A fleeing driver actively sought by the gendarmes after having knocked down a cyclist in Bessan

A driver is actively sought by the Agathois gendarmes, after having seriously overturned a cyclist this Friday, July 15, at the exit of Bessan in the direction of Vias. This motorist fled without helping his victim 62 years old. This veteran runner had just finished his training. Georges was driving alone.

Fortunately, the drivers of a bus and a car stopped to help him. This seasoned runner, propelled into the ditch, was unconscious when help arrived. The sexagenarian does not remember anything. But fortunately witnesses of the accident were able to provide valuable information to the military.

The driver was driving a blue Peugeot-Citroën C3

The victim, a former elite runner, in full preparation for the French Masters FFC championships, suffered from numerous bruises. Twenty stitches were needed to treat a left knee injury.

This cyclist who is part of Béziers Méditerranée Cyclisme is not the first in the team to be knocked down by a car. In 2021, one of the 135 licensees was injured by a driver.

“Our sport has become too dangerous. This has to stop.” – Benjamin Lopez, coach and manager of Béziers Méditerranée Cyclisme

“It’s fed up, we need to do more prevention. Simple measures could be put in place, such as questions in the Highway Code on overtaking a cyclist, or a group of cyclists, situation on driver’s license day. There are too many people dying or being injured!”, deplores Benjamin Lopez, coach and manager of Béziers Méditerranée Cyclisme, adding: “Once again, one of our members is down…”

Daily incivilities

“We experience incivilities every day during our training sessions, such as windshield wiper water or waste jets, recently an egg continues Benjamin Lopez. We really need to change mentalities, it’s urgent! Every time we go out, we risk our lives. Our sport has become a dangerous sport. For training, we systematically go out under supervision. We have established a partnership with the GMO group. These are groups of security motorcyclists who supervise our outings. It has become essential for our safety.”

“There is not an exit without being insulted, squeezed by a car. That never happens.” – Benjamin Lopez