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news
Justice (Lonpicman, Wikimedia Commons)"Senseless bullying" as frustrated motorist twice drove into cyclist taking the lane
A Bridgend motorist has been sentenced to 34 weeks imprisonment and banned from driving for two years after he twice drove into a cyclist while trying to overtake him. Jeffrey Young drove into Ian Edward in a bid to push him towards the kerb because the cyclist was riding in the middle of the road.
Wales Online reports that Edward was riding along Heol Fach from Porthcawl to North Cornelly at around 5pm on June 25, 2019 when Young approached from behind.
Edward was nearing the bridge under the M4 where the road narrows and so he moved to the middle of the road to prevent dangerous overtakes.
According to prosecutor Paul Hewitt, Young became impatient with Edward. He shouted at the cyclist and then pulled alongside him before turning towards him in an attempt to force him to the side of the road.
"The vehicle connected with the bike and pushed him closer to the kerb,” he said. Young then forced Edward into the kerb a second time and hit him in the leg.
After the cyclist hit the kerb, Young drove off at speed, while Edward called the police.
"I had no injuries but I was extremely shaken up and I thought this was person was going to kill me," he said.
When Young was arrested, he said Edward had been angry and had refused to move over. He also accused him of kicking his car, but later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
Defending, Stuart John said young had suffered mental health issues throughout his life and was now willing to get support to address this.
"This was a senseless piece of bullying which could have had terrible consequences,” said Judge Daniel Williams. "It is clear from everything I've heard you are bristling with grievances, some justified and some not."
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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26 comments
I seriously think the lax sentencing in courts for dangerous drivers is getting us ready for our inevitable post-apocalyptic future, as documented in the Mad Max films:
LAWYER: Your honour, my client admits shooting a giant crossbow bolt through the plantiff's side door, and into his leg, then accelerating away so that the chain connecting them caused his vehicle to flip over a dozen times then crash into a ravine. But he is the half-crazed Warrior of the Wasteland, so please be lenient."
JUDGE: OK, send him to prison for one night, and he is banned from driving for a fortnight.
LAWYER: But his income depends on his ability to drive. If he cannot terrorize the roads scavenging for the last remaining resources left behind by the old world, his harem of slave-girls will starve.
JUDGE: Very well, just make sure he doesn't get behind the wheel of his gas-powered death chariot until he has sobered up enough to take an online course.
having this sort of mental health issue and a driving licence does seem like having your cake and eating it.
Yes please to Regular driving re-tests - it would be an industry, an expense and I would have said up 'til now a vote-loser, but I wonder if we're reaching a tipping-point there?
If this gentleman really had Mental Health Issues (anger management, impulse control?) then he probably ought not to have been in control of a couple of tonnes of high powered motor vehicle in the first place. IMO.
Road 'islands' and similar junction pinch points cause me the most grief on urban rides. Keep left and someone inevitably tries to squeeze between you and the island; take primary and someone goes all the way onto the other side of the road and sweeps across in front of you. I guess for the vast majority of drivers it achieves the aim of traffic calming; just that the idiots see it as a 'test of strength' (MGIF). Just the same when driving and a dual carriageway ends (2 into 1 lanes).
They do seem to enrage some "traffic" rather than calming it.
It's not as though the islands that are meant as pedestrian refuges provide that much protection, seeing the state of most of the illuminated and/or retroflective bollards placed on them.
Or this-
https://road.cc/content/news/241387-video-astana-driver-almost-hits-tour...
Exactly - if you want to observe the state of driving in the UK, then just position yourself at the end of a section of dual carriageway on an A road. The main A road near us is absolutely typical - so much so that the relevant authorities are considering taking out a short section of DC as it only encourages the motons to race slower vehicles to the single lane. To the absolute horror of those wanting to reach the M6 two minutes earlier!
This is attempted murder.
But I guess in the UK it's called "senseless bullying".
