This Irish cyclist has put a year of close passes into this video; some 257 incidents in all. He had these close encounters riding solo and with his club during last year.
A year of close passes for one cyclist on Irish roads
A cyclist from Cork has put together this mash up video of 257 close passes he encountered on the roads last year.
The rider, who goes under the Bike Bandit name on YouTube, told stickybottle he recorded around 500 incidents during the year.
He fit as many as he could into a 15-minute clip, below. None of these incidents is in breach of any law.
Living in Carrigaline, Co Cork, he says he rides between 200km and 300km per week all year round.
Some of that mileage was done with his local club, but most of it during his daily commute.
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“I think because so much of my cycling is solo I’m at added risk. It makes a case for cycling in groups,” he said.
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“I initially started videoing events on my riders to help counter the negative demonising of cyclists, which is all too prevalent.
“But I also resorted to YouTube shaming of some truly disgraceful bullying drivers.
“I find the Gardaí generally show little appetite to deal with it unless you get clipped or injured.”
He believed if the Garda started a system to accept video evidence – as they do in Wales now – it may help.
“A driver could get a warning but not necessarily a court appearance,” he said.
“Most of us (cyclists) don’t have the time. And I don’t think we need to be taking up vital resources for every transgression.
“Maybe they could withhold investigation as long as they don’t receive another similar complaint.
“Most drivers will change their behaviour when they realise they can no longer act dangerously with impunity.
“The problem is big and growing daily. But cyclists feel they have no support from the institutions whose job it is to keep us safe."
Hopefully a cultural change can be brought about if the close pass legislation is ever introduced.
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