After a video of what appears to be a brutal attack on a cyclist by driver of a white van was repeatedly retweeted today, Essex Police would like to hear from the cyclist who shot the clip.
The video, posted to YouTube today by London YouTuber DrMorocho, shows the rider falling off after the van driver closes the gap between the vehicle and the kerb.
The driver then gets out of the van and attacks the rider.
DrMorocho told road.cc the video was originally posted with the handle Barry Jones. That account appears to have been deleted. The date stamp shows the incident as taking place on December 5 2014 at 11:34 am.
Essex Police say they were aware of the video and would like the victim to come forward.
When it was brought to their attention earlier today, Essex Police posted to Twitter:
We're aware of a You Tube video of a cyclist being assaulted + would advise the victim to contact police on 101 so it can be investigated
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) January 15, 2015
81 thoughts on “Video: attack on cyclist – Is this you? Essex Police want to hear from you”
Yeah Essex police would like
Yeah Essex police would like you to come forward to they can do, SWEET F.A. But rub it in your face =D>
Without a known victim,
Without a known victim, there’s nothing they can do.
Really hope the cyclist comes forward, this looks like a certain conviction for assault or more.
HANG HIM! mouthy jumped up
HANG HIM! mouthy jumped up driver, I would have climbed into him if I had seen him do this.
Shocking. Simply
Shocking. Simply shocking.
Let’s hope the cyclist comes forward and this thug gets the book thrown at him.
I would like to say to the
I would like to say to the cyclist – I think he took a heck of a risk trying to overtake the van in that situation – narrow roads, junctions etc…
I really think cyclists need to not put themselves into that situation. We saw how that van was being driven, and the care and attention the driver was paying to the cyclist – if the van had turned left at the junction, we could be looking at another dead cyclist.
Having said all that – nothing excuses the dangerous driving and assault from the driver.
Totally agree with you. Very
Totally agree with you. Very poor judgement by the cyclist but equally appalling behaviour by the van driver.
uttoxetercyclist
Equally appalling? EQUALLY?
Are we seriously now equating a risky pass and telling someone to get off their phone with being run over and assaulted?
Seriously?
uttoxetercyclist
You, sir, are a moron.
Terrible.
I’ll remember the
Terrible.
I’ll remember the name of the firm, just in case I ever bump into this mentalist on the road and avoid him.
Would think it’s a relatively common name though. There must be some other identifying factor…
Oh, I know! The email address on the side of the van is taylorlandscaping@me.com
That will help.
The cops are interested due
The cops are interested due to their being an assault once he was off the bike.
The act of ramming the rider off the bike in the first place is something that does not interest the police.
Any forthcoming prosecution will be solely regarding the assault. No driving offences will be mentioned.
While you are on the bicycle, you do not matter as a victim; the police don’t care (unless, possibly, you are actually killed). Once off the bicycle, it becomes the sort of crime the police want to enforce the law about.
Cyclist-hating double-standards are the norm for the cops. If this video stopped at the point where the rider landed on the pavement, but before the driver appeared in frame, the police would not have given it a single thought.
Why can’t the police just go
Why can’t the police just go and arrest the thug? Why do they need the victim to come forward? Its not like they need the cyclist’s description or anything in order to find him. I guarantee you that this unhinged psychopath will behave the same way again and again until he is stopped or he kills someone. I honestly don’t understand why the police are prepared to let him to do this.
Taylor Landscaping
Phone: 01268 710922
Mobile: 07812 082491 and 07939 640764
Email: taylorlandscaping@me.com
I used to live in Essex. Yep,
I used to live in Essex. Yep, that’s how I remember it.
Come on Barry, grow a pair
Come on Barry, grow a pair and report this dickhead. On his mobile, then knocks over cyclist and tops it off with an assault. Got to be worth a smack on the bum surely?
If he had been killed, how
If he had been killed, how would have been able to ring 101 to help Essex Police investigate his own murder?
He is driving nicely and
He is driving nicely and close to the curb. Not stopping when he does not have to is natural. I cannot believe someone is (partly) blaming the cyclist in here. Like saying a Girl wanted to be raped because she was wearing a Short skirt.
