A motorist who chased after a cyclist and swung a golf club at him in a shocking road rage attack, after almost colliding with the rider while pulling out across the road, has avoided criminal charges, with West Midlands Police instead ordering the driver to attend an anger management course as part of a Community Resolution.

The incident, captured by the cyclist’s bike cameras and which can be viewed below, took place in the Birmingham suburb of Erdington on 30 June, after the rider reprimanded the motorist for almost driving into his path, a confrontation that eventually escalated into a chaotic chase which saw the golf club-brandishing driver aim a swing at the fleeing cyclist, narrowly missing him once again.

After being reported to the police, the motorist – a first-time offender – admitted the offence, prompting West Midlands Police to settle the matter with a Community Resolution and the promise of attending an anger management course, a conclusion described by the cyclist on the end of the attack as a “little disappointing” but ultimately “acceptable”.

“I saw the Fiesta start to do a U-turn from the opposite side of the road and I hoped the driver had seen me,” the cyclist involved in the incident, who wished to remain anonymous, told road.cc.

“Just before I reached the vehicle, I realised the driver had not seen me and was not going to stop so I shouted loudly to attract his attention. The driver stopped but I had to swerve and brake hard to avoid a collision.

“They clearly didn't see me, were very close, and I'm 6’ 5 tall and 17 stone and I had three flashing front lights, a hi-viz jacket, and hi-viz helmet on.”

In the second half of the video submitted to West Midlands Police, which includes sound, the cyclist can be heard shouting “Are you blind? What’s wrong with you?”, as the motorist continues to roll his car in his direction.

Both the driver and his passenger then emerge from the car – which at this point is left in the middle of the road – as the motorist shouts: “Come here you little t***, I was nowhere f***ing near you”.

“I was going to ride away but the driver exited the car. I guess my pride got the better of me and I stopped and got off my bike, expecting an argument,” the cyclist said.

“At this point the passenger got out to confront me and the driver reached into the back of the car – I assumed to get a weapon – so I decided to ride away to avoid any further confrontation.”

The motorist can then be seen retrieving a golf club from his car, before sprinting after the departing cyclist and aiming a wild swing from close range, which saw the club fall just short of its intended target and crash onto the road.

“Fortunately they missed,” the cyclist continued. “I shouted to the driver I would be reporting the incident to the police.

“Until I watched the video I assumed the driver had simply thrown the club from a distance.

“Violence on Birmingham’s roads seems so common now that I think I initially rationalised it as a simple traffic incident. But while I prepared the videos for a police report a few hours later I was shocked how close I came to being seriously injured, and realised I should have called 999 as soon as I was safe, so I reported this to the police via a call to 101.

“West Midlands Police were great and the PCs and detective I spoke to at various times all seemed concerned for my wellbeing and shocked at the incident.

“They eventually told me it would be dealt with as a Community Resolution, including an anger management course, as the offender had admitted their guilt and was previously not known to the police.”

According to West Midlands Police’s own website (link is external), Community Resolutions “provide an opportunity for the police to deal with appropriate low-level offences and offenders without recourse to formal criminal justice sanctions”, and are usually reserved for “momentary lapses in judgement by otherwise law abiding people”.

“There is no criminal conviction but if the police have to deal with them in the future it will be taken into consideration,” the cyclist told us. “It’s a little disappointing, but if they are stopped from doing this again to someone more vulnerable, then it is positive.

“At first I felt it was not a severe enough punishment and had two weeks to think about it before meeting the police to sign my part of the Community Resolution.

“As I seriously considered it, I was surprised to find myself in a very forgiving mood and on talking to the officer who interviewed the offender about the details and their opinion of them, I decided it was acceptable and avoided me having to deal with a court case.

“I don’t believe I was targeted because I was a cyclist, but because of a typical young male with more pride than sense was called out, a problem I can understand.

“I’m aware, of course, that the offender may have no remorse at all, have no intention of reforming, and may go on to do this to someone else, but they are now known to the police and the Community Resolution will affect the way any future offences are prosecuted.”

road.cc has contacted West Midlands Police for comment, but is yet to receive a response.

https://road.cc/content/news/road-rage-motorist-swings-golf-club-cyclist-304181