Video: attack on cyclist - Is this you? Essex Police want to hear from you

A disproportionate amount of angry men seem to drive vans

http://www.checkatrade.com/TaylorsLandscapingAndDriveways/

I've noticed a strange pattern on cycling forums when someone posts about an altercation. After a certain number of replies offering support someone will pop along to describe why it was the cyclist's fault all along. Occasionally it's valid, but mostly it seems to be a case of an individual getting a kick out of opposing the popular view.

In this case there are a few points one could make to the cyclist about how he might have avoided the altercation, but nothing at all to suggest he was responsible for being run off the road and then punched by Jason Statham's less successful little brother.

From viewing the video it looks like to me the driver pinched the rider against the kerb making him fall off. Then with little in the way of provocation assaulted the cyclist, punching him and knocking him to the ground. Why haven't the police arrested the driver?

My own riding position would of been to take a prominent position to stop overtaking until the road widened out, but in the scenario of the video, I feel that it would of me seen sliding off the bonnet of the van drivers vehicle given his obvious anger issues.

Agree with the above... its the old... 'everything would be just fine if we all doffed our caps at the right time, and did what other road users want us to do' mantra.

The cynic in me also thinks that the police are actually keen to meet the victim because of the criminal damage the cyclist may have caused to the side of the van, or indeed the physical assault the cyclist committed against the van drivers fist.

It was an inconsiderate overtake but I wouldn't have gone up the inside like that. You can't see what's slowing the traffic up but you would have thought the cyclist was planning what to do next. I would have got into the traffic stream and then looked at overtaking on the outside if things really slowed down. Inside track? Stationary traffic only, or else very carefully if it's the sensible thing to do.

Municipal Waste wrote:

http://www.checkatrade.com/

I don't think that's the same crowd.

I don't know the UK law, but can the police go after an Evidence based prosecution, ie do they NEED the cyclist to come forward and make a complaint? This might be why they aren't doing anything, because they can't????

There are many times when I have had an aggressive overtake, only for them to nip in and put their anchors on, forcing me to brake and guide my bike down the left hand side of the vehicle. I have a video on Youtube that gets lots and lots of aggro because I am calling a taxi driver an idiot for doing exactly that to me. Apparently motor vehicle drivers do not have to forward plan and consider the consequences of their actions.

To be honest, if a guy gets out of their vehicle and behaves aggressively towards me like this twunt, I would fight back. I am fed up of people like this having no action against them, which justifies their behaviour.... Rant rant etc.

GBH and using a vehicle as a weapon.
He should be getting some arse ripping time in jail for that stunt. Twat in a van. And by the sounds of it he was on his mobile.

You have to take into account several human factors here.

Most drivers see bikes as an obstruction to get round like a set of roadworks, not maliciously, they just don't comprehend traffic flows and don't think ahead. It's a series of discrete decisions to them whereas very good drivers and most cyclers understand things are linked. Brake now at the bottom of this dip and you're going to make the next hundred metres much harder work etc.

A lot of people are generally stressed. It doesn't take much to make them lose their rag and some of those believe violence is ok because they see it all the time.

People make mistakes.

All of those things together mean that I ride defensively by default (though I'll happily snake through a solid queue if needed) and in this case, the rider took a chance and ran into a bad combination of the above. The guy should be prosecuted for assault no doubt, but I think it's worth condidering how we get into these nasty situations so they're less common.

Also without the victim coming forward the police might not know whether to charge this as assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm or even grievous bodily harm, and the court wouldn't know how serious any injuries, pain, or mental distress were, all of which could affect sentencing.

People will do what they believe they can get away with... its a lord of the flies thing, basically we are all savages, living under the thin veil of society.

In response to calls for physical retribution, my opinion is that in all reality, the powers that be will do nothing to look into these situations more seriously until 'people' start taking it upon themselves to seek their own form of justice.

If no one is harmed, then there is no foul in the eyes of the law... its only when people are harmed will they take notice... and if that means doing more so that normal citizens don't start behaving like psychos, then they will do it.

IMO its probably not crime levels that dictate policing levels, but the levels of vigilant activity.

Wonder how much they charge for 'decking'?

On the BBC now...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-30846362

In Top Gear style (given motorists find any humour wrapped up in that loveable blanket acceptable)

Go torch their company headquarters if they refuse to sack him for gross misconduct.

Find the lovely chap in the van and explain to him with some degree of extreme violence that his actions were unsporting.

I suspect someone will be paying him a visit in the next few months given he's made it so easy to do so.

Government, the police and the courts are inneffective. They have demonstrated this time and time and time and time and time zzzzzz.....sorry, dropped off there waiting for justice.

As they choose not to offer protection and justice there is no shortage of people who will step up and deal with these thingson behalf of society themselves.

Just joking of course

He's turned himself in

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/van-driver-turns-himself-into-polic...

So instead of a slap on the wrist he'll probably be up for a CBE.

Having heard this with the sound loud enough to hear speech, it's more clear.

Driver overtakes and pulls in, braking due to cars turning across him.

He is on the phone, apparently, so not paying enough attention

The cyclist is offended at being squeezed and tells the driver to get off the phone, while passing on the inside in a fairly tight route

The driver forces the bike into the kerb and proceeds to assault him

I've not read any trolling yet elsewhere, but I'm sure there are tons of posts which read opposite to my view. I hope this white van man does lose his job, if not the business owner, as he was driving in a professional capacity which demands a level of care and respect for other road users, plus, he's a thug that needs some of his own bully medicine.

If you run the video full screen and stop at about 1:01 you'll see the following marketing material:
T:01268 710922
M:07812 082491 / 07939 610 764
Email:taylorlandscape [at] me.com
I wonder how much more business they'll get because of this episode?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-30846362

What the hell did he have on the back of the bike, as seen on the still above, it's about 4 feet wide and explains why he was hugging the kerb, if he held primary he might have got swatted with something coming the other way!

Gaaaah

http://road.cc/content/news/140715-suspect-charged-after-essex-road-rage...

Verb as a noun!

Exactly -

From Oxford Dictionaries:
"summons" is defined as [verb] serve (someone) with a summons: [with object and infinitive]: he has been summonsed to appear in court next month.

no excuse whatsoever for the driver's actions.

Yet...once again, we have a cyclist putting themselves in harm's way. Mental road positioning, then going up the inside of traffic.