A mother cycling on the school run in south London was left shaken and speechless after a furious driver overtook her, stopped his car, and launched a vicious verbal attack, calling her a 'bad mother'. Dani Diaper, 48, was cycling up a steep hill with her two young children, Gruff and Marnie, safely secured in a bike trailer on the morning of December 7, 2025.
A Terrifying Confrontation on a Busy Road
Diaper, an experienced cyclist, felt a car driving dangerously close behind her on the main road during the busy school run. The vehicle aggressively overtook before screeching to a halt, forcing her to stop in the middle of the traffic. The driver's face was contorted with rage as he screamed at her. 'You're a bad mother,' he yelled. 'It's disgusting and irresponsible that you're putting your children at risk.'
Stunned and with her heart racing, Diaper was left unable to respond. The man sped off before she could note his registration plate. To her dismay, several onlookers witnessed the commotion but no one checked if she or her children were alright. Later, her five-year-old son Gruff asked, 'Why was that man shouting at you, Mummy?' She calmly explained the man was likely grumpy and running late, but the incident left a deep mark.
The Shocking Scale of Abuse Faced by Women Cyclists
Dani emphasises that cycling with children in a trailer is perfectly legal and safe, and that the driver's actions were the truly irresponsible ones. This outburst is not an isolated incident in her two decades of cycling around the capital. She has faced other frightening situations, including a pedestrian who tried to kick her after a collision on Oxford Street.
As a woman, she feels an added layer of vulnerability. 'I'm always on my guard for danger as a cyclist. But as a woman, there's the added chance that I'll get verbal abuse, aggression, sexual harassment, or even groping,' she explains. Her fears are backed by stark statistics. According to the London Cycling Campaign, a staggering nine out of 10 women have experienced verbal abuse or aggression while cycling in London. For 63%, it happens at least once a month. Devastatingly, over one fifth have given up cycling because of it.
Cycling as a Family, Despite the Challenges
Despite the aggression, Diaper is passionate about cycling and has made it a core part of her family's life. She cycled throughout her pregnancies and her children, now 12 and nine, progressed from child seats to a trailer and now to their own bikes. She has diligently taught them road safety on quiet backstreets. While they have enjoyed idyllic weekend rides, her children have also been shouted at by pedestrians and had close calls with car doors being opened without warning.
The threat also alters her behaviour. As a woman cycling alone in the dark, she changes her route in winter, avoiding large, unlit parks due to fear of being attacked. 'Why would I take that risk when it can – and does – happen?' she reasons.
Dani Diaper's story is part of Metro's 'This Is Not Right' campaign, launched on November 25, 2024, in partnership with Women's Aid, to address violence against women. She concludes with a powerful plea for empathy and respect on the roads, stating that neither she nor her children deserve to be shouted at for the simple act of cycling. More education and understanding, she argues, are urgently needed to make roads safer for everyone, especially women.
