Drivers who pushed over cyclists ‘for fun’ in France sentenced

Two men accused of pushing over cyclists ‘for fun’ in the south of France have been handed suspended prison sentences by a court in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne).

The men, aged 20 and 22, drove around roads in the Save valley, targeting cyclists. They would follow cyclists, come up next to them, and attack them - knocking, hitting, or pushing them over - before driving off.

The duo played this ‘game’ for eight months between April and December 2023, before continued reports from cyclists led to their arrest. They pushed over at least 12 cyclists, and some were seriously injured.

One victim, Jean Brossard, told FranceInfo: "They hit me on the helmet, and the cyclist behind me, with what looked like a small truncheon, and then he hit me twice more.”

The cyclists made a complaint to the gendarmerie afterwards, but could not remember the vehicle’s number plate.

However, when the gendarmerie investigated, they found that the mobile phones of two men were traced to the scene at the time, and at times of other reports. This led to the duo’s arrest.

Both men apologised at their trial. Each of them was handed a two-year suspended prison sentence.

The case comes after the Fédération des usagers de la bicyclette (FUB, the French cyclists’ federation) last year warned of increased incidents of violence against cyclists by drivers, especially in rural areas.

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