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Devon driver who allegedly knocked cyclist off the roadMiddle finger councillor who ran cyclists off road resigns
The “middle finger councillor” who ran four cyclists off the road last July, leaving one upside down in a tree, has resigned from his Devon post.
Bridford Parish Councillor, James Atkinson, was fined £140 and given eight penalty license points for careless driving. He had overtaken the group of riders on a blind bend in the Teign Valley, before veering into them to avoid an oncoming car.
One road.cc user, who had an exchange of emails with Bridford Parish Council, forwarded the correspondence to us. He contacted the council with concerns about Cllr Atkinson’s behaviour, which the council called “unacceptable”, but pointed out he wasn't performing official duties at the time and as an elected official couldn’t be sacked.
Middle finger councillor who ran cyclists off road fined
The Council later confirmed he resigned from the post. Although declining to comment on the email exchange when contacted by road.cc, it has since published a statement on its website.
The statement says: “Following a recent Court hearing relating to an incident on the Teign Valley road last July, James Atkinson has now resigned from his position as a Parish Councillor for Bridford.
“Mr Atkinson apologises to Bridford Parish Council, the people of Bridford, the Teign Valley, Devon County and to the cyclists who he accidentally knocked off their bicycles.”
Bridford Parish Council’s code of conduct states that when acting as a representative of the council, members “shall not act in a way which a reasonable person would regard as bullying or intimidatory”.
Although Atkinson wasn’t acting as a council representative at the time of the incident the council correspondent apologised for cyclists feeling intimidated by Atkinson’s actions and said “Mr Atkinson's behaviour and demeanour, as evidenced by the Court verdict and a photograph in the public domain, was completely unacceptable.”
Two were injured in the incident, in which the four cyclists were riding single file at 25mph when, according to the Court prosecutor, Lyndsey Baker, Atkinson roared up behind them and tried to overtake them on a blind bend.
Atkinson then veered into the cyclists to avoid an oncoming car, which was travelling at 20mph, forcing them into the hedge, and “a jumble on the floor”.
It is reported Atkinson showed no remorse, and he tried to blame the cyclists for riding four abreast and forcing him to the opposite side of the road.
Cyclist and hair salon boss, Rob Pierce, who filmed Atkinson’s reaction after the incident on his helmet camera, called the punishment a “slap on the wrist” and says one of the riders hasn’t been able to cycle since.
Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.
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23 comments
In January there were three drivers with more than 40 points and still driving.
http://www.tispol.org/content/2016/01/07/09/57/drivers-40-penalty-points-are-still-allowed-road-motoring-organisation
He'd serve the people of Devon even better if he resigned from life in general.
Doesn't he look a bit like Jason Wells?
Angry middle aged white bloke in a 4x4?
He obviously has no shame. Interestingly, he has his moble phone number on his openly advertised computer repair business listed in his Councillor's declaration of interests:
http://www.computerrepairsexeter.co.uk/
Fortunately cyclists are not the kind of people who would abuse the availabilty of a mobile number.
Careful, now. Lawyers are watching.
Good bye and good riddance!
@giskard
Try having a read of the court decision in Livingstone vs The Adjudication Panel - the code of conduct only applies to elected representatives when they're acting as elected representatives- which the idiot in question probably wasn't when he wasbeing a total arse in his 4x4.
@cidermart
Fair dos, the bloke is an utter muppet but it's a parish councillor we're talking about - the gravy train won't have passed by his parish council since long before Dr Beeching became a household name.
No doubt he'll be back in office after a couple of years once it's all blown over, they aren't normally able to keep their grubby hands away from the public office gravy train.
Yeah, 'cos there's so much money and perks to be had being a parish councilor! Seriously, do people really believe that anyone gets into local politics for the money?!
Getting back on topic, glad in a small way he's done the decent thing and resigned, but would be far happier if he was off the road (a road I ride frequently)
If my local councillors are anything to go by, it's about 10% to look for/create a gravy train, 10% to serve/improve the community and 80% to satisfy a Little Hitler complex.
I don't imagine for a minute that this was an entirely voluntary decision. I imagine one of the other councillors took him aside and had a word..., suggested perhaps he ought to..., for the good of the council..., &c., &c. Leave it a couple of years and he'll stand for re-election and get back in.
He has to get elected first ? I'd be reminding the voters of the character of the man. Up to the public what they decide then ?
Regarding the parish council's code of conduct, what difference does it make whether the people it applies to are acting in an official capacity or not? Unless it was just a poor excuse to avoid taking action?
So nothing to do with his email address being used over a number of years for pretty 'specialist' interest web forums then ?
Now he'll really be a charmer on the road.
...er, he already was...
this will very likely make him even worse .....
Well he's got at least 8 points on his licence - so another 4 and he's off the roads. If I was him - I'd be driving a lot more carefully.
He'd best not throw his dummy out of the pram the next time someone upsets him on the road.
There are drivers still driving legally with alot more than 12 points on their licences. 12 points doesn't necessarily mean an automatic ban. Guy Martin talks about this in his first book at one time he a lot more than 12 points but was still driving.
Small victory of shaming
Then surely civil or insurance claim is in against this bellend?