Cyclist accuses FedEx driver of ‘using his vehicle as a WEAPON and shouting pay your road tax’ in road rage showdown

A CYCLIST has accused a FedEx delivery driver of using his van as a weapon after he was almost knocked off his bike in a road rage showdown.

James Avery, 41, says the van “revved and lunged” close up behind him several times as he rode a Boris Bike in central London.

Handlebar camera footage of the incident also shows the deliveryman calling James a “mother******” and yelling: “Pay you road tax”.

James, a transport planner and cycling campaigner, claimed the FedEx driver’s actions count as “terrorism” because of his alleged “political” threats.

Although no physical contact was made, James said the incident left him shaken and he has not cycled since.

He captured the ugly encounter as he cycled near St Pancras station during a visit to the capital last month.

James, of Coventry, West Midlands, said: “The driver made several lunges at me with his FedEx van, in a manner that was absolutely using his van as a weapon, with intent to cause fear and potentially harm.

“At one point, he came less than a wheel length away from my hire bike, and I am in no doubt at all that had I lost my balance at this point, I would have gone under his van and he would have killed me.

“If that was the pilot of a plane trying to intimidate people nearby by almost hitting them, we would call it terrorism – why it is any different if it’s a driver?

“Terrorism is defined as a violent action for political purposes. When people shout things at me like ‘pay your road tax’, is that not political? Is that not terrorism?

“It’s very clear that the driver makes several lunges forward, together with incessant beeping.

“I actually intended to take the Tube that day but forgot my Oyster card so I took out a hire bike to get from Euston.

“That day I was trying a new cycle path and I took the back roads to the east of Euston to St Pancras, which I wouldn’t normally do, but now I regret it.

“There was absolutely no need for him to come within a foot of me, revving his engine and trying to run me off the road.”

He added: “This driver has caused me serious harm in the form of intense stress.

“I won’t be cycling again for at least a month, maybe more, at this point I cannot say. Every time I go near traffic, I now feel a heightened sense of fear.”

In a personal email apology to James, a FedEx customer relations manager said: “I was sorry to learn of the recent incident concerning the driving of one of our couriers.

“From reviewing the footage that you have provided it is clear that the behaviour falls far short of the standards that we expect from our employees.

“This has been reviewed and dealt with by the manager of the employee directly, and I thank you for bringing it to our attention. Please accept my apologies for this incident.”

A spokesman for the courier firm said: “Safety is a core value and something that we take extremely seriously at FedEx.

“We hold our drivers to stringent standards and they are required to abide by all road traffic laws and conduct themselves in an appropriate and courteous manner at all times.

“We have conducted an internal investigation into this incident and have taken the appropriate action with the driver involved.”

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