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Still taken from YouTube road rage video A Clown Takes a PratfallVideo: Close-passing, ultra-sweary driver takes a tumble after chasing and kicking out at cyclist
Helmet cam footage of disputes between cyclists and drivers isn’t exactly thin on the ground these days, but this is a particularly striking example. After a close pass, an extraordinary volume of swearing, a pavement pursuit and a kick at the cyclist’s rear wheel, the driver involved takes a face-first swan dive into the road.
The video, shot in Reading, begins with the familiar scene of a car passing dangerously closely to a cyclist. A short distance later, the uploader, uphillfreewheeler, stops next to the driver and tells him he’d been too close when overtaking. This elicits a quite spectacular barrage of swearing from the driver, the gist of which is that he feels the cyclist should have pulled to the side to let him past. He also has an interesting view on what the Highway Code says about cyclists.
After a short debate about the finer points of road safety, the dispute escalates from swearing to threats before culminating in the driver chasing the cyclist down the pavement and launching a kick at his rear wheel. This causes him to lose balance, after which he stumbles, soars through the air and lands face first in the road.
Please note, unless you mute it, this video’s not remotely safe for work.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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149 comments
Because now this driver guy will probably act like a prick to every cyclist he sees. I'm not stereotyping cyclists but a dickhead like this driver will.
What do you mean probably?
He did act a prick to a cyclist then assaulted him, threatened to kill him, then went to assault him again, causing criminal damage to his bike in the process.
Or did you watch a different video?
Um, just putting this out there... I suspect the driver already does?
why do people seem to go antagonise the drivers after they have already got the evidence they need.
Needless confrontation, especial cycling away like a school boy. What do you think is going to happen when you go up to someone and point out their mistakes.
Just make them aware an more on, do we think that these poor drives are going to change their ways after a telling off?
starting to think cameras are for people actively looking to aggravate, makes the rest of us look like narcs
Evidence that they need for what? Is there much history of the 5-0 / CPS doing anything at all with footage of a driver close-passing a cyclist? I've not seen many reports of points being handed out and I had the impression that it's largely ignored by the justice system.
The only time I ever reported a (bus) driver to the police (for a faster and closer pass than that shown in the video), they suggested that I should complain to the bus company, rather than showing any interest in taking action themselves.
Sadly you're right. The police/CPS take no notice of video footage of relatively minor road infractions, especially if no harm was done in the end. Even when harm is done, drivers harming cyclists are largely let of scot-free. "I was blinded by the sun, sorry I killed him"
For example, the CPS have openly said that they aren't and never will be interested in pursuing legal action against drivers that stop in front of ASL (advanced stop lines), despite the fact that they've technically just run a red light.
just watching the video again, the driver tried to park at about 43secs. wonder what made him abort the manoeuvre?
Almost oh sh** the cyclist chased me down time to do a runner, fight or flight scenario.
And why did the cyclist bother chasing, If he had caught up at a later junction then it escalated one thing, but actively chasing, as said earlier many drivers don't appreciate being told they are crap drivers.
Agree, that sort of close pass happens every day and this cyclist seemed intent on antagonising and escalating the situation, with a person who clearly didn't have a career in the diplomatic corps. Should have recorded and moved on.
The swan dive is outstanding though, I am a bad person too
And here come the scores:
5.9, 5.9, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, 5.7 from the Russian judge, predictably, 5.9 & 6.0.
Needless escalation from the cyclist. If I mouthed off like that at every driver who passed me that close I'd never get anywhere.
But that fall is proper comedy. Hard to say the driver didn't deserve that after all his abuse.
Yeah, you reserve your mouthing off for other cyclists on the internet.
Eh? Calm down, dear. I'm not really in the habit of mouthing off at anyone.
Stop chasing me down in the comments. Next you'll be videotaping it.
What a massive f#cking prick. With his kid in the car too.
Pursuing the close pass all over town was a bit much.
If you do that every time someone passes a bit close you would never get anywhere; (gratuitous semi-colon) would he do this if he was not making a "Y'Tube" video?
Outstanding swan dive though!
Bare bones here... The car driver was wrong. Fair enough. He recorded it, read out the registration and that should have been the end.
Pursuing the driver through back streets and purposely winding him up is just unnecessary. Prime example of why cyclists with cameras are getting a very jaded reputation...
I hope the guy on the bike is proud of needlessly escalating a situation that should have ended with 3 points on a licence and a stern talking-to into a court case for assault.
He should not have chased the guy down, he should not have then followed him across the road, filmed him some more and handed out more antagonism to a clearly rage-filled violence-prone moron. Then ride off at speed along a footpath.
No doubt this motorist and his mates will now take a lot more care around other people on bikes.
Just as the guy in the car is not typical of 'motorists', the guy on the bike is not typical of 'cyclists'. Can't wait until mass-media gets hold of this.
FFS.
I find it really sad that we are entering into this black and white "cyclists vs car drivers" war.
Most cyclists are also car drivers and most car drivers, at some point in their life, rode a bicycle.
In this video, if it's clear that the car driver is acting crazy, I find that the cyclist is throwing water on the fire for no reason. After the first sentence, it should have been obvious that the situation was escalating and the cyclist should just leave instead of trying to argue and threat the guys of reporting to the police.
I can't help but think that in a large number of these videos the cyclist has made things worse. This can be either unintentional, they also lose the plot, or intentional, they goad the driver into a worse state to make a better video.
The cyclist here had the close pass on video. Was there a need to even talk to the driver in the first place? Let's say he felt compelled to say something to the driver. The initial outburst from him would have made me cease further contact and ride away. Why the need to keep engaging him? Then to laugh at him? The end result of a physical confrontation was entirely predictable.
the_mth - In a civilised society, why should anyone be afraid of discussing opposing views? If someone turns violent after an exchange of views, then the problem is entirely with the violent person for not having self-control and maybe they should be kept away from polite society for a while. I don't think that as a group, cyclists should be afraid or wary of pointing out dangerous driving.
In a civilised society the car driver wouldn't react like that. He'd also likely not pass the cyclist so closely or if he did so by apologise for his mistake.
Exchange views by all means but if the person opposing is reacting like the driver what useful purpose is served?
I disagree entirely. This @#$% of a motorist is now documented as a violent, dangerous person. When he knocks down you or one of the other "let's not say anything" people then your widowed partner and children will have a tiny little bit of proof that "someone should have done something". Who knows... he might even get a couple of months inside?
Clearly not an old Etonian. Probably from the other school.
I hope both learned something positive from that encounter.
(Sadly, I confess to enjoying the pratfall - I'm a bad person.)
I'll be wary of this car!
The slo-mo bit at the end has really brightened up my day, I do hope his glasses were ruined
Should have been wearing a helmet!
I hope the police have been informed idiots like that need to be off the road!
And yes knowing how many drivers respond to being challenged, the cyclist questioning the drivers ability was only going to end one way.
duplicate post deleted.
That's the driver's problem. I don't lose my rag with every driver that tells me how I should be cycling (and it happens with monotonous regularity). Just because someone tells you that your skills on the road are sub-par that doesn't mean that you attack them. So, I completely disagree with you, it wasn't "only going to end one way".
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