‘They could have killed me’: Man pushed off bicycle while cycling at Sally Gap

A cyclist has told of his fear when he was pushed off his bicycle while cycling at the Sally Gap last weekend.

“John” told RTÉ radio’s Liveline programme that he could have been paralysed during the incident when a young man leaned out of a car and pushed him off his bike at lunchtime on Saturday.

The incident was filmed and the video was shared with Liveline, the presenter of which, Joe Duffy, encouraged the young men involved to “give themselves into” the gardaí as they could easily be identified.

When asked if he would be prepared to press charges, “John” said he would, but acknowledged that he “would be fearful” of the individuals involved who “had the mentality to do that”.

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“John” had originally phoned the programme earlier in the week in an effort to locate another motorist who had stopped to assist him following the accident, he did not know that the incident had been filmed until it was shown to him by Liveline.

“They could have killed me.”

“John” said his family had also seen the video and said that he should not go cycling in that area again. He said he had heard that “challenges” were set for youths and that the incident was similar to one of those in which they were encouraged to target a cyclist.

The cyclist said he was not sleeping well since the incident. “You’d be thinking about it.” He has been in contact with the Garda which, he said, was treating the incident seriously.

Garda sources said they were aware of the incident and that an investigation was underway. They added the general area, specifically the region close to Sally Gap, had witnessed a number of attacks on cyclists in recent years.

In those incidents cyclists who were on their bikes alone, usually for training or leisure rides, were assaulted and some had their expensive racing bikes stolen. However, the same sources said that, while those incidents were serious, they were very rare.

In reply to queries Garda Headquarters at Phoenix Park, Dublin, confirmed a report had been made about the latest incident last weekend and that an inquiry was now underway into it.

“Gardaí are investigating an incident that occurred at Blessington Lakes on Saturday 10th April 2021. No arrests have been made, investigations are ongoing,” it said.