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'Vigilante' cyclist Dave Sherry knocked off bike by lorry driver (+ link to video)

“I thought I was going to die,” says man once described as 'Britain’s most hated cyclist'...

Dave Sherry, once described as “Britain’s most hated cyclist,” has said he thought he was going to die when an overtaking lorry driver knocked him off his bike.

> Video: 'Britain's most hated cyclist' films driver who appears to be reading newspaper at the wheel

Sherry, who has also been called a “vigilante” due to footage from the cameras attached to his bike leading to dozens of drivers being convicted of road traffic offences, filmed the harrowing moment the lorry driver cut in on him as the London bus driver cycled home through Epping on 11 January.

The footage has been published on the Metro.co.uk website, with the lorry driver swerving towards the 40-year-old to avoid an oncoming car, leaving the cyclist with nowhere to go and the rear of the trailer sending him hurtling to the ground. The driver reportedly failed to stop at the scene.

> Mr Loophole and 'Britain's most hated cyclist' – Dave Sherry – call for crackdown on delivery cyclists who break the law

“As it [the lorry] moved back over to the left it knocked me off my bike,” Sherry told Metro.

“The oncoming car was sounding its horn and flashing its lights, so the lorry pulled back and narrowly missed that head on.

“I heard it revving its engine again, so I gestured for it to stay back because I could see the oncoming traffic, but it overtook me regardless.

“As it moved back over to the left it knocked me off my bike. I honestly thought I was going to die.”

Sherry lost skin on both of his arms in the incident and was treated in hospital for his injuries.

“Amazingly there was an ambulance coming towards me, so they picked me up right after and took me to hospital,” he explained.

“My bike appears to be a write-off, both cameras are broken and all of my lights.”

 He added: “As a bus driver and a cyclist I thought I understood just how vulnerable some road users are, but after this incident I can see how easily and quickly cycling fatalities can happen.

“I’m still in a lot of pain at the moment, but despite my apprehensions I will get back out there.”

Sherry’s videos have led to him appearing on national television in debates about the use by cyclist of video cameras to catch law-breaking drivers, and is not afraid to confront motorists he believes are breaking the rules of the road and tell them he will report them.

Last year, that led to a van driver he had filmed using a mobile phone at the wheel putting him into a headlock and allegedly threatening him with a torch – an incident that was captured on film by Sherry.

Police were called to the incident on Leyton High Road last June, in which Sherry appeared to have taken the van’s keys from the driver who in return seemed to have seized the cyclist’s camera, but said afterwards that they were satisfied no offences had been committed.

> Video: White van man puts helmet cam cyclist Dave Sherry in a headlock and allegedly threatens him with a torch

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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25 comments

Avatar
alansmurphy | 6 years ago
0 likes

True, garages are a useful place to set up a turbo...

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WolfieSmith | 6 years ago
1 like

Footage on Metro preceded by an ad for the Ford Eco ( pronounced ‘EK-O’ for some reason..) speeding around on countryroads driven by people in slippers. The irony...

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cidermart | 6 years ago
0 likes

It happened in Essex so unlikely that the local constabulary will change it's attitude and give a toss about a cyclist going by past experience.

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jamesv | 6 years ago
0 likes

Watching that video I can't help but think "there but for the grace of god go I" - I've come close to being knocked off by lorries overtaking into traffic before (as I'm sure most of have) and it's one of the most terrifying situations to be in as a cyclist. He's extremely lucky not to have been injured more seriously.

All that said, is it just me or does he sound like a cartoon pirate?

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Ush | 6 years ago
1 like

The camera saved his life.  It is crushed, so absorbed the force of the impact.

Also, I hope it is obvious even to the most slow-witted that cameras attract vehicles.

Thank you.

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BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
6 likes

What a wanker, fucking damaged the lorry no doubt as well as public order offence/hate crime and then has the audacity to get help from the emergency services whilst needlessly blocking the road, should get at least 10 years in prison and be banned from wearing a helmet for life!

