The Jogger

[sp1814]

I can't think what the defence would be.

As a thought exercise - what defence would you give for this chap's actions?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40889511

[Peter Pedant]

// I just don't think he knew about the bus.//

hahaha I would love to run that as a defence lawyer:
" There are no buses in London mlud as you well know coming to court every day - and then and then just when you think it is safe to push s/o into a bus lane ..... "

[youngmafbog]

My defence would be insanity. Cant see any other could really be used.

He pushed her into a bus lance on a very busy thoroughfare, unless it was his first jog in the city he must have known there was a huge chance of a bus being there. So it's murder in my mind no matter what legalese is used to whittle it down to a £15 fine - if that.

[youngmafbog]

Ah !!!

I understood one of your posts PP. And on top of that I agree with you!

[Peter Pedant]

that is probably because you read it YMF

anyway I would jolly well hang him up by his ju-ju's
( well this is AB and so not everything has to make sense)

[DTCwordfan]

Never mind missing the woman, swerving like that was a brilliant reaction as he could have easily ploughed into the traffic coming over the bridge the other way and that looked ever so close as well. Imagine the carnage that could have resulted. The driver deserves a significant commendation/bonus for his/her avoidance action.

It looked intentional to me - lock him up and throw away the key.

[Hopkirk]

Once his identity comes out, there will be punishment aplenty from fiends and family - even if he manages to keep his job.

[sunny-dave]

I'm not defending him at all - he deserves whatever is coming to him ... but ...

Watch this version of the clip on full screen in HD :

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/10/man-arrested-woman-pushed-into-path-of-bus-putney-bridge

I've watched the relevant bit a lot of times (frame by frame using the pause button) and I not sure she didn't stick a leg out to trip him before he pushes her ... it's not clear, and he still shouldn't have done it, but it may fog the issue a bit if his brief can make something of that?

[237SJ]

If you look at his arms, they come out to push her before her leg goes in front of him. That's how it appears to me anyway.

[sunny-dave]

Not clear is it, 237sj - I still tend to the "he's an arrogant maniac runner" theory, but was just floating a possible alternative scenario that he may use ...

[hereIam]

A nasty piece of work in my opinion.

[237SJ]

I don't know Putney Bridge but it looks like the layout is the same as Hampton Court Bridge where there is a track for cyclists (or runners) and a part for pedestrians. If you look at the other man that was walking along before the woman was pushed, he was walking on the pale part and the woman was in the track. To me, it looks like the runner was hacked off that she was in 'his' track and pushed her.

[Garaman]

It isn't clear at all from the video. At 07:41 : 19.20 her leg is out but you can't tell if he has pushed her before that.

[albaqwerty]

if someone tries to push you or pushes you out of the way, surely the first instinct is to 'stick' a leg out to try to prevent you from falling?

Probably depends on how hard you have been pushed to the length of the leg 'stick out'

[ladybirder]

Hope fully there were plenty of people sitting up front on the bus and on the top deck especially, who will have seen exactly what went on. He needs to be careful if he thinks he can lie his way out of it.

[Guilbert53]

I was walking over Westminster Bridge last summer. With it being near the Houses of Parliament and London Eye it was of course packed with tourists.

But one lady decided to try to jog over it, even though it was packed with people (silly woman).

There were a couple of Chinese tourists taking a photo of the House of Parliament and this jogger just bumped in to them and started shouting at them for blocking the bridge.

I do think some of these joggers feel they have a total right to run anywhere they like and anyone who gets in their way is "fair game" for being barged or pushed.

I hope this guy gets at least a year in prison.

[Guilbert53]

>>>he was walking on the pale part and the woman was in the track.

The "track" is purely the shadow of the wall of the Bridge.

The pale part is the part NOT in shadow.

If you go down to Google streetview you can see it is all just one pavement with a small kerb

This to Google streetview link may work (I hope)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4673605,-0.2123914,3a,75y,81.46h,80.42t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNGUt7TzX48axiiy5rAyV4g!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DNGUt7TzX48axiiy5rAyV4g%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D86.06053%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

[Bazile]

hmmm
It could be that he was not paying attention at the time - he could have been distracted momentarily and when he looked back saw her and panicked veering to her side .( just an idea because i can't think why he would deliberately push her out the way )

On the other hand if it was not a deliberate act - why did he not stop to help her ?

I really don't know

[Patsy33]

Perhaps he knew her? Or thought he knew her. Holding a grudge.??

[ladybirder]

Bazile if that was the case why did he ignore her when she tried to speak to him on his way back?
So rude, glad he's been found and shamed.

[Bazile]

ladybirder

//Bazile if that was the case why did he ignore her when she tried to speak to him on his way back? //

Indeed - or as i said = //On the other hand if it was not a deliberate act - why did he not stop to help her ? //