Tag: Stories

S shares a troubling incident on UpRide involving a truck driver who ignored traffic laws and safety signals. Despite the cyclist’s clear intentions, the truck driver’s reckless actions created a dangerous situation that resulted in a collision, without considering the cyclist’s safety. This incident underscores the importance of road safety and serves as a cautionary tale for all road users.

I record all my rides for multiple reasons. 1) Sometimes the beauty of nature just takes my breath away and I love to remember all of the amazing terrain that is in our world. From Riding around Mt. Rainier in the Pacific Northwest, to the desert terrain of Utah. It is all beautiful and I love to relive it from time to time. 2) I enjoy embedding my ride data into the videos that I record so I can see my power and metrics at the same time as my rides. It allows me to train more effectively but is also cool to see. It is even better when I drop music on top. 3) When I was riding with a team, it was nice to have records of the rides, and was good for marketing. 4) If I get hit by a car, I have evidence of what happened, not what the driver claims happened. In the battle of cars vs. bikes, the car will always win so it is nice to have indisputable evidence of what actually happened.

I feel the most vulnerable when riding on streets in small towns. Drivers often don’t understand how dangerous it is when a two-tonne auto bumps a rider.

Education of drivers. They need to watch videos of what a car does to a bike. After education, having video of rides to confirm culpability is HUGE. Even with very obvious video evidence of being struck by a truck the drivers insurance company denied responsibility. If the driver hit a car from behind it would be 100% their fault. So why is it not so with hitting a biker? Doesn’t make any sense. In summary… 1) Education. 2) Video evidence.

In the blink of an eye, life can take an unexpected turn. Imagine a routine day, cycling your usual route as you do every day, when suddenly, you witness a huge crash unfold right before your eyes, leaving you showered in glass.

One of our brave UpRiders, E, shares an unforgettable encounter: a car, racing through a green light, collides with another vehicle running a red light, resulting in a heart-stopping collision that sends one of the vehicles flying towards the UpRider. While the UpRider is fortunate to escape with only a shower of glass, miraculously, both drivers also walk away unharmed.

E records their ride for two main reasons which include footage for Strava and to enhance safety during their cycling journeys. 

They experience the greatest vulnerability as a cyclist when they encounter aggressive drivers on the road. 

They believe that good communication between cyclists and drivers, coupled with increased road awareness, is crucial for improving safety. 

Disclaimer: This video may contain offensive language or content that could be sensitive to some viewers.

We recently received a video submission from a brave cyclist, whom we refer to as ‘T,’ from the US. T found himself in a harrowing incident where a group attempted to steal his bike while he was riding, threatening him with a firearm. Another individual within the group tried to incapacitate him with pepper spray, hitting T’s arms and the back of his neck. Fortunately, their attempt to harm T backfired when the pepper spray blew back at them.

T promptly reported the incident to the police, leading to the assignment of the case to detectives. They informed T that all the suspects had been identified and were now in custody. Thanks to his Fly6 camera, he captured enough evidence to prosecute the individuals involved.

The incident was at around 8:30 at night and this was in Norfolk, Virginia on the Berkley Bridge. 

 I tend to look over my shoulder a little more now, but I won’t stop riding.  I ride to work everyday and that’s the only way home.  It’s good to know that if anything were to happen, I have proof. 

I’ve been running cameras for about 8 years now.  Back in 2015 I was hit head on and luckily got that on camera as well.  Basically I edited the footage to the main part.  I wasn’t able to share the footage right then as my laptop was dead. 

While we’ve referred to him as “J from Perth” to protect his identity, this Super UpRider is close to marking his 100th incident post on UpRide.

A firm advocate for recording rides, he states, “I record my riding because… people will lie. It’s just that simple.” With the trusted Fly 12 by Cycliq as his companion, J documents everything from prevalent road hazards to the unanticipated behaviors of other road users. He commends UpRide for being an “awesome platform” and emphasizes the need for robust infrastructure and thorough education for cyclists.

“Record your ride. Make it count.

I record my riding because I work with people and I know that in the absence of other forms of accountability, people will lie. It’s just that simple. The Fly 12 is a solid, reliable unit that takes care of all that. I also record because I believe that good data collection can lead to positive outcomes in education and infrastructure design. I also record for a bit of a laugh because I never know what dumb thing I’m going to see next.

Well thought-out infrastructure makes a huge difference to cyclists. I have seen structures built by local councils that supposedly make cycling safer but have done the exact opposite. Good driver/rider education is also very important. Most people think they are great drivers and will even try to justify why they ‘speed up for orange and slow down for green’ or, why they are OK running a red signal or, why cyclists aren’t allowed on roundabouts. The same goes for cyclists. I have witnessed a Fremantle cyclist dressed in black, no lights, no helmet, wrong side of the road, both hands on their mobile, at night. There can never be too much good quality education.

I have a Fly 12 attached to my helmet. It records where I am looking. So far, only one sour person has tried to tell me that is illegal – the police have no problem with it.

Today, we’re sharing a personal account of a rider who had a firsthand experience of the perils that sometimes accompany our passion. This narrative serves as a reminder of the need for better safety measures and offers insight into the benefits of recording our rides.

