The Sun publishes footage of cyclist being hit by driver on roundabout… and asks ‘who is in the wrong?’; Riled-up fans vs devout Lance Armstrong apologists; Djokovic says he “won’t repeat fun but dangerous” Arc de Triomphe ride + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“We had cars all over the place”: Novak Djokovic says he “it’s great to see Paris from the bicycle” but won’t repeat “fun but dangerous” bike ride around Arc de Triomphe after almost getting taken out by driver
While tennis’ big three came together to bid adieu to the greatest clay court maestro earlier this week at Roland Garros, one third of that trio is still going strong despite all odds, seeing off French player Corentin Moutet in straight sets yesterday.
However, that wasn’t the reason why Djokovic was making headlines (at least in the cycling world, for sure), but it was the 38-year-old’s close call on the bike with a driver while going around the Arc de Triomphe.
The Serbian was asked about his experience of cycling in Paris in the post-match conference, and he said: “I’ve done some bike rides in the past in Paris, but I haven’t done one in a while. Roland Garros was kind enough to gift me a bicycle, so I used it yesterday for the first time. We were trying our luck a little bit with that roundabout of Arc de Triomphe, to be honest, and at one point we had cars all over the place.
“It was quite an adrenaline experience, but I don’t think I’ll repeat that, especially in that environment where we were filmed. Probably in all other streets, it’s much more safe. We were crazy enough to get into that roundabout… it was fun, but at one point also a bit dangerous.
He added: “It’s great to see Paris from the bicycle. I think it’s just more fun when you’re not stuck in traffic — with a car at times, can be frustrating for whatever reason. But with a bicycle, it’s just beautiful. If you can go around that area, the epicentre of Paris, there are so many beautiful things to see.”
Djokovic isn’t new to cycling. In 2016, the Olympic champion and former world number one was banned from riding his bike at Wimbledon for “safety reasons”. Last year, he even jokingly showed up wearing a bike helmet after a metal bottle fell on his head while he was signing autographs at the Italian Open.
And in something straight out of the uncanny valley, last year’s incident happened after he beat Moutet… make of that what you will.
“A real shame”: Riled-up cynical cycling fans face off against devout Lance Armstrong apologists after disgraced racer’s latest defiant antic — but the real question… is his non-alcoholic beer any good?
It’s arguable that Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace, after winning seven consecutive Tour de France titles and having all of them stricken from the annals of history after a doping investigation that would tarnish the sport’s image for years to come, is really unparalleled. One could even argue that another sportsperson, after such a public undoing, would want to withdraw into a life of tranquillity.
But no, it’s Le Boss Big Tex we’re talking about. Not only has he doubled down on what he describes as a witch-hunt and unfair treatment, but he’s found a myriad ways to do so — the latest being the release of an American non-alcoholic beer, and posting a social media advert filmed alongside his seven framed maillot jaunes.
The fallout has been, as you expected, mega. Comment sections are once again ablaze with cynical cycling fans having a go at the 53-year-old, while the coked-up on nostalgia fanatics did their best to shower their appreciations.
“Quite disheartening to see Lance Armstrong continue to profit off the symbolism of the yellow jersey, especially after being stripped of his titles for doping,” commented one person. “Capitalising on a tainted past to sell a product feels more like exploitation than accountability. Integrity in sport, and in how athletes use their platform, should matter. Cheers to profiting off dishonour.”
And of course, there were people commenting: “He just doped better than all the other dopers,” and “All won on a level-playing field.”
Meanwhile, Nigel on Facebook commented: “The challenge with Armstrong’s legacy isn’t so much that he cheated in a time when so many did. It’s the fact that he gave hope to so many with the narrative around his comeback from cancer and the Livestrong campaign. Livestrong was a great piece of work and philanthropy, all of it undermined because the foundations that the story was built on were fundamentally flawed.”
If you’re to ask for your live blog host’s two cents, he’d moan that no one other than one road.cc reader has answered the real question: how does the damn thing from the Connecticut-based brewers, who also sponsor Arsenal Football Club, taste? According to Steve K: “It’s quite decent.”
Tour de France stage winner dies during 1,000km charity ride, as tributes paid to “popular figure loved by entire peloton”
“There’s not a single gesture of empathy”: Commentator says UAE Team Emirates’ treatment of Juan Ayuso wasn’t a “good look” after the Spaniard’s abandonment
It’s been a rough few days for Juan Ayuso at the Giro d’Italia. The Spanish rider, who came to the Giro with hopes of cementing himself as GC team leader in Tadej Pogačar’s absence, had already suffered a huge knock to his ambitions after being outclassed by his young Mexican teammate Isaac del Toro, who currently holds the pink jersey.
To make matters worse, Ayuso started yesterday’s stage 18 with a swollen eye after an unexpected encounter with a wasp the day before. “A bee went inside my helmet and I can’t see out my right eye,” Ayuso said, revealing the damage beneath his glasses. “I don’t want people to make captions of it because I know it’s going to go viral, but yeah, it is what it is…”
Against the advice of the UAE Team Emirates-XRG doctor, Ayuso decided to start the stage anyway, determined to “try and give my best for the team”. But with matters made worse by his knee injury, it quickly became clear that his Giro was over. After struggling up the first climb, he called over the team car and abandoned the race, unable to push through the pain and vision issues.
