Three times is a pattern

[gareth_rees]

Tom Crispin:

In October [2007] I was assaulted by a driver after he had dangerously overtaken 12 eight-year-old children, a colleague and me as we cycled over a hump back drawbridge at the entrance to West India Docks, East London.

I reported the assault to the police.

British Waterways, who operate the drawbridge and locks, have CCTV pictures

Comments

[gareth_rees]

I should say that one factor that is common to the Chisholm and Jackson incidents is that the cyclist was riding outside the cycle lane. This in particular seems to drive some motorists quite insane. Maybe a belief has arisen that it is illegal, or at least morally wrong, for cyclists to leave the cycle lane, and so the aggressive behaviour is justified in the motorist's mind by the need to punish someone who is breaking the rules. Here's another incident (in which thankfully no-one was hurt), reported by a female Cambridge Cycle Campaign member:Saturday morning c. 10:20, I left the Elizabeth Way / Newmarket Road roundabout, heading on to East Road. Riding outside the dreaded bus stop parking bay cycle lane, I was tooted and sworn at just as I was about to re-join the cycle lane. The driver then swerved in front of me, slowed down (I then hung back so as not to catch him up) and then pulled over and parked in the cycle lane and put his hazards on. He got out of his van and shouted something along the lines of "Come on then..." as if he expected me to go and stand in the road and confront him. I stood in the doorway of Mackays so that I could call for help if necessary. I didn't know why he expected me to go round to the drivers side of his van in the middle of the traffic and was worried he had a baseball bat or something. Anyway, he carried on trying to goad me into going round, but I waited in the doorway for what seemed like ages until he finally gave up drove off.

[gjm11]

I've even had drivers curse at me (and heard them curse at others) for cycling on the road rather than on the (admittedly dual-use) pavement.