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Bristol Driver leans out of window (Dave Edmonds Facebook video still).PNGPolice treating BMW driver’s shove of Bristol cyclist as common assault – appeal for information about his identity
Avon and Somerset Police are appealing for information about the identity of the BMW driver who attempted to shove a cyclist off his bike in an unprovoked attack earlier this week. The incident, which took place on Wordsworth Road in Horfield at around 5.20pm on Monday was captured by victim Dave Edmonds’ handlebar camera.
A force spokesman said: "The cyclist reported the incident, which happened in Wordsworth Road to us at about 9.15pm [on Monday], advising that he had been pushed by someone in a white car which went past him earlier in the evening. We are treating the matter as common assault and police enquiries are continuing."
Anyone with information can call the non-emergency police 101 number quoting the reference 5216049921. Anonymous calls can also be made to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Edmonds told the Bristol Post that he felt police were right to treat the incident as common assault.
"I do think that is right. He pushed me with the intention for me to fall off, which would clearly have caused harm. It is the same as if someone comes up to you and pushes you on the street. And he needs to be taught that there are consequences.
Edmonds said that he had suspected the motorist was about to do something because of his position on the road and the way he was looking at him.
"I was just shocked really. I have had people shout names and abuse at me while cycling, but never anything like this before. He didn't say anything to me, he just shoved me. I don't think I was a target as such, I was just there.
"It is wrong, and it is clear that he was intending to cause me injury. Thankfully I just wobbled, it could have been a lot worse if I had come off or if the road was busier."
He said that his attacker didn't shout before or afterwards and that he doesn’t think he was targeted for any particular reason. “I guess I was just the nearest person to him and he wanted someone to annoy. In a way I feel sorry for him if that is what he does for fun."
Asked about interaction between motorists and cyclists on the roads, Edmonds said:
"I am both a driver and a cyclist, so can see it from both sides. I have experienced many cars who have driven too close to me or erratically, but equally I have seen cyclists who go through red lights, wend through traffic or don't wear reflective clothing. It definitely goes both ways.
"There need to be a mutual respect between drivers and cyclists – but whatever happens this kind of behaviour is not acceptable."
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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28 comments
I'm hardly surprised; this is Bristol 'badlands'! I used to be a regular commuter through there from '99-'02. Came off on some ice and was lying in the road a bit dazed; 2 people practically stepped over me like I wasn't there! On another occasion someone jumped out and sprayed 'silly string' in my face. Mild one was the kid kicking a ball into my wheel to try and knock me off. Can't remember the car close passes but there must have been a few. Happy days!
"It goes both ways" etc etc some nonsense about reflective clothes and filtering
That's some weapons grade false equivalence and victim blaming right there.
Whilst I approve of him being investigated for common assualt, presumably if found he will be charged with common assault AND Dangerous driving? If not he won't get any kind of ban despite clearly driving below the standard required (wrong side of road with entire body sticking out of the window)
Hopefully the prison gaurds will accidentally catch his knackers in the door when they lock him up - it would be a crime for someone like that to procreate
I'm sure the road.cc legal massive will put me right but in the case of speed camera convictions isn't the notification of prosecution issued to the owner of the vehicle who then has to counter that he wasn't driving at that time and "grass up" who was (or is stupid enough to tak ethe conviction on their behalf). Why doesn't this apply in this case. Though as the charge is common assault I assume it has different rules than a purely driving offense.
It's bad enough when people get pushed/pulled/thrown at by cars travelling in the same direction but this scum bag actually travels across in to the opposite lane to commit the assault. Absolutely no question that it is assault. Bet they never find the culprit, or at least are able to prosecute the 7urd!
No it doesn't go both ways. If a motorist doesn't respect a cyclist the cyclist dies, if a cyclist doesn't respect a motorist the cyclist dies. Cyclists are perfectly entitled to filter and do not have to wear reflective clothing which makes little difference. Stockholm Syndrome is not the appropriate response to the problem of assault on people who use a bicycle.
Quite right. It goes to show that being the victim of an assault on the road doesn't automatically mean that you have sensible views on the moral equivalence of actions, or that you have accurately researched the rules on reflective clothing.
The registered keeper of the vehicle is obliged to identify the driver to the police on request or face prosecution.
This is a late model high end vehicle. Apart from legal insurance requirements it's difficult to believe that the owner doesn't know the driver unless the vehicle was stolen.
I think the going rate's about £1.50, isn't it? (Nottingham hit-n-run, recently).
Yep - in the "boy racer" world its usual to claim ignorance along the lines of "we're a group, we all met up at MaccyD's and were driving each others cars officer". Been there done that (not sure if law has changed since the 90s)
One of the representations to Transport Select Committee was to make registered keeper legally responsible by default if a vehicle is involved in an incident and driver isn't identified.
