Teen pushed off bike by passing car

rizzodun

Lucky kid, hopefully the scumbags who thought it was a fun idea will get nailed.

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/pictured-teenage-boy-injured-after-3753418

rich.d.berry

"Dad Richard, 45, said his lad would have died were he not wearing a €75 professional cycling helmet."

A disgusting display of intolerance from the sick bastards, but a bit of a stretch from dad Richard though. Not a "my son could have" but a "my son would have". This story has enough drama of its own, no need to add any more.

fits

I dont think its too much of a stretch to say that the kind of force that will smash a helmet, would do serious damage to an unhelmeted head...

Awful story. I don't know what's wrong with people.

ZiabR

Unreal, to grab and push a cyclist is disgraceful.

smacl

logik wrote: »

Unreal, to grab and push a cyclist is disgraceful.

Whatever about attacking a cyclist, attacking a 13 year old kid and leaving them for dead at the side of side of the road is something else again. Whether or not the helmet saved the lad, the attackers could well have killed him and didn't know whether they had or hadn't. I hope the police treat this with the gravity it deserves.

As importantly, I hope the young lad hasn't been scared off cycling. Whatever about the physical injury, that type of assault could leave anyone, let alone a kid, scared for a long time. These are rare events, but once it happens to you once you're looking over your shoulder for years.

Tenzor07

Shocking, this is attempted murder, I hope the Gardai put resources into finding the scum...

XtotheZ

Someone once swung a door at me a few years ago going around a corner. Just missed me. Scumbags

whiskeyman

Such a depressing story knowing that there's scum out there getting kicks of doing things like this.

bbari

This scumbag tried to hit me with a long stick when I was out biking last week. Surely they were out with an agenda to hit cyclists.

ednwireland

depressing that someone at work basically inferred that cyclists are bringing this on themselves because we take up too much of the road (from someone i wouldnt expect to be that intolerant). didnt condone the act directly but that attitude really worries me . that car drivers seem to think that they own the road.

hope they are caught quick and made an example of

kenmc

rich.d.berry wrote: »

"Dad Richard, 45, said his lad would have died were he not wearing a €75 professional cycling helmet."

A disgusting display of intolerance from the sick bastards, but a bit of a stretch from dad Richard though. Not a "my son could have" but a "my son would have". This story has enough drama of its own, no need to add any more.

Indeed. And by that logic, if he'd been wearing a €150 helmet then he wouldn't even have lost consciousness. :rolleyes:

Hope the cops catch the scumbags though and charge them with attempted murder.

Beasty

rich.d.berry wrote: »

"Dad Richard, 45, said his lad would have died were he not wearing a €75 professional cycling helmet."

fits wrote: »

I dont think its too much of a stretch to say that the kind of force that will smash a helmet, would do serious damage to an unhelmeted head...

kenmc wrote: »

Indeed. And by that logic, if he'd been wearing a €150 helmet then he wouldn't even have lost consciousness. :rolleyes:

We have a separate thread for all helmet discussion

Thanks

curlzy

Wow, I'm only started cycling to work recently and I am safe to the point of paranoia but this just shows it doesn't matter how much you try to cycle safe and properly you can still come into contact with this type of thing. I'm really hoping they catch the people that did this!

check_six

kenmc wrote: »

Hope the cops catch the scumbags though and charge them with attempted murder.

They'll probably catch them alright, but the charge will be some variety of watered down dangerous driving, or leaving the scene of an "accident" that will have them temporarily stripped of the driving license they may not even posess and very little other consequences. Which is deeply depressing. Seeing as the lad looks like he has physically recovered, I hope he gets his bike back on the road in quicktime too.

smacl

check_six wrote: »

They'll probably catch them alright, but the charge will be some variety of watered down dangerous driving, or leaving the scene of an "accident" that will have them temporarily stripped of the driving license they may not even posess and very little other consequences. Which is deeply depressing. Seeing as the lad looks like he has physically recovered, I hope he gets his bike back on the road in quicktime too.

