We’ve all been tempted to give an earful to a driver who does something stupid, but as this helmet cam video shows, drivers who don’t care about the road rules sometimes carry passengers who have short tempers and poor impulse control.
[Update January 27] Police have appealed for the rider involved to come forward so that they can investigate the incident in which the rider remonstrates with a driver and is subsequently punched and knocked to the ground. According to the Evening Standard, a police spokesman said they were keen to speak to the cycle rage victim should he want to report the incident which happened at around 9.15am on Thursday in Farringdon Road, London.
In the comments on the video, the helmet cam rider George 'Jude' Hill says: “I have reported this to the police, I am trying to find the cyclist as I tried to tell him I had it on video, but he looked pretty dazed. Need him to report the incident in order to get prosecutions. Could you all share this as widely as possible to try and find him?”
In the video you see a white Audi stopped just outside the advanced stop box of a junction in Farringdon. George stops just behind the box, next to the car, and two other cyclists ride past him into the box.
The driver of the Audi then drives into the box. A rider in a black beanie pulls back from the stop line and shouts at the driver that this is a cycle area. When the lights change, the driver accelerates quickly away.
The rider in the beanie comes past George Hill and follows the white Audi. He is seen shouting at the driver at the next lights, calling him a “F*cking prick” and saying something that sounds like: “You ran over my f*cking foot mate.” (It's unclear from the video whether that is what happened.)
Hill rides past the altercation and by the time he turns round a man in a white shirt is standing next to the car, in front of the angry cyclist. You see him apparently attempt to punch the rider and then shove him, pushing him off his bike.
There’s more angry shouting as the rider picks himself up and gets back on his bike. The man in the white shirt then gets into the back of the Audi.
George attempts to get the rider’s attention but he rides away, back in the direction he’d come from.
As George implies, without a complaint from the rider who was hit the police are very unlikely to take action, despite the video.
In May last year the Mayor of London's cycling commissioner Andrew Gilligan pledged to start enforcing advanced stop lines, using CCTV cameras to catch infringers. He reiterated the point in August and during last year's Operation Safeway road safety crackdown, over 1,000 fixed penalty notices were issued to drivers for contravening traffic signals.
But we’ll leave the last word to YouTube commenter Jon: “Be safe out there, cyclists! Remember that you're dealing with angry idiots in 2 ton metal death machines.”
98 thoughts on “Video: [Updated] Police appeal for attacked rider to come forward after London confrontation turns violent”
So it’s true, w@nkers do
So it’s true, w@nkers do drive Audi’s…..
andycoventry wrote:So it’s
The w@nker in this case wasn’t the driver!
Hope they find the “hardman” who lashed out and press charges!
Good quality camera though – anybody know what it is?
AyBee wrote:
The w@nker in
Really? You think that someone that deliberately pulls into an ASL (note this isn’t the old “well we can’t tell whether they though they were going to clear the ASL and then suddenly had to stop” ploy… this is clearly pulling into the ASL in order to be able to accelerate to the next traffic jam) is not behaving aggressively and dangerously?
You don’t think that pulling in tightly in front of a group of cyclists, is aggressive and dangerous?
Using your car as a weapon/threat isn’t different from using your fists… except for the fact that you stand a higher chance of killing or injuring someone.
More generally, not directed at your comment:
I’m amazed that our attention is so easily focussed on the lesser actions of the crim in the passenger role and away from the much more serious actions of the criminal driver.
I’d guess that the driver and passenger should both be facing charges for this. I’m holding my breath until they do 🙂
Re all the attention focused on the cyclist, yes it wasn’t wise or dignified or productive, but he didn’t actually commit a crime. The way some people post here you’d think he’d roasted the motorists and plucked their still beating hearts from the blackened carcasses.
Ush wrote:AyBee wrote:
Re all
Really ? did you not hear what he shouted at the car driver in a public place, foul and offensive language is a crime my good man see section 5 of the Public Order Act
mikeprytherch wrote:
Really ?
Oh My! Bad language!
Obviously I was mistaken. There ARE two sides. There’s a balance in this.
Apparently you’re able to use foul language towards coppers. I’d imagine (speaking from my elevated judicial expert armchair — and I want you to imagine me steepling and pursing my lips here) that you can also get away with it towards members of the public.
All that said, is that all you can focus on?
andycoventry wrote:So it’s
I have two Audis. I have 7 bikes. I can’t do the maths on this.
What is the point of any of
What is the point of any of this!?
Yes – the driver was a bit silly. He obviously felt that the bikes were going to hold him up so moved forward to “get past”. Of course its short sighted since its only a race to the next red light. But the correct response by the cyclist should be to let him go. Is giving somebody a ticking off about a driving misdemeanor ever going to achieve anything beyond antagonism? If he was prepared to shout at the driver then he should be prepared to have a proper fisticuffs in the street.
