Bikes, Mustang and middle finger: the affair could have gone very wrong

A group of racing cyclists found themselves in a dangerous situation in the Fricktal when an impatient motorist overtook them. The incident ended without seriousness, but could have had serious consequences.

A group of four racing cyclists experienced a dangerous incident in the Aargau Fricktal, when a motorist driving a Ford Mustang overtook them without paying attention. The incident was not serious, but could have resulted in serious injuries, reports the “Aargauer Zeitung”.

In March 2024, the athletes, aged 20 to 33 and belonging to the same cycling club, were on an afternoon ride in Eiken (AG) when the driver of the Mustang appeared behind them.

The motorist, a man in his forties, felt disturbed by the cyclists who were riding side by side in groups of two. When he revved his engine, one of the group members reportedly gave him the finger.

Driver under the influence of drugs

The man then allegedly tried to overtake the group on the main road. In doing so, he veered into the opposite lane, ignoring oncoming traffic.

In a risky maneuver, he narrowly overtook the cyclists, brushing against one of them. This caused three of the four cyclists to fall, while the fourth was able to hold on to his bike. Those who fell suffered only scratches.

The driver of the Mustang initially continued on his way, but turned around shortly after, consumed by guilt. The police, who had already been alerted, arrested him even before he reached the scene of the accident. During the check, it turned out that the man was under the influence of narcotics, as he had consumed marijuana the day before.

Legal consequences

The motorist was convicted of several offenses, including unintentional injury and hit-and-run. He received a 120-day fine of 170 francs, which he will not have to pay if he has nothing to reproach himself for during the five-year probationary period. He must also pay a fine and costs totaling 7,734 francs.

Racing cyclists do not get away without consequences. Three of them received criminal orders for prohibited side-by-side driving and insufficient distance when driving one behind the other. Fines range from 20 to 100 francs, plus taxes, which represents a total of 260 to 460 francs. The fourth cyclist, who behaved correctly, was not punished.

Under certain conditions, cyclists can ride side by side. This is permitted in groups of ten or more people, to reduce the overtaking distance for other road users. Circulation in pairs is also authorized on cycle paths, signposted cycle routes and in meeting areas.

The writer wrote this article using AI.