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Brisbane cyclist injured by pedestrian with "anger management issues" + link to video)

James Stevenson was left with a fractured ankle after altercation earlier this month

A cyclist in Brisbane, Australia, was left with a fractured ankle after he was punched by a man he rode past on a pavement whom he says seems to suffer from “anger management issues.

James Stevenson said that the man, dressed in business attire, hit him after the pair brushed shoulders as he was riding on the pavement, which cyclists in Queensland are allowed to do unless there are signs forbidding them from doing so.

ABC News has footage of the incident, which happened on 10 October on Hutton Lane in Brisbane’s Central Business District and was captured by cameras mounted on Mr Stevenson’s bike.

He said: "I moved over to the left as far left as possible so both of us could pass on our way.

"Unfortunately, he didn't seem to want to give me much room, so our shoulders touched.

"I didn't give it much thought and just carried on. Next thing I know is I feel a punch from behind.

"I turn around to see what's happened and another one has landed on me, pushing me over."

The man said to him: “F*cking get off your bike,” and "Do you want to f*cking have a go?"

In reply, Mr Stevenson said: “You're a big man walking away,” adding, “it's all on camera you w**nker.”

Police are investigating the incident, although no-one has been arrested or charged as yet.

The cyclist told ABC News: "I really can't explain it. Some people just have anger management issues I think.

"This is my first incident of pedestrian rage I've ever encountered.

He continued: "It had a bit of a knock-on effect … I've had time off work, my wife's had to take time off work to ferry me to and from hospital appointments," he said.

"It's also been quite difficult trying to explain to my kids how something like this can happen.”

He explained that he was riding on the pavement since he was travelling in the opposite direction to the one-way traffic flow on Hutton Street.

Cyclists in Queensland may ride on the pavement, but are required to have consideration for others and give priority to pedestrians.

"I was as far over left as I could be,” Mr Stevenson explained. “There was 2 metres to his left.

"One sidestep, that's all he needed to take and we would have both got past."

Anne Savage, the CEO of Bicycle Queensland, said: "This is a shocking and deeply disturbing attack on a man who could not protect himself.

"He really easily could have been killed."

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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10 comments

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brooksby | 5 years ago
3 likes

Quote:

"I was as far over left as I could be,” Mr Stevenson explained. “There was 2 metres to his left.

"One sidestep, that's all he needed to take and we would have both got past."

Except then Mr Angry Pedestrian couldn't have enforced what he I presume he thought were the traffic laws, could he?  I've had occasions when I've been shoulder-barged or people simply staring at me and refusing to move, or been shouted at, for riding on shared-use paths in the city centre.  I bet we all have.  People are fed a constant drip-drip-drip of "evil cyclists riding on footpaths" by the media and don't realise when they're walking in an area where cyclists are allowed to ride...  Mind you, most councils' signage really doesn't help the situation ("Yes, there's this tiny blue roundel hidden behind a sign for an all-night burger bar, which you'd clearly see if you stopped and peered round this corner, it becomes visible while the moon is in the seventh house, etc etc").

Avatar
don simon fbpe | 5 years ago
2 likes

"He really easily could  have been killed".

But he wasn't.

“it's all on camera you w**nker.”

I like this guy. I'm surprised the attacker didn't go for the snowflake ad hom reaction though.

Avatar
Organon | 5 years ago
0 likes

"Your far too short to carry weight," - Robbie Williams/Neil Tennant.

Avatar
burtthebike | 5 years ago
7 likes

Now I see why helmets are mandatory in Oz: Australian gammons.

I bet if the cyclist had attacked a pedestrian and there was video, the cyclist would have been arrested pdq, but when a ped attacks a cyclist.......

Avatar
ClubSmed | 5 years ago
5 likes

I got verbally assaulted just the other day by two pedestrians for cycling with my daughter on the road. I was told that I should be cycling on the pavement and using the pedestrian crossing that was 100 yards up the road. They were very angry about it and scared my 7 year old daughter a fair amount. I found it rather bizzare that the two pedestrians who were not using the pedestrian crossing were telling me that us cyclists should sad

Avatar
brooksby replied to ClubSmed | 5 years ago
3 likes

ClubSmed wrote:

I got verbally assaulted just the other day by two pedestrians for cycling with my daughter on the road. I was told that I should be cycling on the pavement and using the pedestrian crossing that was 100 yards up the road. They were very angry about it and scared my 7 year old daughter a fair amount. I found it rather bizzare that the two pedestrians who were not using the pedestrian crossing were telling me that us cyclists should sad

My daughter (nine years old, at the time) and I got shouted at by a motorist one time for walking our bikes across a zebra crossing and (apparently) holding everyone up. Go figure...

Avatar
Burke | 5 years ago
5 likes

I thought former Toronto mayor Rob Ford had died. It looks like he's moved to Brisbane.

Avatar
Sub5orange | 5 years ago
6 likes

Gosh that piece of lard can really move. He must be doped.....

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to Sub5orange | 5 years ago
5 likes

Sub5orange wrote:

Gosh that piece of lard can really move. He must be doped.....

he's propelled by self-righteous indignation and the saved-up farts from last night's curry.

Avatar
burtthebike replied to ConcordeCX | 5 years ago
1 like

ConcordeCX wrote:

Sub5orange wrote:

Gosh that piece of lard can really move. He must be doped.....

he's propelled by self-righteous indignation and the saved-up farts from last night's curry.

Those uncivilised Aussies bbq curry?

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