The incident takes place at
The incident takes place at the following address (I know, because I live 5 minutes from there):
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.569058,0.219708,3a,75y,176.54h,74.9t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1suaW8yxOIiBwDNrzHQSzdMg!2e0
As a cyclist and driver myself, both parties are guilty here. That road is barely wide enough for a single car, let alone a cyclist trying to ride up the inside. So the cyclist is to blame for nearly causing a traffic collision, and starting the foul mouthed tirade as the cyclist swears at the driver first.
However, the driver overtakes and immediately applies the brakes, so hasn’t analysed the situation ahead of him. Upon contact, instead of pointing out the error of the cyclists ways (riding up the inside of a moving vehicle), the driver joins in the verbal abuse and physically assaults the cyclist, then verbally abuses a passing pedestrian attempting to intervene and calm both sides down.
Both need some education on conducting themselves.
garyk86 wrote:As a cyclist
You’re right of course. At first I thought the driver punches the cyclist but in fact it’s the cyclist who hurls his body at the drivers clenched fist.
So cynical.
Likewise, what looks like, at first glance, the driver aiming his one tonne vehicle at the cyclist and knocking him down is, when looked at again, the cyclist recklessly cycling inches from the kerb at the same time as that part of the road had been reserved for the van driver.
The driver should be applauded for his restraint.
Garyk86, back to your hole
Garyk86, back to your hole with you Mr Troll.
Ah another motorist
Ah another motorist embarrassed at being caught driving whilst using a mobile phone, and to top it all by someone who jumps red lights all the time, rides on the pavement, doesn’t pay road tax or have insurance. Ok, best be a man and knock him off his bike with my Van then assault him, that will lessen my embarrassment hugely.
FAIL!!!! :H
Listening to the film, the
Listening to the film, the cyclist has a go not for the pass, but because the driver is on his mobile phone. So not only have we got battery, but there is driving whilst on the mobile and using the vehicle as a weapon. I really would like to see the police use attempted murder but seriously doubt it.
In all fairness, it’s difficult to see due to the camera angle, but it looks to me like the van is only a foot or so ahead when he brakes, I would have difficulty not going up the inside of the van in this instance.
It’s in Hornchurch so it
It’s in Hornchurch so it would be the Metropolitan Police not Essex.
Taylor landscaping
Taylor landscaping 01268710922or 07939640764 give them a ring and ask about the thug in van NC56FMP or email them on taylorlandscaping@me.com
Agreed, we need to make a
Agreed, we need to make a stand on this. Its becoming the norm for people to think they own the roads.
So much for the Wiggo effect, in my Town (Worthing), its become ridiculous with the way we`re treated.
@ratattatt
bombard the firm
@ratattatt
bombard the firm with emails, promote the incident on social media to alert potential customers of the conduct of the firm employees, get in touch with a local newspaper….there’s always a news story out there
employee should be very easy to I.D. once the employer is contacted
I would have called the
I would have called the police at the scene
I would have called the
I would have called the police at the scene
The rubbish truck passed
The rubbish truck passed pretty close too. The rider was not taking the lane, which might have avoided risky passes. The rider’s behaviour at the junction wasn’t great, but that didn’t justify the driver’s reaction. Assault plus using a phone while driving won’t help the driver’s career prospects.
garyk86 wrote:
“Upon contact,
garyk86 wrote:
“Upon contact, instead of pointing out the error of the cyclists [sic] ways (riding up the inside of a moving vehicle)…”
Actually, although the cyclist shouldn’t have made this manoeuvre in this situation, it is legal to ride up the inside of a vehicle to filter traffic at low speeds. As the speed was low, it would be hard to argue that this wasn’t filtering. Nevertheless, it was unnecessary and dangerous.
If the police are going to book the driver for assault, they will also most likely book him for the “ramming” as well. Once a clear criminal offence has been committed, it becomes easier to add offences as the driver will already be appearing before a judge. Note: traffic offences that are not fixed penalty notices are criminal offences.
I did think the 1st truck was
I did think the 1st truck was a bit close. The van even looked to have given him a decent amount of space to begin with. It just all went a bit south immediately afterwards.
