Video footage of a road rage attack on a cyclist has been released by Greater Manchester Police in a bid to track down the driver responsible - the video was shot by the cyclist on his helmet cam.
In the film a dark-coloured BMW is seen driving dangerously close to the rider, who remonstrates (politely) with the driver. The BMW then pulls over, blocking the rider in against the kerb and the driver proceed to get out and both verbally and physically assault the cyclist, grabbing him by the throat.
Appealing for help in identifying the assailant PC Matt Dixon of the GMP said “This is as clear an example of road rage as you are likely to see and we are working hard to identify the person responsible.
"The victim has every right to be on the road and it is not acceptable that he has been targeted in this way.”
"I want the driver, if he sees this appeal, to come forward and I also want to hear from anyone who knows who he is."
The incident happened in St John's Road in Longsight on 26 January. A cleaned-up still image on the Manchester Evening News website gives a reasonably clear picture of the driver who appears (0:23) to be wearing an ID card on a lanyard which might indicate he is licensed by a local authority in the way a minicab driver would be.
Given the debate about the use of helmet cams on road.cc recently and the suggestion by some that they are in themselves a "provocation" to drivers it is worth noting that in this case the driver seems to stop once he is made aware that the incident is being recorded on camera.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4228, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111
Help us to fund our site
We’ve noticed you’re using an ad blocker. If you like road.cc, but you don’t like ads, please consider subscribing to the site to support us directly. As a subscriber you can read road.cc ad-free, from as little as £1.99.
If you don’t want to subscribe, please turn your ad blocker off. The revenue from adverts helps to fund our site.
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £1.99. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.
Tony has been editing cycling magazines and websites since 1997 starting out as production editor and then deputy editor of Total Bike, acting editor of Total Mountain Bike and then seven years as editor of Cycling Plus. He launched his first cycling website - the Cycling Plus Forum at the turn of the century. In 2006 he left C+ to head up the launch team for Bike Radar which he edited until 2008, when he co-launched the multi-award winning road.cc - which he continues to edit today. His favourite ride is his ‘commute’ - which he does most days inc weekends and he’s been cycle-commuting since 1994. His favourite bikes are titanium and have disc brakes.
Latest Comments
brooksby
16 min 4 sec ago
That Salford 'roundabout' is a very tight circle. I'm not sure I'd want to go around there in the wet...
That Salford 'roundabout' is a very tight circle. I'm not sure I'd want to go around there in the wet...
The zip broke on my Harrington.
Can I ask you for a cite on those 900mm and 1200mm numbers, please, Dave? Very geniune question - I'm trying to get to the bottom of this. It's a...
Brammeiers' comments are probably factually correct but the tone isn't acceptable....
Just checking start time for Brugge -De Panne and it looks like the window shuts a little early at 8 am UK time. Looks like race starts at 10.30 am...
I suspect this has been on the cards since the early 90s, with rumoured lobbying from teams including March and Footwork.
Aha! *That* is the real reason that being able to accelerate is a "safety feature"! "In the event of fire, break glass (windscreen) and accelerate...
I've got one, not ridden with it in winter, but the battery life isnt great, I do use the silicon case to protect from water/mud as it gets a...
I'd rather take my bike to Halfords. That's something I thought I'd never say!
and then to be asked to comment on it! and yet, here I am