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10-12-07, 02:20 AM
Anyone ever get the paranoid idea that a stranger in a crowd might just suddenly snap and push you under a car/train/whatever? This one young woman in Finland just had that experience:
A 75-year old man was detained yesterday in Tampere, Finland for allegedly shoving an oncoming bicyclist off the combined bike/ped sidewalk and onto the driveway, where she was hit by on oncoming city bus. The driver managed to brake but could not avoid the accident entirely. The cyclist is now in hospital, she suffered multiple fractured bones, but is expected to recover.
She was apparently saved by the bus driver's quick reactions, relatively low speed (40kph when braking started) and the fact that her bike jammed under the bus, keeping her in front of the bus after the impact and not being run over. Before anyone asks, I don't know if she was wearing a helmet.
The man denies any wrongdoing, but fortunately there are witnesses. From what little information the police have given out it seems the man has diagnosed mental issues. He is possibly linked to other cases where cyclists / joggers have been harassed in the city MUPs.
I hope he gets charged with attempted manslaughter. He could not see the bus coming (he was walking in the same direction), so charging him with attempted murder might be stretching it a bit. Nevertheless he knew it's one of the city's busiest streets, so there was a good chance the girl would be in real danger. Hopefully they put him in a hospital and keep him there for the rest of his natural life.
--J
A 75-year old man was detained yesterday in Tampere, Finland for allegedly shoving an oncoming bicyclist off the combined bike/ped sidewalk and onto the driveway, where she was hit by on oncoming city bus. The driver managed to brake but could not avoid the accident entirely. The cyclist is now in hospital, she suffered multiple fractured bones, but is expected to recover.
She was apparently saved by the bus driver's quick reactions, relatively low speed (40kph when braking started) and the fact that her bike jammed under the bus, keeping her in front of the bus after the impact and not being run over. Before anyone asks, I don't know if she was wearing a helmet.
The man denies any wrongdoing, but fortunately there are witnesses. From what little information the police have given out it seems the man has diagnosed mental issues. He is possibly linked to other cases where cyclists / joggers have been harassed in the city MUPs.
I hope he gets charged with attempted manslaughter. He could not see the bus coming (he was walking in the same direction), so charging him with attempted murder might be stretching it a bit. Nevertheless he knew it's one of the city's busiest streets, so there was a good chance the girl would be in real danger. Hopefully they put him in a hospital and keep him there for the rest of his natural life.
--J