Some fans have raised eyebrows at how his withdrawal was handled by his team. As the 21-year-old stepped off his bike, there was no visible sign of consolation from UAE Team Emirates. No pat on the back, no supportive words — just a cold and clinical end to a rider’s three-week journey.
Juan Antonio Flecha didn’t mince words on Eurosport: “A rider steps off the bike just two days before the end of the race, while you’re defending the lead, and there’s not a single gesture of empathy. Not even a hug.
“Ayuso may not have shown his best form, but the team director in the car seemed more concerned with other things — getting water or dealing with something else — when the priority should’ve been supporting a young and important rider who’s just dropped out. Juan had his problems and couldn’t overcome them — fine. But management also needs to be emotionally present for the rider, and in this case, they weren’t. It wasn’t a good look.”
Ellen van Dijk home and recovering from concussion and fractured shoulder after crash at Lekkerkerk
There’s been an update on Ellen van Dijk’s condition following her crash at the Ronde van Lekkerkerk on May 29. The Lidl-Trek rider suffered a concussion and fractured right shoulder but is thankfully back home and on the mend.
“Yesterday Ellen crashed bad in the Ronde van Lekkerkerk. I was there within a minute, I was watching together with my father and [their child] Faas. When I arrived, Ellen was out of consciousness. Luckily she responded after a short while,” her partner Benjamin shared on social media.
“She was then brought to the hospital where she was diagnosed with signs of a concussion and a fractured shoulder. Which was kind of a relief. She could go home with me already yesterday.”
He added: “Thanks for all the kind messages and the good care of the people who were there! Ellen is not able to respond for at least a few days (precautionary procedure), but she really appreciates all the kind messages.”
Update (written by Benjamin):
Yesterday Ellen crashed bad in the Ronde van Lekkerkerk. I was there within a minute, I was watching together with my father and Faas. When I arrived, Ellen was out of consiousness. Luckily she responded after a short while.1/3
📸@stephantellier pic.twitter.com/cARzSSYC2J
— Ellen van Dijk (@ellenvdijk) May 30, 2025
The crash happened during the afternoon criterium after Van Dijk had already placed second behind Marianne Vos in the time trial that morning. Race organisers quickly neutralised the race and ultimately abandoned it, citing the severity of the crash.
“Behind [Femke Markus], it was Van Dijk who did the work together with a few other riders in the chase, until the moment of the nasty crash,” they noted.
It’s a tough blow for Van Dijk, who only returned to racing in February 2024 after taking time off to have her first child. She’s been in excellent form this spring, winning the Vuelta a Extremadura Femenina and helping Lidl-Trek to victory in the opening TTT at La Vuelta Femenina.
Brake pad wall of shame
As someone who’s recently been struggling to fix a squeaky brake pad, this hits a bit closer to home…
My LBS has a wall of shame.
byu/thegroundhurts inJustridingalong
Pidcock dropped from the peloton at Giro, could end up falling out of general classification top 20
It’s not looking good for Tom Pidcock today. The Q36.5 team leader rider has been dropped from the peloton and is visibly struggling in the heat. He began the day 13th overall in the general classification, but with the pace still moderate and the toughest climbs ahead, he’s at risk of sliding out of the top 20 entirely.
Meanwhile, up front, Wout van Aert is also being shelled out of the breakaway group. That’s a surprise, considering how steady the group has been for the past few kilometres. Van Aert’s presence was expected to be key for Simon Yates today, but Visma-Lease a Bike might be rethinking those plans if their Belgian star can’t stay in the mix.
Critical Mass protest rides out: Cyclists and immigrant rights groups push back on NYPD Commissioner’s e-bike crackdown
It’s shaping up to be a defining moment for bike advocacy in New York City this evening, as the Critical Mass protest ride sets off from Union Square at 6 p.m., winding its way to City Hall to confront what cyclists and immigrant rights groups have branded an “overpolicing” of e-bikes by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
The ride, organised by the New York City Bike Messengers Association, comes after Tisch doubled down on her policy of issuing criminal summonses to cyclists jumping red lights.
“Hands off our bikes. Stop overpolicing cyclists,” a flier for the ride read, according to Streetsblog NYC.
“All NYC cyclists know that intersection will be a hot spot for cops handing out tickets the next day, not to motorists, but to us,” the Bike Messengers Association said in a statement. “In a place where tragedy has occurred, the potential next victims suffer the consequences of the city’s failure to keep streets safe. Riders are being deterred from biking or simply trying to do their jobs due to fear of criminalisation and deportation.”
The protest is backed by groups including Transportation Alternatives, Time’s Up!, Los Deliveristas Unidos, Ridgewood Rides, Loca-MŌ, NYC Bike + Brew, Get Women Cycling and Queer Joy Ride—showcasing a broad alliance of cyclists, delivery workers and immigrant advocates.
On Thursday, Tisch insisted that standard traffic tickets for cyclists “are virtually meaningless,” saying that only license and license plate requirements, along with criminal summonses, would work as enforcement tools for e-bike rules. But she again failed to back her argument with data to show cyclists skip out on civil traffic tickets more than drivers do.
