A 4×4 driver deliberately swung the trailer they were towing into two cyclists in South Gloucestershire, with both riders needing hospital treatment for their injuries.
Avon & Somerset Police, who are appealing for information, say that the incident happened on Tuesday 28 July on Sodbury Road, as the cyclists were riding from Wickwar towards Chipping Sodbury.
The pair were riding in single file at around 5pm when the driver of a black 54×4 towing a livestock trailer overtook them.
“As they entered a 40mph zone, the cyclists reported hearing the sound of a car horn and shouting as the vehicle approached them,” police said.
“The driver overtook and deliberately swerved to the nearside verge, causing the trailer to knock one of the cyclists from his bike and the other cyclist to collide with him.
“The two cyclists, both men in their 40s, sustained injuries which required hospital treatment. They have since been discharged.”
Police have released the above CCTV images of the vehicle they believe was involved in the incident.
Anyone who can help officers identify the driver, or who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage, is requested to contact police on 101, quoting reference 5220184275.
Alternatively, the independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
20 thoughts on “4×4 driver reportedly swung trailer at cyclists on purpose, causing both to be hospitalised”
If they have CCTV why do they
If they have CCTV why do they need help identifying the driver?
EddyBerckx wrote:
It might not be possible to read the licence plate from the available CCTV.
Having the licence plate only identifies the registered keeper. While failing to provide details of the driver is an offence it its own right, it is likely to be less serious than the crime the driver (if identified) could be charged with.
It appears that the CCTV gave
It appears that the CCTV gave a side on view judging by the picture.
As above, looks distinctive
There are some sick people
There are some sick people about. The book should get thrown at the moron that did this. That’s intent too, so we could see a good sentence if the driver is caught.
£30 fine and some points if
£30 fine and some points if you’re lucky. Most likely aquitted if it goes to court. There is no justice.
Shocking, attempted murder!
Shocking, attempted murder!
That’s a pretty distinctive
That’s a pretty distinctive vehicle and trailer, so hopefully the perpetrator will be identified and brought to justice, but I’m sure we’ll get the usual “sun was in my eyes, I didn’t see them, oncoming traffic made me swerve” and “I ride a bicycle myself” excuses.
It’s going to be very difficult to prove intent even if they do find the driver. That said, I hope they do and he loses his licence and his liberty.
4 door defender pickup, co
4 door defender pickup, co-inciding with that size of livestock trailer, most likely local. Shouldn’t that big a list of owners to start a few visits to, starting along that road and working outwards.
Not a defender, more like a
Not a defender, more like a Navarro with a custom canopy on the back. However it should still be quite distinctive when found.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
I reckon it’s a 2006-09 Ford Ranger
Agreed, I hadn’t gone that
Agreed, I hadn’t gone that far back.
Like Audi’s Ford Rangers seem
Like Audis Ford Rangers seem to attract a certain type of driver IME.
eburtthebike wrote:
That’s the one I always find funny* – the driver who claims that they just had to pass so closely / ram them into the verge / whatever because there was oncoming traffic and they couldn’t get past.
Or, the tl;dr, they had to get in front because ‘Bicycle’.
There seem to be a worrying number of people driving around who would seriously never consider just waiting a bit. Or setting off earlier just in case.
Back to the point at hand, I think in all those villages around Sodbury there are going to be a lot of those oversized SUV/pickup things, unfortunately…
*Not actually funny
Too many times to mention,but
Too many times to mention,but you always think after it what on earth was the driving thinking about when they did it,is their field of vision so narrow they literally can only handle one thing at a time and cant plan ahead more than the length of their bonnet.
FWIW in this case I think the car has been identified,but identification of the driver is probably the thing needed to allow the more serious charges to proceed.
Probably. It’ll be another
Probably. It’ll be another of those cases where “I just can’t remember who was driving at the time of the alleged incident officer, sorry ’bout that!”. IMO if the keeper can’t confirm who was driving then it should be their neck on the line.
I’ve had that done to me, and
I’ve had that done to me, and I was riding 1.5m off the road on the shoulder. Missed me by just a few cm so I considered myself extremely fortunate. Couldn’t identify the vehicle so could do nothing about it. Hope this one has a better outcome for the riders and they can put the person responsible behind bars.
Glad you were ok
Glad you were ok 😉
Scummy thing to do by these sorts of idiots ;-(
Yet another example of where
Yet another example of where a camera would have been very useful and if helmet mounted may have even deterred this behaviour.
What is happening to this country?
Unfair to blame the cyclists
Unfair to blame the cyclists for this. I’ve only bought a camera recently because the police don’t do anything without one. In the West Midlands it turns out they don’t do anything even with one…Money well spent!
Quote:
Shouldn’t a vehicle of that unusual size have been accompanied by a police escort?