Eamonn Holmes asks vigilante cyclist why he snitched on Guy Ritchietexting behind the wheel

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This Morning hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford spoke to Mike Van Erp on Tuesday, the man who filmed film director Guy Ritchie texting behind the wheel.

Guy landed a six month driving ban after being convicted of texting while behind the wheel, has been given six points on his licence, taking the total to 15, and has also been ordered to pay a £666 fine, as well as £166 in prosecution costs and court fees.

Mike called in from his home to explain why he shops drivers on their phones, and what Guy's reaction was like.

"I had no idea it was him at all until the Evening Standard phoned me," he said.

"I was just on the cycle lane at Hyde Park when I saw a 4x4 driver using his phone, and I actually left him, I went to another driver further down the road and filmed them.

"And then on my way back I thought I'd better check on that 4x4 again, and there he was, texting behind the wheel."

"But the car looked stationary to me Mike, the car is stationary?" asked Ruth.

"That's a very good point, and many people would argue its not dangerous, but I would suggest quite the opposite," Mike replied.

"I have a couple of professional lorry driver friends who have seen people do exactly this, and when the driver was beeped from behind they shot off and rear ended the car in front.

"Or imagine a child and some parents crossing the road in front of a driver who is texting, they wouldn't have any idea they were doing that."

Ruth asked Mike what Guy's reaction was to being shopped, and he replied: "Yeah he was perfectly polite and nice, I really respect him for doing that.
Guy Ritchie was caught texting behind the wheel (Image: Getty Images)

"That's not the case with every driver you speak to, pretty often I don't even try to speak to the driver but he saw me this time.

"I think he was trying to say something about being stationary in traffic," he said.

"Yes, well he lost his license because of all of that," said Eamonn. "Let me ask you Mike, on behalf of a lot of a people watching, why is any of this your business?"

Mike responded: "It's a fair point, my dad was killed by a drunk driver when I was 19, and studies suggest that drink driving is roughly similar to phone driving in terms of the distraction the driver is put under.

"And secondly as a cyclist I don't think many cyclist realise just how much bad drivers are triggered by our presence on the road.

"Of those people who are driving badly, cyclists are the ones who experience it," he added.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/...clist-22428462