Meanwhile, new data from the Department of Transportation handed to Streetsblog shows pedestrian injuries from e-bikes have dropped by nearly 50 per cent compared to last year, raising fresh questions about the need for such a heavy-handed response. Kevin Duggan’s full story on the new injury data and Sophia Lebowitz’s piece on Tisch’s endgame are worth a read for the bigger picture.
Widower of pedestrian killed by cyclist supports ‘dangerous cycling’ life sentences – but says “waiting so long is an absolute disgrace” after slamming “horrifying” police treatment of fatal collision
Pope Leo XIV to greet Giro d’Italia cyclists passing through Vatican City on Sunday in tribute to late Pope Francis
The Giro d’Italia will have a unique moment on Sunday as the riders are greeted by Pope Leo XIV while they pass through Vatican City. It’s a tribute to the late Pope Francis, who had supported the idea when Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça first proposed it.
The greeting is set for 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 1, as the peloton enters the Vatican from Via Paolo VI through the Petriano Entrance.
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The plan for the Giro to pass through Vatican City has been in the works since 2021, when Athletica Vaticana was formally recognised by the UCI. The Vatican route itself is about three kilometres long, weaving through some pretty iconic spots.
After rolling past St. Peter’s Basilica and the sacristy, the riders will wind their way up to the Vatican Gardens, pass the Church of Saint Stephen of the Abyssinians, the Vatican Railway Station and the Governor’s Palace.
From there, they’ll continue by the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery and the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, then pass Saint John’s Tower and the Vatican Heliport. The route finishes with the “Marian Path,” decorated with images of the Virgin Mary venerated in different cultures worldwide.
The last section takes them through the Quadrangular Garden and past the Vatican Museums on an avenue dedicated to sport — a nod to Pope Pius X’s early 20th-century competitions that even influenced the names of the local streets. Finally, the riders will pass the Sistine Chapel and the apse of St. Peter’s Basilica before heading back onto Italian roads through the Porta del Perugino.
Nicolas Prodhomme solos to stage 19 victory as del Toro tightens grip on maglia rosa ahead of all-important penultimate Alpine stage
Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale’s Nicolas Prodhomme triumphed solo on a brutal stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia, conquering a day packed with climbing that saw the general classification contenders tested to the limit.
The stage burst into life as Wout van Aert launched the first attack, setting off a frenzy of moves that eventually formed a huge breakaway of over 30 riders. The relentless gradients (at times, in double figures) of the Col Tzecore and Col Saint-Pantaléon quickly thinned the breakaway and the peloton alike, with riders like Adam Yates and Thymen Arensman among those dropped early.
With under 60 kilometres to go, the breakaway group had been whittled down to ten riders. Antonio Tiberi, Carlos Verona and Prodhomme emerged as the strongest, working together before Prodhomme made his decisive move on the final climb, Antagnod.
Behind, Richard Carapaz launched repeated attacks from the GC group, but Isaac del Toro was always glued to his wheel, responding smoothly and showing no signs of cracking. Simon Yates, unable to match their pace, lost time to the two leaders.
Prodhomme’s gap hovered around 1:40 minutes with eight kilometres remaining, and the 28-year-old French rider powered down the final descent into Champoluc, celebrating an emotional stage win after 4 hours and 50 minutes in the saddle.
Del Toro outsprinted Carapaz to take second place, adding precious bonus seconds to his lead in the general classification. The Mexican now has a 43-second advantage over Carapaz, with Yates slipping to third, 1:21 back, before tomorrow’s all-important Alpine stage that will decide who wears the maglia rosa and lifts the Giro trophy in Rome.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
The Sun publishes eight-year-old footage of cyclist being hit on roundabout by motorist found guilty of driving without reasonable consideration... and asks ‘who is in the wrong?’ (and somehow, CyclingMikey is involved)
The Sun’s got a real scoop this time — and it’s eight years old! They’ve dredged up footage of a cyclist being knocked off his bike by a red Fiat in 2017 at a roundabout in Waterlooville, Hampshire, with the driver found guilty and banned for six months for driving without reasonable consideration. And yet, The Sun decided to frame it as a debate: “Who is in the wrong?”
In the clip, the cyclist can be seen “hurtling along a main road in the left-hand lane, before shifting to the right-hand side,” as The Sun put it. Moments later, he’s wiped out by the driver, Natasha Howes, who didn’t see him on the roundabout and ploughed straight into his bike.
Recounting the crash, Ian, who was left with cuts and grazes, as well as minor neck pain and numbness in his legs, said: “I am very lucky I wasn’t more seriously hurt. I bounced off the side of the car; if I had hit the bonnet, that could well have been it. Everything could have been much, much worse.”
He added: “It was a lovely summer evening and I was doing a 12-mile ride. I was just going round the roundabout and she was coming onto it but she didn’t see me, she didn’t stop at all.
“I let out this yelp and was thrown into the air. When I got up I thought she was going to pull into the bus stop, but she just drove off. I couldn’t believe it.”
Cycling Mikey hit at a roundabout pic.twitter.com/C3lGtjz6EP
— Billy (@billy_btm) May 27, 2025
Following the ordeal, Ian said he was worried to cycle again, even saying he wouldn’t let his children ride on the roads.
