EDITORIAL — No way to react to a traffic incident

You have probably seen this video gone viral by now; a bald and paunchy man in a car getting off and confronting a cyclist. The car driver then assaults the cyclist before pulling out a gun and cocking it.

The event happened in Quezon City earlier this month, but only became widely known recently after it was posted on the social media page of a cyclist who is also a lawyer.

Because we don’t see the event that led to what happened in the video we will have to rely on the report that the car driver, identified as Wilfredo “Willie” Gonzales, got angry after the cyclist hit his car. He then allegedly cut off the cyclist in the bike lane and assaulted and threatened him.

While the incident has reportedly been settled between Gonzales and the cyclist, many, including the Quezon City government, are encouraging the cyclist to file charges.

Even if the issue has been settled between the two men, there should still be that lesson that blowing your top, attacking someone, and then pulling out a gun is no way to react to a traffic incident and are acts that you can be charged for.

The unconfirmed report that Gonzales works for a government office is even more reason for him to exercise restraint. Never mind the fact that he was driving a vehicle that wasn’t registered to him at the time.

That the driver was a policeman dismissed for releasing two drug suspects in exchange for money has no bearing on this incident. However, it might explain his brash behavior.

Because the cyclist has decided not to file charges, allegedly for fear of his life, it may be that Gonzales will get away with this act, although we hope this will not be the case. Needless to say, people who immediately resort to such a move as assaulting someone then threatening their life over a traffic incident --something that can be settled peacefully-- should not go unpunished.