The real villan in the story is the wretched advanced stop box! What are these for – they pop the bikes in front of cars which is bound to wind the drivers up. Nearly as much of a distraction as the high-viz arguments.
The cycle campaigns are allowing themselves to be distracted by a cheap “fix” that seems to cause as many problems as it fixes!
Just a couple of things I
Just a couple of things I noticed here,
at 1:13 the guy from the car punches and shoves the cyclist, then if you go to 1:20 and look at the stance of the guy it is clearly offensive (ready to go again)
Also at first it looks like the guy is the driver of the car, but he gets into the back, so a fair assumption is that there was at least 3 people in the car.
What actually pissed me of was the amount of people that just walked past and didn’t do anything to either help the cyclist, take rego numbers or calm the situation.
We have turned into a country of cowards who wont help out a fellow human in trouble
jason.timothy.jones
Bystander effect
It just ain’t worth it. Film
It just ain’t worth it. Film it, report it but don’t get personal because it will always be a race to the bottom. Next time White Audi Man’s friend in KW13 CWA may have a knife and he obviously has anger management issues.
There is something about Audi
There is something about Audi drivers. Tend to find they normally want to driver so close behind that if they were any closer you’d be in their passenger seat, and the worst are normally in A5’s or the upper spec A3’s.
Conversation from colleagues at work recently went along the lines of “I like the Audi look because it’s aggressive ” !!!
usedtobefaster
To be fair there’s something in that. My 1995 A4 had much more of a smiley face that then angry looking grilles that followed it.
That’s like bad drivers
That’s like bad drivers saying all cyclist are unsafe. It’s bad drivers not the car brand. Careful Cyclist, careful audi driver
That’s like bad drivers
That’s like bad drivers saying all cyclist are unsafe. It’s bad drivers not the car brand. Careful Cyclist, careful audi driver
You can’t stop an involuntary
You can’t stop an involuntary “WHOAH!” sometimes. Once, a black cab driver even heard me do that, stopped and apologised, which I accepted as nicely as I could. Really, though, it’s not worth it. You’re up high on a saddle, maybe clipped in, you’re on the ground and hurt before you even know it. Just take a breath – please people.
BTW I used to have an Audi and didn’t drive like a what-not (I hope). Less of the silliness about vehicle brands / classes please. Well, except BMWs, “new minis”, black cabs, white vans, black VW Sharans / Ford Galaxies with white lettering on the back…
I’ll play devil’s advocate:
I’ll play devil’s advocate: the motorist was an @rse, but was it really necessary to start hitting his car and swearing at him?
http://platewave.com/KW13CWA
http://platewave.com/KW13CWA
I’m curious as to what
I’m curious as to what exactly the cyclist was trying to achieve here. Obviously he shouldn’t have been assaulted but then he also shouldn’t have shouted abuse at the driver.
As for this article and lots other like it on road.cc, this whole them vs us thing really needs to stop, IT DOESN’T MAKE CYCLIST SAFER!!!
Just like car drivers w@nkers
Just like car drivers w@nkers cycle bikes…..
Was it really necessary to
Was it really necessary to remonstrate with the driver in that way ?
Actually the police CPS can
Actually the police CPS can prosecute. It used to be that they needed a complaint from the person assaulted but they changed the law in order to deal with domestic violence where the person assaulted either didn’t want to or was afraid to complain or later withdrew the complaint. Basically if the police have evidence of assault they can prosecute.
They probably won’t though.
We all know what will
We all know what will happen…the passenger will be given a medal for services to “motoring” / “motorists” everywhere and the rider who was clearly to blame for being in the way of the “fist” will be sent to a penal colony / prison in Siberia for the rest of his life.
Hmm to be fair all round the
Hmm to be fair all round the cyclist was pretty damn aggressive to start with – you go in that hard then you’ve got to expect tempers to snap. How about a gentle tap on the window of the car and try to explain it rationally first.
We shouldn’t react like that
We shouldn’t react like that when cycling, but sometimes you get carried away. It’s not easy to stay calm if it’s the ninth piece of inconsiderate driving you’ve experienced that day, not the first. In any case, it doesn’t excuse the assault.
There is some academic research showing that drivers of expensive cars are more likely to infringe traffic rules http://hedgehogcycling.co.uk/blog.html#psychology
It’s not worth confronting an
It’s not worth confronting an aggressive driver, whether you’re the rider or a bystander. It’s also not worth having a go at a driver whose clearly a knob in the first place…
southseabythesea wrote:It’s
Just let them off, nah give em (verbal) hell if they endanger your life. And if they do something stupid you can get the t**ts arrested.
