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Clowns driving (CC licensed by oddharmonic via Flickr).jpgCanterbury cyclist chased by car full of creepy clowns
A cyclist has been chased through The University of Kent's Canterbury campus by a pack (technically, a ‘pratfall’) of clowns in one of the latest examples of the ‘killer clown’ craze. The clowns involved were travelling in their traditional mode of transport, the Ford Fiesta.
The United States has been experiencing a growing trend of individuals dressing up as clowns to deliberately scare people and the practice has recently spread to Britain. The BBC yesterday reported that Thames Valley Police alone were called to 14 such incidents on Sunday.
Zeph Fenn told Kent Live that he was chased by the car at around 10pm on the same day. He first spotted the car while cycling through St Dunstans when the clowns started shouting abuse at him.
He said that four were wearing plain masks while another was wearing a clown mask. “They looked like they were around 18-24 years old.”
After riding on to The Venue on the campus, Fenn saw the clowns parked up at a cash machine. “Some of them were in the car, some of them were blocking my path as I was cycling. I came by and tried to smash their door on my bike and shouted at them."
The car then followed him. Doubtless anticipating that a far larger number of clowns would exit the vehicle than would seem physically possible, Fenn rode on.
"When I was reporting it all to campus security I was really out of breathe and just anxious and full of adrenaline," he said, adding that while he was speaking to them he also heard them receive an 'emergency call' from a screaming group of girls reporting the same incident.
He said: "I believe these boys are pranksters, not killer clowns. Although it is a similar trend. And I feel this culture of fear gives them a buzz which could provoke further incidents."
A spokesperson for Kent Police said: "Kent Police received a report of concern at 10.45pm on Sunday October 9 that a car containing a number of people in clown masks was seen to be driving in an anti-social manner along St Dunstan's and on the University of Kent campus in Canterbury. Officers spoke to witnesses and enquiries are ongoing."
ITV reports that a man dressed as a clown jumped out on a cyclist riding north along the national cycle route to Golden Jubilee Way, Eastbourne, on October 5. The person emerged from a bush holding what was believed to be an offensive weapon, but didn’t speak or make any attempt to harm the cyclist.
Have you been chased by a creepy clown? Let us know in the comments below.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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24 comments
"...I came by and tried to smash their door on my bike and shouted at them." Ok, so you're outnumbered four or five to one, the opposition has clearly got the advantage of anonymity and group behaviour to psych themselves up, and they're armed with a tonne or two of metal to use as a weapon, but you choose to escalate the situation by hitting the car and antagonising them? Regardless of what they're dressed as, that doesn't strike me as a sensible or wise thing to do.
seems like a bit of a dilmena for the police here, because they have said they won't tolerate people dressing as clowns and scaring people.
However using a car to intimidate someone is apparently perfectly acceptable.
So if a person dressses as a clown and uses a car is it OK, or not?
I'm sure the university has cctv, report it to the police (if there has been a crime, it's not 100% clear to me) and the owner of the Fiesta will get a good ticking off
If you are chased by a clown you need to throw a bucket full of confetti at them., I thought that was common knowledge
I tried eating a clown once, but it tasted funny.
Never leave the house without a sack full of custard pies.
Nothing that a size 9 Dr Marten delivered swiftly to the bollocks couldn't cure.
nothing but a bunch of Bozos...
My advice to anyone surrounded by a group of clowns is to go for the juggler.
"Hey Sarge, we just got another call, another clown got shot in Central Park"
"Hmm, I got a funny feeling about this"
<rimshot>
These people who dress as clowns trying to scare people deserve anything and everything they get. I just hope that if someone gives one a kicking and the clown tries to press charges, only for the judge involved in the resulting assault case to put a ruling out that it was self defence against someone who went out looking for trouble
Loving this clown craze, way better than the schemie craze that's been going on for ages.
Perhaps someone in the US will shoot one of these clowns for us and that will be the end of that.
Thats the thing, in some open carry states in America there will be people with conceiled weapons and as is proven it doesnt take much to get someone shot there! If someone feels scared and has a gun they are much more likely to use it and thy would probably get away with it. I fully expect to hear of a shooting shortly.
Yes, it was more of a prediction than a request.
Open carry and concealed carry are different things, and no, you can't shoot someone just because you're scared. Not legally anyway.
When have laws stopped people panic shooting people in the US?
Yes, open and concealed carry are kind of opposites. But I don't think your second point is strictly true in reality, is it? It's a lot more complicated and unclear than that. I suspect a good lawyer could get someone off for shooting a 'scary clown'.
e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshihiro_Hattori - apparently he had "an extremely unusual manner of moving"
Whats the difference between a "prank" and anti social behaviour? Ignoring the clown costumes, jumping out at someone with a weapon or chasing someone with a car isnt funny and could easily be interpretted as something more than it is. Its only the clown costume part that allows these idiots to claim its a joke.
Someone is going to get hurt here, most likely a retalliation from the person being chased or others but its pretty dumb and should stop. Its one of these things thats going to escalate with the papers making a meal out of it and then there will be the next craze.
I saw a video clip of a clown jumping out on a guy last week, the guy went mental, got hold of a wine bottle (or similar) and cracked him over the head. It made me smile...
Hmm my 18st @ ~20mph vs bloke in a silly costume. Only going to be one outcome there.
With D lock in hand??
You'll both end up on the floor and in pain. The difference is, you'll have bike repairs to pay for, and knowing this country, police charges to answer to. I don't know what I'd do if this happened to me, but I'd try and keep the bike out of it.
Stephen King has a lot to answer for.