VIDEO: Woman sparks outrage after driving her car into half-marathon

A woman has been described as "very silly" after she drove her car on to the route of the Plymouth Half Marathon.

Eyewitness footage of the incident taken by Rob Bricknell on Sunday shows several runners stop to express their outrage at the driver as her car disrupts the race, pulling out of Hawkers Avenue.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She knocks over a cone and almost injures one runner who stands in the way of the car.

'I went very slowly'

When a runner shouts at her that she could have killed someone, she replies: "I can't get out... listen, I have tried to get out every which way. I have a workshop in Okehampton. I have had no information... I went very slowly."

Referring to recent terrorist incidents which have involved vehicles being driven into crowds, local MP Luke Pollard said the woman's behaviour was "very silly".

This was not a very smart thing to do. Driving a car at pedestrians has been used by terrorists recently and runners and cars are kept apart for very good reasons. National embarrassment follows a very silly decision. Glad no one was hurt. #plymouth https://t.co/4osXhRbJeP

— Luke Pollard MP (@LukePollard) May 20, 2018

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lorna Empson, a marshal at the race, told the BBC that the driver was trying to get on to a main road and that "people were not happy with her".

"I cannot blame them as she could have caused a serious accident," she added.

An official tells the driver to stop

Team GB sprint hurdler David King also expressed his shock at the driver's actions on Twitter, questioning "why some people think they are above the law".

Disgusting behaviour 😱You need to watch the video to believe it 😂 why do some people think they are above the law and everyone else? 🤦ðŸ¼'â™‚ï¸ https://t.co/OSl1G3tiu9

— David King (@DaveKing_) May 20, 2018

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Before she can get any further, an official runs over to stop her, saying: "Don't move, stay there!"

The woman replies: "You phone the workshop [to tell them I'll be late]."

Video credit: Rob Bricknell