British national road champion Adam Blythe is the latest pro cyclist to have taken to social media to protest about poor driving.
The Aqua Blue rider posted a series of three tweets this morning in which he revealed he had called the police after he was “almost ran off the road” by a motorist.
But rather than taking action against the driver, police made Blythe apologise to the couple in the car for having called the motorist a “stupid old man.”
The 27-year-old from Sheffield did not reveal whereabouts the incident happened.
I wish I had a camera on my bike today. Almost ran off the road. Called police… ended up having to apologise to elderly couple
— Adam Blythe (@AdamBlythe89) June 2, 2017
For calling the driver a “stupid old man” … they were not made to apologise to me for almost killing me and scratching my bike.
— Adam Blythe (@AdamBlythe89) June 2, 2017
So if anyone sees this car… make sure to give them a friendly 1 finger wave… pic.twitter.com/tVrhDKqb9Z
— Adam Blythe (@AdamBlythe89) June 2, 2017
The incident comes days after FDJ pro rider Davide Cimolai revealed that he had been knocked off his bike while riding near his home in Italy – where Astana’s Michele Scarponi was killed in a collision involving a van in April.
> FDJ pro’s safety plea after driver knocks him off bike in Italy
Last month, Tour de France champion Chris Froome said he had been deliberately rammed by a hit and run driver while on a training ride in the South of France.
> Chris Froome back on the bike day after being rammed by driver
The Team Sky rider was unhurt, but his Pinarello bike was written off.
42 thoughts on “National champion Adam Blythe “almost ran off the road” by driver – and is made to apologise by police”
I’ve only bothered contacting
I’ve only bothered contacting the police once about a driver but the officer taking the statement seemed far more interested in my admission that I’d responded with verbal abuse than the fact that the driver had deliberately drove into me. Nothing happened of course it was a waste of time.
Seems a standard police reaction that cyclists responding with less than temperate language are a bigger problem than the aggressive drivers who deliberately target them.
bstock wrote:
Same happened to me, a car changed lanes to close pass me but did ‘warn’ me of his approach by blasting the horn from 3 bike lengths away. As the car drove away I gave a middle finger wave goodbye and called the driver a wanker. Reported it to the locla plod with video evidence and the officer said he’d written to the owner but didn’t hear back from the owner of the car but did tell me to be careful of my language.
What language are we supposed to use when our lives are threatened by drivers? Do we thank them for not hitting and injuring us?
Redvee wrote:
Same happened to me, a car changed lanes to close pass me but did ‘warn’ me of his approach by blasting the horn from 3 bike lengths away. As the car drove away I gave a middle finger wave goodbye and called the driver a wanker. Reported it to the locla plod with video evidence and the officer said he’d written to the owner but didn’t hear back from the owner of the car but did tell me to be careful of my language.
What language are we supposed to use when our lives are threatened by drivers? Do we thank them for not hitting and injuring us?— bstock
Exactly; and don’t also forget to doff your cap in an appropriate manner /sarcasm=off
Redvee wrote:
I’m reasonably sure, though not a lawyer so don’t use this as a defence, that it is not a crime to swear, so the police have no business telling anyone to mind their language. It is certainly not a crime to swear at a policeman, so if one does tell you to mind your language you’re within your rights to tell them to proceed elsewhere.
It’s definitely getting worse
It’s definitely getting worse out there. I used to think that was just a lot of hype, but in the past few months I’ve started to see more and more shitty behaviour from motorists on my training rides. I used to only see this when I was on club runs in large groups (angry twats not wanting to spend thirty seconds behind a group of cyclists has always been a problem and didn’t get invented in the past few years) or when commuting (car drivers during the rush hour have never been noted for being courteous) but have, in the past four/five months:
Been close passed at least 20 times – two of those within six inches at 25mph (me)/50 mph (them)
Had four unprovoked attempts to run me off the road simply because I was on a narrow lane
Had two incidents where someone has thrown something at me out of the passenger side window, presumably ‘for a laugh’
Had two lots of four shitbags in a clapped out banger intimidate me by driving up alongside me during an interval and revving their engine, leaning out of the window to try and grab my bars, flick fag butts at me and/or try and squeeze me into an approaching parked car
That’s on top of someone attempting to kill me by opening his door on me whilst the car was moving because (his words when confronted by a witness) he ‘didn’t like cyclists’
I don’t know what the solution is, but it’s not pleasant
What an absolute load of
What an absolute load of bollocks! Having to apologise to an old duffer for having a pop at him… No wonder people feel they can treat cyclists like shit.
