How road-rage thug broke driving instructor’s arm when he moved off too slowly at the lights
AS AN example of how not to treat a nervous learner driver, it would be hard to beat.
As 17-year- old novice Conner George struggles to pull away at a busy junction, the driver of a white Range Rover beeps impatiently from behind.
Moments later the 4x4 abruptly pulls up in front of him, and despite driving instructor Chris Barnett, 64, repeatedly saying the exchange was being video-recorded, the furious driver and a passenger shout obscenities at him.
The road rage incident ends in agony for Mr Barnett when he opens the door to get out, only for it to be slammed shut, breaking his elbow.
Yesterday Mr Barnett – who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer – told of his shock at the exchange, saying his car was clearly marked with L plates.
Condemning the pair’s ‘ bullying, outrageous behaviour’, he added: ‘It was obvious Conner was a learner driver and most motor-
‘Outrageous behaviour’
ists show a bit of patience when the student struggles a bit.’
The drama – captured on a dashboard camera – began during Conner’s first experience of heavy traffic in Braintree, Essex.
After the lights at a busy junction turn green, Conner struggles to pull away and has to be coaxed through the routine by Mr Barnett, causing a delay of 20 seconds.
Mr Barnett waves dismissively through the window as the Range Rover driver honks his horn. But after they turn a corner, the vehicle overtakes them and stops suddenly in front of them, forcing Mr Barnett to slam on the dual brakes of the Suzuki Swift.
The footage shows the burly Range Rover driver get out and confront Mr Barnett through the open passenger window.
Mr Barnett is heard to ask the offender why was he beeping, to which he replies: ‘I beeped because the bloody lights were changing.’
The instructor then tells the motorist that Conner was a ‘learner’ and that the episode was on camera. The driver is then heard shouting obscenities at him before a second man gets out of the Range Rover and remonstrates with the instructor. As Mr Barnett tries to open the door, one of the men slams it hard on his left elbow, breaking it.
Mr Barnett, who passed the footage to police, said: ‘I’ve never had an incident this bad before. This guy was being really aggressive but his attitude changed a bit as soon as I let him know he was on camera. He threatened to break my fingers off. Then an older guy got out of the car and was waving his fist at me through the window.
‘I opened the door just to make it obvious I was not prepared to put up with it. I told them I was going to call the police and one of the guys slammed the door on my arm.’
Last night Essex Police said a 39-year-old man had voluntarily agreed to be interviewed but no one had been charged and they were no longer investigating the matter.