Man who 'doored' cyclist turns himself in
The man in the middle of Monday night’s ‘dooring’ incident has turned himself in to police, back pedaling from the dismissive tone he took with the woman he knocked to the ground.
Millionaire toy importer Jeff Hunter was caught on camera knocking a cyclist off her bicycle with an open care door on Monday.
The accident sparked furious debate over the behaviour of road users in the inner city of Melbourne.
“Look, I reacted very badly afterwards. She got my back up,” Mr Hunter said.
“The thing I did wrong was how I reacted afterwards, and for that I sincerely apologise.”
Mr Hunter said he did not realise that what he did was an offence until yesterday.
“I think it's just an accident that can happen to anyone that gets out of a taxi,” he said.
Planning Minister Matthew Guy said when it comes to spending, the Victorian government needs to look out for cyclists.
“Cycling is another form of transport,” he said.
"I just wanted the man identified so the police could handle them and explain the law to them, I am happy the man has been identified,” the cyclist said.
The cyclist is unlikely to press charges, which means Mr Hunter may face no further action.
“I think she definitely came on very aggressive,” Mr Hunter said.
“Probably I don't blame her – you know, she's fallen off her bike – but there was no need for the aggression that she showed,” he said.
Cylcists are within their rights to ride between the kerb and the traffic, whether traffic is moving or stopped.
“If you're looking at a cyclist that's riding on the left hand side of a motor vehcile, they're quite entitled to be there,” Sargeant Arty Lavox said.
“Well we've recently increased the penalties for car dooring, so the penalty for that offence is now $361 on the spot or $1,400 if it goes to court,” James Holgate said.