The driver of the Audi is a
The driver of the Audi is a knob who deserves a brick through the windscreen. But, as frustrating it is to have the only space available to you unneccesarily occupied like in this case, insulting, as cathartic as it can be sometimes, is no the way forward.
Having said that,, we all know that the powers that be do fuck all when drivers like this endanger other road users. And I think that has a lot to do with the cyclist’s reaction. I have no doubt that the scumbag behind the wheel of the car did this absolutely on purpose. He probably has a tiny pennis and a sad life.
Wake up & smell the coffee,
Wake up & smell the coffee, just lay of the caffeine…
My opinion! from the footage
My opinion! from the footage shown…..I think the cyclist should have left the matter. That ‘tool’ in the Audi, will come unstuck one day! he looked like a real moron. I was also worried as the driver looks to go in pursuit of the cyclist at the end of the video crossing the box junction/crossroads….there is little to gain by going up alongside a moron and saying ‘you fucking little prick’, perhaps he could have repeated that he was wrong to enter the advance cycle stop, as he had done initially, it would have certainly shocked the moron Audi man that a cyclist can keep up with a sports car…although, I think that was the problem….his pride was well and truly hurt! 2 wrongs don’t make a right and wrongly the cyclist thought he had a right to call him a fucking little prick? Not good. I live in a rural area and we never get this level of aggression/confrontation…..
Wake up & smell the coffee,
Wake up & smell the coffee, just lay of the caffeine…
I’m no diplomat, but even I
I’m no diplomat, but even I can see that verbally abusing another road user in that way is never going to end well. B-)
It would have been nice if
It would have been nice if everybody had boxed the Audi in after the punch was thrown and called the Police…
Paul_C wrote:It would have
Stick yourself in front of a vehicle, the driver of which has already showed scant regard for safety of cyclists and who has a nutcase in the back? Yeah, that’s going to end well…
As for comments about the apparent ‘inaction’ of some of the people around, I’m not sure what time of day this was filmed at, but I’m guessing it’s morning rush hour.
It’s easy to say you’d do something when you’re looking at the video, but if you’re on your way to work, have a meeting in 20 minutes, say, or something urgent that has to be done as soon as you get in, would you stick around, call the police, wait for them, give a statement, and ring the boss to explain why you’ll be an hour late?
I think that chasing a car
I think that chasing a car and screaming abuse at the driver is never a good idea, a driver that is so clearly aggressive and as much of a knob as that one, is even less good an idea. That said, if (and it is a big if) the car did run over his foot, i can see why he would be rather unhappy. I also couldn’t guarantee that i wouldn’t do the same/similar, if, i was hit/run over/had my foot driven on…although it would probably break my cleats and i can’t single leg that fast to catch up!
The cyclist has issues. The
The cyclist has issues. The car was posing no danger to him at the second stop. The cyclist clearly rode as fast as he could after it after the first stop where he escalated the altercation. If you aggressively shout “F****g prick!” at some one what do you expect? He may have committed public order offences (s.5). Whether the chap getting out the car and hitting him and pushing him off his bike is assault or could possibly be viewed as self defence to the cyclist’s aggressive behaviour would really need the opinion of a criminal law barrister. Brawling in the street is so vulgar.
Sometimes when you look for
Sometimes when you look for confrontation, you’ll get it in spades. Can’t condone the cyclists nor the passengers reaction here.
Not the way to deal with the situation on either part. Pair of angry fools.
Is there any right or wrong
Is there any right or wrong here, the Audi driver shouldn’t have done what he did, but the way the cyclist acted was disgraceful also, the aggressive way he rode to the next set of lights with the full intention of a confrontation with the Audi driver, and that’s exactly what he got, clearly he got more of a confrontation than he bargained for, but he was looking for a reaction wasn’t he, however the physical violence form the rear passenger really took it a step too far again, so this just escalated to were it sadly ended up.
The driver, passenger and rider should all be reprimanded because non of them came out of this looking good.
Well said.
Shouting and
Well said.
Shouting and swearing at drivers is bound to invite a reaction. Best to say nowt and ride on.
Car – shouldn’t have gone in
Car – shouldn’t have gone in the ASL
Cyclist – Over reacted, shouldn’t have shouted so aggressively
Passenger – Inexplicable violence
This is pure & simply just escalation of a minor issue because it’s London in rush hour. If my foot was ran over by an Audi I don’t think I’d have been that fast on my bike straight afterwards…
The only thing you can take away from this is to just take a breath after some bad driving or a near miss, and let it slide – because it just isn’t worth getting yourself into a red mist. Better for your blood pressure and potentially stops you from getting in this kind of situation.
