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Video: Cyclist kicked into road - by another cyclist

"I could easily have died" says victim of two-wheeled thug...

Contending with angry drivers on the streets of London is bad enough, but the last thing you expect commuting across the capital is to be deliberately knocked off your bike by another rider. but that's exactly what happened to Raphael Carrondo back in August, and he'd still like to find the rider responsible.

As you can see in this video, Carrondo was riding east along Victoria Embankment at about 5:15 pm on August 6 when he overtook a rider on a BMX at the pedestrian lights just outside Embankment Station.

As he approaches a bus the rider on the BMX attempts to undertake him, though Carrondo says he didn't realise that until he got home to Canary Wharf and watched the footage from his camera.

The first he knew that he had a problem was when the rider kicked his front wheel, Carrondo told ITV News.

He said: "This guy just came out of nowhere and leathered my front wheel.

I went flying over the handlebars and my head almost went under the bus - it was terrifying."

When he watched the video, he realised what had happened.

"I didn't see him trying to cut me up, because I was concentrating on overtaking the bus safely," he said. "I had to swerve and he shouted something at me.

"I'd forgotten about it - that sort of thing happens all the time on the roads.

"But then he just pedalled past and smashed my front wheel with his boot.

"It was ridiculous - it's the most dangerous thing I've ever seen on a cyclist's cam, and unfortunately it happened to me. I could have easily died."

John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.

He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.

Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.

John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.

He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.

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36 comments

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samvegg | 9 years ago
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If I was the road biker I wouldn't ride that slow

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truffy | 9 years ago
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I'm 50. I'm getting a FS trail bike. And I'm going to ride it while wearing lycra. I hope Jeremy Clarkson chokes on his own vomit.

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J90 | 9 years ago
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Why is a grown man riding a BMX?

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OldRidgeback replied to J90 | 9 years ago
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J90 wrote:

Why is a grown man riding a BMX?

Lots of grown men ride BMX bikes. You sound a bit like Jeremy Clarkson come to think of it. That's the sort of thing he'd say about any adult on any kind of bicycle.

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hairyairey | 9 years ago
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OK so the rider with the camera might not have given the other rider enough space, but this happens all the time to me with car drivers and I just have to be quick on the brakes. Doesn't justify assaulting another road user though.

The sarcasm about incidents and cameras doesn't really work in text either. At least I hope it was sarcasm.

I saw someone riding through Central London recently with a track cycle and no brakes. Only a broken or slipped chain away from death (and not necessarily his own either).

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notfastenough | 9 years ago
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Hahaha, yes fair enough.

"You gave that cyclists front wheel a dirty look. That is attempted murder. The penalty for attempted murder is a suspended sentence, a slap on the wrist, and... (grave look)... a public lynching on the internet!"

Accused: "Nooooo, not the internet!"

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farrell | 9 years ago
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I don't know, it's got a bit of a Judge Dredd vibe to it.

"Ultra-Law...Everything is Attempted Murder"

I quite like it.

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notfastenough | 9 years ago
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Damn, doesn't have much of a ring to it, does it? I was thinking of 'Airzounds Law'!

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Colin Peyresourde | 9 years ago
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Not impressed with any of it. The roadie has to have been provocative. I also think that his claims about the buses a little steep too. The buses were virtually stationary, so much for going under the wheels. When watching the events again, watch the rider in front. He follows almost the same line, except when the BMX bike is near, and so it seems he screened the BMXer. I don't care where he says he is looking, he is just talking baloney.

It doesn't excuse the BMXer, undertaking is not a cool move and should be avoided at all costs. But kicking the guys wheel is just the biggest dick move.

I hope I don't meet either of them to be honest, but given that the roadie is out paced by a BMX, twice, I don't think I will!

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Mickyruff | 9 years ago
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Fight fire with fire!

