'Cold-blooded assault': Cyclist hits out at tail-gating truck driver
A cyclist has condemned a tail-gating truck driver calling his actions “cold-blooded assault” after they were filmed being knocked off their bike.
Video uploaded on Facebook by cycling safety advocate group UpRide shows the cyclist riding on a road in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island, on August 3 at about 7.40am.
The road does have a cycling lane but the cyclist claims while using the main road they were travelling at the speed limit on his way to work.
As the cyclist rides along an Isuzu truck tailgates them and beeps his horn repeatedly.
The cyclist doesn’t budge and change lanes, and the truck closes in on his rear wheel.
The truck gets close enough that the bike’s rear tyre leaves a mark on its licence plate.
It backs off briefly but moves in again this time taking out the cyclist and he lands on the roadway.
New Zealand Police told Yahoo News Australia the truck driver, a 65-year-old man, was charged with driving dangerously and faced Christchurch District Court on August 3.
He will next face court on December 3.
The cyclist received minor injuries.
‘Very scary to watch’
On Facebook, people were mortified by the crash with UpRide calling it an example of “cold-blooded assault”.
One man called the driver’s actions “bloody disgraceful” while another added it was “very scary to watch”.
“This is why I don’t ride on the road any more. I only use the sidewalk,” another man wrote.
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Another man called the truck driver’s conduct “insane” pointing out he could have changed into the right lane.
Some people suggested when faced with a similar situation cyclists should avoid confrontations with drivers at all costs or face fatal consequences.
“I agree the driver should be charged,” one man wrote.
“But being right can also mean dead right.”
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