But for The Sun, the real story is apparently the “debate” online. The comments they highlighted include one that sneered: “Why do cyclists think bikes are their own car? Like who rides a bike on a roundabout?” and another that insisted: “Car in the right here – you should’ve slowed down.”
At least one viewer seemed to remember how roundabouts work: “Yes, the biker didn’t signal, but it doesn’t matter, if it had been a car, that red car would’ve driven straight into it.”
As if that wasn’t enough confusion, the video was also initially posted by an account pretending to be famous camera cyclist Mike van Erp, aka CyclingMikey on TikTok — leading to some trolls celebrating the crash under the false impression it was him.
Mike had to step in to clarify: “So this isn’t my TikTok account (I don’t have one) and the guy has spent hours and hours re-editing my videos and pretending to be me. I think there’s weeks’ worth of work he’s put in, and now that he’s at 29k followers.
“I’ll spend 10 mins submitting copyright strikes, and soon enough, all his work will be deleted and he’ll lose his TikTok account.”
He again shared The Sun’s ‘news’ article on social media yesterday, writing: “Here’s a bit more about the cyclist/red car collision that many people thought was me. The driver was banned for six months, well deserved.”
Here’s a bit more about the cyclist/red car collision that many people thought was me. The driver was banned for six months, well deserved.https://t.co/1b40swh2Zw
— CyclingMikey the Unspeakable (@MikeyCycling) May 29, 2025
In the end, Ian’s experience is the story that really matters. “Unfortunately, you’ve got to have the attitude that everybody is out there to kill you. It’s sad,” he said after the crash. “I avoid city traffic as much as possible. Car drivers just don’t give cyclists the time of day.”
So yes, The Sun, in case you’re still wondering: the driver was in the wrong — and the cyclist was lucky to walk away.
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Latest Comments
Not sure what being a “family man and business owner” has to with it, though. That's no guarantee of good character or trustworthiness. We've seen any number of "family men and business owners" abusing, threatening, or running cyclists off the road in stories here on road.cc - often using their business vehicle to do it.
@Mr Anderson One of the comments was from a person who describes himseld as a "family man and business owner", who fought off two attackers trying to rob him and is now facing charges of GBH. I am reminded of "The Little Onion"'s brush with the law and Dave Clifford's prosecution for reporting a phone driver.
@swagman But what if they are sleeping bags or stoves that are not specifically designed for cycling, just might be useful for some cyclists, that would definitely be crossing a line to a new low, wouldn't it?
Don't see what's so baffling - fashion's always moved in cycles.
An UTTERLY DEPRESSING day! For over 4 years I have been seriously considering giving up cycling. I have escaped 1 bikejacking attempt, and managed to avoid 2 others (1 in Orpington where 2 other cyclists were robbed in June 2022 reported by Road.cc). I have survived several attempts to deliberately push me off from passing motorists. Then there are the lucky escapes from near collisions with distracted drivers. I have watched many videos from bikepackers, mainly Josh Parsons, and I decided I needed to return to off-road cycling if I am to continue enjoying cycling, free from those threats. This morning, YT suggested this video: https://youtu.be/a9PDAOYVYm0?si=G2ZoPkLq9jT2tbXQ Then I read the many, many comments. Not only that, the locations of these incidents. For some while I have been considering where I can move to in the UK to find better roads to cycle on, but I am beginning to believe the blight I experience in SE London, Kent and Surrey, are widespread. Over the last few years I have been a subscriber to road.cc. This is because this appears to be the only publication in the UK that is willing to highlight the bad situations many of us cyclists face regularly. But in recent months I am now under the impression even this forum is shying away from reporting the bad stuff. So I have ended my subscription. I am now left yet again pondering my future cycling choices!!
@Rendel Harris Yes - it is. And you're personally responsible for it.
@swagman So it's "crossing the line" and "a new low" to review a product that doesn't fit with the way that you like to do your cycle holidays? Just a tiny bit solipsistic, don't you think? It's a tent, it fits on a car, some people take their cycling holidays using their cars and camping, therefore it may be of interest to those cyclists. It's not what you're looking for, that's fine, for other readers it might be just the ticket.
@Pub bike Indeed. Too many drivers don't give a shit about pedestrians and cyclists no matter what car they are in. Why would they care if they are in an SUV?
Isn't this the whole problem in a nutshell? Takes ages to deliver half a scheme, which is then poor at the intended purpose, thus promoting even the middle ground to conclude that few want to cycle and it's a waste of money / capacity? The status quo is that way because it's self-reinforcing (now... with large injecting of taxpayer money...) Cars offer convenience. But they also reduce any desire to walk / cycle in closer proximity to them. Because they're space-inefficient they then take over spaces. And for decades we've framed "where should we site x" in terms of "can people drive there from y", building in motor dependency. Then: because all the money and effort goes into motor vehicle works, the councils don't have expertise or large budgets to hand for active travel - especially not cycling. Because of the space inefficiency and incentive to drive, small losses in motoring capacity can easily lead to substantial delays and (short term) congestion. And thus promote an outsize reaction from drivers. ("No alternatives" - because we've gone all-in on motoring). And businesses everywhere consistently overestimate the importance of customers being able to *drive* to their business.
