75ZT Community

Apparently, cyclists are being encouraged to ride in towns and cities with "helmet-cam" in order to capture evidence about the way other vehicles treat them. Good idea in my view.

I dealt with a case yesterday where the evidence from just such a helmet-cam was overwhelming.

A cyclist, resplendant in sweaty lycra, walked into Bilston Street Police station in Wolverhampton, slapped his helmet-cam down on the counter and demanded the Police view it and then prosecute a car driver for "dangerous driving" (his words).

The video was played in Court yesterday but unfortunately for lycra-man, it was he who stood charged with various offences, including failing to stop for a red light, failing to comply with a no entry sign, a very old charge called "cycling furiously", and cycling the wrong way up a one way street. Not content with that though, he was also charged with ABH, a Section 4 Public Order Act offence, threats to kill and criminal damage.

You may be ahead of me here but this is what we saw in Court:-

The video began with the alleged offence where a car driver "cut him up" but what actually happened was that he attempted to pass by the near-side of the car driver as the car was, quite correctly, turning left. Luckily for the cyclist, no collision took place. Quite possibly, the car driver could have taken a further look in his near-side mirror but it was debateable whether he would have seen the cyclist as the turn was in progress.

Thereafter, we were treated to damning evidence of the cyclist attempting to catch up with the car, which involved cycling on the pedestrian footpath, jumping a red light, cycling the wrong side of a central reservation and charging the wrong way down a one way street.

Fair play though, he eventually caught up with the car... and then proceeded to put the fear of god into the car driver, threatening to kill the driver, blow up his house etc, etc. and at the same time behave agressively to the passers-by who had the temerity to try and calm him down.

Retrieving something, which we assumed was a spanner, from his pannier, he then proceeded to hit the body-work of the car, smashing the door mirror, denting the bodywork, in several places and eventually smashing the driver's window, at the same time keeping the onlookers at bay by brandishing it. Until this time, the understandably terrifed driver had remained in his car with the doors locked but a shower of glass from the window forced him out, at which point the cyclist gave him a "Glesga kiss" with the cycling helmet, breaking his nose, giving him a suspected fractured eye socket and putting him flat out on the road.

The video had no soundtrack but there were sufficient witnesses to add what was actually said to the visual evidence. He finished off with words to the effect that "all you bastards are the same but I've got you this time, I'm going straight to the Police and then you'll be in trouble". As I said, words to the effect

At which point he got back on his bike and cycled off.

The case was adjourned for reports with an "all options" indication.

I do hope this video eventually finds itself on YouTube.

Remarkably high quality images from such a small device

Some people are just a sandwich short of a picnic.

The car driver was not prosecuted.

Very entertaining, cheered me up no end this morning.

I forgot to mention earlier. The cyclist was sufficiently responsible to have taken out a cycling insurance policy which apparently includes costs to third parties.

I guess he has lost his NCB.

It surprises me that somebody with an obvious sense of responsibility should be so militant and so short-sighted as to get himself into this scrape

My impression of keen cyclists is that they are totally arrogant.

There are country lanes near where I live and on weekends they ride along them 2 or 3 abreast with a queue of cars behind. They have obviously never read the Highway Code. The road belongs to them.

And yes, the number who also fail to stop at red lights, often weaving between cars going across them and other acts.

Please put the black cap on with your one

Cyclists are like Ebay a law unto themselves. I often see them driving through Red lights etc & I guess they would be the first to complain if they were hit by a vehicle. Makes me wonder if any of them drive a car!

I'm a car driver, a motorcyclist and a cyclist and to catoregise any as beeing the problem on the road is taking a blind view of the whole picture.The problem is the individual and the arrogance and ignorance that these people have.Whatever vehicle I am in control of I like to be considerate to other road users and pedestrians, as i am with all people whether I am walking or on or in my vehicle.
The problem is with the selfish society that we are now living in where "I" becomes number one.

zojosc wrote:I'm a car driver, a motorcyclist and a cyclist and to catorise any as beeing the problem on the road is taking a blind view of the whole picture.The problem is the individual and the arrogance and ignorance that these people have.Whatever vehicle I am in control of I like to be considerate to other road users and pedestrians, as i am with all people whether I am walking or on or in my vehicle.
The problem is with the selfish society that we are now living in where "I" becomes number one.

Couldn't agree more Andy

I gave up my motorbike 4 years ago, due to the exceptionally poor driving standards in my particular area. Each ride became a game of Russian Roulette rather than a pleasure. Haven riden bikes from age of 17 it was a real wrench but a decision I had to make.

I still ride my mountian bike, but only around my village, and off road. Driving standards in my immediate vacinity do tend to be better.

I guess if I lived in London, however, I might have a very different opinion of cyclists. I have seen several programmes on the kind of stunts cyclists pull in ole London Town and they really do take the mick down there.

Chris

ARROGANCE, plain and simple. In all aspects of life it seems to me that people are becoming more and more arrogant (and aggressive) as time goes on.

It's all part of the 'What you looking at' and 'I'll do what the **** I like' attitude of todays society.

Very sad

Ha, Ha, Ha. I hope they throw the book at him!