I hope the cyclist is OK after this really and that it doesn’t put him off getting in the saddle again, I’d definitely think twice the next time I went to get on the bike if this had happened to me.
This is now going to be on
This is now going to be on local BBC Essex tomorrow morning and has already made the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2912039/Shocking-moment-cyclist-knocked-bike-assaulted-swearing-van-driver.html#newcomment).
Ramuz wrote:This is now going
Aarrgghh.. #donotreadthecomments
Not that it’s really the point but was the driver or the rider who was on the phone? The Mail says the latter but we’ve all assumed it’s the former. I can’t tell from the vid.
I see that Taylor Landscaping
I see that Taylor Landscaping doesn’t appear on Trustatrader.com any more, obviously not a man that can be trusted. Imagine if he had a spade in his hand when he got angry. Anyone know where CM11 1NH is?
I’m curious to know what the
I’m curious to know what the cyclist had on the back of his bike. The photos on the Mail website show a huge white thing about 2 feet wide on his rack.
I’ve just emailed the
I’ve just emailed the company, as I hope everyone else has.
I can belive people on a
I can belive people on a cyclin site are blaming the cyclist! I dispair at times. I won’t lower my self to calling names though, seems a tasteless development growing on road cc.
I have mailed the gardening company I hope every reader of this story sends at leat one email with the link to video. I think this lovely man should lose his job and license
Classic angry little man
Classic angry little man syndrome. I didn’t know they stacked shit that high in Essex.
Somebody is not happy to have
Somebody is not happy to have this online, video has already been flagged. Try this new link instead http://youtu.be/zjmf-fjrnAw
If this guy has done that to
If this guy has done that to me I would have decked him in SELF DEFENCE.
Why haven’t the police arrested the driver and side kick? It’s not as if they don’t have enough evidence ………..
Offences this thug have has committed – assault, threatening behaviour, pubic order offences, breach of the peace, driving whilst using his mobile phone, dangerous driving. The footage is pretty damning.
What are the police waiting for? They should have already arrested him on suspicion of so many offences. Or are the cops where this happened anti-cycling as well?
Airzound wrote:If this guy
Even easier to identify if he is a sole trader with his name plastered on the van :)) .
the bike undertakes whilst
the bike undertakes whilst the van is crawling, totally legit. The van driver then hits the cyclist on purpose, there is space for him to pull out and past him safely if he wanted to.
If there is any punishment to
If there is any punishment to be handed out it should be done by the proper authorities. Not by an angry mob of knuckle-dragging cyclists.
LinusLarrabee wrote:If there
Yeah, i agree – it *should*. But the pisser is that they’re not doing anything – not even opening an investigation – unless the cyclist comes forward, which he obviously isn’t going to do.
Kadinkski wrote:LinusLarrabee
If the cyclist isn’t coming forward and has decided to let it drop (although it’s NOT clear that is actually the case) then there’s no reason for the rabblement to reach for their pitchforks.
The driver’s actions are clearly wrong and I believe it should be dealt with appropriately and with the right level of action. Attempting to get the driver sacked is way beyond that and doesn’t serve anybody well – least of all the tax-payer who’ll have to fork out the welfare. Most of the posters here are clearly out for revenge. Whatever is done to this drive won’t act as a deterrent to anybody else. And attempting to deliberately damage the business, which may well have other innocent employees, is also an inappropriate response.
LinusLarrabee wrote:
The
I disagree with most of your paragraph LinusLarrabee, if he gets sacked then his post will be filled with the next in line, who might well be coming off benefits, it all balances out; and if I were his employer I would prefer someone not proven to be a liability. As for it being a deterrent, if just one person who hears of his (hopeful) prosecution thinks twice before overtaking on zig-zags as he did, using the phone while driving or assaulting someone then that is a result. The Police should pick up the phone and invite this man into the station to ask him to explain his lack of adherence to the laws of the land. Well done to the victim for filming this, there is no shame in coming forward. The sooner that all drivers think there is a possibility they are being filmed on the road, the better.