Sorry, but Glasgow City Council keep quoting Victoria Road, and the higher than average share of traffic thats on bikes. The majority of the road is blocked to cars, with only buses and taxi's permitted beyond the southern end, so cars generally avoid going via this route. It's meaningless. Try looking at the parallel roads to see where the cars are. I am a keen cyclist and all for safer riding, but how Glasgow has gone about this - and totally mismanaged its delivery with schemes that should take months taking years, resulting in chaos and a city that looks like a council dump - has resulted in unprecedented animosity toward cyclists. Glasgow isnt a model to shout about.
82 thoughts on “The Sun publishes footage of cyclist being hit by driver on roundabout… and asks ‘who is in the wrong?’; Riled-up fans vs devout Lance Armstrong apologists; Djokovic says he “won’t repeat fun but dangerous” Arc de Triomphe ride + more on the live blog”
“Band Wagon”. It so
“Band Wagon”. It so beautifully describes the whole Lance Armstrong topic, for all sides.
Can’t be long before (unless
Can’t be long before (unless it’s happened already?) he appears with Trump, smiles and rugged manly handshakes all round
Huston: we have a problem
Houston: we have a problem
Britain’s ‘most woke’ £2m roundabout due to open next week
https://www.mylondon.news/news/transport/britains-most-woke-2m-roundabout-31744635
“Woke” – is it because the
“Woke” – is it because the rainbow colours? Is it because “it identifies as something we say it’s not”?
Or is it in the positive sense e.g. a roundabout that takes note of systemic inequalities and discrimination…?
None of that, “Woke” because
None of that, “Woke” because the half-wits who wrote it, don’t know what woke means.
Legin wrote:
In this context “woke” would appear to mean “inclusive”.
That’s the beauty of the word. If you’re a lazy journalist or politician, “woke” can mean almost anything you want it to.
Once upon a time they needed
Once upon a time they needed to know what a dictionary looked like!
Legin wrote:
I have yet to find anyone who uses it who can define it.
eburtthebike wrote:
And their definition changes week to week, even day to day.
At this point “woke” has lost
At this point “woke” has lost all credible meaning and only used by those who have no argument to make.
Is My London operated by The
Is My London operated by The Fail? Not as many nutter comments as I was hoping for, but I don’t like the idea of braking (when exiting the roundabout to give way to pedestrians) is a start
Done
Done
It’s not the braking they’re
It’s not the braking they’re worried about it’s the driver following them 2 inches from their boot who doesn’t react in time.
I hope they leave the cones..
I hope they leave the cones…
I didn’t tune in until later
I didn’t tune in until later yesterday so I missed the Ayuso withdrawal but prima facie criticising the team for not giving him public displays of consolation seems a bit harsh. The team’s job in that situation would be to get the rider and his bike into/onto the team car as quickly as possible to avoid any chance of getting into a position where their ability to assist the riders still on the road might be compromised, not to give performative displays of empathy to satisfy the commentators. I’m sure once that had been achieved there were words of consolation in the privacy of the team environment.
However, one has to say that UAE are at fault for letting Ayuso ride at all, especially as he had a visual impairment which could’ve been dangerous up to the point of being fatal if it compromised his ability to identify hazards. If the team doctor says a rider shouldn’t ride, the team director should pull them out, no ifs or buts.
The Sun published the story
The Sun published the story because the video went viral and has been trending most of the week on X with the hashtag #cyclingmikey
And the responses have been exactly what you’d expect
More righty “woke”nonsense,
More righty “woke”nonsense, trying to cancel cyclists. It’s freedom of speech gone mad I tell you.
I was highlighting why the
I was highlighting why the Sun has randomly covered an old video, its because of the recent trending it has had on social media.
And so you’ve completely lost me on the point you’re trying to make there back in response.
You’re overthinking it
You’re overthinking it
The Zen way to follow a slow
The Zen way to follow a slow cyclist
“I imagine I’m their support
“I imagine I’m their support crew, with tools, a spare chain, a whole spare bike on the roof. And a spare violin, in this case”
Interesting study of social
Interesting study of social media, cycling and local politics, featuring your very favourite cycling website!:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03003930.2025.2500932
“Does social media influence local elected leaders? A study of online engagement methods through the lens of cycling policymaking in the United Kingdom”
A couple of rogue characters
A couple of rogue characters on the end of your link there – stripped them off here:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03003930.2025.2500932
(Also, good practice to warn people when you’re linking to a file/download – might not jump out at people from the link that this is a PDF.)
mdavidford wrote:
Farage? Boris? Truss? Tell us please.
Come on Adwitiya…
Come on Adwitiya…
“…a cyclist being knocked off his bike by a red Fiat …”
should be
“… a cyclist being knocked off his bike by THE DRIVER OF a red Fiat…”
Good to see how many drivers
Good to see how many drivers stopped to check Ian was okay in the roundabout clip, a sum total of…zero, including the woman who hit him. I wonder how she managed to get away with just the driving without reasonable consideration charge and not also be charged with leaving the scene of an accident?