I'm not so sure. I'd tend to agree if it had been an adult attacked, but given it was a 13 year old I wouldn't be surprised if they threw the book at them to make an example, and proper order. Hope they catch them, but wouldn't be surprised if the car was stolen either, which makes it way more difficult.

check_six

smacl wrote: »

I'm not so sure. I'd tend to agree if it had been an adult attacked, but given it was a 13 year old I wouldn't be surprised if they threw the book at them to make an example, and proper order. Hope they catch them, but wouldn't be surprised if the car was stolen either, which makes it way more difficult.

Good point. Hope you're right.

el tel

I wouldn't classify this in the usual "motorists intolerance of cyclists" category, but rather it's a bunch of dangerous opportunist scumbags attacking a vulnerable person. These cowardly bastards need their comeuppance. There is nothing they could claim in mitigation for doing this kind of thing.

07Lapierre

smacl wrote: »

I'm not so sure. I'd tend to agree if it had been an adult attacked, but given it was a 13 year old I wouldn't be surprised if they threw the book at them to make an example, and proper order. Hope they catch them, but wouldn't be surprised if the car was stolen either, which makes it way more difficult.

I admire your optimism, but I'm with Check_six on this...IF they are caught i suspect they'll get the equivalent of a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again.

Tenzor07

ednwireland wrote: »

depressing that someone at work basically inferred that cyclists are bringing this on themselves because we take up too much of the road (from someone i wouldnt expect to be that intolerant). didnt condone the act directly but that attitude really worries me . that car drivers seem to think that they own the road.

Some of the Media vitriol (Irish Times I'm looking at you) has been directed at de-humansing the cyclist, "The Lycra Lout" "Eco Warrior Hippy" "they don't pay Road tax or insurance" .. collectively grouping a large and diverse group of people into self-righteous free-loaders using "our" roads for free...

They forget that cyclists are the soft squishy easily killed road users who are also your brother, your sister, your uncle, your child, your best mate..

JMcL

Absolute scum. Unfortunately I wouldn't be overly optimistic on them being caught. It's a northern reg car and in that bit of Monaghan you can be driving along a stretch of road and literally be hopping back and forward across the border at every bend (though not on the N2). Unless they're thick as two short planks (well possible), all they have to do is avoid coming across the border in that car until it all dies down :-(

rizzodun

JMcL wrote: »

Absolute scum. Unfortunately I wouldn't be overly optimistic on them being caught. It's a northern reg car and in that bit of Monaghan you can be driving along a stretch of road and literally be hopping back and forward across the border at every bend (though not on the N2). Unless they're thick as two short planks (well possible), all they have to do is avoid coming across the border in that car until it all dies down :-(

The story says the car was followed, I'm sure they could ask the PSNI for assistance in tracking down the car, if it wasn't stolen, that is.

fat bloke

Similar happened to a neighbour of mine coming down Stocking Lane, South Dublin. Nearside rear passenger of the car leaning out of the window. A planned assault with the attacker's full torso leaning out of the window. Made to grab the cyclist and push him into the ditch. :mad:

NeedMoreGears

I agree with El Tel above. I don't think this has got much to do with "cyclists" or "motorists" per se. I don't really see it very differently than if the lad was walking down the road and some people hop out of a car and assault him. I had understood, from earlier press reports, that the garda were following a definite line of inquiry so hopefully they catch those responsible.

No Pants

ednwireland wrote: »

depressing that someone at work basically inferred that cyclists are bringing this on themselves because we take up too much of the road (from someone i wouldnt expect to be that intolerant). didnt condone the act directly but that attitude really worries me . that car drivers seem to think that they own the road.

I hope you set them straight, and forcefully too.

Was driving that road myself on Sunday, earlier in the day, heading the opposite direction and in a red car with Irish plates. Used to cycle that road back in the day.

TiBoy

I'm off the view that the vast majority of road users (whether drivers, passengers, cyclists etc.) are reasonable decent people regardless of their mode of transport.

However dangerous idiots need the full application of the law for what they do, or attempt to do, that is unlawful.

