'Violent' cyclist hurls abuses at 'distressed' pregnant woman, dents her car after holding cars up on highway
A "violent" and "aggressive" cyclist was filmed hurling abuses at a pregnant woman after she confronted him for reportedly breaching the highway code by riding too slowly in the middle of the road.
The altercation started after the woman honked her horn at the cyclist, who could be seen wearing green lycra, for "holding cars up" on a road in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, according to Grimsby Live.
The cyclist then followed her vehicle into Cleethorpes County Park, where he then started shouting at her and insulting her because he had not broken any rules, contrary to her claims.
In the video, the cyclist leans towards the car and rants at the pregnant woman, calling her a "f****** stupid c***." He insists he was "doing nothing wrong" while riding on the highway and continues shouting at the driver through her partially-open window.
"What? A bike is allowed on the f****** road," he can be heard saying. In response, the woman says, "If you actually look in the Highway Code you can see that you're not allowed two abreast."
The man then gets more argumentative and insists that the code states that cyclists can go "double file" on a 30-mile-an-hour road before swearing at the woman again and storming away.
The footage of the incident was posted on social media with an appeal to identify the cyclist, with the caption reading, "Does anyone know this man please? Was in the middle of the road, two people. Then when bibbed at because was holding cars up, he was throwing up hand signals."
"Deliberately cycled slower and was all over the road then followed the car and very violent and aggressive," it continued. "After the video, he proceeded to attack the vehicle and has left multiple scratches and dents along the boot and side. My friend is pregnant and very distressed now because of this man."
According to the current interpretation of the Highway Code, it appears that the cyclist was in the right. It states that they can ride in the center of the lane, also known as the "primary position," to deter unsafe passes, particularly on slower urban roads.
This "primary position" is taken up by cyclists when passed parked cars whose doors may suddenly open and to prevent traffic overtaking dangerously in narrow roads when maneuvering or turning.
Section 66 of the Highway Code advises cyclists not to "ride more than two abreast" and, instead, "ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends" but there isn't a law that explicitly prevents them from doing the former.
In the comment section of the video, which has been shared more than 600 times, other social media users seemed to concur that he was correct but also that it was unnecessary for him to have been abusive towards the pregnant driver.
"While the guy's behaviour is completely disgusting, he is correct," one wrote. "We are allowed in the middle of the roads and are allowed to cycle two wide. You have to treat cyclists just like you would a motorbike or another car."
"There is no need for him to be so arrogant about it. It gives cyclists a bad reputation," another wrote.