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Man arrested following New Zealand 'bike rage' incident captured on film (+ video)

Mountain biker's alleged assailant tracked down after footage posted online...

A mountain biker in New Zealand who set out to capture his ride on video is getting a few more views on YouTube than he might have expected after becoming the victim of an alleged assault carried out by another rider. Police have subsequently arrested a 45-year-old man in connection with the incident after footage was put online in an attempt to try and identify him.

According to 3 News, the cyclist filming his ride, Jordan Brizzell, had riding on the Flying Nun trail above Christchurch when he caught up with a slower rider ahead of him (around 1 min 20 secs into the video, posted to youTube with the byline 'My First Project').

Although the rider ahead apparently told Brizzell that he was okay to ride past, each time he attempted to do so, he had the door slammed shut on him.

“Trail etiquette says you pull over to let faster riders by,” explained Brizzell. “I was polite at first, but then got less polite as he refused to stop, but I certainly wasn't asking to be attacked. I never swore or abused him, just basically said he was inconsiderate.”

It’s at 5 minutes into the video that things start getting heated. As the riders slow down at the end of the trail, Frizzell tells the other cyclist, “That was really rude of you,” only to be met with four-letter words as the man approached him and apparently pushed him over.

As he walks away, Brizzell shouts out that he has captured the incident on video and that the other rider could face arrest – whereupon he turns round, comes back, and launches a second attack.

“He tried to strangle me with my helmet while he was trying to steal my camera, and when I started yelling for help he put his hand over my nose and mouth,” continued Brizzell. “It was like he'd done it before. I was getting pretty fearful for my life by that stage so I did the only thing I could do without letting go of the camera, bit down on his finger.”

3 News has since reported that a 45-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident after Brizzell posted footage to Reddit.

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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33 comments

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tegski | 11 years ago
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Where have manners gone?…
Would have been simple to pull into one of the dual track sections yelling "go right - have a good ride" - thats the end of the frustration for both.
As it was…good thing duelling is not longer allowed…
What a couple of oiks!

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CycleGringo | 11 years ago
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He was right up behind him all the way. The faster guy should have pulled in and waited for the other guy to gain some ground. It does not look like a path you want to hit the road on I tell ya.

If it was me I would have got off and gave him a bit of my mind. Whats the camera all about anyway, a right toolbar if you ask me  7

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Large_Pista | 11 years ago
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Yawn

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tazo101 | 11 years ago
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I did this ride last year on a borrowed mountain bike after 10 yards got off and looked for some tarmac!!!
Your all bonkers rather risk the inside of a HGV on a bit of road than that, scared the living bejazel out of me!

Should have known this is what I saw on way up!

Was good though on way back down overtaking my fellow roadies on a clapped out Mountie!

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Karbon Kev | 11 years ago
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Theres always an arsehole somewhere, you can be sure of that

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TheBigMong | 11 years ago
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The slower rider may have earned some of the verbal abuse but the faster rider initiated physical contact.

The slower rider was not showing the best trail etiquette, but when he did pull off @ 3:19 or so, the faster rider rides right up on him, and even puts his front tire on his leg or foot (hard to see which.) That warrants an ass-kicking right then and there. When they met up later down the road, they both got up in each others' faces and I think they were both willing participants in that altercation. I don't think, even with the video, the law would favor one person or the other.

I guess the second fight is the fault of the slower rider since the faster rider was not an immediate physical threat--slow guy went out of his way to come back and hit him. Even when you're amped up like that, you have to know how to show restraint.

As far as intentionally strangling the faster guy, that seems like an exaggeration. Helmet retention systems are designed to release if you pull them hard enough. I know because I test them for a living.

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italiafirenze | 11 years ago
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Quite aside from all the fisticuffs that mountain biking lark looks a bit dangerous. They had all sorts of obstacles in the road.

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maxburgoyne | 11 years ago
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Handbags at dawn!

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mrchrispy | 11 years ago
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I thought bumble bees died after attacking someone?

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girodilento | 11 years ago
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As another Kiwi - I think Alotronic has pretty much nailed it with his comments.... but in fairness, if I'd gone through as many Earthquakes as the good people of Christchurch, I'd probably be a touch edgy too.

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notfastenough | 11 years ago
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Alotronic makes a good point, I spent some time in the Falklands Islands in a previous life, and chatting to one of the locals, he explained that he didn't deal well with people crowding him because he just wasn't accustomed to not having space. He went to London once and wanted to start a fight with someone that had lightly brushed past his shoulder.

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andyp | 11 years ago
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the 'faster' chap just comes across as a complete idiot here. Yes the bloke in front overcooked his response a bit, but I'm not surprised he was annoyed. ffs...not a race now, is it boys? Also, why on earth would you want to film yourself riding on a trail? So you can sit back at home and congratulate yourself for being proper gnarly? jeez.

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alotronic | 11 years ago
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Anyone riding in Christchurch needs to take it easy - the whole city has stress management issues after the quakes...

