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news
Road rage driver tries to ram cyclist off bike (screenshot Kionne Potter)Shocking footage of road rage driver repeatedly trying to ram cyclist off bike
On December 15th last year, road.cc reader Kionne Potter went on his usual one-hour lunchtime training loop, the footage he sent us today shows the shocking road rage attack that followed from a driver who repeatedly tried to ram the West Midlands cyclist from his bike.
The motorist involved admitted driving without due care and received three penalty points and a £100 fine after West Mercia Police downgraded the report from assault to dangerous driving, and then once more to driving without due care, saying there was insufficient evidence for a more severe prosecution.
In his own words, Kionne reacted to the unnecessary dangerous close pass on the A491 Kidderminster Road in Hagley, instinctively throwing an arm up in frustration.
"The motorist then slowed down and as I approached him he wound down his window and shouted abuse at me and instructed me to ‘get off my f***ing bike now’.
"He continued this abuse throughout the incident but you cannot hear most of it. He then deliberately prevented me from getting back into the lane I needed to be in, if I increased my speed so did he and if I slowed down he did also. He made four or five attempts to hit me which I had to avoid and then he tried to pin me into the gutter whilst still shouting ‘get off your f***ing bike now’.
> What to do if you capture a near miss or close pass (or worse) on camera while cycling
"When I got in front of him he then tried to hit me from behind, you can hear the car rev hard and hear wheelspin from the hard acceleration, he then made one last swipe to the left before driving off.
"I tried really hard to get away from him but he did everything he could to prevent me escaping. Although the camera got some decent footage it still missed a lot that happened, and because the GoPro Hero 8 is so good at image stabilisation it smooths out a lot of my evasive manoeuvres so it looks a lot less dramatic than it was."
The driver was apologetic once the police were involved, citing relationship problems for his uncharacteristic behaviour, and after the report was twice downgraded by West Mercia Police, he was fined and given penalty points.
road.cc has contacted West Mercia Police for a further comment on the footage.
Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.
Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.
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98 comments
So if I had a few arguments with my wife could I use that to justify visiting the driver, a complete stranger who has angered me due to this article, and battering him with a blunt instrument?? Though not.
If the law accepts this as mitigation for threatening one (a cyclist) then logically it is also mitigation for threatening another (his partner), which shows up just how perverse the line of reasoning is.
Silca Tattico Pump...I think it's called Tattico for a reason...
Road.cc please don't let this one go and keep pressuring WM Police. How many murderers etc. have used the excuse 'I was under pressure at the time'. This driver needs to go to jail because if a similar attack was made on an axe wielding cyclist it's going to descend into a ridiculous situation for all cyclists.
OK, time's up Mr Plod.
West Mercia Police has failed to show any interest in caring about cyclists' safety. I have reported driver aggression and threats of harm by drivers and nothing has been done. Friends of mine have been forced off the road and nothing has been done.
If fuckers like the driver of VE21 KTT can get away with this sort of thing then it's time for cyclists to carry a weapon. And yes, I'll fucking USE it if I really have to - but it will only ever be absolutely 100% in self-defence when my life is threatened. And I am sure West Mercia Police will treat me kindly.
I agree entirely and after a similar incident a couple of weeks back where a van tried to ram me into a wall and the Police were not in the least bit interested, I now carry my Tramontina Brazilian machete with me at all times.
It is in its sheath under my rear bag on my rack, the handle is sticking out the back for easy retrieval.
It is no good depending on the Police, they are obviously on the drivers side and I for one have had enough.
I do understand your anger but you might want to think very carefully about having that machete with you. It is an offensive weapon and if the police were to stop you, or if there was an incident during which you brandished it, then you'd likely be facing charges. There are other ways to protect yourself.
If you were attacked and were to defend yourself using a bicycle lock or a tool, then these are items you might reasonably be expected to be carrying as a cyclist and you would have a much stronger claim with regard to self defence.
Please, leave the machete at home.
That's right. You need to be able to justify why you are carrying anything that is bladed or offensive or even which could be offensive. And "self defence" is not a justification. And a machete (!!?!) cannot ever be justified in the UK.
I have a Leatherman non cycling multi tool which I always have in my bag, Xmas present from my father in law about fifteen/twenty years ago.
I use the saw and pliers a surprising amount. However, the blade in it is a locking blade, and if I ever got searched I'd need to justify its presence and utility to the police or else best case would be it gets confiscated and worst case would have me facing charges...
Presumably you don't need justification for a swiss army knife - and corkscrew and toothpick injuries are going to really hurt...
Swiss Army Knife blades don't lock, so apparently they're not so problematic. Leatherman and (IIRC) Gerber knives are more of an issue in the UK because their blades do lock open.
Edit: Mind you, I imagine that a corkscrew could do some twisted damage...
Any blade less than 3" that doesn't lock can be carried without a reason to do so. You can carry a longer unlocked blade as long as you have a good and valid reason to do so. There will be some areas - football stadiums or where there is a heightened security risk that no bladed item whatsoever may be carried. The only exception to a locked blade as such is the Sgian Dubh but only when worn with the kilt. Even then it will be banned in zero tolerance areas.
And the Sikh kirpan (ceremonial dagger), I believe?
Had forgotten about the Kirpan. Thanks Rendel.
Interesting I have the topeak alien 2 multitool, which has a blade which seems like it falls under the description of lock knife, sounds like I might need to get a different multi tool.
Been on the eurostar with it 4 times as well, could have gone badly at the security scan.
So there is an interesting point here, you can have the tool with you if you have a good reason, and obviously cycling far from rescue is good reason to carry a multi tool, but could it be argued that a multi tool without a knife would meet that reason, so what is the justification for having a knife?