Eight months ago, Richard from Rochester, New York had a nasty crash. Today, he stands fully recovered, ready to hit the road again. He tells us that the healing process took about 6-8 weeks post-crash, but he’s now back on the saddle, and he assures us he’s feeling better than ever.

The unfortunate incident occurred on a route he frequently traversed. As most cyclists can attest, familiarity with a route doesn’t guarantee a risk-free journey. Our rider recalls one other close call on the same stretch. It involved a bus that failed to indicate its intent to turn. Despite these experiences, he reminds us that, for the most part, the route offers a pleasant ride.

Record your ride. Make it count.

“I record my ride for safety. A friend was riding one day and was approached by two men in a Jeep “looking” for directions. My friend said he didn’t have his phone and didn’t know the roads that well. The two men then commented on his bike, at which point my friend rode away. Soon after, I bought a front-facing camera, a Drift, until I found Cycliq.” 

“This was a route I took often. I used the road as a way to get home, as I was doing that day. I had one other close call with a bus further down the road. The bus was making a right-hand turn at a stop light but did not use its indicator. I do believe I have that video as well. Other than that, the riding on that road has been pretty good.”

“The recovery was good. I have no lingering issues and I was fully healed about 6-8 weeks after the crash.”

“The crash was somewhat reported. By the time a police officer arrived, the scene had already been cleared and I was en route to the hospital for a check-up, leaving him with nothing to report. Nonetheless, I sought out the officer and requested that a report be filed, to which he reluctantly agreed. He seemed uninterested in viewing the video footage and assured me that the driver would face no repercussions. After about two weeks, the officer eventually completed the report, a copy of which I still need to obtain for my records. In addition to this, I also filled out a form through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).”

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.

As we reflect on the last few years of UpRide.cc, we are so proud of the community of UpRider’s for posting over 10,000 incidents and together, helping to make cycling safer. With many of our users uploading over 20 incidents to UpRide, we’re glad to see the platform performing its desired task as a cycling safety hub and awareness platform.

Let us introduce our friend RV.

RV is originally from Switzerland, and based in the Australian state of Victoria. He’s experienced some close calls on his rides, and in 2021, was hit by a young driver. Thankfully he’s ok, and although his new custom built bike suffered some damage, there’s been some correspondence with law enforcement since the event.
Many of the close calls have occurred in a time when Victoria had no minimum passing distance law implemented and therefore, RV was told that the police wouldn’t do anything about it.

He also has a Youtube channel where he exposes drivers and calls them out with their number plates.
If a company car is involved in an incident, which we find is occurring increasingly more and more, he will leave a 1 star rating on google and explain what happened linking back to the event on UpRide and Youtube.

“I was hit in 2021 by a young driver. I had camera footage and went to the police. The result was that after a week, when I asked them for the case-file number for insurance, they told me they decided to not follow up, despite the video evidence (they did not even look at it, as I was asked again to hand in the files/links) and my brand new custom built road bike was damaged.” 

RV is an avid cyclist, he says that riding on the roads under the current laws makes him ‘really uncomfortable’ riding without a camera.

Record your ride. Make it count.

“It actually makes me feel safe since in case of an accident, I would have proof of the circumstances. Riding without a camera makes me really uncomfortable, and additionally I use the footage to create videos of my rides, like ‘holiday’ memories.”

“It ‘s a great idea. I think it definitely should become more famous and police/crime investigators should consider it more often/regularly. I actually discussed a while ago with a friend ,who was hit badly a few years ago, to build up such a site in combination with a database where number plates from the incidents are stored and Insurances and police can have access to in order to check on drivers behaviours.”

“Change the minds of the drivers (Make it mandatory for drivers to attend regular road trainings, where they also sit on a bike and ride through traffic, public transport, trucks, delivery etc) Force police to investigate any issue that is handed over to them. Police officers should become liable if they push serious offences under the table.”

“Generally I raise it via Crime stoppers, what bothers me is that there is no info on if it has been transferred to police. If the driver did it to me he most likely did it to others as well, as it is an indication of his driving style.
There has been a follow up on a case I filed with a concrete truck. I not only took this to the Crimestoppers, but also to the Victoria Big Building Projects with the result that the truck driver got a written warning from the employer, the employer used my video to teach his drivers on how to not act and the police followed up on him. Sadly I never heard about the final outcome.”

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.

As we reflect on the last few years of UpRide.cc, we are so proud of the community of UpRider’s for posting over 10,000 incidents and together, helping to make cycling safer. With many of our users uploading over 20 incidents to UpRide, we’re glad to see the platform performing its desired task as a cycling safety hub and awareness platform.

Let us introduce Rusty from Ashburton, Victoria. He has experienced some close calls on his rides in Melbourne. The CBD is notoriously bad for close calls and impatient drivers, and the Victorian country roads have thin shoulders and fast, dangerous drivers.

In December 2022, Rusty and his peloton were involved in a collision with a motor vehicle, resulting in his bike under the car.

“I was advised the following day that the driver had been charged.”

