Cyclist Laurent Nyssen was the victim of a serious road rage incident in the Brussels borough of Schaarbeek. As a result of which he has probably lost sight in one eye. It all began with an argument over a blocked cycle path. “The guy got out of his car at the traffic lights; after that, I don’t remember what happened” Laurent told Brussels media outlet Bruzz.
Home News
Brussels cyclist loses sight in his left eye following serious road rage incident
Published:
On Wednesday 14 October, Laurent Nyssen was out on his bike to collect a parcel in Schaarbeek. At around 6.45 pm, he got into an altercation with a motorist on Koninklijke Sinte-Mariastraat.
“There was a traffic jam. I rang my bell at the many cars blocking the cycle path – something that happens every day in Brussels.” The street has wide cycle paths, but they are not separated from the road and the cars.
A van driver travelling behind him must have been annoyed by the ringing. “He was really worked up and gave me a proper telling-off at the traffic lights. I gave him a piece of my mind, as I often do, but at the second set of traffic lights he got out of his van. I have no memory of what happened next.”
Two witnesses did see what happened, and a CCTV camera also recorded everything. “He completely lost it,” Laurent recounts. “I was hit on the head about ten times. He hit me so hard that I fell to the ground.”
Eye surgery
Laurent was taken to hospital, but he cannot remember anything about that either. The blows left him with a broken jaw and damaged his left eye.
“I’ve had two operations on my eye, but the doctors fear I’ll never be able to see out of it again. There’s still a very small chance that some of my sight might recover over time, but it won’t ever be the same as it was before.”
At home with an ankle monitor
The man, aged around 30, who had carried out the attack was arrested that very evening. “The police came to my hospital bed in the middle of the night to tell me he’d been arrested. He spent six days in a cell and is now at home with an ankle monitor. Other than that, I know nothing about him,” says the cyclist. According to Laurent, his story is not an isolated incident. “There’s a culture of hatred towards cyclists in Brussels. It’s the law of the jungle on the streets. And the aggression towards cyclists is getting worse every year. Motorists feel like they own the roads in Brussels; they pay absolutely no attention to cyclists. And if you say anything about it, you get a proper telling-off.”
“Virtually all my friends who cycle have experienced aggression. One of them even ended up in hospital after a ‘discussion’ with a driver. Fortunately, his injuries weren’t too serious at the time.”
Food delivery riders
Laurent feels that cyclists are viewed with suspicion, particularly in the boroughs of Schaarbeek and Anderlecht. “I’m well aware that there are cyclists who don’t follow the rules. A lot of food delivery riders race through the city to get through as many orders as possible. But that’s completely out of proportion to the danger cyclists face.”
The attacker will have to answer in court in November; Laurent will be bringing a civil claim. “The police told me I was lucky to have survived. I think he should be tried for attempted manslaughter.”
Living with one eye
Laurent is recovering and trying to get his life back on track. He is at home on sick leave, preparing for a life with vision in only one eye. “The doctors have told me that the brain adapts quickly to seeing with just one eye. At first, I was worried about my job; I work as a graphic designer. I’ve realised I can manage. It’ll take a bit of getting used to it. Especially when I’m walking down the street, I find I can’t judge distances very well.”
“I’m getting a lot of support from my girlfriend and daughter, from my family and friends,” he says gratefully. “And I’m determined to start cycling again. Not straight away, but as soon as winter’s over. I won’t let anything keep me off the streets.”