- A black SUV appeared to swerve into cyclists in Cutler Bay.
- Deputies confirmed a shot was fired into the ground.
- Authorities have not identified the shooter or made an arrest.
Every one of us leads a busy life. We need to get where we’re going on time, and we stress about it on occasion. That, however, is far from a justification to let our frustration out on other road users, no matter how inconvenient they might seem. That message is one that at least one Ford driver in Florida needs to hear. And that’s true regardless of whether or not they were the one to pull the trigger in an altercation with cyclists.
A group of cyclists in Cutler Bay, Florida, were out for a Saturday ride when a black SUV appeared to swerve into their group and cut them off. One rider then struck the vehicle, a gunshot followed, and an ordinary road confrontation turned into a far more serious investigation. Authorities haven’t confirmed that it was the driver who shot, but let’s break down what we can see.
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The footage appears to come from a Facebook post from August 22nd. The camera is on a bicycle that is part of a larger group riding together in Miami. As the group goes through an intersection, we can hear a horn blaring. Moments later, a Ford SUV rolls up beside the group, and rather than simply pass them, the driver slows down. Then, as the riders maintain position on the right side of the lane, the Ford driver, clearly comfortable with driving over a double-yellow line, matches speed with one rider and then swerves toward them.
There isn’t an oncoming car. This appears to be intentionally driving toward a vulnerable cyclist. The Ford driver actually comes to a stop in front of another cyclist at the end of the maneuver, and that rider yells and appears to physically attack the wing mirror of the SUV. Somehow it’s at this moment that things get really crazy.
The camera angle shows the ground to the right of both road-rage participants, and there we see the ground pop up at what is allegedly a bullet impacting the ground. “When the car is next to the rider in yellow, the driver is pointing a gun at him,” says the person who recorded the video. According to NBC Miami, “Deputies said that a gunshot was fired into the ground, but did not say if it was the driver or one of the cyclists.”
The reality here is quite simple. Cyclists are allowed to ride two abreast in Florida. Drivers are legally required to treat them like they would any other vehicle. And frankly, there’s no normal traffic situation in which brandishing and firing a weapon is justified. We’ll keep up with this story and update you if police announce charges.
Images: Jeanne Ukwendeu
