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Police seek driver who repeatedly nudged cyclist before running over his bike

Dark 4x4 vehicle aggressively attacked cyclist

Police in York are searching for the driver of a 4x4, who repeatedly nudged the rear wheel of a bike before running over it when the cyclist got off to protest.

The car was behind a cyclist who was waiting at traffic lights, and the driver pushed against his back wheel several times.

The cyclist was waiting in the right-hand filter lane for Rawcliffe Lane when the dark-coloured car, possibly an Audi, approached on Monday, September 12th at around 5.45pm.

When the cyclist dismounted, the car ran over it, damaging the back wheel. The driver then disappeared towards Shipton Road.

No-one was injured during the attack, which took place in a busy area.

Police are appealing for witnesses or dash cam video to help their investigation, and ask the public to dial 101 and ask for PC John Armstrong or York Police.

Back in 2012 we reported how Mary Creagh, then Shadow Environment Secretary, wrote to London private hire firm Addison Lee to complain about an incident in which one of its drivers allegedly bumped her back wheel while she was waiting to cross a junction on her bike in London.

She described the incident in a letter addressed to the firm’s chairman and founder John Griffin.

“I was interested to hear you a few weeks back on Radio 4, saying that your minicabs should be allowed into bus lanes,” she wrote.

“Perhaps you would be interested to hear my experience of one of your drivers today? I was at the junction of Bloomsbury Square and Tottenham Court Road, which is left turn only for vehicles, with an exception to go straight ahead for cycles. The lights changed and the road was blocked by a bus. I was on the right hand side of one of your vehicles and behind a van which could not move because of the bus.
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“The lights changed back to red, the van ahead of me curled around the corner but I decided to wait at the red light rather than risk crossing the road as my sight line of any oncoming traffic was obscured. Your driver bumped into the back of my bicycle.

“When I observed that the lights had changed to red some five seconds earlier, he shouted and yelled at me.

“It was the first time I had been bumped in well over ten years. I am a slow, careful cyclist with excellent hand signals and always make eye contact with drivers.

“It was certainly an interesting experience to be barracked for obeying a red stop light when driver mythology has all cyclists down as light-jumping lunatics. Based on today’s experience, your drivers’ reputation for careful driving may be just as much of a myth.”

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10 comments

Avatar
Jimnm | 7 years ago
2 likes

The fact is that people (large majority) are idiots at times and do things they normally wouldn't when either behind a wheel or on a bike. There is nothing wrong with the mode of transport its self, it's people being people. Some are worse than others. Most people on our roads do not have a full grasp of the Highway Code, so they just apply themselves as to what they think is right. Apparantely driver/rider behaviour is much worse on continental roads.

No matter what is discussed on here, it's all about personal preservation and survival. So be as careful as you can out there. 

 1

Avatar
Dogless | 7 years ago
2 likes

If you look at the article on the York press site you can see the cousin of the cyclist explaining how he didn't deserve it as he obeyed the rules of the road, but Lycra clad idiots deserve everything they get. This is what we're dealing with...

Quote:
Normally wouldn't comment on these ... but this wasn't a case of a Lycra loony .. the cyclist was my cousin.. late 20's who isn't one of the idiots who weaves the traffic like a prat etc.. just a guy who to be fair sticks to the rules of the road. , rides like miss Daisy and the bike is his only way to work! The driver just drove threw him.. luckily his legs were just clear as he went full pelt over the bike.. not a case of just clipped the wheel.. went straight over the frame . Wheel/ gears / brakes smashed.. Bike was in a right mess.. no provocation from the cyclist at all.. I agree there's plenty of idiots on bikes round York with a death wish but in this case driver was bang out of order! was a lucky case of just a damaged bike and not a serious injury... completely unprovoked dangerous driving!

Avatar
mcmahonsport | 7 years ago
2 likes

the same happened to me on the A52 out of Nottingham. An old married couple in a big four by four pushed the back of my bike a couple of times at the traffic lights. The police said as it was two against one, there was nothing they could do. Rubbish. Nottinghamshire police.

Avatar
rnick | 7 years ago
8 likes

On the flip side..and to prove there is a God out there.  My brother experienced a similar incident a few months ago in London.  The driver (muscular, traack suit wearing ) of the aged convertable BMW, complete with perma tan girl friend in the passenger seat, gave him a nudge and hey presto the bumper fell of his car.  No damage to the bike..but he nearly fell off laughing as pedallled away! 

Avatar
newtonuk | 7 years ago
9 likes

"Dark 4x4 vehicle aggressively attacked cyclist"...  Why didn't the driver stop the vehicle from doing it?  Had it escaped or something?

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to newtonuk | 7 years ago
3 likes
newtonuk wrote:

"Dark 4x4 vehicle aggressively attacked cyclist"...  Why didn't the driver stop the vehicle from doing it?  Had it escaped or something?

People shouldn't be allowed to keep cars if they can't control them.

Also from the report it seems that the driver nudged the cyclist, but the car ran the bike over. Perhaps while the driver got out to speak to the cyclist?

Avatar
vonhelmet | 7 years ago
0 likes

I had some daft old bat drive into the back of me at a roundabout the other day. I gave her a stream of Anglo Saxon and she looked mortified. I memorised her number plate and rode off as fortunately the bike was fine. The rider in this case should have memorised the plate.

Avatar
Metaphor | 7 years ago
5 likes

There should be a national grassroots campaign to point out to the public how 4x4s are the real danger on the roads. 

Avatar
Chez_worldwide | 7 years ago
3 likes

Having been hit from behind in the past (a very unsettling experience, as you can imagine), I now run a Fly6 light/cam- it won't stop it happening or save my skin, but will assist greatly if/when the bellend lies to the police/ insurance company, or indeed legs it away like this coward.

 

 

Avatar
Shades replied to Chez_worldwide | 7 years ago
0 likes

Chez_worldwide wrote:

Having been hit from behind in the past (a very unsettling experience, as you can imagine), I now run a Fly6 light/cam- it won't stop it happening or save my skin, but will assist greatly if/when the bellend lies to the police/ insurance company, or indeed legs it away like this coward.

 

 

Exactly.  100 quid for one is nothing compared to the cost of hassle, police, bike damage, injuries etc I'd incur, with the annoyance that someone probably wouldn't get caught and, even if they did, could talk there way out of things in the absence of evidence.  Doesn't solve the root cause sadly.

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