Hopefully the relevant authorities will pursue in the context of a serious crime having been committed, based on what actually happend the poor lad, and what was attempted that could have had more dire consequences for him.

bedirect

Recently there seems to be a lot of negative publicity directed at cyclists, I agree with George Hook giving out about people of Foot paths or breaking lights. But he seems to be blaming all cyclists, most cyclists on road bikes dont break the law and try to keep traffic moving. I do see some groups riding 2 abreast when they might as well be 3 abreast they are that far apart. You will always get fools beeping or shouting at you. Some truck drivers can get very impatient, but if you have been driving through the night and are being held up by cyclists it is understandable. I find when you let traffic past most drivers acknowledge this. Those ads on RTE help our cause

check_six

bedirect wrote: »

Recently there seems to be a lot of negative publicity directed at cyclists, I agree with George Hook giving out about people of Foot paths or breaking lights. But he seems to be blaming all cyclists, most cyclists on road bikes dont break the law and try to keep traffic moving. I do see some groups riding 2 abreast when they might as well be 3 abreast they are that far apart. You will always get fools beeping or shouting at you. Some truck drivers can get very impatient, but if you have been driving through the night and are being held up by cyclists it is understandable. I find when you let traffic past most drivers acknowledge this. Those ads on RTE help our cause

I think it's fair to say, without fear of contradiction, that you have truly captured the zeitgeist of the cycling forum in this one post. Deep insight into the background to a potentially fatal assault on a 13 year old.

Chapeau.

check_six

check_six wrote: »

I think it's fair to say, without fear of contradiction, that you have truly captured the zeitgeist of the cycling forum in this one post. Deep insight into the background to a potentially fatal assault on a 13 year old.

Chapeau.

Also, in the words of Homer Simpson, I am being sarcastic.

blackvalley

rich.d.berry wrote: »

"Dad Richard, 45, said his lad would have died were he not wearing a €75 professional cycling helmet."

A disgusting display of intolerance from the sick bastards, but a bit of a stretch from dad Richard though. Not a "my son could have" but a "my son would have". This story has enough drama of its own, no need to add any more.

A bit pedantic to be picking holes in the precise words used by a father insuch circumstances.

After all this was not some polished press statement released after beingscrutinised by a phalanx of solicitors.

Limestone1

check_six wrote: »

Also, in the words of Homer Simpson, I am being sarcastic.

hmmmmm vintage 13 year old donuts mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Limestone1

On a more serious note, we have seen threads on attacks like these over the years but there has never been the publicity and high profile like this one so hopefully it will stay in the public eye for a few more days. With an arrest or two the publicity will drag on and hopefully how dangerous "pushing a cyclist" is, will deter the next generation of young lads "having a laugh" ....

seamus

Limestone1 wrote: »

On a more serious note, we have seen threads on attacks like these over the years but there has never been the publicity and high profile like this one so hopefully it will stay in the public eye for a few more days. With an arrest or two the publicity will drag on and hopefully how dangerous "pushing a cyclist" is, will deter the next generation of young lads "having a laugh" ....

....or, depressingly, scumbags will hear about this and think this is a new awesome pastime on their way to wasted and short pathetic life.

It happened to me a couple of years back. Ego bruised more than anything; being randomly assaulted is one thing, but being unable to do anything about it afterwards is humiliating. If they pulled over and decided to have a go at me, I'd probably feel a lot better about it because I at least had the opportunity to break someone's nose.

No Pants

Pushing a McKenna off a bike in Monaghan, that's actually kind of brave. He's related to everyone.

furiousox

"man" charged with assault.

http://www.northernsound.ie/news/man-charged-after-13-year-old-was-allegedly-pushed-from-his-bike/

No Pants

furiousox wrote: »

"man" charged with assault.

http://www.northernsound.ie/news/man-charged-after-13-year-old-was-allegedly-pushed-from-his-bike/

And that's all they charged him with?

It should be attempted murder, it was no accidental incident. Also, if it was a Northern Ireland registered car, was he legally allowed to drive it?

Peter T

Typical slap on the wrist sentence handed out :mad: .

ArmaniJeanss

No Pants wrote: »

And that's all they charged him with?

It should be attempted murder, it was no accidental incident.

The initial charge is just a 'garda charge' and will be at the low end of the spectrum, its really just a bit of paperwork to start the proceedings.
The file will go to the DPP who will decide whether to push for something higher (aggravated assault, attempted murder) + the whole range of possible driving violations that it falls under.

So its only at the next court appearance that we'll know what he is actually going to be charged with.

ThunbergsAreGo

Absolute scum! why people need to do things like this...