Still there is a certain type of a-hole in NZ and the slow guy is def one of them (speaking as a kiwi). Each country has it's own brand of nob! Fast guy was also doing a kind of passive-aggressive kiwi thing too which is very annoying when you're on the end of it. Both need to get over themselves  3

But yeah, there is a LOT of space in the Sth Island, but kiwis who live there get used to having it all to themselves so this is not as strange to me as it might seem to brits used to choked tracks on trail centres.

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Low Speed Wobble | 11 years ago
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Mountain-bikers. Sheesh!

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sam_smith | 11 years ago
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What ALIHISGREAT said really, all the slower rider need do is slow up as he comes to a passing loop and let the faster rider steam past him. Instead the slower rider didn't and worse cut the faster rider up provoking the faster rider into shouting sarcastic comments at him.

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londonplayer | 11 years ago
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Is this why you're supposed to wear a helmet whilst riding?  16

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Philx | 11 years ago
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The faster rider was being a bit mouthy, but to be honest there seems to have been several points where the track split and and slower rider could have easily let him past, but chose not to, (because, from his end reaction - he's clearly a nob) so his frustration was understandable, (not necessarily excusable).

But on a lighter note, that looks like a great trail!

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cove123 | 11 years ago
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Slower rider had END BARS end off!!!  3

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jazzdude | 11 years ago
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Ah now I see what the problem was. The faster rider didn't say "G'day mate!"

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VecchioJo | 11 years ago
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always give way to the rider with more suspension than you, a full-face helmet and a GoPro, always

 3

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cw42 | 11 years ago
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Disagree with the comments about the faster rider stopping for a minute and then resuming his ride. It doesn't work. He'd soon be right back on the slower guys tail and in the same situation. Slow guy should have yielded the trail, end of. Always give way to faster riders, always. You can then get on their tail and learn a few things about lines and braking in my experience. Absolutely no need for the violence and slow guy should have the book thrown at him.

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PhilRuss replied to cw42 | 11 years ago
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Yup....the slower geezer was asked several times to allow an overtake, and ignored the requests----couldn't even be bothered to respond. Guaranteed to wind up the rider behind, and clearly milking the situation to justify the violence he was planning all the way down. 50-50? No--more like 2-98.
P.R.

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Roberj4 | 11 years ago
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Good point of views from everyone! Both riders are at fault. The slower rider possibly under pressure to stop (some where) on this fast single track to let the other through which he should have done. The faster rider being impatient hence the 'verbal' then (as pointed out above) seems to double back for more trouble! A very 'Big Girls Blouse' to them both in my opinion, should have their heads knocked together (again) by the police but very nice trail riding!!!!

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belgravedave | 11 years ago
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Sure it's not a scene from the new Flight of the Concords series?

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MalcolmBinns | 11 years ago
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Not a great advert for singletrack riders. I second the comments above. Either of them could have pulled over and spared their blushes.

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Farky | 11 years ago
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Zippy meat Bungle!

If I was in front and didnt have anger management issues, idve pulled in realising a quicker riders been on my tail.

If I was the faster rider and could pass after all that time....idve pulled in for a minute especially if i knew the trail and therefore realised a pass would be tough in this situation.

No need for the reaction either way, provoked or not.

50/50 but violence is not accepted anywhere....they do need to have a word with the 'faster' rider though...respect works both ways!

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fennesz | 11 years ago
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It's kinda hard to pass on singletrack, thus the name of it. It's also really, really irritating to have a faster rider buzzing your tyres, especially if you're not that confident on a trail. Also, why should he have to stop? The faster rider could have stopped, waited for a minute or 2, and then got going again. Still, he shouldn’t have got punchy, but I understand why he did.

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ALIHISGREAT replied to fennesz | 11 years ago
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fennesz wrote:

It's kinda hard to pass on singletrack, thus the name of it. It's also really, really irritating to have a faster rider buzzing your tyres, especially if you're not that confident on a trail. Also, why should he have to stop? The faster rider could have stopped, waited for a minute or 2, and then got going again. Still, he shouldn’t have got punchy, but I understand why he did.

There were so many places where the trail split (either going straight, or with a longer loop round a corner)..

all the slower rider had to do is take the long loop round a corner, or slow down on one side of the split for a few seconds.. and the other riders would have gone past easily.

He didn't even need to stop! there were plenty of opportunities to do it without even slowing down!

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londonplayer | 11 years ago
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Neither of them come off very well from the video. All that space in New Zealand and they still have to fight.  13 You can't help but think that the aggressor was *indirectly* provoked.

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step-hent | 11 years ago
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Looked to me like it was just a loop in the trail - I had assumed he went round it to buy himself a bit of space, but then caught the guy again fairly quickly.

The faster guy was a bit mouthy, but nothing offensive - he was just being assertive. The slower guy could easily have given him some space to go past and not seen him again. Instead he decides to try and beat him up. Clearly needs to get a grip...

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