Memories of my teenage years (as Groucho Marx said, no need to bring the Civil War into this) when I slid on a diesel spill on the roundabout underneath the A3 in Raynes Park and cracked my noggin (pre-helmet days). As I lay dazed in the middle lane of three, still strapped into the pedals (pre-SPD days as well), drivers of cars, vans and lorries all manoeuvred around me, several passing within a few inches of me or the bike and a number sounding their horns. Fortunately a motorcycle cop arrived…and told me to get up and move to the side of the road because I was causing an obstruction. He then proceeded to carry out the most rigourous medical assessment, consisting of saying “are you okay?” When I said I wasn’t sure he said, “Probably best if you walk home instead of riding” and drove off. Hadn’t thought of that for ages!
Rendel Harris wrote:
That’s unfair – she clearly waited long enough to see him get up in her mirror; and only then carried on with her day…
Perhaps checking whether if
Perhaps checking whether if she’d have to nip off and make up an excuse…
She should move to Scotland, she could drive off and forget the incident – and tell the police that if there was ever any inquiry. “Aye, fair enough. You probably thought you’d hit a deer or something? We’ll close this one. Have a good day.”
chrisonabike wrote:
I would hazard a guess that she probably got away with it by claiming that she was too scared by the angry sweary cyclist to risk interacting with him, she saw that he could get up unassisted and therefore knew he didn’t need emergency help…can’t be certain of course but I’ve come across plenty of cases where the police/CPS have accepted that as an excuse.
People just don’t stop, I’ve
People just don’t stop, I’ve witnessed it and experienced it myself they just treat you or the victim left in a heap in the road as an obstacle and drive on.
Rendel Harris wrote:
The concussion from your incident might have a part to play in that.
ROOTminus1 wrote:
What incident? Who said that?
The Sun publishes footage of
The Sun publishes footage of cyclist being hit by driver on roundabout… and asks ‘who is in the wrong?’
The Sun.
“Man walks up to a random
“Man walks up to a random cyclist, shoots him in the head, jury convicts him of murder….who is in the wrong?”
the little onion wrote:
A) The cyclist
B) The cyclist and the cyclist’s woke friends
C) The cyclist and Sir Keir Starmer
I mean, clearly the shooter
I mean, clearly the shooter was provoked…
Almost Telegraph standards of
Almost Telegraph standards of reporting this in the local paper, a story about two dog walkers with dogs off lead, who entered a protected ground nesting area disturbing nesting birds,which is against the PSPO order in place.
The picture they use to illustrate this story with the headline Landguard Nature Reserve falls victim to trespassers.
Two cyclists cycling along the cycle path
https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/25204098.landguard-nature-reserve-falls-victim-trespassers/
This is why people like Paul
This is why people like Paul Doyle exist – anger and entitlement issues supported by racist, cocaine snorting, alcoholic partner beaters i.e. Sun/Mail/Telegraph so called ‘journalists’. Yes I am happy to lump all the filth into one stereotype.
Wonder if the Sun will run an article to ask if Paul Doyle was in the right, or the 79 Liverpool parade pedestrians he smashed into? Answer: it was clearly their fault for walking in the road.
Wonder if the Sun will run an
Wonder if the Sun will run an article to ask if Paul Doyle was in the right, or the 79 Liverpool parade pedestrians he smashed into? Answer: it was clearly their fault
Well the Sun has ‘form’ on this- Hillsborough
Dropped wrote:
Wonder if the Sun will run an article to ask if Paul Doyle was in the right, or the 79 Liverpool parade pedestrians he smashed into? Answer: it was clearly their fault for walking in the road.— Dropped
I am unsure where you get information that supports such a biased and prejudicial opinion.
Where do your outragoues assumptions stem from?
What foaming, frothing, spittle inducing media caused you to spout such an unsupported assertion?
Far too early to consider what may have catalysed the occurence. Prosecutor Philip Astbury:
“This is very much an ongoing investigation and there are many witnesses still be interviewed and a great deal of CCTV still to be analysed and, of course, medical evidence to be secured.”
Perhaps you might consider his time in the military, protecting “our country” and reflect upon some of the operations our veterans were obliged to serve on, to satisfy war criminal Blair!
Perhaps reflect upon the action of one “fan” to smash his back window in?
BEFORE there was any impact with pedestrians.
Perhaps consider if he has been caught in a similar situation when on Ops – A life threatenting situation!
Perhaps reflect upon what would have been key in his training – how to react to threatening situations.
Perhaps reflect upon how he would have been shown video of British military personnel being dragged from vehicles and killed as part of that training.
Perhaps refelct upon the very real possiblity that this is PTSD triggered occurence.
Consider that he has not been charged with attempted murder!
To me that indicates the police and CPS have some insight, because they have interviewed him, that you clearly do not!
Why can’t people just keep thier own counsel until evidence and facts that might support appropariate objective analysis.
All of this can still occur whilst having empathy for the victims.
FAR TOO EARLY!
BikingBud wrote:
He deliberately drove into the pedestrianised area and thus created the situation – I think your empathy should be with his victims.
Where did I say I don’t have
Where did I say I don’t have empathy with the injured?
Hard of reading click bait addict?
Read what I actually wrote!
In every investigation you have to understand why? Not just what and jump to conclusions.
So what if he did drive into the area deliberately, it happens all the time with apparently closed roads. Intent to drive into an area is wholly different to intent to kill or maim.
If his intent was to deliberately injure, maim, kill, why did he not drive recklessly and at high speed towards the pedestrians from the outset?
