UpRide.cc - Make Cycling Safer

UpRide Story: Head On With Illegal E-Bike

“I was cycling going home, staying on the left side of the trail (I’m from Australia) with a visible white dividing line in the middle, when 2 teens who were racing on their home-made modified motorized bikes suddenly showed up and crashed into me head-on. He was on the wrong side of the lane with an illegal bike at an alarmingly dangerous speed.”

I usually do 70-100km rides when I can. This day I rode from home to Ocean Grove and back. Feeling good on my ride, I was hoping to do another century ride just in time before school pick-up. I recently bought the Cycliq Fly12 Sport and Fly6 Pro, just 2 weeks before the incident. I decided to invest in the dashcams since I do long rides.

When there are blind spots from incoming traffic inside trails.

Education for every cyclist. Courtesy on the use and sharing or the road and trails.

Yes, emergency services (000) were contacted and they assisted. Videos (both front and rear footage) has been sent to the authorities. I haven’t been contacted yet for a follow up.

It’s a good platform for information and risks of cycling in general.

Buy the front and rear cameras. It will save you a lot of headache. During this incidents everything happens so fast and blurry, but the cameras will capture everything for you.

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.

Even though I live in a rural Appalachian Mountain town, I choose to load my bike onto my car to start rides from the local high school parking lot. It allows me to bypass the town square and a busy commercial route. The high school lot is also an informal meeting place for solo and group rides. I just have to remember to have tires pumped, cameras, tail lights, and head unit charged up. Even when there is nothing to report, the cameras often provide images of companions and wildlife that are fun to share. I began recording my rides as a way to bolster my credibility when making a complaint to the Animal Control authorities or other law enforcement agencies. I found that, without video evidence, the authorities must give equal weight to the denials of pet owners and motorists. They just don’t have the resources to investigate the veracity of everyone’s verbal claims, so every incident would go unresolved. Even with the cameras, I still see some reluctance from law enforcement to pursue a remedy or charge motorists, unless their faces are captured. I find that it helps to post your video online, along with the case number and the sheriff’s name; the sheriff is an elected official in the US.

I feel most vulnerable on straight roads, when there is intermittent oncoming traffic. Motorists will invite distractions from their mobile phones and other car features when there are no curves to keep them attentive or calm the speeds. Also, when motorists transition from an area with passive traffic calming features, to open road, I notice an uptick in their impatience an aggressive driving.

I think that raising awareness (motorists) that bicyclists and pedestrians are legitimate road users is key. Adding a question or two to the drivers license exam would be a start. It is also important to stress the basic human decency of being considerate to those that are vulnerable. It’s a societal problem, as I often observe bicyclists on mixed use trails being careless towards the safety of foot traffic.

I reported the incident outside the official channel, via an email to the sheriff; I included a link to the video. My reports have evaporated into nothing in the past, but this one was different. The age of the kids in the car and the proximity to the school gave me a valuable clue. I uploaded the video and shared it to friends and a few school teachers that I knew. When the deputy told me that he was having difficulty searching the license plate, I suspected that there were conversations taking place about the identity of the driver; I was correct. I received an anonymous tip that the driver was the son of a high school administrator and I confirmed this by pedaling my bike through the student parking lot and locating the car that the deputy reported having difficulty finding – – more legwork on my part. I made the officer that is assigned to the school aware of the open case on that vehicle so that he could coordinate next steps with the deputy. I received four letters of apology from the kids. I also received a letter from the driver’s father, incredulous that his son and his friends could have behaved in such a way; the driver had his license suspended for 6 months. All four were suspended from their sports teams and required to apologize to their team mates for casting their program and school in a negative light. I could have insisted upon a legal remedy via the court system, but I believe that using school and family discipline provided some effective alternatives in this case. It’s a small town and the social embarrassment that the families are facing is huge; my ride video is staying up.

I’m under the impression that the primary audience for UpRide is bicyclists. In that sense, it provides a useful demonstration of the capabilities of video recording devices. Beyond that, I don’t think that I hear about UpRide, even in bicycling advocacy circles. I think that anyone that creates a video of the type that you see on UpRide should also share them in places/forums where they will receive a more diverse set of eyeballs.

1. Be predictable. When you ride in a group EVERYBODY signals the maneuvers, not just one or two of you. 2. Ride on the road like you belong there. If you see oncoming traffic, a blind hill or curve, take the lane. Don’t tempt a motorist to “just squeeze by” because you think they will appreciate it and they will return the favor by being more careful.

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.

