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Police seek Cambridge cyclist attacking taxis with lock and chain

Police have issued photos of offending cyclist in hunt for information

Police in Cambridge are seeking this man, who is suspected of vandalising taxis in the city with a bike chain and lock.

Taxi drivers say the cyclist has a vendetta against them, and has damaged their vehicles in ride-by attacks.

It is not the first time the man has been suspected of similar violence, but he has finally been caught on camera, and police want to speak to him.

Karl Stamper, a member of Cambridge Hackney Carriage Association, said he was targeted and the attack terrified an elderly passenger he was carrying.

The incident happened on July 11, when he was driving through Hobson Street at around 1.50pm.

He says his cab was hit with a lock and a chain.

He told Cambridge News: "I had passengers in the taxi and one was senior and we both jumped. He obviously knows what he is doing.

"It seemed he had gone out to deliberately do this. It was totally unprovoked and we know he has done it before. He must be stopped."

Another taxi driver told the paper: "We've got one nasty cyclist going round hitting taxis with his padlock."

One driver on Facebook said a man had punched his wing mirror when he cycled past on Bridge Street. "The glass fell out and I stupidly tried to chase him on foot. He gave me a 'two fingers' sign for good measure as well."

Another said: "He actually hit my car with a D-lock. Nasty man, pure mouth on him until you challenge him."

"Starting to wonder if it's the same one who punched my mirror on The Broadway," said another cabbie.

Anyone with information should call Cambridgeshire police on 101.

Last year we reported how a cyclist seen in a YouTube video smashing a car window during a San Francisco protest ride was arrested. 39-year-old Ian Hespelt was spotted by police who were on cycle patrol outside a Billy Joel concert who recognised him and his bike from footage of the incident.

Police also made use of second video to help them identify him.

After investigators finished questioning him, Hespelt was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism, false imprisonment, and maliciously and wilfully throwing a substance at a vehicle – all of which are felonies. He was also booked on a misdemeanour charge of inciting a riot.

The incident took place during the monthly San Francisco Critical Mass protest ride. A stand-off between protestors and a driver saw a group of cyclists surround a car. When the driver tried to manoeuvre around them, one hit the car with his bike, while Hespelt repeatedly swung at it with a U-lock. The vehicle is said to have sustained about $3,000 dollars’ worth of damage.

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38 comments

Avatar
harrybav | 7 years ago
2 likes

I've enjoyed the upbeat tone of the comments on this, most of which reflect that minor vandalism not actually that serious, in the big picture.

The main headline over on the source newspaper yesterday was a Cambridge town centre cyclist KSI story.

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tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
2 likes

Yeah I don't buy the attack on people argument. That's not what this offence is.

 

It's more akin to people attacking bankers' homes and headquarters during times of the financial crisis. It's a retaliation for perceived wrongs in the form of property damage. It's not legally ABH, GBH etc. Attacks on GAP and McD's during the G-XX meetings. That sort of thing.

 

Sure you could try to argue that a common assault has occured or some other minor offence to the person indirectly but still, you'd have to prove that was his intention. Don't think you're going to get very far with that, it's a bit watery.

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shay cycles | 7 years ago
2 likes

If the cyclist was dealing with a direct threat or immediate endangerment from the taxi in each case I'd consider his action somewhat justified. I did read the comments of the taxi drivers but wonder if the taxi driver say "well I cut him up a bit" even if he had?

Many years ago as I rode at the front of a fair sized group a car driver deliverately cut in to intimidate me as he passed. Once got the usual mouthing of the word prat (or similar), the second time got the reaction involving waving of arms and the third time within a couple of hundred yards (they are a bit like metres but smaller) I hit the passenger door very hard with my fist as he tried to squeeze me to the kerb - result one completely caved door. I know I have never felt any guilt about my defensive action in this case. Had I had the chance to grab and use a D-Lock maybe my conscience might be a little less certain of clarity.

If this man's action against was taken againt random taxis or taxis with which he had a previous problem then he deserves to be apprehended and punished.

 

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Yorkshire wallet | 7 years ago
2 likes

Looking at him, he's probably just annoyed he's stuck in 1991. I'd guess he was a PWEI and Ned's Atomic Dustbin fan. 

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brooksby replied to Yorkshire wallet | 7 years ago
0 likes

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Looking at him, he's probably just annoyed he's stuck in 1991. I'd guess he was a PWEI and Ned's Atomic Dustbin fan. 

Now you've said it, I *can* see him spinning round and round to Vic'n'Bob and the Wonder Stuff...

