The vast majority of motorists in London drive quite sensibly. Unfortunately, since a regular bike commuter interacts with many thousands of cars a year, it only takes a very small percentage of idiots to make unpleasant encounters an occasional, but all-too-inevitable part of cycling in the capital. Here are some of the worst examples caught on camera.
Overweight man chases and punches cyclist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JepRJC1DVCM
Three thugs park up and beat a man on a bike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-yWplBaRCQ
Fat man in an Audi punches a cyclist into a taxi
Lorry tries to run a cyclist off a road
Fat man takes a man on a bike prisoner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEKhgBye5K0
Car passenger shoots cyclist with a pellet gun
The 4X4 driver that won’t be happy till cyclists stop using the road
Deranged white van man tries to rugby tackle a man off a bike
Fat bloke REALLY doesn’t like being overtaken by a cyclist
Older man blocks and threatens a cyclist
Motorist in silver car tries to run a cyclist off the road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRpqa7UE3gA
Motorist runs cyclist off road, confronts his friends with a baseball bat, and runs over their bikes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V4Kr1bkjoo
BMW illegally in bus lane threatens cyclist
Funeral escort threatens to knock cyclist out after knocking him off bike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmwHcyA66vY
Motorist threatens to smash cyclists’ head for taking the lane
Some comic relief: Help! I’m being repressed!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM2KJO1w-kk
There are also two videos that wouldn’t embed but were worth watching:
Van driver runs down a person on a bike then punches him into hedge
and
Motorist drives into stationary man on a bike
If you’re interested in doing some recording yourself, check out our camera recommendations here.
Wow. There are some scary attitudes (and people) out there. Thanks heavens for helmet cams, mobiles etc. At least these confrontations can be recorded.
Unfortunately helmet cameras make no difference. The police do not prosecute any of this behaviour, rarely do these result in any sort of penality for the drivers. The last video for instance the driver assulted the cyclist and got off scott free. A warning was issued to the driver, nothing more. No actual consequences to this man’s abhorrent behaviour.
What is it about bicycles that make those drivers so angry?
Did the same thing happen in Holland and Denmark when bikes made their way back in cities?
Motorists find cyclists aggravating for many reasons. The behaviour in the videos is unacceptable though.
It’s great that they’re recorded, but are these thugs caught, prosecuted and found guilty? Unless they are, and the general public is made aware of their guilt, there will be an ongoing battle between road users with more cyclists ending up as punching bags because they’re viewed as easy targets for rage.
As you said, this are very rare. I calculated that I interact* with over 250,000 motor vehicles per year.
*by interact I meant either I pass them or they pass me.
Scary stuff – but luckily rare – most near misses in my experience are due to careless driving which is still scary, but it’s not the same as being deliberately targeted as these guys are.
I doubt that the police would act or do much about these videos. There is a cycling QC who captured death threats on his camera and the CPS still declined to act.
http://road.cc/content/news/27275-cycling-barrister-captures-death-threat-video%E2%80%A6-insufficient-evidence-say-met-cps
for the follow-up
http://road.cc/content/news/50682-persistence-pays-cycling-lawyer-motorist-who-threatened-kill-him-convicted
If someone that well versed in the law and the criminal justice system has problems, then there’s not much hope for Joe Public.
On the other hand, could these videos be posted to the drivers insurance companies? Insurers take a much dimmer view of customers who drive dangerously.
all-in-all a rather depressing post. I do try not to look at them because most people, drivers and cyclists, are pleasant, and just want to get along.
These posts are a little bias in honesty. You are all clearly cycle users which is fine and I have nothing against that however, what I do have issues with are cyclists who do not adhere to the rules of the Highway Code.
My car was hit and damaged 6 months ago by a cyclist who was at fault. He failed to report the accident, did not stop and I have no way of pursuing him. No insurance with cyclists is a massive issue – cycle insurance should be mandatory.
