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Woman riding popular mountain bike trail left bruised after attack by man wielding stick

Incident involving dog-walker happened in Sallowvallets, Forest of Dean last Thursday

An appeal for information has been launched after a woman riding a popular mountain bike trail in the Forest of Dean was attacked by a man wielding a stick.

Local bike hire and coaching business Pedalabikeaway said on its Facebook page last Thursday 2 July that a cash reward was on offer for anyone providing information that led to a prosecution in relation to the incident, which happened earlier that evening.

The Facebook message said: “Tonight at just before 5pm a female cyclist was assaulted while riding the red enduro mountain bike trail in Sallowvallets.

“She was beaten with a 2 metre long wooden stick sustaining several bruises on her arms, back, ribs and legs.

“The attacker was a white male in their late sixties. He was about 5ft 6 to 5ft 8, with a white beard, receding white hair and of medium build.

“He was wearing a blue and white striped top and walking with a small Jack Russell dog.

“He may well be local to the area.

“There is a cash reward for any information leading to a prosecution.”

Pedalabikeaway added: “You can contact us in confidence or contact  Gloucestershire Constabulary quoting crime number GC – 20200702-0375.”

Police can be contacted on the non-emergency number 101, while Pedalabikeaway, which is based in the Cannop Valley near Coleford, can be reached on 01594 729000.

The post has been shared 2,300 times on Facebook, and has attracted nearly 200 replies, and as well as expressing sympathy for the victim, many have pointed out that the detailed description will hopefully result in the man being identified.

Since lockdown began, we have reported a number of incidents in which cyclists riding trails have been targeted with booby traps including wire being stretched across paths, or branches placed across them.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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33 comments

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OldRidgeback | 4 years ago
2 likes

I hope they catch the nut who did this. I hope the rider is ok.

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visionset | 4 years ago
2 likes

I am constantly amazed by the comments of vulnarable cyclists that can not accept that tolerance and care is required. How can you possibly level the same ignorance at other vulnerable road users?  Look at pedestrians / scooters / horse riders etc and consider they hav every right to be there and are just ordinary people trying to enagage in a healthy for of transport or leisure.  Focus ones attention at the those not doing that. And although it is a sweeping generalisation, more often than not it is the SUV driver.  That, as has been said here, is the most inappropriate tool. 

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Panslanepaul replied to visionset | 4 years ago
1 like

visionset wrote:

 more often than not it is the SUV driver.  That, as has been said here, is the most inappropriate tool. 

Here's a job for someone bored and furloughed: run through every single NMOTD video and schedule up the offending vehicles to fact check this sort of statement. I have two SUVs on my fleet and quite how you'd otherwise put a 3 door RAV4 and an XC90 in the same category is beyond me. The nearest I've come to being killed by a motorist was a twat in a 350Z, second prize goes to a hot-hatch hero. Scariest was a commercial vehicle breakdown truck, second in this category was a single decker bus. I think if you start typing the phrase "sweeping generalisation" you should just stop typing (unless you're quoting, natch).

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visionset replied to Panslanepaul | 4 years ago
0 likes

Panslanepaul wrote:

​ I think if you start typing the phrase "sweeping generalisation" you should just stop typing (unless you're quoting, natch).

Fair enough, though it is very much experience based, and based on that experience really i should have typed Range Rover. I accept a twat can be behind the wheel, reigns or bars of anything.

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Panslanepaul replied to visionset | 4 years ago
0 likes

visionset wrote:

Fair enough, though it is very much experience based, and based on that experience really i should have typed Range Rover. I accept a twat can be behind the wheel, reigns or bars of anything.

No problem, not going to pick an argument with you over Range Rover drivers 

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eburtthebike replied to visionset | 4 years ago
0 likes

visionset wrote:

I am constantly amazed by the comments of vulnarable cyclists that can not accept that tolerance and care is required. How can you possibly level the same ignorance at other vulnerable road users?  Look at pedestrians / scooters / horse riders etc and consider they hav every right to be there and are just ordinary people trying to enagage in a healthy for of transport or leisure.  Focus ones attention at the those not doing that. And although it is a sweeping generalisation, more often than not it is the SUV driver.  That, as has been said here, is the most inappropriate tool. 

I've read that three times, the last time slowly and carefully, and I still don't understand what you're talking about.  I'm pretty sure my comprehension is reasonable, so do you think you could explain it again a bit clearer please?

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Compact Corned Beef replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
3 likes

TL:DR - don't be dicks to other road users, whether on the road or the internet.

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eburtthebike replied to Compact Corned Beef | 4 years ago
0 likes

Compact Corned Beef wrote:

TL:DR - don't be dicks to other road users, whether on the road or the internet.

Thanks; much clearer, and shorter too.  Now, tell me what was the point of saying that in the context of a totally innocent woman cyclist being assaulted by an irate dog owner?

