A cyclist in Leeds says he was “scared for my life” after a van driver chased him, with one of the vehicle’s occupants subsequently demanding he hand over his bike.
The victim of the incident, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Yorkshire Evening Post that the incident happened on his way home from work on Crossgates Road just after 6pm yesterday.
He said that as he rode home, a van drew up alongside him.
"I saw the white van with black windows,” he said. "An old guy was smoking a cigarette and looked over at me on my bike.
"I didn’t think anything of it, then two minutes later the van pulled along the side of me and the passenger was covering his face.
"I thought there is something wrong so I started to pedal away and the van pulled over to the right.
"I turned around and pedalled the other direction and the van spun round and then came after me so I went through a ginnel [alleyway] to come out on the other side."
The van driver continued to pursue him as far as his father’s house, where the cyclist managed to get the bike inside.
He then left to visit a work colleague whom he had been speaking to when the initial incident happened.
However, on his way there, the van returned and a man got out.
"He jumped out with something in his hand asking where the bike was and for me to go and get it,” the cyclist said.
"He chased me and kept going around looking for me. I am scared for my life after what happened."
During the incident, the cyclist sustained cuts and bruises and he added: "I don't want to go out on my bike now so I will have to get a taxi for work in case I see them again."
The incident has been reported to West Yorkshire Police and officers can be contacted on 101.
Simon has been news editor at road.cc since 2009, reporting on 10 editions and counting of pro cycling’s biggest races such as the Tour de France, stories on issues including infrastructure and campaigning, and interviewing some of the biggest names in cycling. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, his background has proved invaluable in reporting on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, and the bike industry. He splits his time between London and Cambridge, and loves taking his miniature schnauzer Elodie on adventures in the basket of her Elephant Bike.