Also, too often is my car journey slowed down by two cyclist riding side by side. Too often cyclist hop onto a pavement to avoid a red light. Too often I see cyclists run red lights at pelican crossings endangering pedestrians. If a vehicle does this, it’s a fine and a penalty.
What I would like to see is equality. I would like to see the same level of prosecution for road traffic offences by cyclists as there are for motorists.
No one deserves the behaviour on these videos however the harsh fact of life is that if you p@ss enough people off regularly, you might get a punch! That rule can be applied to all situations, not just cycling on a road!!
I would urge you all to think twice before resting your hand on a stationary car or cycling down the middle of the road to avoid a queue. It’s extremely cheeky and again you are running the risk of getting a whack!
You all do it and I am sure that several posts back to this will claim complete innocence. Nonsense!
I would also (as a collective group) cease these websites and bin your head cams. In my opinion, and in a court of law, both acts could be deemed inciteful. Why do you record motorists if not provoke? As you say, the law does not recognise these – probably because they miss the part where the cyclist annoys the motorist.
Be honest with yourselves guys before you respond.
It seems your comment is a tad biased all coz of 1 cyclist. So going by that theory, you are just a idiotic driver who uses your mobile while driving, jump lights when you feel like it & have a SMIDGAF attitude to anyone on the roads who isnt driving & all coz I have had a few over the years including a couple who have knocked me off!
If a poxy driver endangers me with a tonne of metal around their soft fat rear ends, I will bloody make it known! You also need to learn the highway code as you obviously havent researched, for if you did you would know 2 cyclists side by side is totally acceptable & maybe it isnt to slow you down but stop you overtaking where it is unsafe to do so as per rule 163.
Its idiots like you who collective blame ALL cyclists who are the problem. You see a mere handful of cyclists & WE ALL ARE DOING IT!! Guess what? NO WE ARE NOT!! I do not jump lights, I do not rest against cars (I have feet for that) & I do not piss drivers off, they do that to themselves!
I abide all the rules of the road & get harassed & bullied by drivers like you for doing that! Its drivers like you is why we use cameras! Drivers like you that obviously think they pay their fictitious ‘road tax’ & own the road! Well I will use the road how it should be & drivers like you dont like it then get off the road as you are the danger, not us!
Taking the lane can provoke some drivers into a red rage. Their violent responses may be offensive, upsetting and even painful – but not fatal. However, not taking the lane when necessary can mean that a driver may attempt a manoeuvre that is dangerous and – at worst – fatal. I prefer meeting an angry white van driver to having to listen to a driver explain why he didn’t see me as we wait for an ambulance.
I do find these videos scary to watch, i don’t like to think that as a commuter this could happen at any moment. Although as was pointed out I have to remind myself of the myriad of drivers that pass me safely or often deliberately giving me extra room (my new resolution is to thank more of them).
One thing that did strike me is that in some (definitely not all) there is a lesson to be learnt about not escalating the situation, i know how hard it is when the blood is pumping and the sheer injustice and inconsideration of some drivers. But chasing someone to the next lights to shout at them is never going to help a situation. It doesn’t make the driver’s behavior excusable far from it. But when cycling my number one concern has got to be for safety and i think stirring up a clear nutter driver like that is hardly sensible. The same applies to banging on vehicles in my book, again I know the annoyance felt but it is a red rag.
I totally agree about holding the lane and my lines though, i won’t apologise for that even when someone is honking up behind me because they don’t understand the junction from my perspective.
Finally at the risk of alienating some people, i think riding a reclining bike in the city is not a great idea. I find it hard enough to spot them myself, let alone account for their length etc.
No one deserves any of these things but not all angels of the road either.
Oh I have a few like that, thankfully no violence. I’ve been putting them into a playlist to throw at the Police every time they go on about road safety & yet refuse to act on dangerous drivers when I try reporting it with video evidence.
Here’s the playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlgna3Qia-bzFCX-vTZ_UwpD6FtXibz9Y