Had a fella stop and bark at me after I’d given him the finger. He was on the wrong side of the road and essentially driving directly at me. Obviously my fault.
I would refuse to apologise.
I would refuse to apologise.
The UK seems to have become more aggressive. Another cyclist on Facebook was cycling along a shared use path by a canal and slowed behind an elderly couple as they went under a bridge, he rang his bell which was ignored, he then rung again and the old man squared up to him saying he heard the bell the first time and that he was being rude.
Ive bought a mountain bike so I can generally avoid the dodgy drivers, but will still ride on the road, but try to avoid busy times and areas.
Similar response by the
Similar response by the police, different incident though. I’d a woman reverse into my car, we were stopped on the approach to a pedestrain crossing and the car in front of here wanted to reverse park, so she simply went into reverse, didn’t look to see if there was anyone behind her! I leaned on my horn as there was a car behind me and she eventually stopped.
I got out and was a bit angry, not overly angry but angry as anyone would be if their two week old car gets reversed into. The passenger was a gobby cow and gave me a heap of abuse, even tried to say I’d drove into them! By then I’d composed myself as I saw there was no damage, she just touched the number plate but it was sooo close.
Went to the police straight away incase they tried to say I had drove into their car. The forearm tattoos and vest look of the women didn’t give me any confidence of their honesty. So once the police had spoke with them and sorted things out they called me back and first thing he said was “you were rather angry when you approached them” I did say I wasn’t exactly over the moon but in the circumstances I was fair.
So it seems in the eyes of the law, you can’t swear or question peoples abilities even when they damage you or your property. It’s all fucked up.
mikecassie wrote:
Classic copper tactic. See any argument between two parties as a ‘domestic’ and instantly try to apportion blame equally on both sides, shake hands and move on – largely as a result of:
a – not wanting to fill out a load of paperwork
b – not wanting to do any work in general
Vast generalisation there, but I speak from personal experience on dealing with the Police on a number of occasions for various things
Zebulebu wrote:
To be fair to the police, rather thanit being a case they don’t want to do any work, the reality os they don’t want to waste time dealing with ‘work’ that will ultimately go no where.
In the case of Adam Blythe, without evidence, it was his word against the couples, which will not lead to any conviction for anything, if there was anything that could be taken further anyway.
In the case of the example above… woman doesn’t cause damage to another car… words were exchanged.
Where can things go from there?
Seems an effective tactic to start laying the blame on the person raising the issue, as it will, in all likelihood, get that person to get back in their box.
I remember getting t-boned by a landrover once, as it pulled out into my right of way on a mini roundabout. The police were very quick to tell me that I should think carefully before persuing the matter as everything suggested my speed was not appropriate for the junction.
On reflection, after taking their ‘advice’ and not taking the matter further, I am not sure how my speed could possibly have been judged. The driver saying he thought I was going too fast would suggest they had seen me. whether my speed was appropriate or not, the fact would be that they had misjudged my speed, or deliberately moved into my path.
Anyway,I digress.
Plod need to realise that
Plod need to realise that screaming at drivers is a knee jerk reaction. When someone is close to causing you injury or taking your life, a massive dump of adrenaline needs to go somewhere and chances are it isn’t going to be in a polite manner.
According to the police this
According to the police this doesn’t meet the threshold for prosecution, so what does?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1RMtVWItNo&feature=youtu.be
Do you have to be injured before they will take action?