If you go looking for trouble
If you go looking for trouble in London, you will find it in spades.
I have made the same mistake as the cyclist and you have to as yourself, what are you seeking to achieve ? You will never get the “sorry mate, my mistake” which is arguably your best outcome and thereafter the outlook steadily declines. Best advice I can give is get off your bike and count to ten. Then think about how you want to respond as there is far, far too much adrenaline pumping in the heat of the moment.
Some “epic” victim blaming
Some “epic” victim blaming going on here, i’d LOVE to see how some of you would you react in the EXACT same situation, lot of armchair critics talking rubbish here…
northstar wrote:Some “epic”
It’s not about blame, it’s about whether you want to end up at home or lying in the road. Personally I’ll always choose the former.
Chuck wrote:northstar
Yes it is about blame, neither do i, now answer this question, what would you have done if your foot was run over?
northstar wrote:….now
If I could cycle like a bat out of hell like that bloke with a crushed foot, I would give Sir David Brailsford a call and ask if there are any jobs going.
Seriously, what we have here is knob-end aggressively confronts knob-ends and gets twatted for it.
That’s life. If you are the type to dish it out, don’t complain when it is your turn to take it.
GoingRoundInCycles
Well if his foot was run over (hard to tell) but let’s assume it was, the adrenaline from riding was probably masking the real pain – happened to me walking and it wasn’t so bad (bmw 5 series driver) no bruises developed, nothing.
His positioning in the “asl” was a bit much but perfectly legal (clearly a fast rider!)
northstar wrote:Some “epic”
Same thing I always do when I get cut-up / beeped / shouted / swerved at. A smile coupled with a cheery wave. If you’re going to scream obscenities at a stranger in absolutely any situation, be prepared for it to get physical. There are a lot of idiots out there. You can’t fight fuckwittery with fuckwittery.
Not sure it is all victim
Not sure it is all victim blaming as believe it or not I have been in that same position several times. His reaction is not unnatural but did it end well for him ? I don’t think so. Even if the oik is successfully prosecuted (improbable I’m afraid) is that a good outcome ? Maybe but our cyclist in this incident could easily have been seriously injured or even stabbed by aoom of the loons out there. Not good
It’s an assault. The cyclist
It’s an assault. The cyclist could’ve been more measured in his words but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he was the victim here. When a car driver behaves like an arse, it’s easy to get annoyed and easy as well to be vocal about that. I hope the police do take action as the passenger in the car deserves a charge of common assault.
(No subject)
8}
Not sure it is all victim
Not sure it is all victim blaming as believe it or not I have been in that same position several times. His reaction is not unnatural but did it end well for him ? I don’t think so. Even if the oik is successfully prosecuted (improbable I’m afraid) is that a good outcome ? Maybe but our cyclist in this incident could easily have been seriously injured or even stabbed by some of the loons out there. Not good
it is an assault but the
it is an assault but the assailant is going to argue self defense. “Here we are driving along the road, minding our own business and this nutter comes chasing after us on a bike and bangs on the car. I get out to investigate, he shouts in my face and makes an aggressive move towards me and I defend myself that is all”. I would be very surprised if the CPS take the case I’m afraid to say, as the assailant will probably buy in some heavy duty barrister and get off, even if the CPS take it to court.
Charge the driver with
Charge the driver with infringing the ASL.
The cyclist with behaviour liable to cause a breach of the peace.
Then the passenger with assault and send them all on anger management courses.
I think this would be the fairest result all around.
I reckon a bit of maths would prove the Audi driver was speeding as well.
To my certain knowledge,
To my certain knowledge, there are at least 3 ex SAS guys commuting on bikes in London currently. It is to be hoped that next time your man decided to attack a cyclist, he draws one of those short straws.
I’ve looked in my road, but
I’ve looked in my road, but haven’t seen an Audi reg KW13CWA.
Has anyone else looked ?
The info could be useful.
Keep on looking. 👿
Most of those “forces types”
Most of those “forces types” are trained to avoid those sorts of situations. Sure if backed into a corner they can deal with it but that’s the last resort
Drivers think they own the
Drivers think they own the roads and are constantly spewing out the “we pay road tax”, “get out of my way and into the gutter” shit all the time.
So, stand your ground and swear/punch their cars/faces. They don’t care about you or improving the drivet-cyclist relationship and sharing a shared resource. Fuck ’em all to hell.
Can’t say I have a lot of
Can’t say I have a lot of sympathy for the rider.
A driver who makes a sudden and violent move into an ASL. What you have is an idiot who has very little regard for other road users. Cyclist then subjects car and occupants to an aggressive rant moving his bike dangerously close to the paintwork.
