Cyclist Wanted (threads merged)

[jefmcg]

I want to join in the voices supporting the cyclist. If I was that close to a car that accelerated away, it would scare me and I'd probably react badly. His fight or flight mechanisms would cut in and some of his judgement would be impaired by the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

I'm actually shocked by the number of posters who think that being shouted at is sufficient provocation for a physical assault, but having the bejesus frightened out of you by an accelerating car so close it may have run over his foot (the fact that is possibility shows how close he was) does not justify him getting a bit shouty.

 

[Frood42]

It's the Police's job to remind drivers not to enter the ASL on red or without a clear exit not members of the public!

You don't say.
However the Audi has crossed the white stop line while the light is red into an area that is going to be used by vunerable road users, that is aggression.
People react differently to such things, but which is worse, a cyclist reminding the driver that they have entered an ASZ or an aggressive move by someone in a big powerful car?

It is impatience and selfishness such as this which puts alot of people off cycling.

It is motor vehicles which are clogging the roads up and causing huge delays, not bikes, and a person is worth much more than the 3-5 seconds of someones time it takes to go past a bike safely.

It always makes me laugh when a selfish and impatient driver decides that the 3 seconds I hold them up is worse than the time they will spend at the next set of traffic lights, where I will end up going past them again and then not seeing them again as they are backed up and stuck in traffic.

Last night on my commute it took me a whole six minutes longer to get home (I know, six minutes, unbelieveable, right... /sarcasm), do you know why?
Private cars and traffic, I had to do a lot of filtering due to all the cars queued up... Was I going around blasting my horn, revving my engine and passing inconsiderately closely? NO I wasn't.

If you cannot see that the aggression here was all started by the Audi driver running a RED light then I am concerned.
While the follow-up actions from the cyclist were less than admirable, at least he wasn't driving 2 tons of metal around in an inconsiderate manner, and at least he wasn't "lamping" people.
.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Chasing down the driver, and being as vocal as he was, was unneccessary. That said, he did not deserve to be assaulted.

I would ask those who suggest that the punch may have been justifiably thrown in self-defence against another road user who shouted aggressively, to switch the roles around: the next time some driver gives me verbal abuse at a set of lights can I justifiably open the car door and lamp him?

Thought not.


GC

 

[jefmcg]

It may have been his wife or girlfriend.

No. The sort of man that would get out of a car and punch someone would never let his wife or girlfriend drive him, except for driving him back from an evening's drinking.

 

[jefmcg]

Yeah but it was for a traffic offence. I think to bring an assault charge against someone you must have the assaulted report it.

Not necessarily, I think.

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/1694

(not a lawyer ... blah blah)

 

[CopperBrompton]

I'm actually shocked by the number of posters who think that being shouted at is sufficient provocation for a physical assault

Can you quote anyone saying that?

What has been said here, AFAICS, is:

- There was no need to enter the ASL with only one car at the lights, waiting in primary behind it would not have in any way delayed or endangered him

- The Audi driver was an idiot for deliberately pulling into the ASL box in an aggressive way (and broke the law)

- The cyclist was an idiot by deliberately putting himself in a vulnerable position right against the Audi

- The Audi driver was a dangerous idiot for pulling away like that

- The cyclist was an idiot for chasing him down for a shouting match (and broke the law)

- The passenger was a thug for hitting him (and broke the law)

Did I miss anything?

 

[derrick]

No. The sort of man that would get out of a car and punch someone would never let his wife or girlfriend drive him, except for driving him back from an evening's drinking.

They may have had an afternoon drinkies, or he may not have a licence, or he may just have been a plonker.

 

[glenn forger]

Can you quote anyone saying that?




Did I miss anything?

Yep:

[QUOTE 2895777, member: 30090"]''personally i blame the cyclist, he was the one shouting his mouth off and seems a bit too big for his boots, fair play to the audi bloke for showing him the floor.''[/quote]

 

[glenn forger]

Where's the quote from?

Mod edit: this is a reasonable request.
Please either answer it or ignore it. There is no need for sniping.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Thank you. That's one person. You said you were shocked by "the number" of people saying this - how many were there exactly?

 

[gaz]

Not necessarily, I think.

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/1694

(not a lawyer ... blah blah)

Attempted rape is not the same charge as assault.

 

[Peteaud]

Cyclist was a cock
Audi driver, 4 rings of cock.

 

[glenn forger]

If the cops could be arsed they could do the passenger for a Public Order offence. They aren't, so they won't. Wonder if anyone's looked up the registered keeper?

 

[MarkF]

If the cops could be arsed they could do the passenger for a Public Order offence. They aren't, so they won't. Wonder if anyone's looked up the registered keeper?

They could do the cyclist for one too, I do hope they don't and the silly matter disappears from public view.

 

[Garethgas]

The driver could easily have been the passenger's mother. Who would let that cyclist's aggressive, foul-mouthed outburst go unchallenged if that were the case?
It might also have been the case that the driver had followed the cyclist(s) for some time without being able to pass and then, when they eventually do pass, the cyclists are able to weave in front which can be frustrating from the driver's point of view.
Whilst ASL's can be a good thing and technically, the cyclist was in the right, from a driver's point of view, he pushed his way in front which, whilst perfectly legal can frustrate drivers.
The long and short of it is, the cyclist would have impeded the driver's progress whereas the driver pulled alongside for a quick getaway which would have no effect on the cyclist.
That original clip has been edited which makes me think there's more to this than meets the eye.