Get yourself up. Chase him down. Flick him. Give him a close-up of your Speedplay cleats. Then you realise that your head-cam has turned itself off. Turn your head-cam back on. Let him get up. Give him a head start. Chase him down. Flick him. Give him a close-up of your Speedplay cleats. Ask him for his email address so you can send him a copy.

That's the only way.

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Joeinpoole | 9 years ago
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These 'helmet-cameras' appear to be really dangerous things to ride with. Judging by all the footage that gets posted, everyone who wears them seems to have several near-death experiences on every ride.

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brooksby replied to Joeinpoole | 9 years ago
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Joeinpoole wrote:

These 'helmet-cameras' appear to be really dangerous things to ride with. Judging by all the footage that gets posted, everyone who wears them seems to have several near-death experiences on every ride.

My wife used to ask me about my journey home. She gave up, when all the "interesting" things I could tell her were along the lines of "this driver did this" or "this scary thing nearly happened" or "he was truly a ninja cyclist".

Unfortunately, I'd guess that 20 minutes of happy cycling with no major incidents just doesn't make good Youtube bait, so the "normal cycling" bits of any journey gets edited out before uploading. Although some of the busiest helmet-cam-uploaders do seem to be a bit nuts...

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twowheeltoys | 9 years ago
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CHLAMEDIA !

That should cover it. Nasty disease that seems to be spreading, especially amongst the younger generation.
Defn: 1. Over dramatise everything that happens in one’s life as if it were a soap opera and then post on social media.
Example. From the drama queen ‘victims’ comments “I went flying over the handlebars and my head almost went under the bus - it was terrifying." and "It was ridiculous - it's the most dangerous thing I've ever seen on a cyclist's cam, and unfortunately it happened to me. I could have easily died."
Defn: 2. ridiculous comments by armchair lawyers on social media.
one word to cover it all.

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brooksby | 9 years ago
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So BMX guy is too close to the kerb at the traffic lights at the beginning, and then decides to try and undertake (badly) as everyone moves to overtake the parked coach. Both really his fault.

Yes, camera guy *could* have moved out more and let him continue with his undertake, but why? BMX guy should have read what was happening, slowed and followed him. Not continued. Its as bad as those motorists who join a motoway along a slip road and think that the motorway drivers should be giving way to *them*.

As other posters have said, camera guy would be looking over his right shoulder (for following cars), and looking over the left to make sure some t**t isn't undertaking probably isn't the first thing I'd have done in that situation either.

But kicking the wheel, knocking someone off, not a proportionate response in any circumstance, IMO.

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bikebot | 9 years ago
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Just as a reminder of how seriously the Met take such incidents, we had this from the start of the year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKfGIAIeLYY

And for that, he got a letter from roadsafe  102

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PJ McNally | 9 years ago
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If i'd been the roadie, i might not even have seen the BMX attempting to undertake - I'd have been looking over my right shoulder to move out round the bus.

The camera lens sees all, and often in wide angle, too. The poor roadie probably just missed that this BMX idiot was attempting a stupid undertake.

Oh - and the kick to the front wheel? Looks like attempted murder to me.

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AyBee replied to PJ McNally | 9 years ago
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PJ McNally wrote:

Oh - and the kick to the front wheel? Looks like attempted murder to me.

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Oh, you're serious....

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bikebot replied to AyBee | 9 years ago
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AyBee wrote:
PJ McNally wrote:

Oh - and the kick to the front wheel? Looks like attempted murder to me.

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Oh, you're serious....

It sounds like we have a new law of the Internet. The time it takes for any assault to be escalated to someone claiming attempted murder.

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brooksby replied to bikebot | 9 years ago
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bikebot wrote:

It sounds like we have a new law of the Internet. The time it takes for any assault to be escalated to someone claiming attempted murder.

We need to come up with a name, so its a real thing.

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bikebot replied to brooksby | 9 years ago
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brooksby wrote:
bikebot wrote:

It sounds like we have a new law of the Internet. The time it takes for any assault to be escalated to someone claiming attempted murder.

We need to come up with a name, so its a real thing.