Whether the Audi went over his foot or not [the driver could not have known and it could be argued that the cyclist placed his foot in front of the wheel] the cyclist clearly pedals furiously to catch the Audi at the next set of lights and proceeds to continue the confrontation. Tempers are high and cyclist gets clumped. All rather predictable.
Riding in London I have developed the following survival guide.
1, Remonstrate from a distance as the other cyclist did.
Non-verbal communication is best – stare at them, give them a pitying look or a dismissive shake of the head and a sigh. If you must say something say it under your breath.
2, Let them go you don’t want them anywhere near you.
3, Take a deep breath and pedal on. Put a bit more effort in and feel the tension melt away.
4, Don’t bottle it up – you will make a mistake and then you will be the “bad cyclist”.
5, When you get home put the footage on YouTube if you filmed it. Insurance companies pump in the reg. numbers of new customers and randomly input current customers.
Driver – twonk. Cyclist –
Driver – twonk. Cyclist – twonk. End of story.
He (cyclist) was really
He (cyclist) was really spoiling for a fight. I was expecting some sort of Queensberry Rules fisticuffs to ensue and then they call it quits. If you’re going to bellow at a motorist make sure you have an escape route.
We as cyclists need to push
We as cyclists need to push for traffic lights that give cyclists 10 seconds of green in advance of general traffic (and by that I mean anything with an engine – yes, you moped rider you know I mean you) like they do in Holland.
I had exactly the same scenario heading south from Tower Bridge last week in the evening. Racy guy in his Porsche Boxster annoyed by the cyclists that pulled into the ASL. He did the same thing, but didn’t touch any of the cyclists. He then raced off as the lights changed.
I trundled along a bit later and waved at him as he sat in the traffic up front heading from the A2 towards the Elephant & Castle roundabout (those that cycle the route will know it is gridlocked).
It made me smile, and that was enough for me, as well as wonder why on earth anyone would want to drive in this congested city … I spend 45 minutes each way on my commute and generally pass stationary traffic the whole time.
Cycling is a great stress-reliever for me, even in London. But (a big but) we all need to chill and let those stupid enough to sit in gridlocked traffic every day continue to do so.
When you aggressively pursue
When you aggressively pursue someone and shout obscenity’s at them, you might get punched in your mouth. Illogical reaction with a logical conclusion. #o
Seems to me that this is a
Seems to me that this is a classic case of entitled motorist becoming resentful of cyclists ‘in his way’. I say this because at the start the ASL box is clear and only when cyclists start to fill it does the driver decide to re-position himself clearly in an attempt to get off the line as quickly as possible.
Quite reasonably the cyclist calmly pointed out to the driver that he had now illegally entered a protected area and I imagine he would have been told to $$$$ off or similar before the driver stuck his foot down.
He didn’t have his foot run over but it’s obvious the Audi driver had complete contempt for the impromptu educational lesson and in racing off so aggressively and close it was hardly safe.
When he caught up he was understandably upset, we all know how often motorists behave dangerously around vulnerable road users and this constant exposure does heighten our personal sense of danger.
The issue is society at large has adopted an incredible and somewhat unique level of ignorance towards acceptable and unacceptable danger. When Michael Jackson dangled his son out of the window a few years back there was international backlash due to the danger he exposed the baby to. How many babies per year actually die from being dropped out of high storey windows anyway so statistically it’s pretty safe.
Contrast Audi man in 2 tonnes of metal box accelerating to lethal speed in just a few seconds in partnership with the ‘road tax’ mentality and as the annual KSI figures show, year after sickening year, this is catastrophic but does not attract international protest.
The assault was just common thuggery. I would say there is no reason why the police should not seek prosecution for infringing an ASL especially given the fact it was already occupied and his efforts were clearly selfish and aimed at circumnavigating the protection cyclists so desperately need.
The assault is another issue and generally the police are reluctant to force a driver to reveal the identity of any passenger making the car an even more effective method of getting away with things that wouldn’t wash in any other scenario.
I’d forward this to Boris and demand the driver is traced and prosecuted as a bare minimum as a test of commitment to protecting the vulnerable from those with no respect for an ASL.
Reality is the Audi driver has done it before, will do it again as he can get away with it and when he does go on to ‘accidentally’ kill someone it’ll be yet another case of very avoidable tragedy.
The insurance companies should set up a portal to allow the public to submit footage of drivers. The current system of driving like a maniac all year with only blind luck stopping any number of deaths and injuries and then presenting to an insurance company as being a responsible individual is incredibly naive.
The Audi driver is clearly aggressive and unable to comprehend the immense risk to others that presents so it’s only right his insurers are aware of how he actually drives on a daily basis.
two dicks. only difference is
two dicks. only difference is the number of wheels.
