A cyclist in Reading who was almost knocked off his bike by a motorbike rider who overtook him at as the pair exited a roundabout has posted footage of the incident – and his subsequent exchange of words with the biker – to YouTube, with police keen to track down the biker.
According to the description on the video-sharing site, the incident happened on at approximately 3.25pm on Friday 12 August on Northumberland Avenue, with the motorcyclist who was riding a silver Yamaha R6 with the registration W351JBU speeding past the cyclist with very little space to spare.
Understandably, the cyclist shouts out at the motorcyclist, who returns shortly afterwards, riding on the pavement and an argument – punctuated by swear words – ensues, including the biker asking the cyclist if he has read the Highway Code, and later trying to grab his camera.
The cyclist who shared the footage, who goes by the name uphillfreewheeler on YouTube, said: “The registered owner had recently sold the vehicle and the police would like to speak to this rider on suspicion of careless driving and public order offences.
“If anyone has any information about the rider or the whereabouts of the vehicle please contact Thames Valley Police [on 101] quoting Crime Number 43160223664.”
He added that he had also reported the rider of a second motorbike, a black Kawasaki Ninja, to police. That motorcyclist undertook him on the roundabout moments after the first rider had sped past.
Last year, another of uphillfreewheeler’s videos went viral after he was involved in an incident in which a driver made a close pass on him.
After subjecting the cyclist to verbal abuse, the motorist jumped out of his vehicle to chase after him on foot, only to crash to the ground.
Footage of that incident, uploaded to YouTube under the title A Clown Takes a Pratfall, has been viewed more than 6 million times.
A 51-year-old man from Henley-on-Thames was later cautioned by police after he admitted committing a public order offence, assault, and making threats to commit criminal damage.
> Police caution for pratfall road-rage driver (+ video)
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40 comments
MOT due at the end of the month.
Ah, good old Whitley. Full of imbeciles like that, especially on scooters and motorbikes. Struggling to understand how the Police haven't identified the rider given they have the registration plate, bike make and model... and the footage. Needs his licence (and bike) taking away in case he hurts someone before/when he kills himself.
His cam is really good! Caught the no. plate at speed. Anyone know what he uses?
There should be a cyclist cam award every year for the best footage. He'd definitely be in my top 3 for that Pratfall one. Hard to beat that
Firstly, I think uphillfreewheeler shouldn't have followed the motorcyclist. That does seem aggressive and no matter the rights or wrongs that will never help the cyclist's cause.
The motorcyclists were both wrong and he should have simply went to the police with the footage and let them track down the riders. After that yes upload the footage to try and help finding the riders as long as it doesn't disadvantage any possibility of charges to the riders.
I'm sure UHFW wanted to educate the motorcyclist, but in the end UHFW lost. The motorcyclist used his ignorance to the full and had him trumped with experience...
I'd a motorist pass me yesterday, the passenger proudly showed me his IQ using his middle finger, only one hand used too! Why, I think it was because we were riding two abreast on a wide straight road and made them use the other side of the road to overtake us instead of the 6inches of clearance he wanted to give us. TBF he never slowed or swerved, so I couldn't see the problem, so gave him a big smile and a wave to acknowledge them.
This, probably annoys them more, but is better than confronting god knows what cocksockets there are going about.
Silly motorbiker, doesn't he realise that his chosen form of transport is not essential to the economy, and therefore the police might actually be willing to put some effort into chasing this up.
What I saw was a cyclist forced into taking the first exit from the roundabout by being overtaken on both sides by motorcyclists. For all he knew there could be more of them following, so it was quite sensible to carry on for a short distance before turning around. Which is what he appeared to be doing when the first motorcyclist came back to have a go at him for shouting. And who wouldn't shout? Those machines are designed to make ear-splitting amounts of aggressive noise, precisely with the intention of provoking a response, so their riders can relieve the frustration of being a nobody at work or unloved at home by being antisocial to as many people, and over as wide an area, as possible.
By the law of avarages in a couple of weeks and we'll be reading about same motorcyclist riding into a tree or a wall at double the speed limit.
lols
Something I fervently hope for...
I love the irony of a bloke riding down a pavement on a motorbike telling a cyclist he shouldn't be on the road and should be on the path. And then he starts having a go about not having lights and reflectors on the bike in broad daylight!
Because clearly they would have overtaken him properly and in accordance with the Highway Code if he'd had lights and reflectors...
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