No matter how you look at it, this driver’s actions were plain stupid. All for a matter of saving a few seconds, this UpRider caught the moment a pickup driver overtook dangerously and sideswiped an oncoming van.

Thousands of dollars in damage.

Skyrocketing insurance premiums.

All for what, a 10-second gain?

Was it worth it?

I was biking on the side of a road when a vehicle illegally passed. In addition to the manoeuvre being unsafe, they had no situational awareness and crashed into an oncoming vehicle. Thankfully, the damage was minimal in this case, but the scene is illustrative of unsafe car culture and an entitled mindset typical of some American drivers.

Around cars, especially with aggressive/unsafe driving; which is to say most of the time you are on a shared road

Enforce vehicle rules, promote a culture of safety, have reasonable speed limits, and disallow things like right turn on red that really don’t make sense in urban areas.

Seems like a good idea.

Be safe, record your ride!

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist, please reach out to the UpRide team.

My partner and I were riding our usual route to the city. This is basically the only part of the ride where there isn’t a dedicated bike lane or path. However, this is an extremely popular route taken by cyclists and you will usually pass 5-10 other cyclists heading in the opposite direction within the 5km stretch. We record our ride for incidents like this.

I feel most vulnerable around drivers who have the ‘cyclists shouldn’t be on the road’ mentality. I understand, as a driver (who pays rego!) myself, that sometimes overtaking a cyclists can add an extra few seconds to the trip, but if we had the option to be on a bike path or in a bike lane, we would definitely prefer to be there! We aren’t allowed to ride on footpaths! As a young female on a bike, I feel sometimes cars attempt to scare me when they pass close by, I always stick as left as possible and move further off the road space when possible. I also have bright flashing lights with my Fly6 Pro and Fly12 Sport, as well as a reflective jacket so i am extremely visible, as does my partner.

I would love drivers to be held more accountable, so they may change their perspective on the impacts of irresponsible or careless behaviour. As a driver myself, I am much more aware of how cyclists feel around cars now I cycle myself. I think that drivers understanding that we can safely share the road together, rather than it being a bikes vs. cars mentality, would do wonders. The bike paths in this area are incredible so that has definitely played a huge role in improving safety. I always ride with bright clothing and my bike lights too.

Yes, for the first time I actually did report this incident. This wasn’t a ‘hoon’ as such, but a middle-aged female driver. I honestly don’t think she understood her responsibilities as a driver and how dangerous these actions can be. After all, we are all just trying to get home to our families at the end of the day. I hoped that a fine would make her realise she made a mistake and help her do better in future. I reported this incident through the WA Police reporting page, I then received an email from the Police requesting the evidence footage. I was then contacted by a local police constable who reassured me this was a finable offence, and that they were taking action to prosecute the driver. They also forwarded this incident report onto the local council to have some additional ‘watch for cyclists’ signage put it… how good!! The ‘failure to give way’ fine is $150 and 3 demerit points. The police also asked if I am willing to attend court if need be regarding the matter, so let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!

I love UpRide, i just want everyone to feel safe on the road, drivers and cyclists! I believe everyone should be held accountable for dangerous actions, whether you’re on a bike or in a car!

Stay safe out there friends! Be defensive and protect yourselves, I always slow when I see cars coming up to intersections on the roads I ride on, you never know when they won’t check well enough and hit you!

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.

I work in central Brisbane and have been commuting to work on a bicycle from Thornlands since 2018. There is limited off road options until I get closer to the city. Over the years I have had numerous close calls, but nothing like the blatant and I believe deliberate actions of the TransDev driver on 5th May 2025.  I have used various forms of cameras over the years. The Cycliq Fly12 Sport has been by far the best and easiest to use.

Most drivers are great and considerate. But there is always the odd person who doesn’t appreciate that all road users should be treated with respect. Travelling in peak hour also provides it’s own challenges. You need to be aware that drivers may exit left with no indictor if traffic is heavy and the driver tries to ‘rat run’. This occurs closer to the city, so when travelling up the inside of slow/stopped traffic I am overly aware there may be cross traffic or rat runners that will not indicate their intention. As a rider, it is up to me to ride defensively and avoid conflict at all cost. I am the one that will be worse off in a collision with another vehicle. Over the years of commuting I have seen first hand two cyclist deaths. In both instances I was about 5-10 minutes behind the incident. One near the Mater Hospital and the other near Carindale shops outbound.