Probably the most telling
Probably the most telling thing is the number of thumbs down, on Youtube for this video. This sort of thing has always gone on, but portraying aggression is just making everything all the more polarised.
There are some seriously dangerous drivers about, plenty of dickhead cyclists too, and a growing number of videographers itching to publicise the growing conflict.
All I know is that despite actively choosing routes less likely to cause conflict, abstaining from cycle events that so obviously inconvenience other parties, obeying all traffic signals, slowing down in town (a concept apparently alien to many riders) and getting off and walking at junctions where the presence of cyclists (whilst perfectly lawful) clearly causes “issues”, the animosity shown towards me and my family is increasing, and we believe this is happening because of this behavioural “arms race”, fuelled in no small measure by the recording of incidents like these on social media.
I don’t know what the solution is, but the escalation of this situation, portrayed on the screens of millions of peeps, some of whom will no doubt have a seriously bad attitude to cyclists already, is simply not the answer.
Hi to you all following this
Hi to you all following this item. The passenger showed a very clear and wilful aggression towards the cyclist albeit the cyclist used a few expletives,nothing uncommon these days.
Well the driver certainly needs educating and possibly a fine and points for breaching a cycle-only box at the lights.
The registration number is no problem KW13 CMA was very clearly visible.
This is one case that like a murder that does not produce a body but still gets a conviction should be taken all of the way.
AFAIK, the Police do not need
AFAIK, the Police do not need a complainant in a case of assault in a public place and prehaps we should all look back at this earlier article & the Police’s response : http://road.cc/content/news/108852-police-appeal-leads-arrest-aggressive-cyclist-who-abused-driver
One rule for one?
Facebook Twat cyclists V Twat
Facebook Twat cyclists V Twat Car drivers Group.
Join, contribute, share and don’t be a TWAT.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/408115345981295/
I am so glad I dont live in
I am so glad I dont live in London. Hats off to you who cycle there, but the guy in the audi is the absolute cliche of the young, rich, selfish, pricks that I completely loathe. London seems awash with them, so I leave that shithole to such turds.
i wouldnt mind so much but they tend to leave the capital at weekends and spread their filth in the fairer parts of the country where the likes of me live.
That said, a more constructive response would have been to politely point out the error of the pricks way. Or cycle very slowly in front of him.
philtregear wrote:I am so
London’s a great place to cycle, I have more trouble as a cyclist in the rural climes of Hertfordshire or Essex than I ever have in London. One video isn’t representative of the reality, is it. As for the “rich, selfless” driver, you can probably assume that an Audi A5 Sportback, in no cost colour option Arctic White, driven during rush hour in the capital by a guy in a shirt and trousers all but equals Company Car.
£40k’s worth of car suggest
£40k’s worth of car suggest that the man with the little dick has little man’s anger management problems.
https://motor.confused.com/?nt=1
The Audi driver was plainly
The Audi driver was plainly wrong, the cyclists behaviour was stupid and seemingly as a result of an adrenaline dump and the passenger is by far the worst of the three. There is a case for the police to intervene here.
Regardless I’m disappointed to see the confrontational remarks on here though it is somewhat understandable. Cyclists have very little recourse and the police seemingly treat us as second class citizens. This really feeds into the us and them mentality.
However I think that almost all media fuels this – the BBC made an awful contribution with the pseudo documentary “The War on Britains Roads”, which practically invited viewers to choose sides – but should this be so widely reportedly the cycling press?
I always question why Road.cc makes these type of videos headlines on their site – the number of comments shows that it’s clearly a popular piece but does it further the cause of cycling? I see far fewer articles about how to ride safely in traffic.
Perhaps it is valid to report on this but how often do you see a low level assault reported elsewhere without a bicycle involved? Clearly there are riders on here who have an ingrained hatred of cars, which is as dumb as a blanket hatred of cyclists – I suspect that the prominent reporting of these types of incident will only fuel that and maybe convert others as well.
I really wonder how much this divisive reporting plays into this type of incident.
*** Another bullshit topic
*** Another bullshit topic for Jeremy Vine ***
If this video was posted on a non-cycling based website, I think 95% of the ‘general public’ would say the cyclist was to blame, daily mail readers might nudge that percentage up further
I wonder if the cyclist would have acted the same way if someone had accidentally spilt his pint in a pub……
The cyclist was actively aggressive, the car occupant passively aggressive. Either way, if the cyclist hadn’t been so vocal none of this would have happened. Make your own mind up……
caaad10 wrote:
I wonder if
Interesting analogy with the pub, what do you reckon the Audi drivers chances of getting away without getting a severe shoeing if he’d decided to drive his car into a pub for the sole reason of saving a few seconds on his journey?
