Adelaide bus drivers fury at being given the finger by motorcyclist sparks road-rage incide

A BUS driver’s indignant fury at being given “the finger” by a slow motorcyclist led to a bizarre road-rage incident, which ended when the rider veered off the road and cannoned into a wheelie bin.

Najeebullah Aryobi’s angry over-reaction to being held up by motorcyclist Joshua Luke brought and abrupt end to his bus-driving career and almost landed him in prison.

Aryobi was ferrying passengers on the 502 Route along Bridge Rd at Salisbury East on a January 2015 night, when he became frustrated by Mr Luke’s riding — with the extraordinary events caught on dash-cam.

“(Mr Luke) was driving at about 10km under the speed limit so you flashed your high beam ... Mr Luke noticed this in his side mirror and became annoyed,” District Court judge Simon Stretton said.

Aryobi, 33, moved the bus into the right-hand land but Mr Luke suddenly accelerated and stopped the manoeuvre.

Aryobi tailgated the rider after they turned onto Buckingham Rd as the incident escalated in front of bemused passengers.

“(Mr Luke) became more annoyed. He began to swerve to indicate this, then he sped up to get further away, lifting his front wheel under acceleration. He gave you the finger,” Judge Stretton said.

Mr Luke, 24, stopped his motorbike briefly but upon seeing the bus pass again, chased it down and again rode in front of it with his middle finger raised.

“(He) veered with the bus’ movement towards him and inadvertently drove off the road and collided with a wheelie bin near a bus stop,” Judge Stretton said.

Aryobi continued on his route and only stopped when he saw police and ambulances at the scene on his return journey.

Mr Luke, who was fined $220 for not having proper control of his motorcycle, was rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital with injuries including a partially severed toe and broken and degloved fingers.

Judge Stretton said Ayrobi had pleaded not guilty to causing harm by dangerous driving and leaving an accident scene but was convicted after a trial.

“Your actions were dangerous and reckless. You left Mr Luke on a suburban street, alone and late at night, with no assurance he would be able to obtain help,” Judge Stretton said.

He accepted it was possible Aryobi did not intend to harm Mr Luke, “but acted out of sudden anger”.

“Mr Luke accepts that due to his behaviour, including that he had his head turned toward you and was still giving you the finger when he came off the road, that he contributed to the accident.”

Aryobi, who came to Australia from Afghanistan as a political refugee at 17, was asked to resign from the job he had held since 2010.

Judge Stretton said the issue of whether Aryobi should be imprisoned was “finely balanced”, but agreed to give the father-of-three a second chance by suspending the 18-month jail term and banning him from driving for three years.

“If you breach the bond and commit any further offence ... you will be going to jail for a considerable period of time,” he warned.

ncG1vNJzZmimlazAb6%2FOpmWarV%2BjrrW1zqeYpWejpMK1tIyarKysopa5qq2OmpuepJGesaZ5wa6qZpyinsOmvtJmna6qqWKutXnBnqCnn12ctrexzWaroZ1dm7avs8SrZJuxXaK8tbvRnLCcpJmowW6%2Fz5qppKtdp7yisNGanp5lmaOwqrDEp6toppWswG6%2F06ipsmdmlrKkf4%2BbnZttk2qzda6TammbbmCZgaOBkXGcnXGTmg%3D%3D