The images are at once disturbing and yet riveting. Most have seen at least some video of the motorcycle attack on an SUV driver and the terror it must have inflicted on his family. Especially when one considers a young child was in the backseat of the SUV.



The story continues to get increasingly bizarre as reports now confirm that one of the cyclists involved in the actual attack was a NYPD police officer. The officer was not on an NYPD motorcycle assisting the attacked driving, he was a participant in the attack. It is claimed he was “deep” under cover.



The entire episode is a textbook case of how aggressive driving can spin out of control and lead to situations far beyond anyone’s rational expectations. It is perhaps a definitive example of how road rage can totally supplant any defensive driving tactics and lead to on-road anarchy.



According to the motorcycle group, they were merely traveling along the road in a pack when the SUV driver aggressively struck them using his exterior mirror. The driver contends the group was crowding him and the contact was their fault. It ultimately led to the SUV driver being stopped by the group, and an attempted escape from group by the driver who ran over a biker in the process. The driver was caught and stopped again with several members of the group attacking his vehicle. The attack resulted in the destruction of the SUV’s driver’s side window and the driver being dragged from his vehicle and beaten and stomped on the New York roadway.



While the undercover policeman wasn’t involved in the actual beating of the driver, he is seen on video pounding and smashing the SUV’s rear window with no apparent encouragement from his fellow riders. Once the driver is pulled from the SUV, the undercover cop is seen leaving the scene.



The officer did not call 911 about the incident. He did not report his involvement in the September 29th affair until days later.



The entire incident demonstrates driving and police failure on a multitude of levels. Aggressive driving can only lead to an increasing level of road rage while defensive driving goals are to avoid or temper it. When police officers fail in their duties to properly report incidents, it makes the problems worse. When they actually participate in them the results can be disastrous.



Police officers should be held to a higher standard. In fact they must be held to a higher standard. For an officer of the law to be an active participant in an event like this is far beyond disturbing. If there wasn’t a video, many would still be in denial. Those who would choose to opt for lower standards for the conduct of police officers are misguided.



Aggressive driving like that demonstrated, in this incident, cannot be acceptable. Aggressive driving and the road rage demonstrated by this NYPD police officer must be addressed. The future safety of our roadways depends on it.
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