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Cyclist forced to swim to safety after being pushed into canal

"Given that I cycle with a toddler on board this kind of thing plagues my nightmares"...

A cyclist was forced to swim to safety after being pushed into a city canal.

The cyclist, named locally only as 'Jeff', was riding alongside the Worcester and Birmingham Canal on Thursday, June 1, when a gang of teenagers reportedly attacked him.

He and his bike were chucked into the water with one man who witnessed the aftermath saying 'given that I cycle with a toddler on board this kind of thing plagues my nightmares.'

The teenage gang thought to be behind the attack were seen running from the scene, near Selly Oak Sainsbury's, off Bristol Road, towards the city centre,  Birmingham Live reports.

The cyclist managed to swim to safety, and with help also managed to retrieve his bike.

> Gang rob two cyclists of their bikes on West Midlands canal

Cyclist Matt Andrews, who saw the victim after he was pulled to safety, tweeted: "PSA for the Brum cycling community: just saw the aftermath of a cyclist being pushed into the canal near Selly Oak, just beyond the bridge near Sainsbury's going towards Bournville.

"Big gang of teenage-ish boys running the other way. Keep vigilant round there.

"Didn't get a chance to catch up with the victim (middle aged bloke I think) but someone else helped him out.

"Given that I cycle with a toddler on board (strapped in) this kind of thing plagues my nightmares."

One woman responded: "That was my friend Jeff. Luckily he can swim and with help was able to get his bike out of the canal.

"Disgusting behaviour. Imagine if it was an older person or someone more vulnerable, they might not have been so lucky."

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12 comments

Avatar
vthejk | 3 years ago
1 like

Yet another reason, as if needed, that: 

a) Cycling in Birmingham is utterly rubbish for the most part;

b) Cycling in the West Midlands is utterly rubbish for the most part; and

c) Canal towpaths are NOT viable cycling infrastructure, at least not in their current guise. I feel afraid I'd tip in even without the kind assistance of youthful gangs.

Avatar
Owd Big 'Ead | 3 years ago
6 likes

I've been unfortunate enough to have this happen twice. Once by a large group of "football supporters" on the canal adjacent to Nottingham Train Station and oddly enough having just checked a map of Birmingham, very much in the vicinity of where this latest incident happened.

Following the incident in Nottingham I actually caught up with several of the group who had headed into the train station to catch a train to who knows where after supporting their team in the city, I think it was Sheffield United fans, but couldn't be sure, who then accused me of riding recklessly when I verbally kicked off at them in front of several police officers, who were kind enough to give me a verbal warning to do one as they didn't want the childish thugs getting upset!

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
7 likes

This is why I always ride with a snorkel and BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) - you only have one pair of lungs!

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
8 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

This is why I always ride with a snorkel and BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) - you only have one pair of lungs!

Should be made a law.

And cyclists should have to register that they have a swimming proficiency badge.

 If it saves just one life....

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
9 likes

Captain Badger wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

This is why I always ride with a snorkel and BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) - you only have one pair of lungs!

Should be made a law.

And cyclists should have to register that they have a swimming proficiency badge.

 If it saves just one life....

Exactly! It's about time cyclists took some responsibility for our own safety in canals.

Avatar
GMBasix replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
4 likes

Life jackets are intended to support the person a certain way up.  If they hit the water the wrong way, the rotational forces could...

Well, you get the idea.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to GMBasix | 3 years ago
5 likes

Pffft! Life jackets are for filthy casuals - I go for a proper BCD although they don't work so well when not connected to compressed air.

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
3 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Pffft! Life jackets are for filthy casuals - I go for a proper BCD although they don't work so well when not connected to compressed air.

are those flippers available in SPD?

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
4 likes
Captain Badger wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

Pffft! Life jackets are for filthy casuals - I go for a proper BCD although they don't work so well when not connected to compressed air.

are those flippers available in SPD?

Squirrel Paw Dimensions? Yes they are.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to GMBasix | 3 years ago
0 likes

Gets buoyancy aid from box in garage rafters.

Avatar
eburtthebike | 3 years ago
12 likes

"Disgusting behaviour. Imagine if it was an older person or someone more vulnerable, they might not have been so lucky."

Or if they couldn't swim, or if they were impaled on an underwater object. 

No mention of whether the police have been involved, and whether they are taking this potentially lethal assault as seriously as it needs to be.  Next time the victim might not be so lucky.

So glad to see that the government's response to the petition about aggression towards cyclists is being effective already.

Avatar
ktache | 3 years ago
6 likes

Thank goodness the cyclist is safe and his bicycle was retrieved.

Not that I wish to tempt fate, and riding the Basingstoke canal every morning on my commute I really don't want to, but I'm kind of suprised this doesn't happen more.

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