Cyclist rides off with BBC presenter's car keys after he passes him on road

A BBC radio presenter uttered a few unscripted words after a cyclist, annoyed at being overtaken on the road, grabbed his car keys and sped off.
Nick Ahad.Nick Ahad.
Nick Ahad.

Radio Leeds host Nick Ahad, who is also a Yorkshire Post columnist and theatre critic, was stranded and locked out of his house after the rider snatched his bunch of keys from his ignition and peddled off.

After what he described as an “Alan Partridge moment”, Mr Ahad took to Facebook to appeal for the return of his keys.

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The snatch happened at Bolton Abbey near Ilkley yesterday, where Mr Ahad said a cyclist “was causing a tailback by weaving all over the road to try prevent people overtaking him”.

He added: “Eventually, I passed him. As I passed, I put down my window and asked: ‘What are you playing at?’

“Short story, he lost it. Pulled in front of my car and came over to my driver’s side. As he shouted and screamed, I put my window down to try have a sensible conversation.

“He didn’t like the fact that I was calm and he, in the wrong. He leant in to my car and, before I could react, took my car keys.

Which meant my house keys too. And rode off.”

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Mr Ahad, who is still waiting for the return of his keys, said: “I actually don’t give a toss about cyclists - I know they’re not always the favourite road users of some - whatever, live and let live I reckon.

“This guy though, well, any cyclists out there, he ain’t giving you a good name.”

The rider is described as “Spanish-looking”, skinny, about 5ft 10ins, with a dark complexion. He spoke with an English accent and was riding a black and red racing bike and wearing a black cycling top.