Birmingham cyclist warns fellow riders after car passenger pushed him off bike

Keep a screwdriver within easy reach, for bike maintenance purposes obvs!

Someone attempted a push on me 2 weeks ago in Ladywood just next door to the Edgbaston. Similar thing where a car pulled close to me at a similar speed. I looked and the passenger was trying to reach and apparently (on review of video) tried to film it on his phone. Either the driver did not get close enough, or he gave up when he saw me see him but they stopped. I was doing 25mph at the time so glad they were unsuccessful. I reported it to WMP via the dashcam uploader but like alot of these, I have heard nothing even though the car is untaxed as well.

On a seperate note, does anyone know whether I should be doing a GDPR or a SAR to get details on any of mu submissions?

This happened to me a couple of years ago.  I came out my house planning to go for a personal best on Mucklow Hill near Halesowen in Birmingham.  Everything was perfect, It was early evening in the Summer, and I was flying on my bike.  So, at the island before the hill starts I notiched a people carrier next to me.  I didn't take much notice.  Many times I take a mental note of registrations and details of cars next to me out of habbit, but not this time.  I left the island quicker than any of the cars and had a clear run at up the hill.  As I was climbing out of the saddle, the same renault people carrier came beside me and one of the ghetto rats in the passenger seat grabbed my saddle and shook it.  I went down but rolled to the left instead of the right, or I may not be here typing this now.

Cars just rolled past like I was invisible.   I had holes in my favorite Assos top/shorts, cuts and grazes.  The police weren't much help.  There was no cctv footage around the area it seems, although there are a few buildings with cameras (whatever).

What's so stupid in this country is, if you identify as LGBQT or whatever, all of a sudden you need to be protected by law.  Although, what you do in the safety of your bedroom is your business and not mine.  You can't tell someones sexual orientation just by looking at them.  People shouldn't be discriminated against period.  Not only certain types of people.

If you're a cyclyst however you're very identifiable.  How stupid it is that we even single people out  as cyclists.  Surely you're just a man or woman on a bike - a mode of transport.  We don't single out people who walk or those who take the bus. Instead, all of a sudden you are somehow this 'other' just because you don't wish to subscribe to ill health through a sedentry lifestyle.   People sympathize more with drug users than cyclists!

There is a saying "The people get the leaders they deserve".  Unless we have leaders who understand cycling is part of the solution, not the problem, the negative image of cyclists will persit.  And those in the media that portray cyclist in a bad light, should be prosecuted for hate crimes, because it leads to behaviour that puts peoples lives who ride a bike on the road at risk.

Another wisdom which would solve our problem: A position of leadership is not given, to those who ask for it.  Imagine a mindset where you just want to control other people, but your own personal conduct is less than to be desired.  That right there is our problem.  Tune in next week where I give the solution

That sounds really nasty.

Cameras can be handy for those kinds of situations when you can't get their reg (understandable when you're shocked like that) and of course providing some evidence of it. It's a shame that without footage the police are unlikely to catch them.

It's strange, "lock 'em up" is generally seen as the Telegraph reader's go-to solution, but it seldom seems to actually work. It gets them off the street, but of course they come out again worse than before. Not sure what the answer is. I have a feeling that they need to be made to comprehend the stark reality of their "fun" and understand themselves for the turd that they are, and want to change. Whereas at present I guess they revel in it.

Stiffer sentencing required methinks. Loss of licence for 5yrs for the driver + a charge of aiding and abetting a crime plus a custodial for the perpetrator ABH or GBH at the least surely?

PP

That's a shocker. I commute on that road an awful lot.
Hope you feel okay soon, Mike.

I'm sure the talksport twat will be instantly condemning this totally unjustified violence.   And admitting that his previous interventions only increased the risk to cyclists everywhere.  Or not, because he's a twat.