Zurich driver sentenced for intentionally ramming cyclist amid growing car‑bike tensions

In April 2023 on Zurich’s Rosengartenstrasse, driver Endrit D., 35, deliberately struck a cyclist, causing the rider to fall but avoiding a fatal collision. In April 2024 he was sentenced to four years and two months in prison for multiple severe traffic violations and attempted serious bodily injury.

The case reflects a broader pattern of increasing hostility between motorists and cyclists in Swiss cities. Traffic psychologist Gianclaudio Casutt notes a perceived rise in aggression, though data are limited. Politicians have debated measures, such as the 2012 proposal to allow cyclists to turn right on red—implemented in 2021 with a yellow arrow at Zurich traffic lights. Recently, SVP National Councilor Gregor Rutz called for stricter police controls and higher fines against cyclists he described as “rowdy”.