Compare with those where that intent is clear and the carnage that results, the number of deaths, with the currently available video of this incident.
Ask yourself why, currently, he hasn’t been charged with attempted murder.
Aks yourself what escalated the incident from being a car in the wrong place, easy for the police that were present to resolve, to being a significant incident.
BikingBud wrote:
I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick with reading my comment.
I didn’t state that you don’t have empathy for his victims, but that your empathy with the perpetrator is misplaced.
His decision to drive into the area (I believe he tailgated an ambulance to get there) was an aggressive act by itself. It’s common for drivers to do so if they have zero concern for others and are only motivated by their own self-interest and self-importance.
I don’t think he set out with the intention to injure and maim, but reacted incorrectly to the mass of people who were berating him (and smashing his car’s window) for being such a complete twat for driving there. In my view, his best option would have been to exit the car and attempt to leave the scene so that he could safely recover his car when it was safe to do so (or it had been towed away).
He’s most likely not being charged with attempted murder as it would be difficult to prove that he set out with that intention, although in my opinion, driving at/into pedestrians does show intention to cause harm, main and kill.
I think the key decision that escalated the situation was his decision to stay in his vehicle and continue driving – trying to force his perceived right to drive upon the pedestrians. His window being smashed was a reaction to his car being in entirely the wrong place at the wrong time. If he’d exited his vehicle when he realised that he would have to force his way through the crowd, then I doubt his window would have been smashed.
Ultimately, it was his inability to recognise his mistake and stop driving that escalated the whole situation. It’s the kind of hubris that we often see from aggressive drivers.
Where did I say I have
Where did I say I have empathy with the driver?
I would like to see aspersions cast aside and people to consider only the facts, as and when they become available.
Wait – you do or you don’t
Wait – you do or you don’t want people to cast aspersions?
mdavidford wrote:
I’d prefer not to but there needs to be balance.
BikingBud wrote:
I don’t think you did explicitly state that, but your writing suggests empathy, which is a good thing in general – I’m not trying to criticise you for being sympathetic, but just think you’re mis-directing it.
As far as facts go, it’s clear that he knowingly drove into a pedestrian area and the pedestrians were not pleased about that with at least one of them attacking the car. The driver then attacked the crowd with his car. Whether or not it was PTSD aggravated is pure conjecture.
hawkinspeter wrote:
If misdirecting is trying to add balance to a disucsion that seems to already want him flogged, then yes. Absolutely.
BikingBud wrote:
quiff wrote:
Yup!
Let’s keep the bandwagon balanced.
Interesting to see 6 people have liked the prejudicial assessment from @dropped whereas again I try to apply objectiveness and I get berated.
In case you were not all aware fact based and objective analysis of the evidence will be required in the trial.
Outcome of social media:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5yqp4yp88nt?post=asset%3A253d14f8-9799-470f-9cef-83d926b77229#post
Bit like going out to hang witches at times!
I’m all for a bit of balance,
I’m all for a bit of balance, but you have no more insight than anyone else, and have simply done precisely what you counselled others against.
quiff wrote:
But it is interesting how if you try and suggest a series of events that might be wholly credible, bias and prejudice comes to the fore and we see again how closed many peoples’ minds really are.
BikingBud wrote:
It was more traditional to burn witches.
eburtthebike wrote:
FTFY
hawkinspeter wrote:
FTFY— eburtthebike
Exactly!
hawkinspeter wrote:
“She turned me into a newt.” Case proven.
eburtthebike wrote:
You probably deserved it as you do axolotl questions
hawkinspeter wrote:
Personally, I just think it’s a salamanderous rumour.
mdavidford wrote:
Didn’t really happen, it’s just special eft-ects…
Don’t like stereotypes eh?
Don’t like stereotypes eh? Tough! I’m sick of nasty apologists excusing psychopaths and reactionaries and yes I do think you fall into that category.
I have absolutely no sympathy for the horrible skid mark of a human being who crashes deliberately into 79 people. Multiple dodgy business failures and luxury holiday pics on social media – foul.
Dropped wrote:
I have absolutely no sympathy for the horrible skid mark of a human being who crashes deliberately into 79 people. Multiple dodgy business failures and luxury holiday pics on social media – foul.— Dropped
Why thanks you. It is always good to see froth spitters going into apoplexy on social media. I find it provides such a wonderful view of the composition of entirety of the human race.
I hope you feel better for venting your blame but it’s a shame you are not able to hold an objective discussion without resorting to defaming people you know nothing about.
BikingBud wrote:
Pretty sure that’s Not A Thing.
Here we go again:
Here we go again:
– VENT: to express a negative emotion in a forceful and often unfair way:
vent your frustration/anger/rage/spleen on someone Please don’t shout – there’s no need to vent your frustration/anger/rage/spleen on me.
– BLAME: to say or think that someone or something did something wrong or is responsible for something bad happening
I cannot be held responsible for your failure to grasp the English language.
Maybe they were just …
Maybe they were just … noting your creative use of it?
I think long-time road.ccers sometimes miss Boatsie…
I think you’re rather missing
I think you’re rather missing the expression there.
