Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

Video: Police release footage highlighting danger of cyclists' car-swerving ‘game’

Cyclist tried to swerve into and then out of the path of an oncoming car

Hertfordshire Police have released a video to warn of the dangers of a car-swerving ‘game’. It focuses on Paul Belcher who was involved in a collision in October last year.

Sergeant Leah McDermott from the Borehamwood Safer Neighbourhood Team pointed out that drivers faced with an impending collision are likely to try and take evasive action, which could lead to an incident in itself.

“This so-called ‘game’ just doesn’t make sense. Those who attempt to swerve in front of cars are not only putting themselves in real danger, but also those in the vehicles.”

Belcher’s mum, Lesley, said that she learned her son had been involved in a collision after his friend posted the footage to Instagram.

“When he walked through the door and looked at me, I just thought ‘you’re so stupid’. I can’t… I just genuinely can’t believe how stupid you are.”

The driver slowed sufficiently that Paul escaped with just severe bruising, but his bike was destroyed. “He needed a new bike, but he didn’t get one,” said Lesley. “He’s going to have to earn himself a new bike.”

McDermott thanked Lesley for appearing in the film, adding: “This is not a game you want to play. You versus a car – you are not going to come off best.”

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.

Add new comment

89 comments

Avatar
Pudsey Pedaller replied to HurdyGurdy | 6 years ago
5 likes

HurdyGurdy wrote:

Pudsey Pedaller wrote:

 

I don't have to be religious to have an expectation that drivers who have the very real potential to KSI me when I'm on a bicycle, not only recognise that potential, but also drive in a manner that respects that potential. Also, the feral cyclist in no way endangered the driver in this video.

 

That 's your opinion. If the driver had to do an emergency stop or evasive maneuvre, the outcome could have been as dangerous. But keep defending the feral, go for it .

Holding the driver responsible for failing to do enough to prevent the collision is not the same as excusing the lad from causing it. Constructing straw man arguments doesn't strengthen your position and it doesn't weaken mine.

The driver could have come to a safe and controlled stop in time shown in the footage, let alone given the extra time available from before the footage begins.

As for evasive manoeuvring, this would be a more compelling argument had the driver attempted to actually evade the cyclists instead of steering the vehicle toward them, either through choice or through incompetence.

Avatar
davel replied to HurdyGurdy | 6 years ago
9 likes
HurdyGurdy wrote:

Pudsey Pedaller wrote:

 

I don't have to be religious to have an expectation that drivers who have the very real potential to KSI me when I'm on a bicycle, not only recognise that potential, but also drive in a manner that respects that potential. Also, the feral cyclist in no way endangered the driver in this video.

 

That 's your opinion. If the driver had to do an emergency stop or evasive maneuvre, the outcome could have been as dangerous. But keep defending the feral, go for it .

Describing them as feral isn't making you seem particularly enlightened. It's actually making you seem reactionary, biased and binary.

Kids following a movement dedicated to showing off on bikes (as opposed to much more antisocial behaviour) take over the roads for a few moments and a bunch of Hyacinth Buckets lay eggs over it: hilarious.

Personally I'd rather they took over the streets for longer periods than the death machines that they obstruct. The street in this particular video is residential - I'd much rather live in a neighbourhood with streets full of kids pulling wheelies and pratting about as opposed to adult drivers on phones squashing pets, and occasionally kids, and polluting the air.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to davel | 6 years ago
4 likes

davel wrote:

Kids following a movement dedicated to showing off on bikes (as opposed to much more antisocial behaviour) take over the roads for a few moments and a bunch of Hyacinth Buckets lay eggs over it: hilarious. Personally I'd rather they took over the streets for longer periods than the death machines that they obstruct. The street in this particular video is residential - I'd much rather live in a neighbourhood with streets full of kids pulling wheelies and pratting about as opposed to adult drivers on phones squashing pets, and occasionally kids, and polluting the air.

I bet you want to join in with them, but your wheelies aren't good enough.

 

Avatar
davel replied to hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
5 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

davel wrote:

Kids following a movement dedicated to showing off on bikes (as opposed to much more antisocial behaviour) take over the roads for a few moments and a bunch of Hyacinth Buckets lay eggs over it: hilarious. Personally I'd rather they took over the streets for longer periods than the death machines that they obstruct. The street in this particular video is residential - I'd much rather live in a neighbourhood with streets full of kids pulling wheelies and pratting about as opposed to adult drivers on phones squashing pets, and occasionally kids, and polluting the air.

I bet you want to join in with them, but your wheelies aren't good enough.

 

I can look out the window and dream, can't I...?  1

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to davel | 6 years ago
2 likes

davel wrote:
hawkinspeter wrote:

davel wrote:

Kids following a movement dedicated to showing off on bikes (as opposed to much more antisocial behaviour) take over the roads for a few moments and a bunch of Hyacinth Buckets lay eggs over it: hilarious. Personally I'd rather they took over the streets for longer periods than the death machines that they obstruct. The street in this particular video is residential - I'd much rather live in a neighbourhood with streets full of kids pulling wheelies and pratting about as opposed to adult drivers on phones squashing pets, and occasionally kids, and polluting the air.

