The curious case of the driver and the cyclist–#saveacyclist

Cyclists and motorists are often found at loggerheads. Sharing the road fairly and equally seems to be an issue for many within both the cycling and commuting communities. It’s fair to say that 99.9% of cyclists and 99.9% of motorists are perfectly law abiding, sensible and well behaved on the roads; watching out for one another and allow each other adequate amounts of space to use the roads safely. But every so often, a story crops up in the media which contravenes this view of sharing fairly and sensibly.

I’ve just moved into University in Sheffield, and so I’m a long way from the home roads of the New Forest, but an email came through yesterday which well and truly shocked me. The email gave a brief summary of the events with an article attached from my local paper – The Lymington Times.

The article stated that a member of New Forest Cycling Club (my home and first claim club) had been hit by a motorist near Brockenhurst. Now, bike and car related incidences, no matter how terrible they are, are something that we all as cyclist accept is a possibility. But this was very different.

A member of NFCC was out on his bike and forced to stop after a tailgating car barged its way through a set of pinch-points, an understandably irritating incident; he responded with a “gesture of displeasure”. The same car then turned round and proceeded to follow him, drawing alongside and blaring his horn before ramming into the NFCC rider; a brutal and highly unjustified attack. The resulting injury included a multiple collarbone fracture as well as injuries to his legs and shoulders.

Truth be told, impatient drivers really are a danger to the peace. This hit and run incident is just one of a number of similar occurrences over the last few years where a spate of dangerous driving manoeuvres provoked words or gestures from cyclists, who then find themselves the object of drivers’ attempts to recreated Grand Theft Auto. 

So I guess the key message is this, stay safe out there on the roads. ‘Dickish’ driving is just a fact of life, in any large group, there’s always those few individuals determined to cause problems or spoil things for others. Our thoughts go out to the NFCC rider, and we wish him a speedy recovery so he’ll be up and riding in no time!

p.s – have you downloaded the latest ebook – Hill Climber yet? It’s free… click here for more.

picture featured in the Daily Cycle Flickr Group – added by Thomas Rousing