Better driver education would be a start. But also cyclists need to own their actions. For example, the Stanley Street cycleway is a good point in question. Each day I ride to work I witness numerous cyclists and scooter riders running red lights. I don’t believe cycle safety will improve until we have a similar culture to that of, say the Netherlands. And I really cannot see that happening in my lifetime.

Yes, I reported the incident to the online Police reporting site. I am not aware of any action being taken to this point. In my 16 years commuting to the city for work, this incident is probably the closest I have come to a major injury. My adult son even said if the bus had hit me into the guard rail, I would have bounced off and ended up dead under the rear wheels. Interestingly, my son showed my video to a chap at his work who commutes 15 kms to each day. This colleague remarked on how good the video image was and will be purchasing a Fly12 for himself. 

I wasn’t aware of this site until I recently received an email from Cycliq. I will certainly use and view this site on a regular basis.

Keep alert. Your peripheral vision is your friend and ride defensively. Sometimes it is best to give up your right-of-way and even slow down in areas of traffic conflict. It is best to arrive late, than not get there at all.

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.

When getting back into cycling in 2016, I quickly realised how bad some drivers attitude to cyclists was. Having run a dashcam in my car for a few years, I decided I needed the same on my bike, primarily to provide evidence should the worst happen. At one end of the country road that I live on, there is a small horse yard where the truck involved in this incident is usually stored. The owner of this truck is an elderly man who is blind in one eye and has a habit of blocking the road as and when he feels like it. Just prior to this incident I saw the driver turning the truck then proceed back to the yard where he stopped, blocking the road as usual. As I squeezed past down the side I simply shook my head which sent the driver into a rage and he started swearing at me. I returned the compliment and continued on my way. The rest is on the video.

During busy times when everyone is simply focused on getting to their destination as quickly as possible and nothing or nobody else matters.

The reporting process in Scotland is very long and time consuming, thus putting most people off. I only report about 20% of the incidents that I could/should due to this process. First I had to call 101 and provide details of the incident. Then an appointment is arranged for two police officers to visit and view the footage. If they then agree that action is required, a formal statement is taken and I provided a copy of the video files on an SD card. In this case, I received a call about a month later telling me that the driver had been charged. It is unusual to hear anything back and is totally dependent on the investigating officer. I had a further incident with the same driver two years later, when he told me that I had previously cost him money, so I can only assume that he was indeed issued with a fixed penalty of £100 and 3 points on his licence. He was later prosecuted again for the second incident.

All too often my friends tell me they wish they had my cameras during this ride or that, as without camera evidence, nothing happened. Many people suggest cyclists should have a mirror, but I have found a rear facing radar to be my go to device and this has really changed my attitude and awareness. Too many cyclists continue to ride into danger just because they have “priority”, where they could easily back off and live to argue their point another day.

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.

Just a regular training ride. Then close passed by driver who didn’t take kindly to me shouting about how close he was. He then did an emergency stop to which I had to take avoiding action and then he rammed me off the road followed by getting out of his car and assaulting me. This was only the second ride I had used the camera on as had just taken delivery.

On roads in built up areas. Need better enforcement from authorities coupled with marked cycle lanes.

Reported and due to video evidence all straight forward. Driver initially denied incident to insurance etc, when evidence presented, insurance company agreed to settle. Driver is now at risk of losing insurance indemnity as this was a deliberate act and with chase him for all damages and fees He has an interim driving ban with full sentencing on March 21.

Camera invaluable and now essential kit.

Get a camera!

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.

I ALWAYS record my ride. Because you never know when something unexpected might happen! Lovely sunny Sunday afternoon. Drove (13 miles) out to the country to get some light traffic, more open roads. Was 3 miles into my ride. Two-lane county highway. Low traffic count. I was (as usual) in the center of my lane – to be more visible to overtaking drivers, and therefore allowing them more time to react to my presence. Whenever on overtake, I move toward the right. But on roads such as this, without space to share a lane, I still stay out far enough that they have to make a conscious decision whether it is safe to change lanes and pass. I saw oncoming opposing traffic. Including, when only a half-dozen car lengths ahead of me, a medium size box truck with its left front tire already on my side of the double yellow line, and coming more.

I swerved to the right, got half way to the edge, must have instinctively leaned to my right. Was struck a glancing blow by the cover of the driver’s fender mirror on the back of my left shoulder and left bicep. Was able to maintain the bike upright. Stopped. Looked behind me. Saw the vehicle had proceeded a quarter mile, stopped, and the driver was standing in the middle of the road, looking. When he saw me walking across the road to safety, he drove off.

