Edinburgh cyclist clings to bonnet of speeding car during rush hour road rage attack

I have every faith in the cops finding this guy. I just hope the courts do there bit when it comes to sentancing this idiot!! I commute in Edinburgh most days and most drivers are fine. I'd say every city/town has it's fair share of kn**heads.

Rog - Sad but very true.

It will be interesting to see what the outcome of this case is as it seems that if you wish to injure or kill someone waiting until they are on a bike and you are in a car is a great way to get away with it!!!!!

Shame it wasn't a cat instead of a cyclist, the CCTV coverage would probably have been produced in an instant, and shown repeatedly on national TV until the culprit handed himself in!

Jeez, I've had the numpties driving/ swerving at me the last time was in Edinburgh too when a driver came back/ followed me like in the story but touchwood I've never had contact.

What a psycho!

I hope the police put some effort into finding this driver.

i think oldridgeback nailed it as it's only involving a cyclist isn't it. i wouldn't be suprised if Mr Thomson doesn't end up on a criminal damage charge or traveling in/on a motor vehicle without a seatbelt fine. sadly there are far too many of these people and i fear a small fine or a "you naughty boy" is in the offing even if he is caught. i do hope i am proved wrong.

Yep, Embra has its share of nutters as this incident proves. The driver pursued the cyclist for quite a distance, Slateford to Castle Terrace too (look it up on Gargle if you want to measure the distance). I find it hard to believe that the police haven't already found the offender. It does suggest that the police can't be arsed.

How can the police representative call this a collision with a straight face? I understand that they might not be able to call it an attack, but surely "apparent attack" or some other such wording is reasonable.

What a c@nt!

@hairyairey - I can't think of any single action, which if carried out, would provide *more* justification for drivers to treat cyclists badly than what you're describing

I sincerely hope it's in jest

A V Lowe - removing the keys then cycling to the local police station to report the incident, handing the keys in to the police is not theft (since you have no intention of keeping the keys permanently - incidentally this is why people aren't charged with car theft when they take them for "joy-rides", the offence is "twoc"king - taken without owners consent). Then they have to find their way to the Police station to retrieve their keys.

Reminds me of the case in Coventry (reported on this site at http://road.cc/content/news/17331-road-rage-driver-gets-life-murdering-c...) where a road rage attack resulted in a murder conviction. (Oddly enough I've cycled round Coventry and the West Midlands a lot I've found drivers to be generally very considerate). Driving into someone deliberately and continuing to drive when they are clinging to your bonnet? Definitely attempted murder.

What possess drivers to behave like this? Whether its chasing cyclists, other drivers or pedestrians it's total lunacy

Once had a motorist drive straight at me as I cycled through Slateford. No prior incident or altercation just a moron trying to wind me up. Seems the city has it's fair share of un-hinged nutters

Some of the comments on the Scotsman site make me sad to be from Edinburgh. Generally it's not the worst city for cycling in (during the festival it's insane with the sheer number of seemingly bewildered tourists who are more of a danger than the cars!), but still suffers from the usual scourge of motorists believing, incorrectly, that they own and pay for the road.

I hope that not only do they catch this psycho driver but he is made an example of.

Not sure why he bothered with a gesture in the first place though. Drivers are generally not concentrating, it's hardly a surprise is it?

scumbag

@andybwhite

that is EXACTLY what I think as well. Sometimes I really regret that the "eye for an eye" rule is not used anymore.

Hoping that this won't deter Iain from getting back on two wheels. The comments by the Scotsman 'readership' put the Daily Rage's to shame mind. Then again nothing new or creative, just the usual predictable spiel. It seems that Edinburgh is determined to have the car rule the streets and the cyclists consigned to the outskirts as Saturday only cyclists!!

Disgusting makes me sick!

'Attempted murder' in my book!

When a raging driver gets out of their car to attack someone, they tend to leave the door open, keys in, and engine running.

Their (cowardly?) departure from the scene is usually aided by this detail. Thus helpfully turning off the engine and removing the keys from the ignition will ensure they don't get booked for leaving a vehicle unattended with the engine running. Do not remove the keys from the car (that's theft) although they might just drop down somewhere rather inaccessible.

Scumbag. Hope he gets caught.