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Compact Corned Beef replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
1 like

visionset's comment was in response to someone else commenting that horses shouldn't be on the road. I think he's quite right  to call that out, especially so as we've probably all been told to get off the road at some point.

Nowt specifically to do with the article. That bloke's actions are indefensible.

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eburtthebike replied to Compact Corned Beef | 4 years ago
0 likes

Compact Corned Beef wrote:

visionset's comment was in response to someone else commenting that horses shouldn't be on the road. I think he's quite right  to call that out, especially so as we've probably all been told to get off the road at some point.

Nowt specifically to do with the article. That bloke's actions are indefensible.

Thanks.  So he's replying to someone without actually clicking "reply" and totally out of context.  Can't help thinking that if it takes half a dozen posts for other people to explain your post, maybe it might have been done a bit better.

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mdavidford replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes

Well it does seem like most other people managed to understand what they were talking about just fine. It was started 'I am constantly amazed by the comments...', which ought to have made it fairly clear.

And it was commenting on comments generally, rather than any specific comment, so replying to an individual one wouldn't necessarily have been appropriate.

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Sriracha replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
7 likes

I think he is saying that it is a bit rich of cyclists to treat other vulnerable road users (pedestrians, horse riders, mobility scooterers, etc) in the same deplorable way that motorists treat cyclists. Which is to say, questioning their right to the road, moaning about how they get in the way, forcing us to slow down to accommodate their vagaries and meanderings, buzzing past them in alarming fashion, or just failing to recognise their particular needs and their legitimacy.

Do unto others, etc. Quite right too.

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eburtthebike replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
3 likes

Sriracha wrote:

I think he is saying that it is a bit rich of cyclists to treat other vulnerable road users (pedestrians, horse riders, mobility scooterers, etc) in the same deplorable way that motorists treat cyclists. Which is to say, questioning their right to the road, moaning about how they get in the way, forcing us to slow down to accommodate their vagaries and meanderings, buzzing past them in alarming fashion, or just failing to recognise their particular needs and their legitimacy. Do unto others, etc. Quite right too.

Thanks.  Now, tell me what was the point of saying that in the context of a totally innocent woman cyclist being assaulted by an irate dog owner?

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mdavidford replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes

eburtthebike wrote:

Thanks.  Now, tell me what was the point of saying that in the context of a totally innocent woman cyclist being assaulted by an irate dog owner?

I think it was more in the context of commenters suggesting that all horse riders are rude, selfish, and an inconvenience, and that they shouldn't be on the roads.

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eburtthebike replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
1 like

Sriracha wrote:

I think he is saying that it is a bit rich of cyclists to treat other vulnerable road users (pedestrians, horse riders, mobility scooterers, etc) in the same deplorable way that motorists treat cyclists. Which is to say, questioning their right to the road, moaning about how they get in the way, forcing us to slow down to accommodate their vagaries and meanderings, buzzing past them in alarming fashion, or just failing to recognise their particular needs and their legitimacy. Do unto others, etc. Quite right too.

Yes, I see that, but does it have anything whatsoever to do with the article he's commenting on?  Unless he's somehow blaming the woman for riding too fast, too close to the dog owner?  I'm baffled.

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visionset replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
3 likes

eburtthebike wrote:

Yes, I see that, but does it have anything whatsoever to do with the article he's commenting on?  Unless he's somehow blaming the woman for riding too fast, too close to the dog owner?  I'm baffled.

No I am not commenting on this article, I am commenting on alot of this article's (and a ton of others) commentary. As is quite clear in the 1st sentence.

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visionset replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
2 likes

Sriracha wrote:

I think he is saying that it is a bit rich of cyclists to treat other vulnerable road users (pedestrians, horse riders, mobility scooterers, etc) in the same deplorable way that motorists treat cyclists. Which is to say, questioning their right to the road, moaning about how they get in the way, forcing us to slow down to accommodate their vagaries and meanderings, buzzing past them in alarming fashion, or just failing to recognise their particular needs and their legitimacy. Do unto others, etc. Quite right too.

Yep, spot on, thanks

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Kapelmuur | 4 years ago
2 likes

I have never had a problem with horse riders, plenty of them on the roads I ride.   I always call 'bike' when approaching from behind and ask if it's OK to pass.   I also slow down and make eye contact with riders when approaching from the front, never had any thing other than a friendly response.

One alarming incident was when my flashing front light spooked a horse and almost unseated the rider, even then she apologised for the animal being skittish but now I cover the light with my hand when riding towards a horse.

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eburtthebike | 4 years ago
5 likes

Wow!  Lockdown is really affecting some people, but this is inexcusable.  I live in the FoD, and I'll definitely be keeping any eye out for this character.  Mind you, it could be me in a striped top.