OldMixte wrote:
That’s not enough. I had my shoulder reconstructed yesterday after I was hit by a van who “didn’t see me” (read didn’t look properly) – police taking no action.
R0b1et wrote:
OT but that’s how I feel about the creep towards daylight running lights: if someone doesn’t notice an overweight (slightly!) six foot bloke on a bicycle then they’re just *not looking*, and fluorescent clothing and DRL will not make a difference…
R0b1et wrote:
Shame, isn’t it. I had a car pull out in front of me (he must’ve seen me as he stopped intially) and over the bonnet I went, straight into the curb on the other side of the road & it was lights out.
To his credit, he did ring both police & ambulance and admitted it was his fault.
However, it wasn’t pursued by anybody due to a “lack of evidence” of dangerous driving. In spite of an admission of fault, numerous injuries & me being knocked out, an attending ambulance, a hospital report & overnight stay, attending police officers, and bike broken into about 5 peices.
One does wonder what “evidence” is required for the police to actually do anything.
Rapha Nadal wrote:
House of Commons parking space voucher, police warrant card, “a special handshake”: that sort of thing…
Elderly drivers are
Elderly drivers are completely oblivious on the roads. On top of that pensioners are probably the most entitled, selfish group in society. Adam Blythe’s a bit of a hothead by some accounts but I certainly wouldn’t have begrudged him whacking off a side mirror to wake the pair of coffin dodgers up.
Jackson wrote:
Steady on there youngster, I get a pension and probably fall into the category of what you call elderly. I am not oblivious on the road (to other road users I presume) whether in my car or on my bike. Indeed I regularly report car drivers for close passing and mobile use to our very helpful local police force using video footage and I’ve confronted other cyclists for running red lights.
Based on your outburst, especially the bit about condoning criminal damage, I might have you down as a shallow, spotty, hoody wearing, work shy teenager that needs to learn and earn some respect. However that would be jumping to conclusions and making generalisations, so I won’t do it.
Have a nice day
Jackson wrote:
All generalisations are untrue. (Including this one?)
Jackson wrote:
All generalisations are untrue. (Including this one?)
mike the bike wrote:
“We are all individuals” “Yes, we are all individuals” “I’m not”
(I’m sorry, but someone had to say it)
Mr Blythe, make a complaint against police.
If your bike was scratched, and details weren’t exchanged, (theirs not yours….) then that is a reportable damage only RTC.
If the PC attending does not know this then he/she is negligent in their duty.
This PC is letting down all the others who are 110% behind the Close Pass Initiative.
Please remember, the police are broadly representative of society, and that includes dumbfucks, unfortunately
Leave off the police, there’s
Leave off the police, there’s more important areas that need policing, like Twitter and Facebook.
I’d have told the police to sod off and asked them how they intended to take it any further. The man was old and stupid, hence stupid old man. Next factual statements will be deemed hate crimes.
An alternative way of dealing with the problem would have been to drag the man from his car, run him over, put the bike next to him and then it would have cost you £80.
I too would have refused to
I too would have refused to aplologise. If he was being stupid and if he was old and a man then it was an accurate description and not abusive.
Just for a bit of variation,
Just for a bit of variation, I had an incident a few months ago where I was punishment passed and then threatened by the driver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LTAKLqYTUc
I did quite a lot of swearing at the time, but the police made no real comment about it after viewing the video. They took action against the driver but treated it as ASB rather than a driving issue – warning under S59 Police Reform Act.
This was Cheshire Police, BTW.
Wow, nearly killed but has to
Wow, nearly killed but has to apologise. Great to see that tax payers money at work, useless shower.
Barraob1 wrote:
I can’t see any evidence in the story of ” nearly killed”. Presumably you’d like to see the taxpayers money at work spending thousands on a court case with little different result.