[quote=caaad10}
The cyclist
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The cyclist was actively aggressive, the car occupant passively aggressive. Either way, if the cyclist hadn’t been so vocal none of this would have happened. Make your own mind up……[/quote]
Sorry i have to take exception to this – getting ou of the car and punching someone is never going to be ‘passively aggressive’. That is just not passive in any way shape or form. He actively got out of the car, he actively went up to the cyclist and actively punched him in the head. Regardless of the behaviour that lead to it, it is not passively aggressive. To counter your argument, the cyclist (claims*) foot was run over, i’d be pretty vocal to a drive in that instance. Probably have more sense than to chase them up the road and scream at them from 2 inches away, but i’d still be livid.
*his opening shout is along the lines of ‘you f’ing prick you ran over my foot’
It strikes me as completely
It strikes me as completely hypocritical by the powers that be and the mass media, that there is a complete uproar when some one calls someone a name on social media or cyber bullying. IMO what is this sort of action whereby vehicle drivers deliberately intimidate other vulnerable road users if it is not bullying.
It is time the Government, councils, court and the Police pull their fingers from out of their arses and start doing what we all pay them to do and that is to enforce the law and start banning these dangerous inconsiderate morons from the roads. I don’t give a flying fig about whether you need your car to take your grandmother somewhere. Tough shit! A driving licence is privilege and not a right.
If I can be bothered to slow down and give pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists room and space on the road when I am driving then so can every other person out there driving a vehicle. As I have pointed out to people before it does not matter how much money you have, what car you drive you have no more rights than any other road user on the roads (Unless you have flashing blue lights going
I see the incidents reported
I see the incidents reported on this site and have come up with the equation
London + car + angry cyclist – common sense = Disaster
Thank goodness I don’t live or cycle in our nations capital!!
This appalling incident, and
This appalling incident, and its likely contribution to increasing already polarised opinions has got me thinking.
I’m a realist, and so I’m not expecting much, but if, as cyclists, we stood together and conceded that riders who use the ASL as an opportunity to jocky for position to go straight on, and place themselves directly in front of vehicles that are also going straight on, are irresponsible tw@ts, then we might see some progress towards cycle acceptance.
I’ve argued for a line to be painted in ASL boxes, such that riders heading straight on do not place themselves in front of vehicles also heading straight on, leaving clear space for riders turning right, as originally intended, and, at least on this forum, almost all contributers appeared to want to continue with the current “massed start” comedy at every light, so admirably demonstrated in the video above.
If you’re reading this, and you’re a rider that sytematically places yourself in front of other vehicles, even though you’re not turning right, you’ve got to understand that you are contributing to this dangerous situation, and dangerous drivers are going to take their frustrations out on the rest of us.
Neil753 wrote:This appalling
Wait, what?!
ASLs are there to let you get away from the lights safely in front of motor traffic.
Putting yourself in the gutter just means Mr Audi is going to be alongside you while you are getting up to speed and dancing over potholes or clipping in.
The ASL is there PRECISELY to put cyclists ahead of motor traffic for the very reason on getting away from the lights first – whether or not you are going straight or turning off.
Scenario: No ASL at a junction. Red light. Do you go in the gutter, or do you take a primary position in the traffic queue? You take the primary position. What is so galling about doing it in the legally protected (!?) zone in front of traffic?
Jumped-up, impatient, frustrated drivers need to learn to share the road. Particularly in urban areas where it is just a race to the next red light anyway.
Also, if your divided ASL is full, cyclists end up…. in the filter lane on the inside. Quite possibly on the inside of vehicles turning left. D’oh.
Rather than stick up for
Rather than stick up for cyclists rights, all that diddy did was put every cyclist in that box in danger.
Flying Scot wrote:Rather than
“Rather than stick up for cyclists rights,”
Why was he attacked then?
Victim blaming.
kie7077 wrote:Flying Scot
Why do you feel you have to defend the cyclist?
He was attacked by a idiot who didn’t appreciate his idiot mate being given verbal abuse by a idiot cyclist. It’s not victim blaming when they are all at fault. The driver is an arse with a car, the cyclist an arse on a bike, the passenger an aggressive arse, they all did things wrong which inflamed the situation further. Why does anybody feel they have to stick up for any parties. The same as why do some cyclists feel they can teach and lecture complete fuk tards in vehicles the rules of the road we all know they don’t care so why try? you are more likely to get punched/ pushed/ run over by the big ass metal box they hide in, we then act surprised when this happens. What do people think is going to be the likely outcome?
I think I might have lost it
I think I might have lost it in those circumstances and completely totalled his car. Deserved it.
Yes I know it wouldn’t help the case but!
