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Ex-world champion Alessandro Ballan calls for drivers to respect cyclists after row with motorist who hit him

38-year-old struck by wing mirror while on training ride, argument with motorist including pushing and shoving ensued

Former world champion Alessandro Ballan has appealed for drivers to respect cyclists following an incident in which a motorist overtook him so closely that he struck the former world champion’s hand, with an argument ensuing between the two.

The former BMC Racing rider posted a video to Facebook on 23 December in which he recounted what had happened while out on a training ride from his home in Asolo in north east Italy’s Veneto region.

The incident happened a fortnight after Ballan’s friend, the UAE Team Emirates rider Sacha Modolo, was knocked off his bike in the same area, luckily without serious consequences, although he was unable to persuade the Carabinieri to take an interest in what had happened,

Ballan, who is now a commentator with Sky TV in Italy, says he was riding along a straight road at a speed of 35 kilometres an hour when a driver overtook him, doing as much as twice that speed, the vehicle’s wing mirror hitting him on his hand.

The 38-year-old raised his arm in a gesture that any Italian motorist would immediately recognise, whereupon the driver, whose age Ballan put in his early 20s and who had presumably spotted it in his mirror, stopped and got out of his car.

“It was a mistake to react, I understand that, but I took it really badly,” Ballan said. “Perhaps my reaction was too instinctive, but I really ran the risk of falling for no reason.

"If instead there had been a child or older person in my place, they would surely have ended up beneath the car,” he said, “I am disappointed and disgusted by the reaction of the driver, but cyclists need to be respected.”

He asked the motorist why he had undertaken such a risky manoeuvre, which led to an altercation in which there was a bit of pushing and shoving on both sides.

Another motorist aged around 35 then stopped, and without even having seen the incident immediately took the other driver’s part, according to Ballan, at which point the one who had hit him got back in his car and drove away.

"I carried on with my ride, but this episode shook me up,” continued Ballan. There was no reason for such behaviour.”

“Unfortunately it’s not the first time it’s happened to a cyclist but in my case it was just a gratuitous act given there was no-one else on the road.”

Referring to the Codice della Strada, Italy’s equivalent of the Highway Code, he said: “Sometimes cyclists, especially in groups, may not respect the code but that’s no reason to take it out on the first cyclist you come across.

“Cars must overtake cyclists leaving at least a metre and a half of room,” Ballan continued, adding a warning to young drivers to “be very careful because the new Codice della Strada is very strict on this issue. They risk having their driving licence taken away for five years and heavy fines.”

Finally, he addressed the motorist who had hit him.

“If your son ends up taking up cycling,” he said, “he’ll realise how stupid you were.”

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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12 comments

Avatar
TonyMM | 6 years ago
1 like

My experience with cars is actually ok in Germany and Switzerland (German part).

In France it really depends where. And in general it is always terrible when drining in or around cities.

Avatar
Leviathan | 6 years ago
0 likes

Maybe he was another critical cyclist who thought, 'Ha, look at this dick with his World Champion's stripes, where'd he get that jersey; ebay? I'll teach him a lesson.' Whoosh, and the rest is clickbait.

Sounds like another recent case:

http://road.cc/content/forum/234402-courtany-tips

Some people just don't like being told they are wrong. 

Avatar
Butty | 6 years ago
3 likes

Seems that cars should in future be driven in reverse to avoid such incidents:

1. max speed in reverse is much slower.

2. drivers seem to be able to readily see very clearly what is behind them and take offence at a raised middle finger, than be able to see in front of their windscreen and drive accordingly.

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Rapha Nadal | 6 years ago
0 likes

Driver turns out to be an Asolo in Asolo.

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A440 | 6 years ago
4 likes

I agree with Don, it was a mistake for the driver to assume that he was in the right. Ballan was inches from serious injury or death, and for HIM not to react would take the patience of a saint.

Drivers continue to act like this out of a sense of entitlement I believe, and until the constabularies of the world can come down hard on them and convince them otherwise, it seems this kind of thing will continue.

Avatar
don simon fbpe replied to A440 | 6 years ago
3 likes

A440 wrote:

I agree with Don, it was a mistake for the driver to assume that he was in the right. Ballan was inches from serious injury or death, and for HIM not to react would take the patience of a saint.

Drivers continue to act like this out of a sense of entitlement I believe, and until the constabularies of the world can come down hard on them and convince them otherwise, it seems this kind of thing will continue.

This is where the Spanish police are way ahead of us, not only has there been a high profile 1.5m safe distance campaign for a couple of years, but they've also put el plod in civvies out on bikes to catch and charge those guilty of close passes.

I do, however, see this anti-cycling sentiment as bring the result of the likes of Clarkson popularising and normalising the hatred. The fact that Britain is a nation of selfish twats doesn't help either.

Avatar
turnerjohn | 6 years ago
1 like

Friend of mine rides a lot over in the continent and says drivers over there are even worse than UK drivers....Spanish especially don't seem to care your on a bike ! 

Or maybe it's their Police force simply don't care either ?......things are (slowly) improving over here.....I've noticed it the last couple of years.....

Avatar
don simon fbpe replied to turnerjohn | 6 years ago
2 likes

turnerjohn wrote:

Friend of mine rides a lot over in the continent and says drivers over there are even worse than UK drivers....Spanish especially don't seem to care your on a bike ! 

Or maybe it's their Police force simply don't care either ?......things are (slowly) improving over here.....I've noticed it the last couple of years.....

That's sad, if true, as I found the Spanish significantly better than the British.

Avatar
HalfWheeler replied to turnerjohn | 6 years ago
4 likes

turnerjohn wrote:

Friend of mine rides a lot over in the continent and says drivers over there are even worse than UK drivers....

Eh? Not in my experience. 

Have ridden in Czech Rep', Austria, Germany, Spain and France. Drivers were so much better than UK drivers.

Avatar
kevvjj replied to turnerjohn | 6 years ago
3 likes

turnerjohn wrote:

Friend of mine rides a lot over in the continent and says drivers over there are even worse than UK drivers....Spanish especially don't seem to care your on a bike ! 

Or maybe it's their Police force simply don't care either ?......things are (slowly) improving over here.....I've noticed it the last couple of years.....

Hmmm... I must disagree with this statement. I've never felt safer riding on French and Italian roads - the most courteous and patient of drivers I've expereinced.

Avatar
Grahamd replied to kevvjj | 6 years ago
1 like

kevvjj wrote:

turnerjohn wrote:

Friend of mine rides a lot over in the continent and says drivers over there are even worse than UK drivers....Spanish especially don't seem to care your on a bike ! 

Or maybe it's their Police force simply don't care either ?......things are (slowly) improving over here.....I've noticed it the last couple of years.....

Hmmm... I must disagree with this statement. I've never felt safer riding on french and Italian roads - the most courteous and patient of drivers I've expereinced.

Think Chris Froome might disagree with you...

 

Avatar
don simon fbpe | 6 years ago
12 likes

Quote:

“It was a mistake to react, I understand that, but I took it really badly,” Ballan said. “Perhaps my reaction was too instinctive, but I really ran the risk of falling for no reason.

No, it was a mistake for the driver to close pass and it was a mistake for the driver to confront rather than apologise. Don't apologise for the actions of others who are clearly in the wrong. Drivers can be courteous and respectful when they want, I know this as I see it every time I go out in the 4x4. Most of these acts against cyclists are deliberate and must be called so!

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