Van driver tries to run over cyclist

CheltenhamHacker

CheltenhamHacker

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Has everyone seen this? http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/8203-...hits-cyclist/story-30319138-detail/story.html

I think it's absolutely ludicrous, and what I can't believe is that there are some people commenting on it trying to rationalise a van driver using his van as a weapon, in a move that could have easily killed the cyclist.

Combine this with Chris Froome being the victim of a hit and run, and Michele Scarponi being killed, and it feels like a dangerous time to be a cyclist (I appreciate these were in different countries, but media attention focuses the mind).

Why do drivers think they have the right to drive dangerously towards cyclists? I'm yet to see a car/van driver try and nudge a slow moving tractor out of their way...

Sad, sad times
 
I don't think there is a vendetta against cyclists, except perhaps in the Froome incident which sounds a little sinsiter. There are simply more cyclists on the road and there is not enough space for cyclists and cars/vans/lorries to co-exist safely. The number of incidents is almost bound to increase based on a numbers game alone.

For every incident of a cyclist being hurt I'm sure someone could counter with a cyclist behaving like a numpty. Numpties are everywhere, whether driving or cycling. I see plenty of both as I'm driving.
 
I just don't think a lot of drivers realize they could quite easily kill a cyclist on the road.

I still rode a road bike until a few years ago, when frankly it just became to dangerous. i was working in Carrbridge at the time and as it was nice weather i would cycle to work a few times a week. i did it once down the A9 and could have been killed at least 3 times by irresponsible and thoughtless dangerous driving.

not been on a bike on the road since,
 
To me the van driver should be charged with attempted murder, if you drive a 2 ton truck at someone you must be trying to kill them, if I drove my car at someone I'd likely kill them if I hit them, I fail to see the difference here. Can should not have passed as solid white lines, when the lines broke cyclist moved over.
 
Just seen the footage. The cyclist, in my view, is riding wider in the road than necessary and so is blocking traffic. The van driver should be charged with dangerous driving. Neither are good examples for their cause but the driver is worse as it could lead to a death.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
Just seen the footage. The cyclist, in my view, is riding wider in the road than necessary and so is blocking traffic. The van driver should be charged with dangerous driving. Neither are good examples for their cause but the driver is worse as it could lead to a death.
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Yes, the cyclist appears to be a 100% bellend, he knows exactly what he's doing and seems to be looking for a confrontation, he should be put on an awareness course as a result of this footage. Van driver needs locking up.

Judge Beez will now reside in his chambers :D
 
Van driver is very much in the wrong, but i'd like to see if there is any footage other than just the actual incident.
 
Beezerk said:
Yes, the cyclist appears to be a 100% bellend, he knows exactly what he's doing and seems to be looking for a confrontation, he should be put on an awareness course as a result of this footage. Van driver needs locking up.

Judge Beez will now reside in his chambers :D
Click to expand...

Lord Tyrion said:
Just seen the footage. The cyclist, in my view, is riding wider in the road than necessary and so is blocking traffic. The van driver should be charged with dangerous driving. Neither are good examples for their cause but the driver is worse as it could lead to a death.
Click to expand...

Just to check chaps, you think if the cyclist had moved over, the van could have squeezed past? The reason the cyclist was riding where they were was to stop exactly that. If the van driver starts "squeezing past" and something comes the other way, my money is all on the van driver swerving left (into the cyclist), rather than colliding with the vehicle coming the other way.

The video shows as soon as the white lines become "broken", the cyclists moves over. I genuinly can't see anything wrong with the cyclist riding like this.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
I don't think there is a vendetta against cyclists, except perhaps in the Froome incident which sounds a little sinsiter. There are simply more cyclists on the road and there is not enough space for cyclists and cars/vans/lorries to co-exist safely. The number of incidents is almost bound to increase based on a numbers game alone.

For every incident of a cyclist being hurt I'm sure someone could counter with a cyclist behaving like a numpty. Numpties are everywhere, whether driving or cycling. I see plenty of both as I'm driving.
Click to expand...

While I completely agree that there are plenty of numpty cyclists, the danger with this argument is that they write off bad driver behaviour, because cyclists jump a red light, or ride on a pavement. The two aren't even close to being matched/countered. Cyclists acts like a numpty, noone really gets hurt (in the case of RLJ, odds are they hurt themselves!). Car driver drives badly, cyclist has a chance of dying. Not a fair comparison IMO.
 
The van driver must be charged with reckless endagerment or something like that.

The cyclist could have positioned himself better though. He hasn't helped himself by riding in the middle of the carriageway.
 
Captainron said:
The van driver must be charged with reckless endagerment or something like that.

The cyclist could have positioned himself better though. He hasn't helped himself by riding in the middle of the carriageway.
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The Cyclist is doing exactly what Bikeability say you should do in that situation, and this is to take control of the lane in an area were it would be unsafe to be overtaken.
Bikeability for those who haven't heard of it is the Ministry of Transport approved cycling training scheme. The National Standard for Cycle Training
 
CheltenhamHacker said:
While I completely agree that there are plenty of numpty cyclists, the danger with this argument is that they write off bad driver behaviour, because cyclists jump a red light, or ride on a pavement. The two aren't even close to being matched/countered. Cyclists acts like a numpty, noone really gets hurt (in the case of RLJ, odds are they hurt themselves!). Car driver drives badly, cyclist has a chance of dying. Not a fair comparison IMO.
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I do make that point in my next post. I would never condone what the van driver has done and I make the point that they should be prosecuted. Clearly, there is no metal cage around a cyclist and they are very vulnerable. Equally even if I think the cyclist is in the wrong here it never excuses the actions the driver after that event.
 
Beezerk said:
Yes, the cyclist appears to be a 100% bellend, he knows exactly what he's doing and seems to be looking for a confrontation, he should be put on an awareness course as a result of this footage. Van driver needs locking up.

Judge Beez will now reside in his chambers :D
Click to expand...

After the success of Judge Rinder last year will you be taking part in the next series of Strictly? I'll vote for you :thup:
 
maxfli65 said:
Cyclist seems to be deliberately holding up the van but van driver should be well back and not get impatient or react - could be very very serious consequences for both of them if they keep that kind of behaviour up.

Saw this one which is worse, cyclist hurt quite badly -
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-woman-ploughed-cyclist-road-rage-attack.html
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Cyclist is not deliberately doing anything wrong, there are double white lines, regardless of Gov advice or not, the cyclist is faultless.
 
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