A 76-year-old motorist in Western Australia faces an assault charge after allegedly stabbing a cyclist minutes after making a close pass on the rider.
The incident happened on Friday morning as the cyclist, aged 52, rode with his wife in Perth's Kings Park, reports the West Australian.
The rider, who wishes to remain anonymous, supplied footage of the incident to the newspaper, which has posted the video on its website.
Immediately after the close pass, the cyclist tried to remonstrate with the motorist, who drove off.
Shortly afterwards, he saw the vehicle in the car park of the Zamia Cafe and approached the driver again.
.“He came out of the car with a knife and hit me on my chest on the left-hand side,” said the cyclist, who sustained minor injuries.
“I stepped back and told my wife to call the police.
“I thought he was going to say sorry, but when I approached him he stormed out of his car,” he added.
The motorist has been told by police that besides being charged with assault, he will also be fined for contravening a 1-metre passing distance law introduced last year.
Matt Fulton, chief executive of cycling campaign group Westcycle, told the West Australian: “There is a small percentage of people who have let their emotions boil over and technology is now enabling this to be captured and used as evidence.
“People should consider the consequences of their actions towards bike riders before they do something stupid.”
He also called for a change in public perception of people on bikes, and warned that a "crisis point" was being reached in terms of the abuse given to cyclists.
“I’m fearful that we appear to be becoming more tolerant of the abuse towards cyclists,” he explained.
“This has to end immediately before it reaches crisis point.
“We need the public to reject it as acceptable behaviour, stop turning a blind eye and start calling people out on incidences that may result in serious consequences.
“We can’t accept this as being OK,” he added.
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Radar tells me their closing speed, if they are slowing and how far away. Then I decide to say a prayer. The change of light pattern is incidental.
Quite so, which is why our village 20mph zone covers the whole residential extent. Of course, enforcement is another thing..
£4.
No, that's very doubtful while proper testing would be fully destructive.
In that £1000 exactly scenario, beginners should probably be made aware that pedals will be extra.
What's wrong with dropping down on to the Millenium Bridge, or the swing bridge, then the brief, but satisfying climb back up the hill? #training....
The relatives might of course disagree, but in general I'd countenance a relatively light sentence* if only we could fix it so that those who...
Id forgotten that I got a second hand set of project two's for my getting to work bike over twenty years back.
My bet is that all these tires popping off are from people with bad pressure gauges or they're simply just putting too much air in on purpose. ...
David9694 - you were right! These new autonomous vehicles really are conspiring to run out of control!...