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ktache | 6 years ago
11 likes

Most of the definitions I've read seem to imly that a vigilante takes the law into their own hands.  This bloke appears to gather evidence in the hope that proper law enforcement agencies use it.

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fenix | 6 years ago
0 likes

Are the police tracking down the lorry ? The stories didn't mention this ?

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ChrisB200SX replied to fenix | 6 years ago
0 likes

fenix wrote:

Are the police tracking down the lorry ? The stories didn't mention this ?

Hopefully. The numberplate is digitally obscured, so presumably it's identifiable. Tracing the driver should be quick and easy.

Looks like a slam-dunk case of dangerous driving to me.

Still, according to Police stats, this sort of thing only happens to someone once every 20 years, on average. So, cycling is "reasonably safe".

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burtthebike | 6 years ago
4 likes

I hope there is enough data on the vid to catch and prosecute this driver.  Probably rushing to meet his unrealistic delivery schedule.  Wasn't there one company which produced schedules which meant that drivers had to break the speed limit to meet them?

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brooksby replied to burtthebike | 6 years ago
1 like

burtthebike wrote:

I hope there is enough data on the vid to catch and prosecute this driver.  Probably rushing to meet his unrealistic delivery schedule.  Wasn't there one company which produced schedules which meant that drivers had to break the speed limit to meet them?

One of the 'white goods' companies allows two minutes to deliver a fridge and take away the old one...

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Accessibility f... | 6 years ago
36 likes

Why do people suggest he's a vigilante?  What laws does he enforce himself?

He doesn't enforce any laws.  He captures footage of people breaking laws and submits it to the people who do enforce the law.

And then he finds that the people who are supposed to enforce the law usually can't be bothered.

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ConcordeCX replied to Accessibility for all | 6 years ago
3 likes

Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:

Why do people suggest he's a vigilante?  What laws does he enforce himself?

He doesn't enforce any laws.  He captures footage of people breaking laws and submits it to the people who do enforce the law.

And then he finds that the people who are supposed to enforce the law usually can't be bothered.

a vigilante is someone who is self-appointed to protect the interests of a community. They don't necessarily try to enforce the law themselves.

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Dnnnnnn replied to ConcordeCX | 6 years ago
4 likes

ConcordeCX wrote:

Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:

Why do people suggest he's a vigilante?  What laws does he enforce himself?

He doesn't enforce any laws.  He captures footage of people breaking laws and submits it to the people who do enforce the law.

And then he finds that the people who are supposed to enforce the law usually can't be bothered.

a vigilante is someone who is self-appointed to protect the interests of a community. They don't necessarily try to enforce the law themselves.

Definitions I've looked at suggest that enforcement is part of the definition. Otherwise surely we'd all be vigilantes for just reporting crimes we see? And I'd be a pothole vigilante too.

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dassie replied to Dnnnnnn | 6 years ago
4 likes

Duncann wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:

Why do people suggest he's a vigilante?  What laws does he enforce himself?

He doesn't enforce any laws.  He captures footage of people breaking laws and submits it to the people who do enforce the law.

And then he finds that the people who are supposed to enforce the law usually can't be bothered.

a vigilante is someone who is self-appointed to protect the interests of a community. They don't necessarily try to enforce the law themselves.

Definitions I've looked at suggest that enforcement is part of the definition. Otherwise surely we'd all be vigilantes for just reporting crimes we see? And I'd be a pothole vigilante too.

 

I agree.  I wouldn't say DS is 'undertaking law enforcement...without legal authority'.

"Vigilante.  A member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate."  Oxford Dictionaries

 

 

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zero_trooper replied to dassie | 6 years ago
1 like

dassie wrote:

Duncann wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:

Why do people suggest he's a vigilante?  What laws does he enforce himself?

He doesn't enforce any laws.  He captures footage of people breaking laws and submits it to the people who do enforce the law.

