Cyclists Clash with Motorist in Riga Street Brawl

It happened in the Latvian capital, Riga, right in front of a petrol station on Pērnavas Street, where an impromptu showdown erupted between cyclists and a driver over that perennial question of who truly owns the asphalt.

The spark that set it off remains a mystery. Perhaps the bike lane was too narrow, perhaps the horn too heavy-handed, or perhaps it was simple envy that cyclists are spared the indignity of refueling. Whatever the reason, tempers boiled over at record speed, reason gave way to fists, and even bicycle frames were pressed into service as weapons.

Bystanders suddenly found themselves at the front row of a spectacle, able to spice up their fuel stop with a ringside reality show brimming with the raw theatre of a street fight. Few turned away.

As for the outcome, it is anyone’s guess. The cyclists rode away with an adrenaline surge, the motorist got more publicity than he bargained for, and the audience earned a story destined to be retold: “I went to fill up, and ended up watching a UFC match.”