LinusLarrabee wrote:Kadinkski
If the cyclist isn’t coming forward and has decided to let it drop (although it’s NOT clear that is actually the case) then there’s no reason for the rabblement to reach for their pitchforks.
The driver’s actions are clearly wrong and I believe it should be dealt with appropriately and with the right level of action. Attempting to get the driver sacked is way beyond that and doesn’t serve anybody well – least of all the tax-payer who’ll have to fork out the welfare. Most of the posters here are clearly out for revenge. Whatever is done to this drive won’t act as a deterrent to anybody else. And attempting to deliberately damage the business, which may well have other innocent employees, is also an inappropriate response.— LinusLarrabee
Why is it excessive for a person who commits a criminal act in the course of their employment to lose that employment?
bendertherobot wrote:Why is
On it’s own, I don’t think it is excessive and I think we both agree that it’s appropriate for the driver to be punished for his actions and that the punishment should reflect the seriousness of his crime. But just how many punishments do you think are appropriate? 1,2,3,4, unlimited? This is why we have a legal system – to stop the angry rabblement taking the law in to their own hands.
When combined with a potential arrest, imprisonment, fine, points on licence, telephone and email harassment, the embarrassment of having his face plastered all over the national press, potential bullying of his children, potentially losing his home when he can’t make the mortgage payments, lost business to his employer and the knock-on effects of that – to name but a few, the punishment becomes excessive. I’m sure some moron will spout the “he should have thought about that before he committed his crime” line, but that’s not how human brains work. He failed to contain his inner-chimp and now you people are doing the same in response to watching an online video. I’m sure there are people here on this website who’d advocate giving him a beating and would do it themselves if they met him – which makes them no better that he is. I realise that’s not a popular view, but then not all cyclists are the knuckle-dragging moronic type that are easily lead by public opinion, so I don’t really care to be honest.
LinusLarrabee
Punishments in such circumstances will always be plural. Why? Because there will be both civil and criminal consequences.
You agree that it’s quite proper that an assault in the course of one’s employment will see that employment terminated. You seem to struggle with the plularity of punishment. But, of course, there must be. If he’s charged, and convicted, then clearly he must be punished. It’s likely that there will be multiple punishments in relation to each charge. One of those may be a driving ban. If he’s not already been sacked because of his behaviour (it’s clearly gross misconduct) then that’s simply going to add to his issues. If he owns this company, then he may be lucky. If he’s an employee it’s highly unlikely an employer would put up with this.
The rest? The loss of wages, mortgage etc. Those are consequences which flow naturally from such a punishment. There’s nothing really unusual about that.
Do I advocate burning his house down? Of course not. Bullying his kids. Well, no.
Do I agree that after due process, if he’s convicted, losing his job and a conviction is proportionate. Yes.
Now, if that makes me a moron, if that makes me you people, fine.
Essex police are probably
Essex police are probably looking for the cyclist to charge him with cycling on the pavement, hitting the van and “colliding” with the guys fists.
I can’t believe anyone is
I can’t believe anyone is placing blame on the cyclist here. The van driver did a stupid overtake (the initial one) knowing full well he was going to stop and hold up the cyclist. In my view the cyclist is entitled to right that wrong. I agree it isn’t the safest action but then sometimes I don’t dismount at signs that say “cyclists dismount”
A disproportionate amount of
A disproportionate amount of angry men seem to drive vans
http://www.checkatrade.com/Ta
http://www.checkatrade.com/TaylorsLandscapingAndDriveways/
I’ve noticed a strange
I’ve noticed a strange pattern on cycling forums when someone posts about an altercation. After a certain number of replies offering support someone will pop along to describe why it was the cyclist’s fault all along. Occasionally it’s valid, but mostly it seems to be a case of an individual getting a kick out of opposing the popular view.
In this case there are a few points one could make to the cyclist about how he might have avoided the altercation, but nothing at all to suggest he was responsible for being run off the road and then punched by Jason Statham’s less successful little brother.
Jonny_Trousers wrote:I’ve
It’s either
(1) the “I’m a cyclist myself” guy, who sometimes rides a bike for fun but mostly drives and hence in reality identifies entirely with the motorist, who he sees as being the more legitimate and serious road-user.
