Man, this is messed up. Two guys, riding along in Berkeley, California, within their rights and in their lane, when they’re taken out by black sedan that doesn’t stop to check if they’re hurt. As you can see in the POV camera action, captured by a man named Bruno, the driver doesn’t even slow down.
Fortunately, both riders were okay, and Bruno took the video to the police, who were able to identify the car and driver.
Oh, and for those who argue against wearing a helmet, as we mentioned in The List: 11 Reasons You Don’t Wear a Helmet, take a gander at Bruno’s lid smacking the pavement. How’d you like that to be your bare noggin?
Coincidentally, the BBC just announced that it will air an hour-long program called The War On Britain’s Roads, which examines the often fractious conflict between cyclists and drivers and makes extensive use of POV cam footage.
“As more and more people take up cycling as a way of beating the traffic or just keeping fit on their commute, the potential for conflict between cyclists and drivers has increased massively,” the BBC said.
“Now cameras installed on bikes and in vehicles will use heart-stopping footage of interactions between road users to reveal a shocking picture of life on Britain’s roads. The film will follow current cases as they go through the courts and revisit the tragic stories of some of those who have lost their lives on Britain’s roads.”
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Whoa. FYI for those who just want to forward to the accident, it’s after 2:35.
Seems like those cameras are a good idea. Anyone know what he was using and how much it weighs and costs?
this video coulda been 2 minutes shorter. Pretty fucked up though.
Was the driver drunk? Good grief!
Since really focusing on road riding since mid-January, I’ve had five incidences in which I would have been seriously injured if I hadn’t been totally heads-up (and lucky):
1) Car took a left turn out of a side street — she didn’t see me
2) Truck took exception with my keeping up with traffic and swerved right to pin me to the curb
3) Driver blew through a (flashing yellow-lighted) dedicated pedestrian/cycling crosswalk
4) Nearly “doored” by a very apologetic woman who didn’t look in her side-view mirror
5) Worst: unsafely passed by impatient woman who truly almost killed me and, in fact, brushed against me on a narrow road.
That’s all just in 770 miles. I was able to avoid all collisions due to anticipation; though #5 was just luck. But it is true: you have to treat every car like they’re trying to kill you.
Yeah, cut off the first couple of minutes and not show the two riders running the stop sign.
Wow, that could be me on my morning commute pretty much any day of the week. There’s really nothing that even the most cautious and aware cyclist could have done in that situation. Hopefully that dude gets prosecuted to the fullest extent and rots away in prison for a while.
Bad news, that. I hope they develop something to catch that driver and make the error better-known. The old “I didn’t see them” has got to be exposed as the after-the-fact fib that it really is. Maybe this will help.
BTW have to also agree with PedroSEQ about those riders blowing through STOP signs (at 0:02 and 1:15 seconds respectively). That’s not so good either. Did they really have to publicize that on film?
I am not condoning bad drivers or bad driving in any way, nor this scumbag who ran the cyclists down and fled. But cyclists also need to do their part and obey traffic laws. The video clearly shows them running at least two stop signs. Here in NYC, they routinely run red lights as if red lights do not apply to cyclists.
Since it appears that there was no reason for the driver to swerve into them, it looks deliberate.
j
Without evidence, it seems rash and inflammatory to suggest that the driver hit these guys intentionally. They could have been texting or dropped their phone, spilled coffee, were putting on makeup, or lighting a cigarette. There are hundreds of reasons why a driver might swerve inadvertently. And yes, there’s a chance they meant to do this. But unless you know for sure, it’s more prudent and levelheaded to acknowledge we simply don’t know.
And then drive away like nothing happened? Yeah, likely story bro.
True, it might not be an act of aggression, but odd that the car swerves into their lane precisely at the point of taking out both cyclists…and then continues right along. If the cause is texting or dropping one’s coffee, it’s both coincidental and, in the aftermath of such an accident, the behavior of an utter fuktard–that much we can say. Seems in the slo-mo that the plate is visible and I wonder if the resolution’s high enough someone could get a make on it.
As a road cyclist myself, regardless of what the car driver may or may not have been doing to cause the accident, leaving the scene of an accident is criminal. Glad the cyclists were wearing helmets which I am sure helped prevent a more serious injury and were filming their ride to capture the plate on the car. Blowing through the two stop signs was so wrong – remember we all must abide by traffic rules whether driving a vehicle, peddling a bike, or walking the streets – there is just no excuse for blowing lights or stop signs
Looks like Tunnel Road heading south.
Very dangerous spot. Berkeley drivers are the worst.
my (35 year old) Wife was killed by a motorist who drove into the back of her, whilst he was bending down to tune a radio, leaving me to bring up my two daughters (aged 6 and 8) on my own
“prosecuted to the full extent of the the law”?
You decide …£350 ($500) fine and 5 points (12 is a ban so he could do it three times)
The charge “Careless driving”
‘aint justice great