Whoa! I thought there was a very strong likelihood that the guy in the white shirt agressively approaching the cyclist was going to strike him. Shouting swearing, threats, raised arm and clenched fist, lots of agression and then this man pushed the cyclist which is an assault. So the cyclist would legally have been able to defend himself whether this would have been the best course of action is debatable. It was likely the cyclist's head cam was seen by the yob which saved him from a beating. Standing astride your bike at the side of a busy road while some nutter rants and tries to assault you has the possibility to escalate into a really dreadful life changing situation. Those who fantasize about hitting him with something ie bike lock, dream on. The cyclist was astride his bike probably standing on cleats trying not to drop his bike. How the hell is he going to grab a D lock, keep him and his bike upright and swing a heavy D-lock? More likely the yob would interpret it as an attack, grab it and use it on the cyclist, killing him or head butting him as he was very close to the cyclist. So killed with your own D-lock. Ghastly.
As some have said, riding off would have been the best course of action. Always know where your escape routes are and be prepared to use them. What is the point of standing up to a nutter like this and risk being injured, stabbed, shot, killed? The guy clearly has issues.
I know the police are useless but I hope this footage is now being examined by them with a view to prosecution as this yob has committed public order offences as well as assaulting the cyclist. He did push him and raise his clenched fist.
The cyclist himself has a bit of an attitude as well by shouting, ranting at passing cars which he believes have endangered him by coming too close which unsurprsingly some motorists don't take too kindly to. I would say that the cyclist needs to analyse how he rides on the roads to ensure he stays alive. It is survival out their not some sort of game. Nutters have no regard for manners, rules or laws. They believe might is right. It is a respect thing. If you are involved in a situation that escalates, turns bad then, well, the consequences don't bare thinking about.
And if you were to defend yourself against the yob that was subsequently viewed as excessive, then you might yourself be charged with and convicted of assault, abh or gbh, even murder. There was the incident a couple of years ago in Hove, Sussex iirc where a roadie out for a ride with his mates allegedly struck a motorist who he believed had allegedly seriously endangered him and his fellow riders with a very poor standard of driving. The motorist stopped got out of his vehicle, an altercation took place and the driver was then allegedly struck. I believe the driver died from his injuries and the cyclist was then charged with manslaughter or murder. Have not heard what happened to this cyclist. So instead of being a victim of road rage you become a perpetrator and could face a long stretch in prison if convicted of a serious offence.