I bet you want to join in with them, but your wheelies aren't good enough.

I can look out the window and dream, can't I...?  1

When I were a kid, we had BMX Bandits to aspire to. Not quite as cool as these guys.

Avatar
FluffyKittenofT... replied to DF9 | 6 years ago
3 likes

DF9 wrote:

 Don't think you can say that, no one expects a kid to purposely ride into you path.

 

That's because our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...

Avatar
burtthebike replied to FluffyKittenofTindalos | 6 years ago
3 likes

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

DF9 wrote:

 Don't think you can say that, no one expects a kid to purposely ride into you path.

 

That's because our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...

.... and a fanatical devotion to the pope.  Bring on the comfy chair!

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to DF9 | 6 years ago
5 likes

DF9 wrote:
Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

Don't think you can say that, no one expects a kid to purposely ride into you path.

yes they do. Anyone who's ever been a kid knows they do stupid things, and anyone who's seen kids doing stuff like this knows to stop and let them past. Continuing to drive when they saw this is criminally irresponsible in my opinion. 

Avatar
bikeman01 replied to Housecathst | 6 years ago
4 likes

Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

As for this kid, he was wheelying in the path of an oncoming car for some time, he could have moved but chose not to, got what he deserved.

Avatar
Housecathst replied to bikeman01 | 6 years ago
4 likes

bikeman01 wrote:

Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

As for this kid, he was wheelying in the path of an oncoming car for some time, he could have moved but chose not to, got what he deserved.

yeah, tell that to Kim Briggs....

Avatar
bikeman01 replied to Housecathst | 6 years ago
6 likes

Housecathst wrote:

bikeman01 wrote:

Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

As for this kid, he was wheelying in the path of an oncoming car for some time, he could have moved but chose not to, got what he deserved.

yeah, tell that to Kim Briggs....

She wasn't entirely blameless. She like many glued to her phone din't look when stepping into the road. Like I said stupid people...

Avatar
Pudsey Pedaller replied to bikeman01 | 6 years ago
8 likes

bikeman01 wrote:

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

If we're in a position to help, then yes, it is, especially when it comes to kids.

Avatar
HurdyGurdy replied to Pudsey Pedaller | 6 years ago
0 likes

Pudsey Pedaller wrote:

bikeman01 wrote:

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

If we're in a position to help, then yes, it is, especially when it comes to kids.

Not with these kids who already lost any sense of respect. I gladly protect innocent kids but not these packs of ferals.

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to HurdyGurdy | 6 years ago
5 likes

HurdyGurdy wrote:

Pudsey Pedaller wrote:

bikeman01 wrote:

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

If we're in a position to help, then yes, it is, especially when it comes to kids.

Not with these kids who already lost any sense of respect. I gladly protect innocent kids but not these packs of ferals.

judge, jury and executioner. You're no better than Ian Brady.

Avatar
HurdyGurdy replied to ConcordeCX | 6 years ago
0 likes

ConcordeCX wrote:

 

judge, jury and executioner. You're no better than Ian Brady.

 

if that makes you happy sure, not going to change my opinion - i see this ferals in action almost weekly on my commute, they will do this to unsuspecting motorists, toursists on pavements and other cyclists giving litte time to respond on busy london roads.

I can't believe the cycling community here has evolved into a group defending  these yobs.  

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to HurdyGurdy | 6 years ago
6 likes

HurdyGurdy wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

 

judge, jury and executioner. You're no better than Ian Brady.

 

if that makes you happy sure, not going to change my opinion - i see this ferals in action almost weekly on my commute, they will do this to unsuspecting motorists, toursists on pavements and other cyclists giving litte time to respond on busy london roads.

I can't believe the cycling community here has evolved into a group defending  these yobs.  

as opposed to people like you who want to kill children because they don't show you enough respect.

 

Avatar
HurdyGurdy replied to ConcordeCX | 6 years ago
0 likes

ConcordeCX wrote:

 

as opposed to people like you who want to kill children because they don't show you enough respect.

 

 

if kids start throwing themselves willfully in front of cars , then it might be an unintended consequence. I am not going out planning to kill them though if that is what you are implying 

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to HurdyGurdy | 6 years ago
4 likes

HurdyGurdy wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

 

as opposed to people like you who want to kill children because they don't show you enough respect.

 

 

if kids start throwing themselves willfully in front of cars , then it might be an unintended consequence. I am not going out planning to kill them though if that is what you are implying 

you describe them as Gerald feral,you don’t think the drivers should stop their cars, and you think they deserve what they get. That’s not ‘unintended consequences’, that’s planning to kill children you don’t like who get in your way.

Edit: feral, not Gerald!

Avatar
Pudsey Pedaller replied to HurdyGurdy | 6 years ago
8 likes

HurdyGurdy wrote:

Pudsey Pedaller wrote:

bikeman01 wrote:

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

If we're in a position to help, then yes, it is, especially when it comes to kids.

Not with these kids who already lost any sense of respect. I gladly protect innocent kids but not these packs of ferals.

