Driver used his bus as a weapon against cyclist in Bristol
A ROAD rage bus driver who used his bus as a weapon to knock over a cyclist sobbed as he was jailed for 17 months.
Last month the Evening Post exclusively reported how Gavin Hill got into a heated exchange with keen cyclist Phillip Mead after cutting in front of him onto St James Barton roundabout.
As images from CCTV footage showed, the sequence of events that followed the argument were truly horrifying.
Around 8.30am on April 5 last year, there was an altercation which saw the cyclist park his bike against the front of the bus, and tug at one of its windscreen wipers,
The two then carry on, but Hill suddenly swings his bus out to draw level with Mr Mead and then lurches sharply to the left, sending the cyclist hurtling to the ground.
Horrified onlookers gather round to help the stricken 43 year-old, who suffered fractures to his left wrist and leg, which needed to be plated, and to his thumb.
Hill, 29, of Slipps Close, Frome, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm.
At Bristol Crown Court yesterday Judge Mark Horton told him: "This was not an accident, it was an assault, deliberate dangerous driving.
"You used that vehicle as a weapon to bully and intimidate the cyclist who, in the end, was struck by that bus."
Hill was disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years and ordered to pass an extended driving test.
He tearfully mouthed "I love you" to his sobbing family in the public gallery as he was taken down.
Richard Posner, prosecuting, said in April last year Hill had been driving for Bugler Coaches for ten months.
Mr Posner said there was an incident on the St James Barton roundabout. Mr Posner said: "Mr Mead indicated his displeasure.
"He banged on the back of the bus and words were spoken as Mr Mead passed by the driver.
"Mr Mead stopped his bike in front of the bus, he leant the bike on the front and he remonstrated with the driver about his driving." The court heard after words were exchanged, bus and cyclist moved off with father-of-two Mr Mead cycling slowly in front of it, before the driver swerved into him.
Police attended to find Mr Mead being treated by paramedics and Hill was arrested at the scene.
Mr Mead suffered several fractures and permanent scarring, the court was told.
He gave a victim personal statement saying how he had felt frustrated, angry and depressed after the incident, and guilty about the impact it had on his wife and family.
He said how his employer was able to modify his workplace to suit his needs while recovering.
Timothy Rose, defending, said: "This was a moment of madness, a moment of snapping, but it has had dramatic consequences for the victim.
"For Mr Hill it has meant the loss of his job and the loss of driving."
Mr Rose said it wasn't disputed that his client had lurched the bus towards the cyclist, after a degree of provocation.
He said the cyclist had decided to stop the bus and had "flipped back" a windscreen wiper whilst his client stayed at his seat. The court heard that, after the collision, Hill stopped the bus and asked for witnesses.
Earlier Mr Mead, a computer programmer, told the Evening Post: "I think he meant to brush against me and give me a fright.
"I don't think he set out to break my bones, or at least I like to think not."
Gerald Creed, managing director of Bugler Coaches, said: "We were deeply shocked when we heard of this incident and once we had established what had happened Mr Hill was immediately dismissed as we did not want him driving one of our buses ever again."
55 Comments
View all
by crazybus
Tuesday, February 21 2012, 10:31AM
“Dangerous drivers of public service vehicles do this around the country with impunity because they think they can't be touched. This guy is probably still at large (and I'm not just talking about his gut, which almost matches Gavin Hill's)
http://tinyurl.com/6tw6p7j”
by LeoJSmith
Tuesday, February 21 2012, 9:36AM
“Look at your tax form, it's VED...
VED stands for Vehicle Excise Duty, not road tax.
End of.”
by ragreader
Sunday, February 19 2012, 11:38PM
“no problem smeegle I aim to please, however as funny as it can be sarcasme and flipancy are often missed in text's and forums. I guess it the lack of face to face thing and something gets lost. Take my wife for instance please. Oh the misunderstandings we have had as a result, Apologies then to you for my luddite tendencies :-S”
by kromax
Sunday, February 19 2012, 11:35PM
“@ragreader "Road tax doesn't exist. It's car tax"
If I keep a car off the road I do not need to pay VED if I want to use it on the public road I need to pay VED so it is a Tax to use your car on the road a ROAD TAX that might not be the officail name but that is what it is in reality.
And as for your other incorrect comments the government does not own your car, there is only one registered keeper but several people could own a car nothing to do with the government.
Also your comment roads are paid for by local and general taxation what you fail to mention is that more than 50 billion is raised in motoring taxes several times the entire transport budget.”
by Smeegle
Sunday, February 19 2012, 11:17PM
“Yes ragreader that was I. Apparently, flippancy, sarcasm and irony are lost upon you. But thanks for taking the time to care enough to point out my 'apparent' short comings. Much appreciated.”
by ragreader
Saturday, February 18 2012, 7:50PM
“for the attention of the person who wrote "I didn't have you down as a daily mail reader" in response to a link original poster had posted to a story about Mr Snow (I think) which has now been removed for reasons I can only guess at. You do realise which newspaper group owns the Evening Post right? There's clues in this post.”
by ragreader
Saturday, February 18 2012, 7:17PM
“p,s This story made the nationals. http://tinyurl.com/857tlyl”
by ragreader
Saturday, February 18 2012, 7:12PM
“@Tommy69
Road tax doesn't exist. It's car tax, a tax on cars and other vehicles, not a tax on roads or a fee to use them. Motorists do not pay directly for the roads. Roads are paid for via general and local taxation. In 1926, Winston Churchill started the process to abolish road tax. It was finally culled in 1937. Car tax is based on amount of CO2 emitted so, if a fee had to be paid, cyclists - who are sometimes branded as 'tax dodgers' - would pay the same as 'tax-dodgers' such as disabled drivers, police cars, the Royal family, and band A motorists, ie £0. Most cyclists are also car-owners, too, so pay VED. Many of those who believe road tax exists, want cyclists off the roads or, at least registered, but bicycle licensing is an expensive folly. Also as a side note people think they own there cars. WRONG you are only "the registered keeper of the viacle" (check your documentation out, Its stated it clearly) This is one of the reasons the Government can and does take the car you are using (which belongs to the Government) at will sometimes for the most minor offence and sometimes crush it or extort huge amounts of cash from you to get it back. Bristol were taken to the EU court for violating laws about 5/6 years because a car can not be towed away unless it is causing danger or is a hazard through parking. At this time the cowboys were having a gold rush and taking cars when they should only have been ticketing them. Hence less cars being held for for what amounts to a ransom in Bristol these days. A useful site to visit is http://tinyurl.com/yc64dbn From which I have quoted some of this info.”
by Tommy69
Saturday, February 18 2012, 1:11AM
“hujhuj,
Please explain to me what road tax is ?
In the uk you pay car on your car etc.
Whoever has a job, pays tax, then a % of this is put towards the upkeep of the roads.
Am i right, or am i wrong ?”
by ragreader
Friday, February 17 2012, 6:27PM
“OMG! I just watched the vidio only having seen the photo's of the incident and read the details. SHOCKING! in the severe. This bus driver was in charge of a BIG dangerous bullet. Which can kill and what he did is outrageous. I suggest a few people check this out, It explains the difference between Objective opinion and subjective. http://tinyurl.com/7sxveft with respect. RR”