"but equally I have seen cyclists who go through red lights, wend through traffic or don't wear reflective clothing. It definitely goes both ways."
"There need to be a mutual respect between drivers and cyclists – but whatever happens this kind of behaviour is not acceptable."
No it doesn't go both ways. If a motorist doesn't respect a cyclist the cyclist dies, if a cyclist doesn't respect a motorist the cyclist dies. Cyclists are perfectly entitled to filter and do not have to wear reflective clothing which makes little difference. Stockholm Syndrome is not the appropriate response to the problem of assault on people who use a bicycle.
All road users need to obey the rules of the road, and in that regard "it goes both ways". That is not to say the consequences of breaking those rules are the same, and I didn't get the impression that the cyclist was saying they were.
Whatever, just hope they actually get the twat soon, be alarming if they couldn't...
So when you are burgled it is appropriate to say some home owners leave their bins out on the street and make too much noise so it works both ways and both burglars and home owners should respect each other?
Can't even parse that... go and read what the guy said in the context of the question he was asked.
A far too common, assault.
When a police officer is killed, by a motor vehicle , the driver is charged with murder, so why isn't this being treated as attempted murder?
Because the standards for proving that are very high. Plus the police carrying out their duty have a special status in criminal law.
In reality the only time murder or attempted murder would be pursued in an RTC would be if the victim was known to the accused. I recall a case involving a cyclist in Herefordshire(?) a couple of years ago.
There was an actual murder I think. And, on those facts, an attempted murder (had the accused not died) would have been fine.
Attempted murder is very difficult to prove for a variety of reasons. The Wiki explanation is helpful as a starting point.
It's also worth noting that even in the most seemingly "winnable" of cases (see the Clayton Williams trial) the Defendant may still only be charged with attempt GBH.
Don't believe everything you read in the papers or hear on the news. 'Murder' is always a good headline grabber. Murder requires an element of 'premeditatition', whether that be 10 seconds before or 3 years it matters not but it has to be there.
Anybody know that the is an actual offence of 'Motor Manslaughter' in English & Welsh legislation!? Sorry Scotland but you are literally a law unto yourselves!!!
You appear to be suggesting that swerving across the road to attack a cyclist is not 'premeditated'. If that is true this twunt really is a shite driver.
I do wonder whether the law would treat people lobbing house bricks off motorway bridges in the same casual fashion as they treat attacks by motorists.
Blimey, I had no idea wending through to traffic endangered the lives of car drivers, I must stop. And then hold them up in the queue at the next set of lights because unlike a motorised Cancellera I can't do 0-30 in a couple of seconds
"And he needs to be taught that there are consequences."
I'm not sure what the moron 'needs'. The rest of us just need him never to drive again. But clearly that is beyond the powers of the joke we call a 'legal system'.
Because they only know the registered keeper details, not the driver.
Common assault is a more serious offence than most driving offences which don't involve death. If his wing mirror made contact rather than his hand the offence would carry a lesser penalty.
I'm sure that the police are also considering other 'motoring offence' which would allow them to serve appropriate forms on the registered keeper to name the driver or be taken as being the driver at the time of the incident.
'Common Assault', I'm surprised that is the most serious offence they could come up with. Dangerous Driving would appear to be a far more approriate offence here and carries the same maximum punishment as Common Assault. If you witnessed the incident, how many of you would consider the drivers actions to have fallen far below the standard required of a careful and competant driver? Plus, common assualt doesn't get the driver points on his licence or disqualified from driving.
The CPS will not run with a Common Assault case because there is a motor vehicle involved and sufficient legislation under motoring law to encompass this incident.
Surely the police can go and knock on the registered keeper's door. It should be pretty strtaightforward to confirm if he is the fcukwit in the video.
Bu they won't try that, because they don't care whether bike riders live or die / have acute staff shortages (delete as appropriate)
"A force spokesman said: "The cyclist reported the incident, which happened in Wordsworth Road to us at about 9.15pm [on Monday], advising that he had been pushed by someone in a white car which went past him earlier in the evening."
No, as it says in the article right at the start, that the incident happened at 5.20 and was reported at 9.15.
Here it is:
The incident, which took place on Wordsworth Road in Horfield at around 5.20pm on Monday was captured by victim Dave Edmonds’ handlebar camera.
A force spokesman said: "The cyclist reported the incident, which happened in Wordsworth Road to us at about 9.15pm [on Monday]
Hope that helps.
That's because it was 5.20 pm
Beaten to it..
The police spokesperson was just using very convoluted language.