(2) the cyclist who finds it unbearable to think that he (it’s almost always a ‘he’) might not be completely in control of his own destiny or be vulnerable to others’ bad behaviour. If he can convince himself the cyclist did something wrong, he can then make his own fear of being a victim go away as he knows he will never do that wrong thing.
(3) the pure troll who doesn’t actually care either way
I think that covers it.
Jonny_Trousers wrote:I’ve
I think what has happened is that with the growth of cycling in recent years large numbers of motorists have begun dressing up as cyclists and attempting to ride bicycles once in a while in order to pass themselves off as cyclists. Once these interlopers are in position they proceed to push ideas such as segregated paths with the pretext that they are safer. They may be so but the real motive is simply to oust cyclists from the roads.
From viewing the video it
From viewing the video it looks like to me the driver pinched the rider against the kerb making him fall off. Then with little in the way of provocation assaulted the cyclist, punching him and knocking him to the ground. Why haven’t the police arrested the driver?
My own riding position would of been to take a prominent position to stop overtaking until the road widened out, but in the scenario of the video, I feel that it would of me seen sliding off the bonnet of the van drivers vehicle given his obvious anger issues.
Agree with the above… its
Agree with the above… its the old… ‘everything would be just fine if we all doffed our caps at the right time, and did what other road users want us to do’ mantra.
The cynic in me also thinks that the police are actually keen to meet the victim because of the criminal damage the cyclist may have caused to the side of the van, or indeed the physical assault the cyclist committed against the van drivers fist.
It was an inconsiderate
It was an inconsiderate overtake but I wouldn’t have gone up the inside like that. You can’t see what’s slowing the traffic up but you would have thought the cyclist was planning what to do next. I would have got into the traffic stream and then looked at overtaking on the outside if things really slowed down. Inside track? Stationary traffic only, or else very carefully if it’s the sensible thing to do.
Municipal Waste
I don’t think that’s the same crowd.
I don’t know the UK law, but
I don’t know the UK law, but can the police go after an Evidence based prosecution, ie do they NEED the cyclist to come forward and make a complaint? This might be why they aren’t doing anything, because they can’t????
The law doesn’t specifically
The law doesn’t specifically say that the victim has to come forward for a prosecution, but I expect it would be difficult without a witness either to the assault or to the video recording process.
I think generally if video evidence is used in court the person who recorded the video needs to be available as a witness to state that the video hasn’t been manipulated and answer questions about how it was made.
Or they could contact the
Or they could contact the driver of Nissan EN14 PXE (car behind) who would have seen the whole thing.
There are many times when I
There are many times when I have had an aggressive overtake, only for them to nip in and put their anchors on, forcing me to brake and guide my bike down the left hand side of the vehicle. I have a video on Youtube that gets lots and lots of aggro because I am calling a taxi driver an idiot for doing exactly that to me. Apparently motor vehicle drivers do not have to forward plan and consider the consequences of their actions.
To be honest, if a guy gets out of their vehicle and behaves aggressively towards me like this twunt, I would fight back. I am fed up of people like this having no action against them, which justifies their behaviour…. Rant rant etc.
GBH and using a vehicle as a
GBH and using a vehicle as a weapon.
He should be getting some arse ripping time in jail for that stunt. Twat in a van. And by the sounds of it he was on his mobile.
You have to take into account
You have to take into account several human factors here.
Most drivers see bikes as an obstruction to get round like a set of roadworks, not maliciously, they just don’t comprehend traffic flows and don’t think ahead. It’s a series of discrete decisions to them whereas very good drivers and most cyclers understand things are linked. Brake now at the bottom of this dip and you’re going to make the next hundred metres much harder work etc.
A lot of people are generally stressed. It doesn’t take much to make them lose their rag and some of those believe violence is ok because they see it all the time.
People make mistakes.
All of those things together mean that I ride defensively by default (though I’ll happily snake through a solid queue if needed) and in this case, the rider took a chance and ran into a bad combination of the above. The guy should be prosecuted for assault no doubt, but I think it’s worth condidering how we get into these nasty situations so they’re less common.