And then he finds that the people who are supposed to enforce the law usually can't be bothered.

a vigilante is someone who is self-appointed to protect the interests of a community. They don't necessarily try to enforce the law themselves.

Definitions I've looked at suggest that enforcement is part of the definition. Otherwise surely we'd all be vigilantes for just reporting crimes we see? And I'd be a pothole vigilante too.

 

I agree.  I wouldn't say DS is 'undertaking law enforcement...without legal authority'.

"Vigilante.  A member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate."  Oxford Dictionaries

 

 

 

I agree. Is he a member of a self-appointed group and does he need legal authority to 'defend' himself? All he's done is present evidence of wrong doing for the police to enforce (possibly/hopefully).

He's hardly tracked down the perps and slashed their cars' tyres, burned down their garages and stuck a pitchfork through their right (accelerator) foot. Now that would be vigilantism. And illegal  1

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Grahamd replied to zero_trooper | 6 years ago
1 like

zero_trooper wrote:

dassie wrote:

Duncann wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:

Why do people suggest he's a vigilante?  What laws does he enforce himself?

He doesn't enforce any laws.  He captures footage of people breaking laws and submits it to the people who do enforce the law.

And then he finds that the people who are supposed to enforce the law usually can't be bothered.

a vigilante is someone who is self-appointed to protect the interests of a community. They don't necessarily try to enforce the law themselves.

Definitions I've looked at suggest that enforcement is part of the definition. Otherwise surely we'd all be vigilantes for just reporting crimes we see? And I'd be a pothole vigilante too.

 

I agree.  I wouldn't say DS is 'undertaking law enforcement...without legal authority'.

"Vigilante.  A member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate."  Oxford Dictionaries

 

 

 

I agree. Is he a member of a self-appointed group and does he need legal authority to 'defend' himself? All he's done is present evidence of wrong doing for the police to enforce (possibly/hopefully).

He's hardly tracked down the perps and slashed their cars' tyres, burned down their garages and stuck a pitchfork through their right (accelerator) foot. Now that would be vigilantism. And illegal  1

Which of course we would not condone ...

 

Avatar
jasecd replied to Accessibility for all | 6 years ago
6 likes

Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:

Why do people suggest he's a vigilante?  What laws does he enforce himself?

He doesn't enforce any laws.  He captures footage of people breaking laws and submits it to the people who do enforce the law.

And then he finds that the people who are supposed to enforce the law usually can't be bothered.

 

I interviewed Dave Sherry once and found him to be extremely frank and forthright - he basically has no leniency either for the incredibly poor standard of driving or the lazy inept law enforcement that he often encounters. Personally I understand his zero tolerence attitude but it's what makes him "the most hated cyclist in Britain".  In this case he has narrowly avoided a far more serious injury - this truck driver should be removed from the roads immediately.

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alansmurphy | 6 years ago
10 likes

"Shit me not"

 

Must be the fastest ambulance response of all time, and look at the moton trying to get thru!

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Edgeley replied to alansmurphy | 6 years ago
7 likes

alansmurphy wrote:

"Shit me not"

 

Must be the fastest ambulance response of all time, and look at the moton trying to get thru!

 

No, that was for a mate of mine who rode his motorbike into a right turning ambulance and was promptly scooped up and put in the back.

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Hirsute | 6 years ago
1 like
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Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
3 likes

Why is it crass? What you talkin about Willis?

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CXR94Di2 | 6 years ago
0 likes

No not really

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PeterPeterPeter | 6 years ago
23 likes

Sound advice CXR94Di2 but a pretty crass place to write it, no?

No amount of positioning would have magicked any extra road in this case no matter where you'd started out.

Good on Dave for filming this, very much hope it helps get this truck driver off the road- and great to hear the commitment that he's determined to get back out on the roads.

 

 

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CXR94Di2 | 6 years ago
1 like

I would ride further out in the road, because it allows me to comeback to the kerb if an idiot comes too close. What a dangerous truck driver.

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