Cyclists in fear as hit-and-run assailants remain on the loose

A 51-year-old cyclist is in hospital in a back brace after suffering horrific injuries when he was mowed down by an allegedly stolen car on Beach Rd.

A cyclist who was allegedly mowed down by a stolen car is set to wear a back brace for weeks after fracturing three discs in Tuesday morning’s frightening ordeal.

Avid cyclist Glen Gibson was allegedly struck by a Holden Astra along Beach Rd before the assailants posted the footage to social media.

The 51-year-old is said to be in good spirits as he recovers in hospital, with a back brace being placed on him on Wednesday.

Glen Gibson fractured three discs in the horror crash.

A screen grab from the video showing the damage done to the windscreen of the car.

A cyclist can be seen in the video prior to the crash.

Friend Rob Bodger said his injuries would keep him out of competitive cycling for quite some time.

“He’s certainly better than what he was yesterday,” he said.

“He was waiting for a back brace to be fitted today, and they said he’d be able to go home and recuperate, but not until it was on.

“He’ll have a home carer and a medication plan put in place, I don’t know how long it’ll take him to recover.

“He’s a very active and fit sort of person, so it’s driving him mad lying on his back, not being allowed to move.”

The Holden Astra police believe was used in the hit and runs. Picture: Instagram

Mr Gibson races competitively in the Bayside area and has been pushed into the A-grade echelon within his cycling group.

Mr Bodger said it was extremely lucky his mate and another cyclist, 72, were not killed.

“It’s just a low life act, I hope they get what’s coming to them,” he added.

“That sort of stuff (can) become a fad where people think it’s cool to do it.

“Absolutely they could have been killed, and countless others.

“It could have been a mass event quite easily.”

‘It puts the fear in you’

Cyclists across Melbourne are on edge the morning after a driver mowed down two riders in a stolen car on Beach Rd.

Riders cycling along the popular bike route on Wednesday said the nasty incidents, which the driver captured in shocking footage and posted online, had sparked a major shift in driver behaviour and resulted in a small police presence patrolling the area.

The two attacks that unfolded just minutes apart from one another on Tuesday morning left a 51-year-old and a 72-year-old man in hospital with serious injuries.

Police on Tuesday found a stolen Holden Astra dumped at Central Ave, Black Rock about 8.50am.

The Herald Sun has been told the Holden Astra which rammed the riders had earlier been taken from a gathering at a home in Preston.

One witness said those on board were shouting as they made their way along Beach Rd and sounded like teenagers.

It is believed the group was travelling in tandem with people in a white van.

Those in the Astra left the scene in the van after dumping it.

Cyclists along Beach Rd remain on edge after two hit-and-runs on Tuesday. Picture: David Crosling

Cyclist Harry Pearce, who himself several years ago broke his arm when a car pulled out in front of his bike, said it was worrying that drivers appeared to be deliberately targeting riders.

“You see something like that and it puts the fear in you that there are actually people doing that on purpose,” Mr Pearce said.

“You feel very vulnerable on the road. There’s not much between us and a serious injury.

“People are pretty shit sometimes and they ride intentionally too close, almost coming out of their lane or they pull out in front of you and sometimes you wonder if people are doing that on purpose.”

Fellow rider, Lily Field, said her small cycling group considered cancelling their long ride planned for Wednesday given police are yet to catch the offending driver.

“We were wondering if those people are still out there,” she said.

“It makes you wonder if it could happen again.”

In Mordialloc, Erin Tully said the “reckless” driver behind the attacks showed how dangerous the road could be for all users.

“It just takes one car to make it scary,” she said.

“It makes me feel a bit scared to ride on the road.

“Usually it is safe, but that (incident) makes me feel like people could be targeting riders. It’s just reckless.”

Ms Tully said while most drivers and riders shared the same goal of being safe on the road, some motorists displayed “unnecessary” aggression to cyclists.

“You’re so vulnerable on the bike, there’s just a few centimetres between you and the road and when you put a car in between and that makes it scary,” she said.

“There is a little bit of aggression from cars sometimes, but overall most drivers are safe and keep their distance because they want to be a safe distance from you.

Gary, another cyclist on the road on Tuesday morning when the attacks unfolded, told the Herald Sun that a white van appeared to be travelling in tandem with the Astra believed to be involved.

He said the van drove past when he was nearing Charman Rd and the driver tooted its horn and yelled at him.

The Astra then approached from behind and veered towards him narrowly missing.

“I was almost taken out,” Gary told the Herald Sun.

“He flung across and tried to take me out then kept going. I thought, that was close!”

Minutes later Gary came across a man he knew from riding circles on the ground after being hit by the Astra.

“All he said was, ‘they’ve run me over’,” he said.

Soon after, he heard the ­sirens of another emergency response for the man who had been injured further along Beach Rd.

“There could have been two deaths today,” he said.

Disturbing video shows the moment one of the drivers ­allegedly ploughed into one of the cyclists.

Bicycle Network chief executive Alison McCormack said the idea that cyclists were being targeted was terrifying.

“It’s quite shocking, Many people already don’t ride ­because they are fearful,” she said. “Our message is that anyone that knows something or have experienced something should contact police.”

Police on Tuesday found what is believed to be a stolen Holden Astra dumped at Central Ave, Black Rock about 8.50am.

It is unclear if the vehicle was involved in the collisions.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information or footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au.