He'll be out after 17 weeks, back on the road after 2 years, with more mental health issues than ever, to "senselessly bully" (read "attempt to murder") more cyclists.
Anyone who uses their car as a weapon should be banned from driving for life.
So it looks like we've found a line.. to get a custodial sentence you need to try and kill with a dangerous weapon 'twice'..
I presume if he's tried just the 'once' he'd have been sent on an awareness course and be told what a big fuss about nothing the cyclist was making.
Assume there was a witness or there was camera footage? From Google maps, definitely looks like a 'take primary position' place as there's a mini-island just after you exit from under the bridge.
You missed out the "He was also ordered to pay £95.97 in compensation."
A 2 year ban does not seem like enough to keep the Welsh public safe.
Deliberately hit someone with a car - dangerous driving (or in most cases, a lesser charge)
Deliberately hit someone with a hammer - assault, GBH, ABH, etc.
It's high time the CPS considered that a car can be a weapon.
As nice as that would be I'm not sure how a driving ban would be enforced especially as we want less of these individuals on the road. It's high time the CPS processed dangerous driving charges and the majistrates started to hand out maximum sentencing. I would love there to be driving courts established with no jury but a panel of majestrates to officiate.
Don't worry, that'll be addressed by the announced review into road traffic offences and sentencing.
Sorry, I've lost track; which decade was that?
Lost somewhere in the mists of time along with the report into Russian meddling in UK elections.
And Acuri, don't forget Acuri.
And unfortunately, as I discovered, it was Grayling who announced the review into road traffic offences and sentencing. Which kind of says it all really...
Suffered from mental health issues? Is this the new (trying to) 'Get of Jail Free' card?
Shouldn't this be a reason not to issue someone with a licence to kill and maim?
The trouble is a driving license is for life ( well over 75's have a review) so someone could pass at 17 and not have to review new laws or confirm their driving standards Or even confirm health state for almsost 60 years.
Mandatory retest every 5 years. A simulator drive, so AI can assess observation and reaction skills. A minor medical, eyesight, heart function etc.
Points based insurance premium. poor drivers, higher premium and black box
The government would rake in million s , also pickup on early medical issues, prevention and early treatment.
Maybe a step too far for the majority of motorists, but a mandatory 5 year retest for anyone who has ever been banned from driving could be a good start without overwhelming the existing system, focusing on those who perhaps represent the highest risk to others and think of the deterrant value.
Agree.
Black box for every vehicle on the road, no exceptions. If nothing else it would be a great way to clamp down on the regular speeding in 30 mph zones that seems to be currently considered OK by 80+% of drivers. The law would apply equally to jerks in Audis, white van drivers and taxi drivers all pretending that it is important for them to both break the law and put other people at risk on a daily basis as part of their job.
My mother is one visit to the memory clinic away from a diagnosis that will take her off the roads for good. Having recently spent a lot of time off work in a care situation and witnessed what passes for driving during the day from most old people in Waitrose and M and S car parks when I've been taking her out, I'm all for mandatory retests.
Most people should not be driving past 75. Driving badly but slowly is not 'safe'. In my experience some of the closest passes are also the slowest drivers.
Surely he shouldn't be allowed to drive again until he is recovered from his mental problems? In two years time he could be a lot worse and with even more grievances, looking for a cyclist to take them out on.
Just because someone claims in defence their actions were the result of mental health it doesn't mean mental health, if he actually had problems, would have anything to do with his driving, and as the judge made no referral to counselling/mental health support it would suggest the judge didn't believe him on that point.
As per The_Kaner's point, MH is another item to add to this list to be use as an excuse when some ahole sees fit.
And besides, you're more likely to be killed or injured by "the normals" who drive than someone who actually has a mental health diagnosis.
Pick up any local rag and half the sentences will have this sob story attached.
In a purely scientific way, yes, most crimes involve a degree of mental stress and divergence from the norm but the courts shouldn't let it be a blanket excuse.