Arrest over cyclist road rage

paul said:

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18235098-5001022,00.html

Arrest over cyclist road rage

February 22, 2006

A MAN drove across three lanes of traffic in an attempt to mow down 20
cyclists in a road rage incident in Sydney, police have alleged.
Police say an argument broke out when the 50-year-old man almost hit the
cyclists on General Holmes Drive in south suburban Brighton-Le-Sands as
he drove out of a service station at about 5.40am (AEDT) yesterday.

A follow up to this one

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/drivers-blood-boiled-when-cyclists-gave-him-finger/2006/09/19/1158431711240.html

kanangara said:

A follow up to this one

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/drivers-blood-boiled-when-cyclists-gave-him-finger/2006/09/19/1158431711240.html

Full text (for those wilth limited access)

Driver's blood boiled when cyclists gave him the finger
September 20, 2006

A DRIVER who deliberately swerved in front of a pack of 20 cyclists has escaped a driving suspension but been placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond.

But in finding Henry Ho Wai To, 51, guilty of driving in a manner dangerous and negligent, the magistrate Brian Maloney also admonished the riders for triggering the Brighton-le-Sands newsagent's anger.

To, who had faced losing his licence for five years, pleaded not guilty in the Downing Centre Local Court yesterday.

Anthony Unicomb, an off-duty police officer who was cycling with the training pack from Taren Point to the city on February 21, said To came close to colliding with the cyclists twice.

Leading the group were Shaun Higgerson, who could not give evidence because he was competing with the Australian team in Italy, and Christopher Sutton, who also could not attend, as he was competing in France.

Also in the group were the NSW Sports Institute rider Luke Cridland and elite riders Troy and Stephen Melrose and Troy Glennan, all of whom were abroad or could not give evidence.

Inspector Unicomb said the group was travelling about 45 kmh while riding two abreast along The Grand Parade at 5.30am when To emerged at speed from a service station driveway, almost colliding with them.

The inspector and To told the court they heard a rider shout abuse. To said he was called an "effing idiot dingo" and given the finger by a rider, which caused him to get angry.

"I got hot," To said of his next move, to speed up to the group, where he was given a second finger and more abuse.

At the front of the pack he changed into their lane but denied it was within 30 centimetres of the lead riders.

After hearing both sides, Mr Maloney said: "If you're an Australian road cyclist, knowing what happened to some of our female elite cyclists not so long ago in Germany, you would be rather nervous using motorways."

But Mr Maloney rebuked Inspector Unicomb for mounting his own investigation instead of reporting the matter to the highway patrol and allowing it to investigate and prosecute.

He admonished the police inspector for threatening to arrest To if he did not go to Surry Hills police station to make a statement.

Turning to To, Mr Maloney said the newsagent had "wanted to give these riders a scare, and he achieved that".

"There was real potential to cause harm. I find the offence proven." But Mr Maloney added: "This is not a road-rage situation. They should not have yelled out 'effing idiot' and you should not have done what you did."

kanangara said:

paul said:

http://tinyurl.com/ha5nx

Arrest over cyclist road rage

February 22, 2006

A MAN drove across three lanes of traffic in an attempt to mow down 20
cyclists in a road rage incident in Sydney, police have alleged.
Police say an argument broke out when the 50-year-old man almost hit
the
cyclists on General Holmes Drive in south suburban Brighton-Le-Sands
as
he drove out of a service station at about 5.40am (AEDT) yesterday.

So the orginal article falsely claimed that he tried to run them down, miss
described the event, and claimed 3 lanes of traffic were cut across at the
road at 5.30am (where there are only two lanes people drive on anyway)
selectively reported facts from one side.

There you go, nobody involved in the incident managed to ennoble
themselves.

dewatf.