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news
Police tape (CC licensed by freefotouk on Flickr)Police hunt driver who punched cyclist who was then hit by oncoming car
Police in Cambridgeshire have launched an appeal after a motorist punched a cyclist, leading to him falling into the path of oncoming traffic and being hit by a car.
The incident took place last Friday 20 March at around 3.50pm on the A1123 close to the village of Needingworth, which lies to the east of St Ives, say Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
As the cyclist, a male aged in his 50s, approached a roundabout and signalled to move into the right-hand lane, a man driving a grey or beige Audi A6 drove up at speed and cut across him.
Police say the pair exchanged words and both turned right at the roundabout, with the driver getting out of his car and punching the cyclist as he passed, with the rider sustaining minor injuries after he was hit by an oncoming car.
PC Adam Whelan said: "This was a nasty incident of road rage, thankfully no one was seriously injured although this could have been a different matter.
"I would appeal to anyone who saw this happen, or who saw either the Audi or cyclist in the moments leading up to the incident to contact police."
The suspect, who drove away from the scene, is described as “a white male in his 40s, between 5'11" and six foot, with short grey hair, wearing a maroon zip-up sweatshirt and blue jeans.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 101 or the charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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30 comments
Just once I'd love to read
"cyclist beats Audi (or any other car) driver to a blood pulp following exchange of words"
It would be change at least
[[[[[ Was this J. Clarkson, this angry geezer punching folks who don't agree with his rancid opinion of cyclists? Ah well, perhaps his sacking signals the end of an earache (sic).
P.R.
Older, smaller, narrower cars are probably not driven better than big cars, but passes that would be scarcely close if made by a Volvo estate are pretty far away when made by a Peugeot 205.
Of course the reverse is also true, probably part of the reason cyclists hate cabs.
I saw the stats for average garage width in 1970 compared to 2000 once, they're the only part of new builds to have on average more floorspace now than then. Reversing the trends for bigger cars but the same old roads would do a lot to make cycling feel safer IMO.
As a rule, drivers of classic cars tend to be pretty careful. They care about their vehicles and don't hammer them and tend to be careful of other road users too. It's a generalisation but I've noticed it applies to drivers of pretty much everything from old Morris Minors to old Porsche 911s (and yes, even 70s BMWs in those lurid metal flake colours too).
Is the opposite true? Is there are car that is consistently chosen by careful and considerate drivers?
I'm trying to think of one...
In my perception, I think that older, cheaper cars are generally driven better around me when cycling. I also don't recall being harassed by a Honda driver. Whether the fact I own one changes my perception (see comments from Audi drivers above - I suspect subconscious identification with other drivers of similar cars may come into play) or whether they're driven by lots of older people has anything to do with it, I'm not sure. I think Civic Type Rs are excluded from this!
(Although I don't recall any bad experiences with one while cycling)
There is evidence that wealth is correlated to sociopathic behaviour including bad driving:
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/27/science/la-sci-0228-greed-20120228
I suggest that there is also a link between wealth and car choice!
Anyway, cars aside, I hope they catch the little wotsit!
VW Golf.
Well I hope they catch the **** and lock him up, knocking someone into traffic - the cyclists is lucky to still be alive.
Amazing, so many comments on the choice of car. So few on the driver.
The vehicle marque makes no difference. I've had two Audis, neither made me an idiot. I've had a couple of Volvos, I still don't own a caravan. I had a TVR and my chest is still relatively hair-free. The Mercedes I owned didn't make me fat and put me in charge of a bank. I now drive a Lexus 4x4, so I'm still waiting to become whatever people think the car will make me.
Stop commenting on the choice of car - it's utterly, completely irrelevant.
