First published July 2, 2019
Last Wednesday a 61-year-old woman, innocently cycling to work, was repeatedly punched in an unprovoked, vicious attack. After the attack, she was admitted to hospital for head injuries.
Surprisingly, this type of attack is not that unusual. Back in March, a London cyclist was left in critical condition after being kicked off his bike by another cyclist. And last autumn, gangs attacked at least 21 cyclists on a cycle route in Manchester. One of the victims, who escaped a hammer attack, said that the worst part of it was the lack of police support, even though he had video footage and literally begged for a police investigation. Even away from our cities, these attacks can and do happen. I know someone, in North Wales, who was pushed from their bike whilst on a cycle path. They sustained bruising of the ribs and superficial injuries. The incredulous thing is that they thought it was a waste of time contacting the police about the incident.
In this post, I’m not offering answers; I’m hoping to hear your views and experiences. Have you been affected by an unprovoked attack whilst cycling? Have you or would you report such an incident? Or would you take matters into your hands? And do you think that the courts are too lenient on attackers if a case actually gets to court and that stiffer sentences should be handed down? And if you consider the potential results of a crash at speed, is an attack on a cyclist akin to attempted murder? Click that comment button and let us know.
Photo Credit: @luzfc