Any time I am on a public thoroughfare. But especially on higher speed highways, such as this: 55 MPH limit.

We need better public infrastructure accommodations that acknowledge the right of vulnerable users to be on public ways. Separated bikeways where feasible. But much more likely: separated bike lanes, protected by bollards, dividers, etc.

Also better public information: Signage (eg: Ohio’s “3 feet clearance to pass a cyclist”. “Cyclist may use full lane, change lanes to pass”). Posting of “neighbourhood greenways” or “bikeway” signage in built-up neighbourhoods. 

Finally, continuing education of public safety officers to attend to the safety of vulnerable users and vigorous prosecution of offenders.

Because the county sheriff was busy, Ohio State Highway Patrol responded. Awesome young trooper. Very attentive, thorough. Inspected the bike (no damage). Photographed my dirty jersey sleeve. Noticed the Cycliq camera and asked. My camera provided a clear picture of the rear license plate as the truck proceeded behind me. Trooper was aggressive in following up, locating the truck rental company, contacting the renter, getting the name of the hired driver, contacting him, obtaining admission that he’d been “distracted by a digital device”. Municipal court required pleading guilty to “lane violation”, “distracted by a digital device”, “leaving scene of personal injury accident”, and “driving under suspension”. $300 fine. 10 days confinement. Driver failed to show. Bench warrant issued. Unknown whether he was ever tracked down.

Great. Camera caught the scumbag who hit me. Hoping UpRide’s efforts will help raise awareness, and concern, and maybe even action.

Helmet. Visible clothing. Take your lane. Run a camera.

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.

Too many close passes at speed in Ireland. When I’m cycling in Spain I never have any issues with drivers because drivers have more respect for vulnerable road users and the laws are more strict and enforced. This driver came around a blind bend and crossed a continuous white line while using his mobile phone. The car was practically fully over on my side of the road and if I had been travelling in my car (as cyclists also drive, but drivers think all cyclists are hippies) this would have been a head on collision. 

When cycling all the time on public roads in Ireland. I’ve now resorted to mountain biking or gravel riding as much as possible. Cyclists need to be proactive and record and report as much as possible and over time driver behaviour will change. Cyclists need to be proactive and record and report as much as possible and over time driver behaviour will change.

This driver was reported to the police the same day and it took over 2 months for the police to take a statement from me and over a year to get this driver to Court and the case was then put back another 6 months. This shouldn’t deter cyclists from purchasing safety cameras and reporting close passes or dangerous driving as it transpired that this driver also had no insurance. Unfortunately this driver has carried on driving since the incident over 14 months ago.

Excellent platform for highlighting road safety issues.

Be safe, be visible. Definitely use safety cameras and not only for the event of an incident or accident but please be proactive and report all close passes and dangerous driving. Lobby your politicians and let’s change the laws and driving behaviour.

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.

My first hit and run after nearly 22,000 miles (34,857km) of cycling tracked on Strava. At first I thought he’d just slipped the clutch, but no, he drove in to me deliberately and with purpose. He then reversed and drove off. Glad I had my Cycliq Fly6.

Miraculously I only suffered a sprained wrist and a sprained ankle and a bit of road rash on my knee. The Dura Ace C50 R9000 is buckled. The Dura Ace R9100 derailleur was bent. The GP5000 tyre is now scrap. The frame appears to have taken it without damage but I’d like to get it professionally inspected.

The car appears to have no MOT and is therefore not insured. The MOT expired on the 25th February 2020.

I appreciate he was probably a bit annoyed that I brushed his wing mirror, literally just brushed it. Not the best time to choose to turn off my computer with less attention than I should have given. Ironically, when I stopped I was unclipping to turn around to wave an apology, which was probably fortunate that I was no longer attached to the bike when he rammed me.

The police response to the initial report was laughable, as they suggested I call my insurers and speak to a solicitor advising no further action. Obviously I was livid, and had camera evidence so made a complaint. It’s fortunate that the specialist camera evidence officer who then reviewed the complaint was a cyclist, who sent it on as serious.

From memory the driver denied responsibility and was offered a (I think) 12 month driving ban. It went to court with one of the drivers behind the defendant as a witness, with the following outcome:

• 27 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months
• Rehabilitation Activity Requirement 25 Days
• Curfew for 4 months, to remain indoors between 8pm to 8am daily, and also to be electronically monitored
• Disqualified from driving for 6 months
• Ordered to pay Compensation of £250

We’d love to hear from you. If you would like to share your stories and experience as a cyclist please reach out to the UpRide team.