Is it karma striking back, or nature’s way of reminding us to look at our own actions before pointing fingers at others? A cyclist thought he would report an SUV driver to the police for passing too closely. However, the police ended up penalizing the cyclist.
Cyclists must be wary of oncoming traffic and adopt safe riding practices to avoid incidents, especially on narrow roads. That also means waiting for oncoming vehicles to pass when another vehicle is blocking the road ahead.
However, the cyclist’s helmet camera footage revealed his risky approach as he rode between a stationary car and an oncoming SUV, raising questions about whether the close call could have been avoided.
The footage submitted by the cyclist, which has been shared on social media, has now led to magistrates fining him in excess of £1,200 ($1,600), as it exposed his careless riding.
Cyclist Caught on His Own Cam Riding Carelessly
Cyclist ordered to pay £1200 for careless riding.
It appears the cyclist should have given priority to the oncoming vehicle, however, is £1200 proportionate when drivers are given a £100 safer driving course for behaviour that threatens life? pic.twitter.com/oIvZ6MZ8Ht— Cyclists for Safer Roads (@SaferRoadsYorks) July 24, 2026
According to a report by ITV News, a cyclist from Leeds, UK, handed a video to the West Yorkshire Police that shows an oncoming SUV passing too close to his bike in Menston near Ilkley.
The footage, which has been shared on X, shows the cyclist approaching a blue BMW that was parked on the side, while a Volvo SUV was seen approaching in the opposite lane.
Instead of waiting patiently for the oncoming SUV to pass, the cyclist decided to ride through the narrow gap between the two vehicles, a move that could have led to significant injury had something gone wrong.
To avoid a potential collision, the Volvo driver moved to the edge of the kerb on the other side, risking damage to his own vehicle. While no confrontation took place between the cyclist and the SUV driver, the cyclist reported the incident to the police, blaming the SUV driver for driving too close, according to the footage.
Magistrates Ordered Cyclist to Pay Fines
The footage handed over by the cyclist to the police acted as evidence against him, as Bradford magistrates ordered him to pay fines and court costs of more than £1,200 ($1,600).
Speaking on the matter, a West Yorkshire Police spokesperson told ITV:
“Later on in the same submission, he captured himself riding without due care and attention as he approached a parked car and an oncoming vehicle.
“Rather than slow down or have to unclip from his pedals, the rider chose to travel between the parked car and the vehicle heading directly towards him.”
The police concluded that the Volvo driver “hugged the kerb” to avoid a collision with the cyclist. The identities of the driver and the cyclist have not been revealed.
It is not known if the driver was charged on the basis of the footage submitted to West Yorkshire Police. Was this a case of the cyclist trying to protect his own ego? Let us know in the comments.