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news
Video: Passenger gets out of car to confront cyclist for riding in primary position (includes swearing)
A cyclist in Surrey has filmed the moment a passenger got out of a car to confront her because she was riding in primary position – however, police have said they will not be investigating the incident.
The rider, named Katherine, filmed the incident on her way home from work in Esher on the evening of Thursday 4 November.
She told road.cc: “I reported the incident to the police, who recently contacted me to let me know they would not be investigating the incident further, meaning the men in the video will not receive any communication from the police, as confirmed by the officer I spoke to.
“While I find that extremely frustrating, considering the stress and anxiety the men put me through, I would at least like to share the video so other cyclists in the Surrey area may be a bit more wary should they come across these men,” she added.
There’s one specific aspect of the video that underlines how some road users single out cyclists for abuse – namely, that even if there had been no-one on a bike on the road in question, the vehicle and its occupants would not have got through the junction any quicker, due to the Audi in front of them.
Would the passenger have got out of the car to give the driver of that vehicle a piece of his mind? Somehow we doubt it, and Katherine agreed.
“Exactly, had they succeeded in overtaking me on that road, they would still have been stuck behind the other car,” she said.
"The police officer told me the car I reported is registered in Walton on Thames, so the odds of coming across them are reasonably high, considering I have a few colleagues travelling from that area to Esher.
“However, the officer insisted the ongoing risk to me is low so they would not be speaking to these men.
“So now, these men have gone on thinking what they did is acceptable and will probably do the same or worse to another cyclist. But ‘the police don't operate under what if statements’, or so I was told.”
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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68 comments
She seemed to handle the situation extremely well considering.
I'm afraid to say that I wouldn't have been so polite or well mannered.
That kind of intimidation is like a red rag to a bull with me, I'd go ballistic and worry about the consequences later. It might not seem the right response, but I detest bullies. More often than not they need a taste of their own medicine.
The bloke was Unnecessarily irritated but heard worse and more aggressive when people are just out and about. I would not expect the police to investigate something like that If I were spoken to in that manner in a shop. We do love to be a victim.
Driver is repeatedly using his horn to intimidate someone; potential to make you 'jump', swerve, lose focus, crash. This was all because the driver thought he had a right to be in front when actually he'd save zero time as per the other car at the junction.
To then take the act to leave your vehicle to physically intimidate someone and question them when they are in the right... acceptable?
I dare say if someone behaved towards you like this in your work environment or queing for a loaf of bread then you'd have something to say about it!
I’d get out the or should any I get out the way of cars when safe to do so, so as to de escalate or not let an incident evolve. If in a shop and someone was behaving in an aggressive way over a loaf of bread, I’d let them have the bread.
That of course may be a course of action in dangerous situation.
However the main thrust of responses is that nobody, male or female should have to put up with intimidation of any sort, and bullies, thugs and dangerous drivers need not and should not be tolerated by the authorities or society at large.
The legislation is there to prevent this kind of thing, however it is only preventative if used. Expecting people to grow a thick skin is not an acceptable response to intimidation
Couldn’t agree more with you.
Really? You agree absolutely on my last line?
That is not how you come across.
Is that after they have followed behind you with their trolley trying to force you out of their way?
Not really the point I was making. Just don’t know why we don’t look to as I stated de escalate a situation, not letting it get the point of aggression. Seems to many cyclist want to be victims. Oh and as I know you like to take offence of find one to take. That is not aimed at this poor unfortunate.
Your analogy only covered the final part of the incident and ignored the build up to it. Rather important don't you think to take account of the build up ?
Bit of passive aggressive wording in your fourth sentence.
Thing with analogies is they may run off in the wrong direction. In general in life if someone's a nutter / clearly desparate to get something I'd try not to get in their way / go with the flow and hopefully they'll get out of my life more quickly. However on the roads I *am* going with the flow already. And as pointed out "getting out of their way" may actually increase the risk to you. If you slow down to stop they may run into you, if you pull over they may then speed through a gap which doesn't exist and hit you. They've already proved that they have poor control (of themselves).
