I am trying to identify a driver (and license plate) who hit me while cycling in Taupaki (in Kumeu) yesterday. The car was a Toyoto LandCruiser ute with the words "Concrete Landscaping Services" or similar on the rear. The cab was white or silver with a dark blue "work tray". (The make/model is common, but the words "Concrete Landscaping. " and the white cab/blue worktray are unique).
The driver was a white male in his 30s or 40s. He had a heavy beard that was ginger coloured.
This occurred at 750am on Sunday May 17th on Waitakere Road in Taupaki; a popular area for cyclists. We know the driver stalked and abused at least one other group of cyclists just a few minutes earlier.
The driver passed our paceline slowly, shouted abuse, and then deliberately swerved left taking out my front wheel. I went down, as well as the cyclist immediately behind me.
We have reported all the above information to the police but we're missing a license plate number. If anyone recognizes my description of the car or driver, please message me. The driver is a danger to all cyclists.
I suspect the driver was a local (given the early time of day) and may repeat his behaviour (given he targeted at least two groups yesterday).
Try substituting "concrete" with "contract", then google search including the local area in the search string. Be very aware that this may lead you up the garden path. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of an accusation - dealing with an understandably very angry cyclist - when it was nothing to do with me. My brief googling lead to me to some worksite photos which showed (other) vehicles with blue/white, despite a green company logo.
nightsky1,
May 22, 8:29am
hope you get him he needs to be stopped
trogedon,
May 22, 8:39am
Thanks guys. nightsky1 is right - he can't go doing that or driving with that attitude. It wasn't me but someone I know of knocked off.
kam04,
May 22, 8:52am
You and your mates weren't taking up most of the lane were you? That's what might have p*ssed him off. Just saying.
brapbrap8,
May 22, 9:13am
Lots of things annoy me while driving, but I am sane enough not to use that to justify ramming people off the road.
Trogedon, I was a top cyclist in my youth and have experienced road rage like that a few times. Got rammed twice by the same driver on different days, both times I was riding single file in a small group on wide, straight country roads with no oncoming traffic and the driver in an SS commodore came along side and deliberately swerved into us, luckily I stayed up both times. Driver was known to the police, was arrested and said in court that he thinks he can kill cyclists because he doesn't think they belong on the road. He ended up doing jail time.
Another time I was riding solo along a country road, when an idiot pulled out from the oncoming traffic to overtake straight at me, I ended up in the grass, fortunately with no injuries again. Luckily for me one of the cars the idiot was overtaking was an under cover cop car driven by a cyclist friend of mine, so the idiot driver had the book thrown at him for speeding, dangerous driving, expired rego and everything else and got a mountain of fines.
Scary to think that some drivers really are insane and genuinely believe they have the right to kill a cyclist if they want to.
trogedon,
May 22, 10:45am
See brapbrap8's post & read my opening post - I wasn't among them. There is NO excuse for this. Sunday 715AM on a road with lots of straights to pass on and he has to hassle people and knock two off. Psychopathic behaviour. Just saying.
richardmayes,
May 22, 10:55am
That's not good at all. Good luck in your endeavours to bring this dangerous thug to justice.
When you say the ute was "white or silver with a blue tray". did it look like a tradie's company livery, or was it just a used replacement tray that had never been painted to match the rest of the truck?
fordcrzy,
May 22, 11:42am
A very quick google comes up with a likely company based in kumeu. drive past thier address and have a look
fordcrzy,
May 22, 11:44am
Oh you may also want to invest in a mobius actioncam
seadubya,
May 22, 11:47am
I think there should be more penalties for those who impede the flow of traffic, but it is NEVER ok to ram anyone, no matter what kind of vehicle they use. The guy should lose his license for a while and spend the time on a bike to develop a bit of empathy.
gman35,
May 22, 11:49am
Let's just say I (and am sure many others here) can picture the "look" and type of person this driver is quite easily.
fordcrzy,
May 22, 12:07pm
God the police are useless. a quick google comes up with a likely company name. run the company name through the vehicle database to see if thetes similar vehicles registered to that company. then go and see them. not that hard really is it.
kam04,
May 22, 3:35pm
Look, I don't condone what this guy did but I notice that cyclists get very defensive when it comes to motorists 'hassling' them as you put it. I have many times been caught behind a group of cyclists riding about 10kph on the open road two or three abreast and can't pass because of on coming traffic and they've known I was there and could see I couldn't pass because of the on coming traffic but have made no attempt to ride single file so I could pass, it gets very frustrating. I'm a cyclist myself and ride mainly on country roads so I'm speaking from both sides as well. Have you seen the new road signs on the road showing a vehicle and a cyclist side by side and the words 'Share the Road'. This applies to both!
extrayda,
May 22, 6:27pm
Good luck. I do sometimes find cyclists annoying - and pedestrians. But that moment of losing it and even pretending to hit someone can go horribly wrong. I doubt many people would feel the big man if they succeeded in mowing someone down, dragging them along the road and killing them.
peja,
May 24, 1:15am
How did you go with this? This psychopath needs to have his vehicle(s) confiscated and licence permanently removed. He does not belong out in public in a society with people in it. He isnt just a danger to cyclists, he will also be a danger to other motorists, especially with a vehicle like that and an attitude like that. He needs this; http://changingminds.org/techniques/conversion/identity_destruction.htm Also have you tried posting this on cycling forums like Vorb http://www.vorb.org.nz/ they may be able to help or may have additional data to add
pc_uncorrect,
May 24, 4:51am
The government long-term goal, is to get people out of cars, and onto bikes, public transit systems. Sooner rather than later, the government will aquire specific lanes on nz motor-ways, zone & then allocate those choosen lane/s to be tolled, for those who can afford it, while those not using the toll-road will be stuck in traffic, with the purpose to make it uneconomic & unaffordable to some current motorists to travel by car & force them into public transport/walk/bike.
tintop,
May 24, 5:05am
You have some background information to support this ?
trogedon,
May 24, 5:41am
I'm reasonably in touch with the political issues around cyclings progress and I have never heard of this being pushed by any political party. The other thing - its WAY off the topic of the thread.
johotech,
May 24, 5:42am
Ouija board.
trogedon,
May 24, 5:45am
Thanks for asking. I think the people involved are resouceful and local so hopefully making progress. I agree with you - he is a danger to all other road users - anyone who gets in his way! I used to be a regular on VORB but it really isn't a good place to hang out/post and has a Wellington / Christchurch bias.
pc_uncorrect,
May 24, 6:02am
Cycle lanes, are just the beginning.
trogedon,
May 24, 6:08am
One aspect is a far cry from motorway lanes etc being for cyclists. As requested - evidence for the next steps would be nice.
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