A female cyclist was knocked to the ground by the passenger of a taxi as he opened his door and refused responsibility for his actions. Courtesy: Seven News
A CYCLIST has been abused by a group of men who opened a taxi door in her path on Collins St, causing her to crash.
The incident was caught by a camera mounted on her handlebars.
Footage shows her riding past several cars before the taxi door is flung open and she crashes heavily into it and falls to the ground.
Cycling advocates say the action clearly amounted to an offence, known as “dooring”.
A shot from the camera on the cyclists handlebars. Source: Supplied
But Victoria Police spokesman Belinda Batty told the Herald Sun it was unclear if the incident had been reported to police.
In the video, the woman immediately asks the three men who alight from the cab for their details, telling them “I’ve got it all on camera”.
One man apologises, but another says her riding was “dangerous”. All refuse to give their names.
“Do you know what you just did? You just doored me. That’s an offence,” the cyclist said.
She pursues them along Collins St towards Swanston St, and they begin to abuse her.
Video still of ‘dooring’ incident in Collins St Melbourne Source: Supplied
“You ride up the inside of a car that’s stopped at the lights — you are a fool,” one man said.
That was followed by: “The way people like you ride around is disgusting.”
Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber urged police to investigate.
“The really distressing part is that those men are arguing with the cyclist, saying she is in the wrong, when they are at fault,” Mr Barber said.
Victoria’s road rules state that it is an offence, punishable by a fine of more than $350, to cause a hazard to a person or vehicle by opening a car door.
Mr Barber said the State Government should consider his plan to introduce demerit points for “dooring”.
tom.minear@news.com.au
No comments:
Post a Comment