite a few drivers of Audi's who really can't cope with a cyclist/lesser car holding them up...for anything.

[Vorpal]

Why is it almost excused if you are in a car?

Because they are driving around in a two-tonne weapon.

[StellaLdn.]

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a word, but that's not the situation I'd choose, nor the opening line

I've had a word a time or two with a driver... even followed one into a petrol station once. But I would never say anything if I couldn't be polite about it.

I hope they find the person who did that, though. No one deserves to be assaulted like that.

Everyone handles things differently. I don't have words with anyone as I know they'll just drive/cycle/walk away thinking 'whatever'. If I were to have discussions with anyone who does something wrong, I'd be a pretty busy lady. Plus, I'm not exactly an angel either, though I never bend the rules when I'd endanger others. There's a fine, but very noticeable difference.

That driver in the video clearly thinks the road's his, and I doubt that any conversation with him will lead to anything other than more aggressive driving.

[Vorpal]

Everyone handles things differently. I don't have words with anyone as I know they'll just drive/cycle/walk away thinking 'whatever'. If I were to have discussions with anyone who does something wrong, I'd be a pretty busy lady. Plus, I'm not exactly an angel either, though I never bend the rules when I'd endanger others. There's a fine, but very noticeable difference.

That driver in the video clearly thinks the road's his, and I doubt that any conversation with him will lead to anything other than more aggressive driving.

I wouldn't have said anything in that situation. It's not something I do very often, though I got an apology from the driver of the vehicle that I followed into the petrol station. Generally the ones that I most want to have a word with, are the ones that are the riskiest to confront.

But even so, the cyclist shown in the link doesn't deserve assault.

[ArMoRothair]

Pushy cars in ASLs are daily, hourly, regular, every few hundred yards, occurrence. If I reacted to every one my journeys would be twice as long.

I think the cyclist was out of order but 'there for the grace of god go I' because everyone has their breaking point. You don't know what else he experienced on his ride that morning and white Audi man was simply the straw that broke the camel's back.

I know I have flipped out and shouted at drivers before. I try hard not to but there are some days…..

[StellaLdn.]

Everyone handles things differently. I don't have words with anyone as I know they'll just drive/cycle/walk away thinking 'whatever'. If I were to have discussions with anyone who does something wrong, I'd be a pretty busy lady. Plus, I'm not exactly an angel either, though I never bend the rules when I'd endanger others. There's a fine, but very noticeable difference.

That driver in the video clearly thinks the road's his, and I doubt that any conversation with him will lead to anything other than more aggressive driving.

I wouldn't have said anything in that situation. It's not something I do very often, though I got an apology from the driver of the vehicle that I followed into the petrol station. Generally the ones that I most want to have a word with, are the ones that are the riskiest to confront.

But even so, the cyclist shown in the link doesn't deserve assault.

Absolutely agree. The cyclist didn't act correctly, but didn't deserve to be assaulted. I mean verbal abuse is one thing, but knocking someone off the bike is definitely a no-go-zone.

That said, I know of someone (cyclist) who admits to take it upon him to educate other cyclists. So if they jump the red light, he makes it his mission to chase them and hurl all sorts of abuse at them.
Personally, I think you're putting yourself and others in danger with that. Jumping a red light doesn't mean you automatically endanger someone (if you look and assess the situation). Not saying it's right, but it's also not right to chase after someone else and call them names. In my view it's ridiculous and makes you look like a dick.

[bazzo]

Has anyone ever been charged for stopping a motor vehicle in the cycle area. Motor bikes riders appear to use them as if by right.

[Shootist]

This vaguely reminds me of one American definition of an idiot; someone who takes a knife to a gun fight.

[mill4six]

Does anyone here react violently, whilst cycling, to grumpy pedestrians who swear, right or wrong? Do they hop off and smack them?

I felt the urge the other day when a fellow cyclist tried to stop me on a dark path by shining his light in my face and moving his bike into my path. I think he was hoping to "educate" me but right or wrong there's no way I'm stopping on an unlit path in the middle of nowhere to debate with some random. Had he caused me to come off I would definitely have got up swinging but he left me 9 inches of tarmac to blast through and I accepted.

[thirdcrank]

In terms of this type of thing, under the criminal law it isn't "either / or." By this I mean that both parties can be prosecuted, subject to there being sufficient evidence. Assault, in its various forms, is an offence, and provocation isn't necessarily a sound defence. OTOH, there are various offences involving threatening / abusive etc behaviour which is likely to provoke a Breach of the Peace: assault is a Breach of the Peace (even if it's carried out in total silence.)

As I've posted more than once before, not so long ago, whatever the outcome of any prosecution, both parties would have been Bound Over.