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Hi-vis wearing pedestrian plans to wear camera after being hit by cyclists "multiple times"

“It makes me angry that nothing is being done”

A man from Swindon says he is planning on wearing a body camera because “nothing is being done” about reckless cyclists. John Bowie says he has been hit multiple times and claims to have been the victim of numerous assaults as a result of disagreements with cyclists.

Bowie told The Swindon Advertiser: “Over the time I have lived in Swindon, I have been a victim of cyclists striking me with their push bikes multiple times. I find it distressing and it makes me angry that nothing is being done.”

He claims that the most recent collision took place earlier this week and occurred despite his decision to venture onto the pavement in a hi-vis top.

Referring to another recent incident, he added: “Just last week when my wife used a wheelchair in town, she was narrowly missed by a cyclist speeding through. It has now come to the point where for my own safety I may need to wear a camera every time I go out, though I feel uncomfortable about doing this.”

Bowie pointed to Rule 64 of the Highway Code, which states: “You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.”

However, under Home Office guidance issued in 1999, cyclists may ride on the footway as long as they do so considerately, and officers are required to exercise discretion when issuing fines.

Bowie also pointed to the high profile case of Charlie Alliston, who was convicted of causing bodily harm through wanton and furious driving following the death of pedestrian Kim Briggs in September.

“Following the recent national case of a woman killed by a cyclist, there are calls for the law to be updated, which I fully agree with. But I would go beyond that and look for a new department to be established to police the changed law, teach cycle safety and look at licensing push bikes.”

The licensing of bicycles was most recently in the news following Halfords’ Sharing the Road survey. 59 per cent of respondents said that bicycles should carry licence plates.

Responding to the results, Cycling UK observed that some people, “fail to appreciate the practicalities of imposing and enforcing regulations on children, the costs involved, or the public health and other implications of putting up further barriers to cycling. Fortunately, government has consistently reached the conclusion that such proposals are disproportionate and unnecessary.”

British Cycling said that suggestions such as a compulsory proficiency test and number plates, “are quite obviously non-starters.”

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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40 comments

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burtthebike replied to Eton Rifle | 6 years ago
3 likes

Eton Rifle wrote:

Yeah, you may well be right.  There's a nutter on my daily commute who seems unable to grasp the concept of shared-use paths.  He forces his family, including his very young children, to walk line abreast holding hands in order to block the entire width of the path when a cyclist approaches.  He then verbally harasses the unfortunate individual, frequently threatening violence.  I'm just hoping that one day he picks on someone who punches his lights out.

May I suggest using a vid cam and getting evidence of this and sending it to the Swindon Advertiser?  You never know, it might just be this idiot.  Sounds about his level.

Avatar
Bluebug replied to burtthebike | 6 years ago
2 likes
burtthebike wrote:

Eton Rifle wrote:

Yeah, you may well be right.  There's a nutter on my daily commute who seems unable to grasp the concept of shared-use paths.  He forces his family, including his very young children, to walk line abreast holding hands in order to block the entire width of the path when a cyclist approaches.  He then verbally harasses the unfortunate individual, frequently threatening violence.  I'm just hoping that one day he picks on someone who punches his lights out.

May I suggest using a vid cam and getting evidence of this and sending it to the Swindon Advertiser?  You never know, it might just be this idiot.  Sounds about his level.

He will pick on a woman.

I frequently have to tell groups of people on one of the shared use paths I use that they are blocking the entire path.

The other day a kid got told off by their dad for blocking the path by not walking straight.

Oh and in Swindon when I worked there for a few months there were 3 cyclists, 2 of who where females under 30, who decided it was a good idea to cycle on the pavement on side roads with no traffic. Yes they cycled into me and weren't happy when I pointed out they shouldn't be cycling on the pavement.

Avatar
DoctorFish | 6 years ago
13 likes

I think that if something has happened to you multiple times then there is either a really big local problem in which case contact the police, or it is actually you who are doing something wrong.

 

Avatar
billymansell | 6 years ago
11 likes

Claims to have been assaulted multiple times yet no reference to, nor comment from the police.

Strange that someone would claim to be the victim of multiple crimes yet provide no evidence that said crimes took place, almost as if they're exagerating events or making it all up.

Avatar
zippypablo | 6 years ago
7 likes

Why has we went out of his way to seek confrontation with cyclists and then been surprised to find some. Angry man in local newspaper pish.

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hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
5 likes

So, wear the camera and send appropriate footage to the police. Why has he waited for the numerous assaults when he could have worn a camera after the first two or three assaults?

Avatar
ClubSmed replied to hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
2 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

So, wear the camera and send appropriate footage to the police. Why has he waited for the numerous assaults when he could have worn a camera after the first two or three assaults?

To be fair, I've had several incidents and close calls with cars and have still not got round to fitting the camera that I bought to my bike. So I can see it as plausible that he had suffered several incidents and not yet turned to wearing a camera.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to ClubSmed | 6 years ago
6 likes

ClubSmed wrote:
hawkinspeter wrote:

So, wear the camera and send appropriate footage to the police. Why has he waited for the numerous assaults when he could have worn a camera after the first two or three assaults?

To be fair, I've had several incidents and close calls with cars and have still not got round to fitting the camera that I bought to my bike. So I can see it as plausible that he had suffered several incidents and not yet turned to wearing a camera.

Yes, but you're not complaining to the Swindon Advertiser about it and calling for expensive, unworkable licensing schemes.

Avatar
Leviathan | 6 years ago
1 like

What is a Push Bike? Is Push some new Russian surface they are experimenting with in Swindon. I will stick with my Road Bike.

Avatar
ClubSmed replied to Leviathan | 6 years ago
3 likes
Leviathan wrote:

What is a Push Bike? Is Push some new Russian surface they are experimenting with in Swindon. I will stick with my Road Bike.

Push Bike, as opposed to Motor Bike.

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