I get so much flack on my
I get so much flack on my videos for my riding defensively, when I actually have no choice because most roads are not wide enough to accommodate both bicycle and motor vehicle side by side. Idiot road users, yes cyclists too, who I guess are mainly car drivers constantly nag at me about not being further left and just riding that way to annoy and cause issues for my videos. Idiots! Why would i want to put myself in danger for a stupid video?
Also without the victim
Also without the victim coming forward the police might not know whether to charge this as assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm or even grievous bodily harm, and the court wouldn’t know how serious any injuries, pain, or mental distress were, all of which could affect sentencing.
People will do what they
People will do what they believe they can get away with… its a lord of the flies thing, basically we are all savages, living under the thin veil of society.
In response to calls for physical retribution, my opinion is that in all reality, the powers that be will do nothing to look into these situations more seriously until ‘people’ start taking it upon themselves to seek their own form of justice.
If no one is harmed, then there is no foul in the eyes of the law… its only when people are harmed will they take notice… and if that means doing more so that normal citizens don’t start behaving like psychos, then they will do it.
IMO its probably not crime levels that dictate policing levels, but the levels of vigilant activity.
Wonder how much they charge
Wonder how much they charge for ‘decking’?
gazpacho wrote:Wonder how
This can’t go unrecognised. Hats off to you, gazpacho!
gazpacho wrote:Wonder how
FOC.
Compliments of.
On the BBC
On the BBC now…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-30846362
In Top Gear style (given
In Top Gear style (given motorists find any humour wrapped up in that loveable blanket acceptable)
Go torch their company headquarters if they refuse to sack him for gross misconduct.
Find the lovely chap in the van and explain to him with some degree of extreme violence that his actions were unsporting.
I suspect someone will be paying him a visit in the next few months given he’s made it so easy to do so.
Government, the police and the courts are inneffective. They have demonstrated this time and time and time and time and time zzzzzz…..sorry, dropped off there waiting for justice.
As they choose not to offer protection and justice there is no shortage of people who will step up and deal with these thingson behalf of society themselves.
Just joking of course 😉
He’s turned himself
He’s turned himself in
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/van-driver-turns-himself-into-police-after-row-with-cyclist-goes-viral-9983400.html
So instead of a slap on the wrist he’ll probably be up for a CBE.
flathunt wrote:He’s turned
From that article:
Now tell me that’s NOT excessive.
Having heard this with the
Having heard this with the sound loud enough to hear speech, it’s more clear.
Driver overtakes and pulls in, braking due to cars turning across him.
He is on the phone, apparently, so not paying enough attention
The cyclist is offended at being squeezed and tells the driver to get off the phone, while passing on the inside in a fairly tight route
The driver forces the bike into the kerb and proceeds to assault him
I’ve not read any trolling yet elsewhere, but I’m sure there are tons of posts which read opposite to my view. I hope this white van man does lose his job, if not the business owner, as he was driving in a professional capacity which demands a level of care and respect for other road users, plus, he’s a thug that needs some of his own bully medicine.
If you run the video full
If you run the video full screen and stop at about 1:01 you’ll see the following marketing material:
T:01268 710922
M:07812 082491 / 07939 610 764
Email:taylorlandscape@me.com
I wonder how much more business they’ll get because of this episode?
Balistaff wrote:If you run
Fuck all I hope!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-30846362
What the hell did he have on the back of the bike, as seen on the still above, it’s about 4 feet wide and explains why he was hugging the kerb, if he held primary he might have got swatted with something coming the other way!
Gaaaah
http://road.cc/content
Gaaaah
http://road.cc/content/news/140715-suspect-charged-after-essex-road-rage-attack-cyclist
Verb as a noun!
Exactly –
From Oxford
Exactly –
From Oxford Dictionaries:
“summons” is defined as [verb] serve (someone) with a summons: [with object and infinitive]: he has been summonsed to appear in court next month.
no excuse whatsoever for the
no excuse whatsoever for the driver’s actions.
Yet…once again, we have a cyclist putting themselves in harm’s way. Mental road positioning, then going up the inside of traffic.