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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/06/police-bristol-tweets-hit-cyclist-sacked-ray-pew
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Police step in after Bristol man tweets that he hit cyclist | Police step in after Bristol man tweets that he hit cyclist |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police are investigating after a stockbroker tweeted that he failed to stop after hitting a cyclist while driving because he was late for work. | Police are investigating after a stockbroker tweeted that he failed to stop after hitting a cyclist while driving because he was late for work. |
| Rayhan Qadar, 21, posted the tweet on Tuesday morning under the Twitter handle Ray Pew, writing: “Think I just hit a cyclist. But I’m late for work so had to drive off lol.” | Rayhan Qadar, 21, posted the tweet on Tuesday morning under the Twitter handle Ray Pew, writing: “Think I just hit a cyclist. But I’m late for work so had to drive off lol.” |
| The tweet drew widespread criticism online, and within hours he was sacked from his job in the stockbroking department of Bristol investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown. | The tweet drew widespread criticism online, and within hours he was sacked from his job in the stockbroking department of Bristol investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown. |
| Astronomer Adam Whittaker was among those who criticised the posts. He wrote: “You know what’s dumber than leaving the scene? Tweeting it for the world to see. I’ll be following your case”, while a man tweeting as Joff wrote: “Hope he was only joking about running a cyclist over or he’s in bother!” | Astronomer Adam Whittaker was among those who criticised the posts. He wrote: “You know what’s dumber than leaving the scene? Tweeting it for the world to see. I’ll be following your case”, while a man tweeting as Joff wrote: “Hope he was only joking about running a cyclist over or he’s in bother!” |
| Avon and Somerset police said they would be investigating the claim, saying: “We are aware of a tweet regarding a collision between a car and a bike. We are looking into this now. Any witnesses call 101. If you’ve been involved in a collision please report it at your nearest police station.” | Avon and Somerset police said they would be investigating the claim, saying: “We are aware of a tweet regarding a collision between a car and a bike. We are looking into this now. Any witnesses call 101. If you’ve been involved in a collision please report it at your nearest police station.” |
| Greater Manchester police also urged him to come forward, saying: “If you hit a cyclist, you are obliged to stop. I suggest you call 101 as soon as possible, I will forward the details on.” | Greater Manchester police also urged him to come forward, saying: “If you hit a cyclist, you are obliged to stop. I suggest you call 101 as soon as possible, I will forward the details on.” |
| Qadar, a former Cardiff University student, later apologised on Twitter for what he said was a “bad taste joke”. He tweeted: “My previous tweet about the cyclist was not true.” He said he had never hit a cyclist and in another tweet said that “99%” of what he posted on the social network site was “nonsense”. | |
| But the apology was not sufficient to save his job. Hargreaves Lansdown said: “One of our employees has failed to conduct themselves to the standards we expect of our staff. | But the apology was not sufficient to save his job. Hargreaves Lansdown said: “One of our employees has failed to conduct themselves to the standards we expect of our staff. |
| “We find these online comments totally unacceptable. Upon becoming aware of this issue we have terminated this person’s employment with immediate effect.” | “We find these online comments totally unacceptable. Upon becoming aware of this issue we have terminated this person’s employment with immediate effect.” |
| Qadar’s Twitter account was altered so that only his 1,323 confirmed followers can access his tweets. Speaking on Tuesday from his home in Bristol, Qadar again apologised. He said: “I am 100% sorry. It was a joke gone bad. I understand now that I can’t say things like that. If I did have an accident I would not drive away. | Qadar’s Twitter account was altered so that only his 1,323 confirmed followers can access his tweets. Speaking on Tuesday from his home in Bristol, Qadar again apologised. He said: “I am 100% sorry. It was a joke gone bad. I understand now that I can’t say things like that. If I did have an accident I would not drive away. |
| “I was literally late to work – that’s the only true bit – and I tweet a lot of nonsense. Obviously it’s not true. The only true bit is I was late for work. | “I was literally late to work – that’s the only true bit – and I tweet a lot of nonsense. Obviously it’s not true. The only true bit is I was late for work. |
| “I say a lot of things like that on Twitter. People that follow me for a few years they know I talk a lot of nonsense really. That’s all it was. It was a really dumb thing to say and now I’ve lost my job. I had no idea it would blow up like that. | “I say a lot of things like that on Twitter. People that follow me for a few years they know I talk a lot of nonsense really. That’s all it was. It was a really dumb thing to say and now I’ve lost my job. I had no idea it would blow up like that. |
| “Obviously I regret it and I’m so sorry to anyone who thought I might have hit someone. I wouldn’t ever drive away if I did. I’m in a bit of shock at the moment. I know it’s foolish. I wouldn’t do it again.” | “Obviously I regret it and I’m so sorry to anyone who thought I might have hit someone. I wouldn’t ever drive away if I did. I’m in a bit of shock at the moment. I know it’s foolish. I wouldn’t do it again.” |
| He added that the name “Ray Pew” referred to the “pew pew pew” sound made by lasers. |