Dehumanising these kids in order to justify not trying to protect them from harm is the same kind of attitude many drivers exhibit when they decide to put cyclists at risk.

In the same way that I want drivers to see me as a person, I would hope others could see these kids as people and not just a 'pack of ferals'. Likewise, just because the kids have chosen to act in a way that makes them more vulnerable, does not mean they deserve to be injured or killed any more than I do because I have chosen a mode of transport that makes me more vulnerable.

Avatar
HurdyGurdy replied to Pudsey Pedaller | 6 years ago
0 likes

Pudsey Pedaller wrote:

[

Dehumanising these kids in order to justify not trying to protect them from harm is the same kind of attitude many drivers exhibit when they decide to put cyclists at risk.

In the same way that I want drivers to see me as a person, I would hope others could see these kids as people and not just a 'pack of ferals'. Likewise, just because the kids have chosen to act in a way that makes them more vulnerable, does not mean they deserve to be injured or killed any more than I do because I have chosen a mode of transport that makes me more vulnerable.

 

I will do so if they start showing respect again - they are not vulnerable, the people they are doing these acts against are the vulnerable ones.  Accompany me on a nice evening cycle ride in London one night, these ferals are doing it to cars, pedestrians and other cyclists. 

Let's see if you going to be all so holier than the pope when they hit someone close to you.

Avatar
Accessibility f... replied to bikeman01 | 6 years ago
6 likes

bikeman01 wrote:

As for this kid, he was wheelying in the path of an oncoming car for some time, he could have moved but chose not to, got what he deserved.

He was wheelying in the path of an oncoming motorist, not a car.  The car is just a thing, it's the driver who made the decision to continue driving toward the cyclist.

And no, he got far more than he deserved.  What he deserves is a bollocking for being stupid - not injuries for riding into a motorist who decided he wasn't going to slow down or change his course.

Avatar
zanf replied to bikeman01 | 6 years ago
0 likes
bikeman01 wrote:

Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

Then why do we print "do not drink" on bottles of bleach?

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to zanf | 6 years ago
2 likes

zanf wrote:

Then why do we print "do not drink" on bottles of bleach?

Because bleach isn't for drinking?

Avatar
bikeman01 replied to zanf | 6 years ago
2 likes

zanf wrote:
bikeman01 wrote:

Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

Then why do we print "do not drink" on bottles of bleach?

I think most kids would know that being hit by  a car is going to hurt. so cars don't need labels. With bottole of bleach it's not quite so obvious so they have a warning.

Too stupid to take notice, you get what you deserve.

It's a shame the little sod wasn't hurt, it might have knocked some sense into him. As it is I expect he's just revellling in his brief notoriety.

Avatar
davel replied to bikeman01 | 6 years ago
4 likes
bikeman01 wrote:

It's a shame the little sod wasn't hurt, it might have knocked some sense into him. As it is I expect he's just revellling in his brief notoriety.

You never do anything a bit daft when you were a teenager? You never feel a bit susceptible to peer pressure?

Was it filmed and put on social media, for people you'll never meet to suggest you deserve to be hit by a car for it?

Interesting that you refer to 'little sod', on the bike? Why not 'big sod in the car who doesn't know when to stop'?

There's your bias.

Avatar
HurdyGurdy replied to bikeman01 | 6 years ago
2 likes

bikeman01 wrote:

Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

As for this kid, he was wheelying in the path of an oncoming car for some time, he could have moved but chose not to, got what he deserved.

 

Saw some stupid sh*t doing this a few weeks ago on tower bridge - driver had no means of taking evasive action as there is nowhere to go 

Kid got everything he deserved, those blaming the driver let's see what you are going to do when idiots like this swerve around your car.

Avatar
FluffyKittenofT... replied to bikeman01 | 6 years ago
7 likes

bikeman01 wrote:

Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

Stupid people (kids included) eventually get their dues and leave this world prematurely. It's not up to the rest of us to help them survive.

As for this kid, he was wheelying in the path of an oncoming car for some time, he could have moved but chose not to, got what he deserved.

 

As it happens I'd say he did, through luck not judgement, get about what he deserved - i.e. a trashed bike and a stint as a pedestrian.  The God of random chance seems to have called that one about right.  The trouble is the ouctome could have been worse, and the event doesn't give me much confidence in the driver's reflexes or attitude.

Avatar
HoarseMann replied to Housecathst | 6 years ago
2 likes

Housecathst wrote:

I’ve seen this video before, yes the kids a dick. but he’s right in front of the car for a significant period of time and the car driver drivers straight into him it’s not like he swerved in front at the last second.  It’s that sort of self entitlement that landed CA in prison for 18 months. There any number of reasons somebody could end up in the wrong lane it doesn’t mean a motorist should do nothing  to avoid a collision, it’s a kid FFS. 

It's worse than that. I looked at it again and the driver appears to swerve AT the cyclists prior to the collision, so far as to even cross over the centre line. Yes the cyclists are behaving in a stupid manner, but the car driver appears to retaliate inappropriately. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-41849928/danger...

Avatar
StraelGuy | 6 years ago
1 like

I'm beginning to think Darwin's death was actually just a cover up...

Pages

Latest Comments