Dangerous overtaking maneuver Racing bike group gives Mustang rider the middle finger - he brings them down

A group of racing cyclists got into a dangerous situation in Fricktal when an impatient driver overtook them. The incident ended in a minor accident, but could have had serious consequences.

A group of four racing cyclists experienced a dangerous incident in Fricktal in the canton of Aargau when a driver in a Ford Mustang overtook them carelessly. The incident was minor, but could have ended in serious injuries, reports the Aargauer Zeitung newspaper.

In March 2024, the athletes, who are between 20 and 33 years old and belong to the same cycling club, were on an afternoon ride in Eiken AG when the Mustang driver came up behind them.

The car driver, a man in his forties, felt disturbed by the cyclists, who were riding two abreast. When he revved his engine, one of the group allegedly gave him the middle finger.

Car driver under the influence of drugs

The man then tried to overtake the group on the main road. In doing so, he swerved into the oncoming lane without paying attention to the oncoming traffic.

In a risky maneuver, he narrowly passed the cyclists, striking one of them. This caused three of the four cyclists to fall, while the fourth was able to stay on his bike. The victims only suffered abrasions.

The Mustang driver initially continued his journey, but turned back a short time later after feeling guilty. The police, who had already been alerted, caught him 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 driver was convicted of several offenses, including negligent bodily harm and hit-and-run. He received a fine of 120 daily rates of CHF 170 each, which he does not have to pay if he is not found guilty of anything during the five-year probationary period. In addition, he must pay a fine and fees totaling 7734 francs.

The racing cyclists were not without consequences either. Three of them received penalty orders for riding side by side and not keeping sufficient distance when riding behind each other. The fines amount to between 20 and 100 francs, plus fees, making a total of between 260 and 460 francs. The fourth cyclist, who behaved correctly, was not fined.

Under certain conditions, cyclists are allowed to ride side by side. This is permitted in groups of ten or more in order to shorten the overtaking distance for other road users. Riding in groups of two is also permitted on cycle paths, signalized cycle paths and in meeting zones.

The editor wrote this article with the help of AI.