One of the first times I rode on that trail, I was shouted at by a lady, who had a dog not on a lead, for riding my bike too fast near her dog.  I was too astonished to point out that she was on a mountain bike trail.

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wtjs replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
0 likes

This Mantle of the Righteous is taken, on the roads, by the Saintly Horse Riders. It is impossible to do right for some of them- they will shout at you for coming up quietly on the outside, them will shout at you for disturbing the horse by bell ringing or speaking. As far as such people are concerned, any cyclist is a slavering monster aiming to flay the horse alive- the worst I experienced was a series of cries of rage for passing a horse with a trailer with a flag on the back. 

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panda replied to wtjs | 4 years ago
2 likes

Horses absolutely don't belong on modern roads - they're prey animals and liable to panic at more or less anything.  It must cause them a lot of anxiety and I don't know why the rider would inflict that on them. 

However, about a year ago, I passed a horse rider (I was riding in the opposite gutter to be considerate) and somehow ended up in conversation.  She said that what they want cyclists to do is shout "BIKE! BIKE!" when about 50m back and just slow down a bit.  I've been doing it since and I've never had anything other than a friendly wave on my way past. 

I still don't think they belong on the road, and I hate slowing down and going onto the other side of the road, but I expect the same courtesy from car drivers so it seems kinda fair in the round.

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alchemilla replied to panda | 4 years ago
6 likes

Horses absolutely don't belong on modern roads - they're prey animals and liable to panic at more or less anything.  It must cause them a lot of anxiety and I don't know why the rider would inflict that on them. 

Agreed, but the problem is the same as that for off-road cyclists - none of the bridleways link up and often you have to do yards if not a mile on the road to get to the next off-road bit.  The ones we see are probably just trying to make their way to the next tarmac-free area.  Must be stressful riding a horse on a road these days.

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Bentrider replied to panda | 4 years ago
14 likes

panda wrote:

Horses absolutely don't belong on modern roads -

Crap.  This is the same argument used by petrolheads against cyclists.  Horses (and riders) have as much right to use the public highway as anyone and were doing so long before motor vehicles, or even bikes, came along.  All road users need to learn to accommodate each other and Share the Road.

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OnYerBike replied to Bentrider | 4 years ago
1 like

I think it's possible to share the roads and act considerately in practice, whilst also suggesting that something ought to change. Just because something's happened for a long time doesn't automatically mean it is right.

I can see Panda's point to some extent. I generally don't have a problem with horses but they are ridiculous as a form of transport - expensive to keep, slow, poop everywhere etc. It's a nightmare trying to find somewhere to park one in town.

They do also have a tendancy to behave erratically - I once distressed a horse greatly by walking past whilst wearing sunglasses and a large rucksack. It thought I looked like some kind of monster.

That said, I think SUVs are far more unfit for modern roads.

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mdavidford replied to OnYerBike | 4 years ago
0 likes

OnYerBike wrote:

ridiculous as a form of transport - expensive to keep, slow*, poop everywhere etc. It's a nightmare trying to find somewhere to park one in town.

They do also have a tendancy to behave erratically

Sounds like you're describing cars.

[* in most major towns and cities.]

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panda replied to Bentrider | 4 years ago
0 likes

You took those words out of context - my point was more that if I had a brain injury which meant I was likely to be startled by sudden noise / light / movement and the consequence of that was that I could suddenly swerve and  injure the person sharing a tandem with me then I wouldn't ride on the open roads because it would be stressful.  Think of it this way - would you consider letting a horse make its own way down a road from one paddock to another on a route it's familiar with?  Why not?

They absolutely have the right to be on there - I assume it's only done out of necessity - and it's the infrastructure which needs to be improved to reduce that stress.  If a section of road is going to be used regularly by horses then there should be a bridleway next to it or at the very least signage.

Better?

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kevvjj replied to panda | 4 years ago
6 likes

modern roads? wtf are they? If you can't share the road with ALL modes of transport then please stay off them.

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fenix replied to panda | 4 years ago
8 likes

Horses have every right to be on the roads.

Once you remove them the next step is the cyclist who wobbles round potholes. Clearly they have no place on modern high speed roads...

It's not rocket science is it ? Slow down and announce yourself. I've had plenty of chats with nice horse riders.

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Mungecrundle replied to wtjs | 4 years ago
6 likes

Weird, only ever had respectful encounters with horse riders out on the roads and byeways of N Hertfordshire, and come across at least 1 every countryside cycle ride.

Once had a group of horse riders charge through a group of runners from behind on a bridlepath, but that, so far, has been a one off.

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geomannie 531 replied to Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
4 likes

Same Glasgow area. I slow down, make my presence known and all goes well.

Not that I pass a lot of horses mind.

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