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Driver Curses, Uses Homophobic Slur In San Jose Confrontation With Cyclist

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- An ugly altercation that happened last week between a cyclist and a driver in San Jose when the driver's car was partly blocking the bike lane was caught on camera.

The driver used foul language including a homophobic slur during the confrontation that the cyclist caught on video.

The bicycle rider, identified in reports as Ryan Thompsen, posted the clip of the run-in that happened last Thursday evening on South 2nd Street near San Salvador on YouTube.

"That's the bike lane," Thompsen is heard to say to the driver in the clip.

"Hey, no s--t," responded the driver of a grey Nissan stopped blocking the bike lane.

"Get out of the bike lane," Thompsen said.

"Go that way," said the driver, motioning around the back of his car.

Get out of the bike lane," Thompsen repeated.

"F--k you, go that way," the driver said. "You're an Aryan. You'll get over it. By the way you're an a—hole."

"Says who?" asked Thompsen. "It's not just me, it's everyone else who is going to try and use this."

"F--k everybody else, and f--k you too. You're a f-g. You're a f-g, too," the driver said.

"What does that have to do with it?" Thompsen asked the driver.

"All Aryans are f-gs, motherf---er. Am I wrong?" the driver asked in response.

When the cyclist said he was recording the encounter, the man drove off.

The driver has since confirmed to reporters he is Cornelius Lopes. He is a former city council candidate in Newark who is considering a run for mayor next year.

Lopes told the San Jose Mercury News he was exercising his right to free speech and "violated no laws."

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