Well you're not naming it after me, I don't want lots of references to attempted murder coming up whenever someone types my name into Google!

Whoever makes the claim most often on this site, name it after them.

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notfastenough replied to bikebot | 9 years ago
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bikebot wrote:
brooksby wrote:
bikebot wrote:

It sounds like we have a new law of the Internet. The time it takes for any assault to be escalated to someone claiming attempted murder.

We need to come up with a name, so its a real thing.

Well you're not naming it after me, I don't want lots of references to attempted murder coming up whenever someone types my name into Google!

Whoever makes the claim most often on this site, name it after them.

I don't know about most often, but how about, after this point, the first to claim attempted murder on a news article?

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farrell replied to notfastenough | 9 years ago
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notfastenough wrote:

I don't know about most often, but how about, after this point, the first to claim attempted murder on a news article?

***WE HAVE A WINNER KLAXON***

http://road.cc/content/news/133757-road-rage-driver-who-left-cyclist-bra...

Come on down, MK Ultra!

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racingcondor | 9 years ago
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Camera wielding roadie could have been a bit more aware (but let's face it, there are dousens of riders on that stretch of road at that time) but he had no responsibility to move out to make room for a dumb undertake even if he had seen it (how hard is it to not undertake when there is an obstruction and you won't clear the other ride before you reach it. Basic road craft, don't ride yourself into trouble) and the kick was completely unjustifiable no matter what the circumstances.

Since no-one was badly hurt though I can't see the MET giving a toss (unfortunately).

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Eebijeebi | 9 years ago
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I see BMX as overtaken by the roadie at the lights (and probably the other two as well). He then under takes and tries cut out infront instead of dropping in behind prior to his despicable act.
All the wrong in one camp for me - but being a cynical old git, I'd love to know if there was anything between them that preceded this.

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OldRidgeback | 9 years ago
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Hmm, the bloke on the road bike was overtaking and given that there would be traffic coming up the outside, was making a reasonable move if you ask me. The BMX rider started to pull out without looking and then realised he was being overtaken. Maybe the roadie could've anticipated better and slowed up, especially seeing as the BMX guy may have been brakeless (hard to be sure). But there's no excuse for this sort of behaviour, none at all.

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zanf | 9 years ago
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Wonder why this is doing the rounds again? Saw it on Reddit back in August

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AyBee | 9 years ago
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I'd like to see this from a helmet cam, the bmx was in front of him and he didn't notice (really?) - looks to me like the cyclist doesn't give the bmx any space at all on the first overtake, then refuses to move out for him at the second - hardly doing himself any favours. Maybe he'll give other cyclists more room in future...

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lessismore | 9 years ago
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I could be wrong but the name on the down tube appears to say Trail M so the bike may be a Trail Mate? Seems to be a vintage make from Florida(?), if correct I doubt there are many in London which might help. http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/T/

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Leeroy_Silk replied to lessismore | 9 years ago
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lessismore wrote:

I could be wrong but the name on the down tube appears to say Trail M so the bike may be a Trail Mate? Seems to be a vintage make from Florida(?), if correct I doubt there are many in London which might help. http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/T/

The frames a 'TrailorPark' made by BSD, they're fairly common and currently in vogue. If it was bought from a shop in London it might have come from Volt BMX in Stoke Newington. If it was bought online you've little to no chance of finding the rider.

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OldRidgeback replied to Leeroy_Silk | 9 years ago
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Leeroy_Silk wrote:
lessismore wrote:

I could be wrong but the name on the down tube appears to say Trail M so the bike may be a Trail Mate? Seems to be a vintage make from Florida(?), if correct I doubt there are many in London which might help. http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/T/

The frames a 'TrailorPark' made by BSD, they're fairly common and currently in vogue. If it was bought from a shop in London it might have come from Volt BMX in Stoke Newington. If it was bought online you've little to no chance of finding the rider.

Interesting - I note the BMX does have a brake, which marks it out from the usual skatepark rider bike.

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