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Bikebikebike | 7 years ago
10 likes

Criminal damage of property is massively over punished as a crime. When someone is driving around and is inches away from killing someone, the appropriate response is apparently to send them a stern letter, if you have the number plate and a picture of the driver.  When they bash a few wing mirrors off, a campaign is launched to find the culprit, who no doubt will be taken to court to be flayed alive in front of the jurors for their amusement. 

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Ush | 7 years ago
8 likes

Why was the taxi so close to him that he could hit it from his bicycle? I'm not blaming the taxi driver, I just want them to be safe.

Were the taxi driver and the passenger wearing helmets? I don't see why they wouldn't when they could get hit in the head at any time.

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HalfWheeler | 7 years ago
5 likes

Sorry, an awful lot of whataboutery on this thread. He's a violent thug who thinks it's acceptable to smash cars up. No excuses, he's a fucking tit.

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Ramz replied to HalfWheeler | 7 years ago
8 likes

HalfWheeler wrote:

Sorry, an awful lot of whataboutery on this thread. He's a violent thug who thinks it's acceptable to smash cars up. No excuses, he's a fucking tit.

Yes, what he's doing is wrong, and I don't think anyone else should do it whatever the circumstances.

At the same time, I understand that people do this kind of thing (vigilantism) when justice is not being served by the police and courts. I think it's quite possible to be against vigilantism and the causes of vigilantism, no?

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oldstrath replied to HalfWheeler | 7 years ago
8 likes

HalfWheeler wrote:

Sorry, an awful lot of whataboutery on this thread. He's a violent thug who thinks it's acceptable to smash cars up. No excuses, he's a fucking tit.

It's wrong, but unimportant, but the police devote effort to finding him. Killing and maiming people is also wrong, vastly more important,  but excused by our pathetic legal system.

 

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Grahamd | 7 years ago
9 likes

This sort of action is inevitable when there is no justice for cyclists on the receiving end of assaults by car drivers. Does not make it right but it is inevitable.

I myself was a victim of taxi and even with video evidence the police  were unwilling to take any action. 

Double standards by the police.

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crazy-legs | 7 years ago
10 likes

I don't condone what the cyclist is doing at all but this is the sort of thing that happens when cyclists, time and again are treated as third class citizens - when a cyclist death at the hands of a driver is written off as "just" an accident, when a driver gets an £80 fine or 200 hrs community service.

I'm willing to bet this guy had a serious run in with a taxi, the police ignored it so he's resorted to a bit of vigilante justice of his own. It's hardly surprising when you consider how marginalised, victimised and criminalised cyclists are. You have a legal system that constantly fails vulnerable individuals and sooner or later one of them (perhaps slightly more unhinged than most) decides to take the law into his own hands.

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Leviathan | 7 years ago
4 likes

Was that photo taken in 1987?

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HalfWheeler | 7 years ago
3 likes

What a prick. I hope they catch him. Shouldn't be too hard with that barnet...

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Bob Wheeler CX | 7 years ago
0 likes

Old school looking bike, note the metal top brake levers. Cambridge full of ancient tech.

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Chougher | 7 years ago
10 likes

I was in cambridge on Thursday night, walking down a one-way street on the pavement (near the Oxfam bookshop) and a taxi driver drove straight at me to park his van, meaning I had to jump out of the way. I don't think what this guy is doing is right, but seeing as I almost got run over for my heinous crime of walking on the pavement, I'm not surprised somebody has snapped and decided to slap a few wing-mirrors off the taxis.

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horizontal dropout | 7 years ago
3 likes

Funny isn't it. If it was an article about a car driver throwing eggs or juice out of the window at cyclists the comments would be ablaze with outrage. But us cyclists can do no wrong.

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hawkinspeter replied to horizontal dropout | 7 years ago
8 likes

horizontal dropout wrote:

Funny isn't it. If it was an article about a car driver throwing eggs or juice out of the window at cyclists the comments would be ablaze with outrage. But us cyclists can do no wrong.

Every day cyclists get abused (both verbally and physically) by self important car drivers and if you do enough cycling on roads you will encounter that. So, when there's an article about some angry young man dishing out abuse the other way round, it's almost refreshing. I've often fantasised about dealing out damage to cars/taxis that endanger me, but have never carried it out.

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Dnnnnnn replied to hawkinspeter | 7 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

horizontal dropout wrote:

Funny isn't it. If it was an article about a car driver throwing eggs or juice out of the window at cyclists the comments would be ablaze with outrage. But us cyclists can do no wrong.

Every day cyclists get abused (both verbally and physically) by self important car drivers and if you do enough cycling on roads you will encounter that. So, when there's an article about some angry young man dishing out abuse the other way round, it's almost refreshing. I've often fantasised about dealing out damage to cars/taxis that endanger me, but have never carried it out.