People arguing in a supermarket isn't really comparable to someone in a car being aggressive. If you're on a bike / on foot then someone in a car has potentially lethal force. You present zero risk to them. So maybe more of a "if someone threatened me with a knife / gun / hammer in the supermarket..." But that doesn't work either as that would merit rapid police investigation whereas threats - and more - by people using vehicles aren't treated with so much concern e.g. as demonstrated here.
You forgot to say that you'll prostrate yourself on the roadway while removing your cap.
I like that we're all being empathetic and increasingly so because of the aggression towards a female, but it really shouldn't matter.
One thing that struck me was it seemed like the fella really toned it down when realising it was a female and one that wouldn't be bullied. He opens with "what's your f cking problem" which is not particualry subtle code for wanting a fight. Brilliant how the aggressor assumes the victim is the one with the problem. It would be interesting to know how this would have faired with a male respondent...
You're right of course, the principle is identical. Thugs are thugs regardless of who their victim is.
An equally accurate headline would be:
Video: Passenger gets out of car to confront cyclist for riding on the road (includes swearing)
Or even "for existing"
This needs referring to Surrey Police's Roads Policing Unit - surely they would do something about it?
The wierd thing is that, as pointed out by others, it is parked cars that prevent the driver from passing...
Still cars, though, so they're fine with that...
Hi, woman from the video here. This was reported to the police the same night it happened. The police reached out to me on Thursday to say they wouldn't be investigating. What struck me though, was that the officer first decided to try "the audio in the video is not working" as an excuse why they wouldn't take it further? But then, he described the man as "a very angry man". How can you tell he's an angry man if you can't hear the audio? You can draw your own conclusions, but to me it sounds like they don't want to do their job.
That looked like a really unpleasant incident - and for zero benefit to themselves. As for the police not doing their job - there are some inmates of this forum who appear to have second careers gathering a great deal of evidence of just that failing, chasing it up with higher authorities, getting referred back to the police, taking it to the PCC... etc. I see wjts has been by to remind us. I don't know where people get the energy but I'm grateful some do keep prodding the authorities to do what they're paid for.
the officer first decided to try "the audio in the video is not working" as an excuse ...to me it sounds like they don't want to do their job
They don't- especially when cyclists are involved. The 'it's not working' dodge is routine in Lancashire. They have file size requirements which make it essential to use the HEVC codec, and will then make absolutely no effort to make it work- even when the details are explained to them time and time again, and it is pointed out to them that the video will undoubtedly play on the flashy Samsung force phones. When they don't want to do anything, which is pretty much always, they will say anything no matter how stupid.
Yes. Not requiring this driver to undertake at least a training course based on that behaviour is absolutely ridiculous.
They'll do this again, and again, and again because they clearly have no idea about road access rights.
For those not in the UK it might be worth explaining that we reserve the right to threaten and abuse the vulnerable in public at nighttime without legal consequence, which if not actually completely legal, is something that the police condone.
Only when it's drivers doing the threatening.
Unless you threaten a police officer...
Shocking behaviour on the part of Surrey Police.
I was punishment-passed (horn blowing too) by a bus driver yesterday, but my local police force have been very quick at requesting the CCTV footage from the bus company. This might be because when I caught up with the bus at its next stop the driver admitted to my face (and on the bus CCTV) that he did it to teach me a lesson "because I wasn't in the bike lane".
He had two whole lanes to use and no other traffic, and still decided to play Judge Judy and Executioner. Situation was helped by a couple stopping next to me to give the driver a load of grief about his standard of driving.
I must have missed the episdode when judge judy sentanced someone to death.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq2u1bmkKUQ
Wow,
1) no space here were the driver could have overtaken safely 'if onl;y' the cyclist had moved left.
2) driver not delayed at all as both car and cyclist caught up with the same car in front at the junction.
3) Of course no one notices the elephant in the room, that the real reason the driver cannot pass the cyclist is all the private property stored in public space., those invisible parked cars, except not invisible because the driver manages not to hit them.
there is nothing more annoying and intimidating than a vehicle hooting from behind. the police should definitely have 'investigated' this. A female cyclist being harassed and confronted by a male passenger because she is cycling - and the police let it pass!
Like most readers I have experienced similar incidents quite a few times. I have also had vans and SUV drivers 'barge' me deliberately with their vehicles to then stop at the queue ahead. It's so frustrating.
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