🙇🏻♂️🙇🏻♂️
🙇🏻♂️🙇🏻♂️
Article in the Sun :
Article in the Sun :
“Who is in the right? The cyclist, who wears glasses and is bookish, having a PhD in particle physics? Or the motorist, nail technician, curvy brunette, Maria, 24, wearing a short skirt, heels and a tight top?
Readers, you decide.”
Re Djokavitch.
Re Djokavitch.
An athlete presumably with good spacial awareness.
Paris the most cycling friendly city in Europe.
If he’s saying cycling in Paris is dangerous what chance have the rest of us got in this country.
He only said that riding
He only said that riding around the road around the Arc de Triomphe is dangerous, something with which, having done it a number of times, I can thoroughly agree. However there are now dedicated cycle lanes around the outside so it’s perfectly easy to take a very safe option if you wish.
I held my nose and read the
I held my nose and read the original Sun story, turns out the driver was convicted of driving without reasonable consideration to other users, failing to report an accident and failing to produce insurance. She “also previously admitted driving without due care and attention and without insurance in 2012, after knocking a motorcyclist off their bike. On that occasion, she was fined £450 and ordered to pay £50 costs.”
It’s quite usual for pro-car advocates to say that the stigma of having a criminal record is sufficient deterrent so we don’t need really heavy fines, long bans and/or jail terms for so-called “minor offences”. And so we see people like this who having been slapped on the wrist with a fine that probably equates to less than a week’s wages and probably about five times less than they spend on their annual holiday after being convicted of multiple offences who just go out and do the same thing all over again.
Given that everybody on here
Given that everybody on here seems to want to hang the driver already, where do you feel he could be tried with a neutral jury?
BikingBud wrote:
I don’t think capital punishment is necessary, but I certainly don’t want the driver to ever hold a driving license again.
I reckon anywhere except Liverpool would probably be fine – there’s been plenty of high profile court cases in the past that have lots of opinions flying around and yet have managed to hold a jury trial. Whether the jury was truly neutral is debatable, but it’s the kind of thing that the defence would use if it could be proven that it led to a perversion of justice.
There’s naturally going to be anti-driver sentiment on here as pretty much all of us have been subjected to careless/dangerous/aggressive driving at some point, so it’s a topic we have first-hand experience of.
Perversion or miscarriage?
Perversion or miscarriage? Quite different.
But I would offer most of us drive, most of us cycle and some of use ride motorbikes, ICE variety.
In many traffic collisions the parties are not objective as to the cause as they cannot (do not want to) see what they did to precipitate the incident. But as motorbikers frequently have single vehicle incidents they have nobody to blame. I have when I was riding beyond my skill. You have a chat with yourself and decide to improve.
I am not anti “anybody”. I am anti poor driving, poor cycling, poor motorcycling, poor truck driving, poor bus driving, poor dog walking, they can all reduce the safety margins for us all on the road
I am also anti when clear facts are ignored, esepcially as in some recent prosecutions where facts were used that support poor driving/cycling (sun in eyes, icy road etc) but were spouted as mitigations for the outcome and judges/juries cannot see through them.
And anti where blame is apportioned without seeking to determine the facts.
Fairness and sticking to the
Fairness and sticking to the facts – all good aspirations. On a slight tangent though:
Indeed – but – though perhaps not quite relevant to your point, but it is to the case – those activities are rather significantly different in the dangers they bring to others. (As well as the vulnerability of the people doing them *to* others).
Once we have humans involved and hence errors of various kinds, it’s like the saw analogy – a saw or a chainsaw can be used safely but one inherently poses more threat when things go wrong.
In the case I think we ought await the legal outcome. Hopefully combined with a cooler analysis of “was there something that went wrong eg. about the event traffic management? Can we be better at dealing with people posing a threat in vehicles when there are crowds about?” (The latter will sadly almost certainly recur.)
chrisonabike wrote:
As I understand it, the road was closed due to the crowds, but was re-opened to allow an ambulance through and the car driver followed the ambulance through. I’m not sure how you can prevent that kind of behaviour unless you expect and plan for it (e.g. police waiting with vehicle stingers or something), so I don’t think the traffic management was at fault.
Has anyone noticed how we’ve
Has anyone noticed how we’ve had a new bunch of trolls/contrarians/agents provocateurs lately and yet no more stories of wheelchair users being hit by millions of cyclists? Did that user swap out for a new username? Enquiring minds want to know…
yet no more stories of
yet no more stories of wheelchair users being hit by millions of cyclists?
There was something charming about someone prepared to admit to losing count of the number of a certain type of adverse event, when the number was zero
There was nothing charming
There was nothing charming about their continuous trolling that all cyclists were brain damaged.
I did complain about the
I did complain about the moronic wheelchair one.
The rest I ignore; waste of time when they are trolls or just here to argue about anything.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm23x9p7k2xo
??
See thread “Car crashes into
See thread “Car crashes into building” – it was only a matter of time before the cars realised that it was easier to crash into humans outside…
Clearly, Skynet II is
Clearly, Skynet II is pursuing a new strategy to destroy the human race, with a higher probability of success than all those expensive metal humanoids clambering over piles of skulls- let the humans destroy themselves with both climate change and total blindness/ forgiveness to all offences, human deaths etc. in which a motor vehicle is involved and they’ll build the cars themselves!