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news
Emma Way tweetTwit and run girl EmmaWay 20 breaks her silence to say sorry (sort of)
Emma Way, the 21 year old accountancy trainee who achieved instant notoriety after tweeting on Sunday about her collision with #bloodycyclist Toby Hockley has broken her silence to say sorry - although without wishing to be churlish it isn't clear from the interview clip whether Ms Way is sorry for hitting Toby Hockley, the Tweet, or the situation she now finds herself in, or indeed all of the above.
In an exclusive interview with ITV Anglia News Ms Way said she had never realised her tweet would attract so much attention or cause such an enormous row. "It was a spur of the moment thing and I'm sorry. I didn't realise it would ever escalate to this."
She went on to explain she hadn't stopped because she didn't think had come off his bike or been hurt… which would seem to be somewhat at odds with what she said in her Tweet: "Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier - I have right of way he doesn't even pay road tax! #bloodycyclist"
Way was in collision with Toby Hockley on a quiet country road on Sunday afternoon, the cyclist who was taking part in the Boudicca Ride Sportive along with other members of his cycling club told us he was thrown up on to the bonnet of her car hitting the windscreen, when she came around a corner at speed, he then bounced off and in to a hedge before regaining control of his bike. Remarkably Toby only sustained cuts and bruises. Possibly even more remarkably the only thing he wanted from Ms Way was an apology. Which he now has - of sorts.
Although Ms Way has been interviewed by Norfolk Police about the incident there has been no indication as yet what, if any further action they will take. However, a good indicator of where things may go next is that it is the issue of her leaving the scene that is the one Ms Way addresses in her interview - while the exact details of the collision may well be quite hard to determine to a level necessary to press charges - that she left the scene is an unassailable fact and one that is likely to have legal consequences. Indeed it has been suggested that the reason Ms Way's "sorry" is so non-specific is that she has been advised not to admit any fault or liability prior to any decision to charge her with an offence.
The immediate consequence for Ms Way is that her employers, an accountancy firm, have suspended her and her job, and career, now hang in the balance. She meanwhile has had a crash course (sorry) in the power of social media - one the comments in her interview demonstrate may not have entirely sunk in, "it's gone national" she repeats bewilderedly as the interview draws to a close. No Emma, it's much bigger than that: the tweet and its aftermath have now featured in newspapers and websites on every continent.
road.cc's founder and first editor, nowadays to be found riding a spreadsheet. Tony's journey in cycling media started in 1997 as production editor and then deputy editor of Total Bike, acting editor of Total Mountain Bike and then seven years as editor of Cycling Plus. He launched his first cycling website - the Cycling Plus Forum at the turn of the century. In 2006 he left C+ to head up the launch team for Bike Radar which he edited until 2008, when he co-launched the multi-award winning road.cc - finally handing on the reins in 2021 to Jack Sexty. His favourite ride is his ‘commute’ - which he does most days inc weekends and he’s been cycle-commuting since 1994. His favourite bikes are titanium and have disc brakes, though he'd like to own a carbon bike one day.
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82 comments
Speak in haste and repent in leisure except social media does have it pitfalls as Miss Way has found out! I'm suspect this story has a way to go before the headlines becomes tomorrow 's fish n chip paper?
Compare her with our Youth riders who have courage and serious determination. The sport encourages fair play, teamwork and a moral compass - everything missing from Miss Way.
I won't bother watching her "apology" video as there is no amount of apologising that could earn forgiveness IMO. She's another youth lacking in any kind of compassion or sense of morality. Who are her parents that they raised a child with no morals and no conscience? She should be made an example of by the law and the courts.
Another result of the British education system. How can someone so dim afford a car? I don't hate cyclists, I am a cyclist...#bloodycyclists. Was prepared to forgive a foolish mistake but the apology just shows complete contempt for the cyclist and other people which is another modern trait I'm afraid.
"How can she afford a car?" She's an accountant in training.
Think of the old jokes from another perspective: "What would you have if you laid all the accountants in the world face down naked?" "A lot of bicycle parking spaces".
I am an accountant. I could certainly not have afforded a car when I was training. I cycle to and from work most days and work in the bicycle industry. I have never hit a cyclist nor, fingers crossed, ever been hit while on my bike.
Please rethink your comment.
Nauseating interview on ITN with a lawyer hell-bent on damage limitation and gaining the sympathy vote for her as the victim.
"I can't remember exactly what I said". Well let's remind you of your tweet in black and white
"I don't think I actually hit him". Well your tweet and the account of the cyclist himself would contradict that
"I didn't think he'd come off his bike". Again not quite what you claimed at the time but you would have had to probably use your mirror to ascertain that - and both you and he have agreed that your mirror was damaged in the collision
"I'm a careful driver". Well if your definition includes driving too fast on the wrong side of the road round blind bends (according to the cyclist you hit), tailgating and tweeting and taking photos while driving (your previous posts) then who am I to argue
"I'm a cyclist myself". Contemptible cynical comment
What a dolt.
You guys crack me up. This commentary list is awesome.
I recognise 'minor' in this context as a collision that didn't result in hospital treatment as opposed to 'serious' that does. 'Fatal' needing both in a sense.
I guess Ms Way didn't need to apologise for her reckless behaviour on the road because her tweet has shown her true state of mind.
Some lawyer somewhere will no doubt be able to argue black is, in fact, white in her defence. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the evil cyclist was in fact the one to blame and by positioning himself on her bonnet has caused undue stress and anxiety etc etc. Case dismissed m'lud?
"I'm a cyclist myself....." This, to me at least, seems to be the 2013 equivalent of "I'm not racist but...."
"..and some of my best friends are gay!"
None of my friends are gay black cyclists. Does this mean I have to join the BNP? Hope not
Fairly obviously not apologising for her crap driving. I pray that she does get both charged and more importantly receives some sanction. Although in some respects I'd prefer her to go and meet some people whose relatives have been killed by actions like hers - maybe it'd have more impact in the long run.
Pack of lies
Not sure why Anglia News is labelling it a "minor collision" - it's not their place to decide or frame the news in this way.
Following on from the radio phone in about whether cyclists should pay tax to use the roads it seems along with stupid drivers Norfolk also has some very stupid journalists too.
As for Emma Way, suck it up love. You're just young and dumb and you got found out. Treat it as a life lesson and learn from it.
Ah-ha...!
"I'm a cyclist myself." Yeah right. (Or perhaps she's going for the "irony" defence).
All she's done is apologise for the tweet and is upset that her career is damaged, no mention of knocking someone off their bike or saying sorry.
Also '...blown out of precaution', says it all really.
my thoughts exactly - self interest, self focus, her lesson seems to be not to tweet the next time she 'doinks' a cyclist...
As I've had it pointed out to me (after I blew my top in indignation on twitter), she can only apologise for the tweet, not her supposed actions, as she will have been advised by her lawyer and/or insurance company to say nothing whatsoever about the incident itself.
And that's the saddest thing about all this, they will try to wriggle out of it no doubt.
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