Problem is that car choice DOES reflect the person inside all too often. Drivers of 3 series and A4's tend to be reps, salesmen who tend to think to much of themselves, who tend to be in a hurry, who tend to use phones whilst driving (usually handsfree thankfully) but still distracted, who tend to have notes, laptops, maps etc littering the front of the car. A6s and 5 series tend to be more senior managers, and all too often tend to be borderline psychopaths, with no regard for anyone else. (Too many managers get there by playing the game and if it means walking over other people so be it)
Stereotypes exist for a reason, they are never foolproof, but...
absolutely, I can virtually 99.9% guarantee round my area, when a car cuts me up, doesnt give me anywhere near like enough room or just flatly pretends Im just not there, it will be by an Audi.
now I dont believe that makes all Audi drivers dangerous to be around necessarily,and its obviously impacted by the fact Audis & german manufacturers in general seem to dominate the purchasing habits of the locals rather more than Toyota corrolas or ford fiestas.
though the closest I ever came to being wiped out by a car,and it was scarily close, it was actually a Merc E Class estate, near a golf club,some might suspect given how they were driving theyd spent too much time at the 19th hole,who knows I certainly was left feeling theyd have hit and run.
but apparently theres also a golf club near Needingworth,and Im sure there will be plenty of Audis (hello other stereotype) in the car park there for the police to peruse if they wanted.
What car do you drive?
Not sure who you're asking, but mine's a ZipCar.
Perhaps they're trying to find some lebensraum
Count the number of times you're on the road and it's a German car that is the cause of cutting you up, you'll be surprised how often it happens. Why do people in the UK think that driving a German car means that they own the road ?
...or a 4x4. The BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne are about the worst offenders in that respect.
If there were two cars that could be banned from London then it would be those two for me. In my experience they're a menace driven by people who simply have no concept of the width of the vehicle that they are in control of. Pretty much anything that's an upscaled hatchback body on a 4x4 chassis but with the large flared wheel arches is a problem to be closely watched and if possible avoided around my parts.
Those Audi Q7 things combine both Audi-man (or rather Audi-school-run-mum) and 4x4 entitlement. Also Quashqai's seem to attract wholly incompetent drivers.
Funny, I live in the countryside & it seems to be Landie's, Disco's & Insignia's that are the issue although when on holiday in Norfolk last week Audi A6 & Merc drivers did seem to be the main problem. In fact the general driving in the area around Downham Market was so scary I was afraid to use my bike and in the whole week there I only saw 5 cyclists outside towns.
iif it comes to wide sweeping generalisations then I, an Audi driver, notice that my list is more:
Mercedes (drivers too old to get out) insanely convinced they own road and all others are beneath them
BMW particularly slightly older car only car to be reversed at me, but had that happen more than once
Ford escort,/ Orion summat about people who drive these can't steer and get so affronted when delayed a few seconds by a cyclist or two
corsa/fiesta tends to be kids being truly stupid but it could so easily end up in tragedy
Don't want to tempt fate, but Audi don't appear on my list.
ps I see an advert from Boden (the wife's favourite clothing brand). I can foresee an advert for credit cards soon.
Angry Unhinged Driver Inside.
This is one make of car I shit myself if it is being driven in close proximity to me i.e. approaching fast from behind. Most drivers of Audis are arrogant c*nts especially those that drive TTs or the huge great LandRover lookalike ones. Complete tossers as this incident seems to indicate.
I do find it ironic that this very page features an advert from....you guessed it, Audi...
I think that might be related to your own ad-tracker cookies - I see an ad for an IT product I've been researching for work...
Always Utter Di**head Inside.
Another angry Audi man (cliche by now) that needs jailing...
It's like the Cambridge Evening News around these parts.
With a subtle difference – the Cambridge News copied the Police report very closely, whereas road.cc, whom I congratulate, have decided not to repeat the unwise words "the victim, who was wearing a cycle helmet". I have asked the Police if they would have considered the assault to be a lesser offence had the cyclist NOT being wearing a helmet. I don't suppose they will reply.
To row back to a little closer to the original story I have to apologise twice in one day, the communications office at Cambs Police did reply to me explaining why they mentioned the helmet. I did not buy into their thinking but at least they were good enough to enter into a dialog. +1 Cambs Police
Good, but what was the reply?