Trimming tubeless anchovies or cutting a loose bit of handlebar tape.
God yes, you'd be in so much trouble if you were found carrying it, if you actually used it you'd be heading straight for prison. I don't think you could even try a self-defence plea, you're clearly not going to be able to use it to stop a car hitting you so the only real reason to carry it would be to punish someone for what they had done. Maiming someone else (or worse) and going to prison yourself isn't going to help anyone.
Yes a machete is on offensive weapon, that is the idea. Don't worry though it was only temporary as my pepper spray has arrived in the post.
I had a text message from my partner, she said your pepper spray is here and I said how do you know, she said it has 'Pepper spray' printed on the package with a picture as well.
Came all the way from China like that, the company concerned said it would arrive in discrete packaging, ha, ha.
Time to fight back against the crazy bastards, if I get caught, well so be it. I have had enough of the bastards trying to kill me and if the law wont help, then I will help my self.
See how it goes, but a tazer look like a good investment as well.
I really hope you're just indulging in a bit of online posturing. Tazers are classified as firearms under UK law and simply possessing one can attract a prison sentence of up to ten years. Carrying a disguised one (I know some people buy ones abroad made up to look like torches etc) attracts a minimum sentence of five years. Stop fantasising about what you'd like to do to others and think about the consequences for you and your family.
You beat me too it, rendel.
Yupiteru - you really need to think about what you're posting. Pepper spray, tasers, and machetes are all highly illegal, even if you feel that concerned about your safety...
Please please please tell me you're engaging in some kind of well intentioned bravado. Pepper spray is illegal in the U.K. Tasers come under the firearms act. The only people allowed to use them are the police.
The only deterrent device you can legally carry is a rape alarm. You may get away with a dye spray but if it causes injury when used then you are on the back foot.
If caught carrying or using the former devices will land you with a criminal record which will pretty much stuff up your career and future careers.
Ditch the devices. Karma will nail the crazies out there.
So you've replace one illegal weapon with another. Do you not understand that pepper spray is likewise illegal in the UK? Explaining to the officer that you were using the pepper spray so that you did not have to carry your machete will only lengthen your sentence.
Sadly, you too have been induced by the RoadCC avidly-reported kultural kak to become a crazy bastard. "When two tribes go to war (etc.)."
Media toxoplasmic brain-worms - nasty things inducing us to behave in all sorts of self-destructive ways.
However, I do have the knowledge, skills and gubbins to sharpen not just axes but anything meant to slice and chop up stuff, should you need to hone your auto-gaoling implement. Mind, I've nor run amok amongst offensive humans with one myself so I can't be certain how well they'll turn out at removing a head or even just a limb .... yet. I confine myself to whittling nice wooden spoons and bowls with which to eat a calming bowl of porridge before going out for a bike ride.
Not that I ever seem to get into such car vs cyclist bouts. Yes, must be that porridge (and perhaps the lack of a sharp weapon).
"The purpose of a weapon is its use". It will talk to you from back there, behind your bum. "Use me - go on, go on, go on - you know you want to".
Much sooth counsel here.
Except "The purpose of a tool (weapon) is its use" ... has an exception when it comes to all the bikes that roost on nearby balconies and in closes, quietly passing their years corroding away...
There is no plausible scenario* where you are going to be able to use or threaten to use a machete that does not see you in serious legal trouble or even used as a justification by a third party to use more violence towards yourself.
*Regardless of which cheesy Hollywood action movies have inspired your imagination.
Even carrying one is an offence, unless you are travelling to or from somewhere where you will be hacking overgrown plants down.
Travelling from your house to the office and carrying a machete could presumably result in a sentance of up to 4 years, claiming it's for self defence in case of road rage will probably move things towards the upper end of the sentance scale.
https://www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives
You are risking getting shot??? You can't be serious.
A friend of mine carries a rape horn. At close range it can really scare the shite out of your typical road rage enthusiast. Apparently. It works a treat. Seems to change their mindset.
Especially if you've just had a few relationship problems...
First of all I'd like to thank road.cc for asking the police for a comment and I look forward to reading reply or the fact that they will not comment which is useful infomation in itself. I think this should happen more often as I've said before.
Secondly. When are the government going to realise that people are not going to get out of cars and on to bikes while drivers like this are allowed on the roads.
It seems to me that driving has come to be viewed as a necessary part of life and that it is unreasonable to ask drvers to concentrate fully while in charge of a vehicle or to control their temper when they percieve that someone is willfully impeding their progress. As others have said, juries, magistrates and judges think "there but for the grace of god go I". There is no doubt that this driving falls "well below the standard of a competent and careful driver", the problem is that the cps are not confident that the courts will convict. The case of the lorry driver on the Witney bypass springs to mind. There needs to be a change in the nation's mindset.
May be the Think! campaign (link below) will make a start down this road, has anyone come across it yet, I haven't.
https://www.think.gov.uk/campaign/highway-code-changes/
This guy should have had his car crushed, no doubt. Here's what I want to suggest, the next time you are closed passed by some arse in a metal box and you quite naturally shout, or raise your arm, and the arse then decides he's (usually an he but not always) offended by you and decides to then continue to drive dangerously etc just stop. Yep stop, pull up at the side of the road and wait for them to bugger off. Do not try to remonstrate, you already know how that will go, do not try and nip back infront, just wait for them to go. There's only one winner in a battle of ego's with a BIG metal box and it's not me or you on our bikes.
Unfortunately you are 100% correct.
You just have to let the drver get away with it
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