Assaulted while cycling - should I report it?

JQ.

You absolutely 100% need to report it. What if the slap had resulted in you falling off and hitting the tarmac with your face at 25mph. I actually can't believe you're even considering not calling the police.

Think how guilty you would feel if the next person they do it to hits a lamppost at 25mph, leaving a couple of kids with no dad.

It does not matter that you have no evidence - if they've done it to several people and say 4 of them report it, I suspect they would struggle to deny the allegations.

C_Mababejive

Report it as a hate crime..they will put special branch on it...

Idiophreak

Also, be assured that the police will take it seriously - we had the exact same crime locally. People were slapping and throwing stuff at cyclists - our email was filled for weeks with notices from the police asking for information, asking people to keep an eye out etc.

FWIW, one guy ended up in hospital as a result. You might not be able to stop that from happening to someone else, but you have to try.

DKLS

Report it, it may seem minor, but the idiots might move on to launching potatoes at cyclists which there was a spate of round here a couple of years back.

Potatoes in themselves, being hit by one at + 40pmh aint so funny.

verybigchris

I had a change of heart and decided to go to my local police station about it - as much as anything I just wanted to see how interested they would be. The lady there was really friendly and gave me two options:

1) I could report it as an assault, in which case they would take a statement and pass it on to the relevant police force. They would then get a statement from the registered keeper, where they would have to give their version of events, potentially naming the driver/passenger, and would have to put their signature to it.

2) They would take the details and add it to their police intelligence system (sorry, I can't remember the exact name she gave it, but she did say it's separate from the Police National Computer), so if that car was being investigated for something else they would know about this incident.

She agreed with me that a total lack of evidence means they can say what they like in a statement, so the first option isn't really worthwhile (although she encouraged me to come back later if I decide I do want to press charges). However she was very keen for me to take the second option rather than just leaving it, so that's what I did.

Overall I was impressed with her willingness to help, and would certainly recommend anyone who experiences something similar to have a chat with your local police. Thanks again for everyone's replies.

skiddlydiddly

The police will probably go round and have a word with the driver.It might make him think twice about ltting it happen again.

ukjoel

Its put the car onto the police computer.
This means it may be flagged up on routine checks and get stopped more often than you or I.

The cars are then checked as well as the occupants and if its kids in an old car there is a fair chance that even if tax, license, and insurance is in order, the tyres may be illegal, they may have something in their pockets they shouldnt have etc.

No such thing as random checks - police have a nose for cars and drivers like this and computer technology makes their life a lot easier.

johnfarquhar74

OR

you cycle that same stretch of road at the same time every day until it happens again, but this time you fill your cycling shorts with drawing board tacks (sharp bits outwards obviously), then after the repeat assault you hang about the nearest A&E and wait for the muppet to turn up with what appears like an acute case of stigmata! Deal with him then as you see fit and don't be gentle, he's in A&E already by then!?!

Seriously though, if it was me, I'd have pursued the assault charge. More than likely would have got nowhere but if enough people report this kind of nuisance behaviour, then the police would soon get peed off with chasing their tales and maybe do something about it. I myself have had my bike forced off the road at speed, driver knew what she was doing and laughed in my face when I caught her up. Police appeared helpful but in the end there was nothing they could do!

davemorton

In all honesty, cyclists on the roads really annoy me, but that is a different debate for a different time. But even with the way I feel about them, this sort of behavior is right out of order and needs dealing with. I would go down the assault route, if only because a) the police will have to take it seriously as it will count against their performance figures, and b) because with any luck the lad will start to wet himself when the charges are put to him (which may in turn make the idiot think twice next time!)

anewman

Use DVLA's wonderful service to find out the address of the registered keeper (say the car is regularly parked on your property and causing an obstruction etc) and pay a visit in the middle of the night