'The second swerve they collided with us and knocked us on the floor' - Naked tandem cyclists recount horror of being struck by motorist
Pair were abused before being struck by driver in Perthshire, Scotland
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Two naked charity cyclists have recounted the horror of being struck by a swerving motorist in Scotland last week.
Colin Unsworth and Sadie Tan were riding near Bridge of Earn in Perthshire when they were hit last week, shortly after a volley of abuse had been sent their way.
The couple were left with minor injuries and will continue on their journey from John O’Groats to Land’s End, Cornwall.
Police are trying to track down the car and its driver. Mr Unsworth said he was pleased with the Police Scotland's response and said that the force are investigating.
Unsworth told BBC Scotland that they were filming a video when targeted by the driver.
He said: “The car has driven in the opposite direction, and then they've turned round and come after us.”
"They've caught us up, shouting and swearing out the window, and took two swerves toward us. The second swerve they collided with us and knocked us on the floor, which is quite terrifying," he added.
Fifty-two year-old Unsworth explained that the couple are cycling the 837-mile route to raise funds for charity, including mental health organisations. Colin and Sadie have a Just Giving page detailing their journey and that of another pair of naked cyclists.
He said that both him and Ms Tan have suffered sleepless nights as a result of being struck by the motorist.
“They're even talking about potential attempted murder, because there's clear video evidence they've turned round and come back after us," Unsworth said.
He added: "I think the worst injury is the emotional one, where you're sort of scared of getting back on your bike, it kind of knocks you for six. We've ended up downgrading the ride a little bit to just doing little naked sections and photo shoots at famous landmarks like Edinburgh Castle. Just because we're a bit terrified, to be honest."
Last week the police said: “Police enquiries are ongoing after a 52-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman who were riding a tandem bike were deliberately driven at and struck by a car on the A912 near to Bridge of Earn around 2pm on Monday. They did not require hospital treatment. The investigation to trace the vehicle and its driver is continuing.”
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Tom is a Digital News and Features Writer at Cycling Weekly.
Before joining the Cycling Weekly team, he worked at Oxford Brookes University, most recently in the Internal Communications team. An avid cycling follower with a keen interest in racing, his writing previously featured on Casquettes and Bidons.
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