UK bus driver mows down cyclist

[goggalor]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...deliberately-swerves-to-mow-down-cyclist.html

I couldn't believe this when I read it. This guy got 17 months in prison (!!) and was disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years!!! For attempted murder! Not only is the prison sentence a joke, but this psychopath will be driving again before 2015. How is that justice? British cyclists must be horrified and outraged by this.

 

[Irish2009]

This is all over facebook at the moment and the general concensus is 17mths for attempted murder is a joke. Sadly it also tells some people if your gona kill someone do it with a car.

 

[The Hitch]

Yep. Tempt murder carries max penalty of life (20 years). 17 months is a joke.

Its terrorism against cyclist (as substancial minority in this country) is what it is.

 

[El Pistolero]

Perhaps someone will be tempted to kill the bus driver by hitting him with a car now. It would be sweet justice.

 

[Ulle Relaxes]

Cyclists are second class citizens.

 

[BillytheKid]

I can't believe they'll let him possibly drive a bus again. That is attempted murder.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

unbelievable. driver Gavin Hill... what a crackhead

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Horrifying and grave injustice. If this had been a pedestrian I have to wonder what the sentence would have been?

 

[online-rider]

Bring back the trams or electric rail buses are stupid anyway!

 

[leftover pie]

i can't even bring myself to watch the video.

17 month sentence is ridiculous.

out in 10 probably with "good behaviour".

meanwhile the cyclist will still be recuperating.

 

[Arnout]

Am I allowed to say the cyclist seems to be a *** as well. First for having a heated argument, heated arguments are never good. On the video it's also clear that he swerves to annoy the bus driver and to not let him overtake.

That said, I want to make it absolutely clear that the action of the bus driver is not defendable in any way. But from stories and movies like this I also have the impression that a share of the cyclists in "new" cycling countries seem to think they are superior and they have the same rights as cars and thus the same position. Which they haven't, as they are bicyclists, which are slower.

I believe everyone should look at countries where cycling is a lot more common. Both drivers and cyclists.

 

[goggalor]

Am I allowed to say the cyclist seems to be a *** as well. First for having a heated argument, heated arguments are never good. On the video it's also clear that he swerves to annoy the bus driver and to not let him overtake.

That said, I want to make it absolutely clear that the action of the bus driver is not defendable in any way. But from stories and movies like this I also have the impression that a share of the cyclists in "new" cycling countries seem to think they are superior and they have the same rights as cars and thus the same position. Which they haven't, as they are bicyclists, which are slower.

I believe everyone should look at countries where cycling is a lot more common. Both drivers and cyclists.

Yes. Having read a few more articles on it, apparently the cyclist and the bus driver had already stopped and had an argument, and in the video the cyclist looks like he's cycling very slowly in front of the bus. However, the judge apparently said the bus driver had tried "bully" the cyclist off the road. If that was a crime, I'd report anyone who beeps at me or tries to force me into the gutter. But that's not what happened here: The bus driver mowed him down. Maybe it's not attempted murder, because he could've run him over and killed him, but it's certainly assault, and not "bullying". The cyclist was being a ***, but his behaviour is largely irrelevant.

 

[Arnout]

Yes. Having read a few more articles on it, apparently the cyclist and the bus driver had already stopped and had an argument, and in the video the cyclist looks like he's cycling very slowly in front of the bus. However, the judge apparently said the bus driver had tried "bully" the cyclist off the road. If that was a crime, I'd report anyone who beeps at me or tries to force me into the gutter. But that's not what happened here: The bus driver mowed him down. Maybe it's not attempted murder, because he could've run him over and killed him, but it's certainly assault, and not "bullying". The cyclist was being a ***, but his behaviour is largely irrelevant.

Sure, the bus driver is massively overreacting, I won't deny that. After all, its a bus driver. But if the cyclist behaves normally the trouble wouldn't have started in the first place.

 

[The Hitch]

Am I allowed to say the cyclist seems to be a *** as well. First for having a heated argument, heated arguments are never good. On the video it's also clear that he swerves to annoy the bus driver and to not let him overtake.

That said, I want to make it absolutely clear that the action of the bus driver is not defendable in any way. But from stories and movies like this I also have the impression that a share of the cyclists in "new" cycling countries seem to think they are superior and they have the same rights as cars and thus the same position. Which they haven't, as they are bicyclists, which are slower.

I believe everyone should look at countries where cycling is a lot more common. Both drivers and cyclists.

Its precisely because you come from a country where cyclists arent hunted as blood sport that you are unqualified to speak on this.


Your impression is a joke. Do you have any basis for accusing us of behaving like cars.

You cant seriously use this claim to base such a judgment on the clip. The cyclist is clearly driving in the middle lane to delay the driver, a tactic I see all the time by cyclists when cars almost crash into them. The driver crashes into you because he is in such a rush he wants a 2 second headstart, well then you delay him in order to teach him a lesson.

It is not a habitual action.

Cyclists definately do not behave as if they are cars, the claim is very insulting.. Just like any other country cyclists here stick to the left, or often to ridiculous so called "cycle highways" on the side of the road

which cars are allowed to go into.

So as someone that lives here I can tell you that your impression is wrong. The drivers are the ones at fault and the ones responsible for the very high death rates of cyclists.

So before accusing us British cyclists of being ignorant egomaniacs who think we are cars, I invite you to come into London, take a bike ride down this route
http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/bik...us-intersections-protest-safety-measures.html
and then maybe you will be qualified to say something about how we cyclie in this country.

 

[El Pistolero]

What makes you think cycling tourists aren't hated in Belgium and Netherlands? Even I hate a lot of those arrogant *******s.

And yeah, I'm one as well, but I don't act like the road is mine like a lot of cycling tourists here. I nearly got ran over once and then he yelled at me angrily.

 

[The Hitch]

What makes you think cycling tourists aren't hated in Belgium and Netherlands? .

Did I say that? Did I say anything remotely like that?

No? then why put words in my mouth?

 

[hatcher]

First time I've watched the video, and it's much more violent than I had imagined. Was avoiding watching it as I cycle down that road just about every day, and the roundabout leading into it is chaotic/scary enough as it is. Slightly reassuring that it was SO much the bus driver's fault.