Every day people are abused (both verbally and physically) because of their religion, gender, sexual orientation, looks, etc. etc, etc. By your logic, it would be "almost refreshing" if the people of Nice start attacking random Muslims.

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hawkinspeter replied to Dnnnnnn | 7 years ago
3 likes

Duncann wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

horizontal dropout wrote:

Funny isn't it. If it was an article about a car driver throwing eggs or juice out of the window at cyclists the comments would be ablaze with outrage. But us cyclists can do no wrong.

Every day cyclists get abused (both verbally and physically) by self important car drivers and if you do enough cycling on roads you will encounter that. So, when there's an article about some angry young man dishing out abuse the other way round, it's almost refreshing. I've often fantasised about dealing out damage to cars/taxis that endanger me, but have never carried it out.

Every day people are abused (both verbally and physically) because of their religion, gender, sexual orientation, looks, etc. etc, etc. By your logic, it would be "almost refreshing" if the people of Nice start attacking random Muslims.

You're setting up a strawman argument there and completely mis-representing my logic. You'll notice that the cyclist in question is not attacking drivers and instead is attacking inanimate vehicles. Also, you may find that car drivers are the majority whereas in your "argument" you've twisted the proportions round which makes your whole post just a sad apologist wreck.

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brooksby replied to horizontal dropout | 7 years ago
6 likes

horizontal dropout wrote:

Funny isn't it. If it was an article about a car driver throwing eggs or juice out of the window at cyclists the comments would be ablaze with outrage. But us cyclists can do no wrong.

But the difference is that I doubt that this person is doing this for the lols.

Either they've had a *serious* run-in with one or more taxis, or even with these particular cabbies (not outside the realms of possibility), or they've self radicalised by watching Premium Rush too many times  1

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Argos74 replied to brooksby | 7 years ago
6 likes

brooksby wrote:

...self radicalised by watching Premium Rush too many times  1

You can't watch Premium Rush too many times.

 

Some years ago, I got caught between a parked taxi in the bike lane, and a bus on my right shoulder. The clatter of offside wing mirror on road after my left forearm went through it, and yelp of anguish and outrage from the taxi driver is the very definition of guilty pleasure.

 

I feel no shame.

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oldstrath replied to horizontal dropout | 7 years ago
11 likes

horizontal dropout wrote:

Funny isn't it. If it was an article about a car driver throwing eggs or juice out of the window at cyclists the comments would be ablaze with outrage. But us cyclists can do no wrong.

The last cyclist reported on here having an egg thrown at him was seriously injured, possibly blinded. This guy, whatever his motives, is only doing a bit of damage to property.

If hell exists, I really hope there is a part reserved for anyone who thinks denting a car is anywhere near as bad as blinding someone.

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Bikebikebike replied to horizontal dropout | 7 years ago
2 likes

horizontal dropout wrote:

Funny isn't it. If it was an article about a car driver throwing eggs or juice out of the window at cyclists the comments would be ablaze with outrage. But us cyclists can do no wrong.

No, not wrong. But we can't do any physical damage to a motorist. 

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Harmanhead | 7 years ago
3 likes

It's the ghost of laurent Fignon

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barbarus | 7 years ago
0 likes

That's some classic trouser clips...

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kie7077 | 7 years ago
0 likes

"all of which are felonies"

I looked it up, we don't have 'felonies' in the UK, felony - definition of felony in English from the Oxford dictionary

 

EDIT: Oops, article talking about the US guy not the UK one.

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hawkinspeter replied to kie7077 | 7 years ago
1 like

kie7077 wrote:

"all of which are felonies"

I looked it up, we don't have 'felonies' in the UK, felony - definition of felony in English from the Oxford dictionary

That bit of the article is talking about an incident in San Francisco.

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hawkinspeter | 7 years ago
28 likes

I think the problem is that the taxis are dark colours and not easy to see when there's shadows around (e.g. night-time, dusk or bright sunshine). The taxis need to be covered in some hi-viz outer covers and maybe some protective equipment so that the locks/chains don't do any damage. I don't see why the taxi drivers are complaining when they don't even take the most basic steps to protect themselves.

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Chillinchinchilla replied to hawkinspeter | 7 years ago
5 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

I think the problem is that the taxis are dark colours and not easy to see when there's shadows around (e.g. night-time, dusk or bright sunshine). The taxis need to be covered in some hi-viz outer covers and maybe some protective equipment so that the locks/chains don't do any damage. I don't see why the taxi drivers are complaining when they don't even take the most basic steps to protect themselves.

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