According to Hants Police
According to Hants Police this did not meet the threshold for careless driving. They were able to decide this without bothering to view the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OA8jKH7qhQ
Had a very similar incident
Had a very similar incident last year while cycling with my wife in Cornwall.
We were both cycling in a narrow country lane when a car from behind accelerated very hard while holding his hand on the horn. In 20+ years of cycling it was the closest past I have ever experienced. If I hadn’t dived into the head I would have been hit that is for sure.
I knew there was a junction up ahead so decided to increase my pace to see if I could catch him up. Oddly enough the driver had chosen to pull into a turning space, sat on his mobile phone with the window down. I thought I would approach him as maybe he really didn’t realise how close he was.
His reply to my question “was it you that just overtook us back there” was, why you got a problem? To which I told him he was very very close.
His reaction was then to get out of the car and grab a foot long spanner from the door pocket and start waving it at me shouting “you got a problem”. With this my wife turned up to which it eventually settled down, after him ranting and raving.
We took the plate and phoned the police, we both refused to cycle off while he was sat there. He even told us to phone the police. He did eventually drive off though, at speed.
After various police phone calls, it turned out he was known to the police and incidents with cyclists. They paid him a visit, funnily he does not remember waving a spanner at us!
The final call we received from the police however was to basically tell us off for approaching him in an aggressive manner, and that I was really in the wrong!
Complete joke and a waste of time!
Adam Blythe is a professional
Adam Blythe is a professional cyclist and will therefore do the right thing to not give his sponsors bad publicity. The sensible thing to do was apologise and keep a low profile. Refusing to do so on some moral high ground risks inflaming the situation and upsetting sponsors.
OnTheRopes wrote:
I’m not sure his social media campaign for other cyclists to wave the finger at ths couple fits with your scenario.
madcarew wrote:
Though he was quick to weigh in on poor old Hayden McCormick for employing that same finger…
People are cuuuunts.
People are cuuuunts.
I was brought to recall this:
I was brought to recall this:-
from 07:15.
Sometimes laughing at the ridiculous is the best option. I’m glad Adam is ok.
The most rabid anti-cyclist
The most rabid anti-cyclist person I know is a Sergeant in the local police force.
He has in the past said all cyclists should be driven into and knocked off the road.
Don’t expect any help and you won’t be disappointed
Bloody hell, the pensioner
Bloody hell, the pensioner snowflake generation are a bit upset as usual. It was a tongue-in-cheek generalisation. Now go lighten up, find a safe space to enjoy your free money (a particularly lucrative form of participation trophy) and let us millenials get on with figuring out how we’re going to pay for it all while sorting out the planet you lot wrecked!
Jackson wrote:
Ha ha! Quite funny that, obviously touched a nerve there. Tells everyone to lighten up but still dishes it out, obviously can’t take advice.
Seems that us lot riding our bikes have wrecked the planet. Donald, is that you?
Jackson wrote:
how can you expect us to lighten up when there are so many millennials to shit on, and so little time left to us in which to do it? It’s very distressful.
Very reserved Adam. Id have
Very reserved Adam. Id have asked to see him next Tuesday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/40134629
when this doesn’t result in prosecution for dangerous driving there is no hope. Seriously the video is clear, driver comes round the corner out if control on wrong side of road and hits vulnerable road users. Driver alertness course is an absolute disgrace. The police that offered it should be charged with perverting the course of justice.
If this is the standard the powers that be will tolerate, then using the roads becomes Russian roulette every time you step outside you wheeled steel safety cage.
I suspect Zebulebu is right
I suspect Zebulebu is right that it is getting worse out there, maybe because there are more bikes on the road. Whatever, I only really go outside town on Sundays nowdays (early, as we know, is fantastic), as it’s impossible to avoid the busier roads entirely. On Sunday the whole vibe is much more relaxed, (supermarket delivery vans excepted). This is in the South East, other less densely populated areas might be a different story. I guess two cameras will become normal over the coming decade.
That’s the way they treat you
That’s the way they treat you in this place.