On Wednesday, April 8, a learner driver experienced a frightening encounter during his very first driving lesson in Sutton Coldfield. While driving along Carhampton Road in Falcon Lodge with his instructor Phil Durose from 1st Choice Driving Academy, three masked motorcyclists suddenly appeared behind their vehicle.
Despite the car’s clear driving school markings, the bikers ramped up the intimidation by pulling wheelies, riding dangerously close, and loudly honking their horns. One rider even pulled alongside, staring directly at the learner, creating a highly unsettling situation.
The trio then proceeded to cut in front of the learner’s car and a bus, narrowly avoiding collision in a reckless display. They continued their aggressive antics as they sped up Carhampton Road towards Rectory Road, then turned towards Lindridge Road, all the while performing wheelies.
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Throughout the ordeal, instructor Phil maintained his composure, calmly reassuring his learner that he was doing nothing wrong. Phil even humorously warned his student to “be careful of all the chavs behind,” helping to keep him focused despite the pressure.
None of the bikers wore helmets or displayed registration plates. Phil noted this kind of behavior isn’t uncommon in Sutton Coldfield and nearby areas like Kingstanding and Great Barr, saying he encounters bikers like these at least once or twice weekly during lessons.
Phil reflected on the impact: “It was the man’s first lesson, and he was doing really well. When they rode past, he wanted to slow down. One even tried to open the car door. You never know what they might do.” He emphasized that such harassment could deter new drivers, but thankfully, this learner has continued his lessons despite the incident.
Local councillor Richard Parkin, representing Sutton Reddicap, acknowledged the ongoing problem with nuisance bikers. He explained that it’s a widespread issue beyond Sutton and admitted that police face challenges—even restrictions preventing chases due to the bikers’ lack of registration plates and use of balaclavas.
Cllr Parkin praised recent successful efforts, including recovering stolen bikes in Falcon Lodge, and encouraged residents to report incidents to police via 101 or LiveChat. Keeping logs helps police allocate more resources.
The councillor outlined ongoing initiatives such as off-road bike patrol days where police equipped with off-road bikes can pursue offenders. He shared a recent experience at a Birmingham City Partnership event distributing leaflets about reporting antisocial bike behavior, noting some bikers openly mocking officers by doing wheelies during the event.
Highlighting community safety concerns, Cllr Parkin warned that these reckless riders often show off near schools in Falcon Lodge during dismissal times, putting many children at risk. He stressed the connection between these bikers and other crimes, like bike theft and possibly drugs, calling for continued efforts to remove them from the streets.