The only thing the guy on the
The only thing the guy on the bike did wrong was shout at the driver – understandable but it doesn’t get you anywhere. The ASL boxes are there to be used and motorists need to understand that they have no right to an unobstructed race across the junction but to let all cyclists set the pace safely.
If you want to make an impact use the law, be persistent and don’t be put off by failure.
Ultimately the original “this
Ultimately the original “this is a bike zone” comment is where it should of stopped. But cyclist chased, which means planned, so he drew first blood. Cyclist fault, IHO. However no one deserves to be attacked.
But I will say that there is a perception by many non cyclists (it was blatantly obvious the passenger wasn’t an exerciser, but he did obviously have a penchant for eating) that most if not all cyclists are puny little mountain goats, and for that reason they are easy targets. The funny thing is, is that I am a former competitive bodybuilder of 9yrs, my in season weight was 14st and 8-4% body fat off season 16st at 5’8″. Now a few years later I am 12.6st. 8-10% body fat for most of the year, 6-7 during the sportive season, my point is, I am still a lump muscular wise I have retained my shape just smaller and in cycling kit I look twice the size, I have a military tattoo on my arm 2ft long of a dagger a ancient warriors helmet on my right calve plus a full arm sleeve on my right arm of a warrior theme and my units cap badge on my other calve, funny thing is no CAR driver has ever gobbed off at
me in 20yrs of riding, ohh one did a few years ago but then jumped back in his car when he saw I wasn’t a Quintana. Funny isn’t, choosy bunch some men aren’t they, oops sorry ment cowardly when they can see you can bite back. X(
Cyclist wrote:Ultimately the
I think there is something to this, ‘the skinny dude in lycra’ looks like an easy target if you’re running a bit hot on the testosterone. Someone got out of the car to have a go at me until I picked up the bike by the stem and he was suddenly confronted with my front wheel.
notfastenough wrote:Someone
Balls to that, get it up by the headtube and seat post and swing the bike crankwards at them. Taking a 53T to the head or face a couple of times is going to make most people have a rethink.
There is no excuse for a
There is no excuse for a physical assault. None.
Why can’t they investigate by
Why can’t they investigate by locating the vehicle and where it is registered too and putting pressure on the driver to name the passenger? or do they want to prosecute the rider only?
Seriously, what we have here
Seriously, what we have here is knob-end aggressively confronts knob-ends and gets twatted for it.
Totally agree with the above. BUT we have all faced many motorist who act dangerously and this time illegal as well.
He should be fined for driving into the cycle box and as an assault is also illegal whatever the provocation this must be acted upon.
Come on the Police – and take action – now! =D>
Agree with most of the
Agree with most of the posters on here who see this as two aggressive individuals..
If you shout and swear aggressively at someone you are likely to end up in physical conflict and you should be prepared for it.
That said, if he really did run over his foot then yes you’d be forgiven for getting angry. But I don’t think that actually happened especially as he got up and cycled away
Complete apathy from everyone
Complete apathy from everyone around !
Majority of people just looking & putting hands over their mouths, “oh my god” jokers.
If you see something wrong Go & do something!
The guy in the beanie was looking for a reaction by the way he reversed his bike up to the guys window in the 1st place. He could’ve quite easily have placed his bike on the floor in front of the audi to stop him from riding off & called the police.
Likewise all the other 5 or 6 cyclists could’ve also helped.
where’s this “cycle community” I keep hearing of?
And you don’t think if he’d
And you don’t think if he’d been that stupid to put his bike on the ground the driver wouldn’t have simply ridden over part or all of it…
Common sense. Telling the car
Common sense. Telling the car driver that he was in the box would never result in the car backing up… it would only ever end in tears. That’s the reality.
Large_Pista wrote:Common
I’ve made a driver back out of a asl once, told him they were in it and what they were going to do about it? and he backed out of it, took a lot of staring / mexican stand off too.
I wouldn’t go around making a habit of it but it can be done if you want too “make a stand”.
Audi drivers… The shiny
Audi drivers… The shiny chrome gear sticks make them behave as they do. Brrrrrmmm! Brummmmmm!
Before the Audi drivers start.. I would have to say that over 50% of dangerous motorists I’ve encountered over the past 8 years have been driving Audi’s. It’s all to do with the interior styling. Psychologically all models are very boy/girl racer. And some Audi drivers are prats of course. Some drivers of other makes of cars are also prats. Audi’s to seem to pop up pretty frequently though. Interesting.
‘Taking a 53T to the head or
‘Taking a 53T to the head or face a couple of times is going to make most people have a rethink.’
Oh dear.
andyp wrote:’Taking a 53T to
Sorry, do you ride with a 51T or something?
Depends which bike, to be
Depends which bike, to be honest. Whichever one I’m on, I’m unlikely to try to deliberately maim someone though.