Caught on camera: The moment a road rage tour-bus driver attacked a white van man in front of his passengers

13 April 2012

This is the moment a bus driver exploded with road rage and violently assaulted a motorist while passengers looked on in horror.

It happened in heavy traffic in front of dozens of people leaving Embankment Tube station in London yesterday afternoon.

The tour-bus driver was seen grappling, swinging punches and at one point appearing to try to smash the man's head into a railing.

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Tempers fray: the driver of the Original London Sightseeing Tour bus lashes out at the driver of the white van

Witnesses told how the driver of the Original London Sightseeing Tour bus got out of his cab to confront a white van driver after an angry and expletive-filled exchange in front of passengers and pedestrians.

One onlooker said: "It was over nothing really. I think the white van cut in front of the bus too soon for his liking. There seemed to be a lot of swearing and the bus driver banging on his windscreen.

"The white van driver got out and went up to the cab. He had his mobile phone and was going to take a picture.

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Back for more: The van driver returns and threatens to call the police on his phone

"Then the bus driver got out and just went crazy. He was definitely the one throwing the punches. He chased the van driver under the bridge and he dropped his phone at one point. I couldn't believe it. There were three tourists sitting on the bus just looking on confused."

According to witnesses, the trouble had started to calm down but reignited after the van driver retrieved his phone and threatened to call the police.

The bus driver - who by then was back in his vehicle - appeared to become enraged again, got out and had a further stand-off with the man by the railings outside Embankment Tube station.

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Ready for a fight: The bus driver gets out of his vehicle again when the van driver threatens to call police

The onlooker said: "It was bumper to bumper traffic in heavy rain and I think it all got to the bus driver.

"He just snapped. The white van driver looked frightened. He tried to run away, but the bus driver chased him.

"At one point another sightseeing bus pulled up alongside and the driver shouted through his window. He shouted out for them to stop but didn't get out."

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It's not over yet: The pair have a further stand-off in the street as another bus driver tries to calm the situation from his vehicle

Met Police spokeswoman said: "We were called at around 2.40pm to reports a man had allegedly been assaulted."

Arriva, the parent company of The Original London Sightseeing Tour, today launched an investigation.

The Arriva spokesman said: "We have not had a complaint from any member of the public or been notified about this by any of our staff, but we take this matter very seriously. We will investigate this fully."

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