“Our group was riding the Great Alpine Road near Dinner Plain last year, coincidentally some 30 minutes after a rider was killed in a hit and run on same road – driver travelling too fast, over a crest, hit cyclist from behind.”

With all of this in mind, Rusty always rides with Cycliq front and rear cameras.

Record your ride. Make it count.

For exactly this reason.  So I have footage of an accident or close call.  I have the Fly6 and Fly12. I do use the footage from time to time for purely recreational reasons; creating ride videos, particularly for events or scenic group rides.

• Increase separation from cars on the road – especially in high traffic areas; dedicated bike lanes, good road shoulders, sensible traffic lights. For example in St Kilda, Victoria there is a dedicated bike lane BUT both cars and bikes get a green light allowing cars to return left across the dedicated bike lane. I was almost hit as I went across this intersection and a car decided to turn left. This could be fixed by bike and car specific traffic signals. 
• Encourage enforcement of minimun 1m passing distance, including fines.  Publication or promotion of infringements and fines would also add to awareness.

“In Victoria, Australia you have to register the incident at the applicable local Police Station, which I did by phone on the evening of the accident. The car stopped and I swapped details with the driver. My riding group took lots of photos of the location including the bike under car etc. And of course I had the Cycliq footage. In the Police phone interview I advised all the details and that I had photos and video footage of the incident. I shared those with the Police via email. The Police created an incident report and provided me with an Incident number.  I was advised the following day that the driver had been charged.  I didn’t get the details of the charge.” 

“I believe the footage, post crash still photos, positive identification of the driver (licence etc) made it very easy for the Police to charge the driver – especially given the relatively recent establishment of the 1 metre laws in Victoria.” 

As we reflect on the last few years of UpRide.cc, we are so proud of the community of UpRider’s for posting over 10,000 incidents and together, helping to make cycling safer. With many of our users uploading over 20 incidents to UpRide, we’re glad to see the platform performing its desired task as a cycling safety hub and awareness platform.

Let us introduce our friend AZ.

AZ is based in Singapore. He’s experienced some particularly close calls on his rides. Many of which have occurred in a time when Singapore has had laws that seem favourable to drivers over cyclists. This has resulted in AZ always riding with front and rear cameras.

AZ says that riding on the roads in Singapore under the current laws is worrying without a camera.

Record your ride. Make it count.

“Safety. I fairly consistently upload to UpRide and also report to the police. I hope seeing these videos helps people understand how vulnerable cyclists can be.”

“Easy enough to use, should be a good reference for government officials too. Not sure how much outreach to government UpRide does, but it seems like a trove of valuable data and stories.”

1. Cyclists to be better trained about how to cycle. Sometimes you see cyclists breaking rules, and this does not help our cause. 

2. Training for drivers. As soon as they get their license they seem to forget that cyclists are humans too. 

3. Better awareness for drivers on what is legal or illegal for cyclists. Many times drivers are angry because they think we are where we should not. 

4. Harsher punishment for drivers in Singapore. Here, the law is quite favourable to drivers. Would be good to have laws apply in both directions (current laws are laws for cyclists, and recommendations for drivers). 

“I have reported all incidents to the police. I know they have been submitted but then there is no additional follow up. The process in Singapore is easy, but not sure there is a lot of action behind the reports.”

As we reflect on the last few years of UpRide.cc, we are so proud of the community of UpRider’s for posting over 10,000 incidents and together, helping to make cycling safer. With many of our users uploading over 20 incidents to UpRide, we’re glad to see the platform performing its desired task as a cycling safety hub and awareness platform.

Let us introduce UpRider J, who hails from Florida, and was recently involved in a very close call with a Jeep. Thankfully nobody was hurt and there’s been some correspondence with law enforcement since the event.

J is an avid cyclist, and says he always rides with a Cycliq Fly12 and Fly6 light and camera.

“When the incident first occurred, the Sheriff’s office said to call 911 and they’ll get someone in the area to observe the driver and if they observe them driving recklessly then they will address the situation. Not overly effective, but that may just be the law in Florida.

In Texas I had a driver intentionally run me off the road from an oncoming lane. When I talked to the deputy he told me he wished I had it recorded on camera, because he could use the recording. That incident is what led to me recording every ride since!”

“I can see cameras becoming commonplace with cyclists, just as they have with motorists.”

“I love Cycliq products and will continue to use them. Thanks a lot.”

Always record your ride. Make it count. UpRide it.

“I’ve had trouble with motorists in the past and want to have evidence if anything should happen to me. ” 

“I use the Cycliq front (Fly12 ) and rear (Fly6) cameras every ride.” 

“I think it’s a great resource to alert other cyclists in the area to any hazards, animals or busy roads with crazy drivers. Especially anyone that may be new to the area. It also shines a light on drivers who put cyclists lives in danger and makes them aware they are being recorded. I think that alone will make drivers more aware or make safer passes.”

“I think bicycle lanes with a divider between them and the road. This would prevent motorists from drifting into the bike lanes and to prevent them from parking there.”

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.

As we reflect on the last few years of UpRide.cc, we are so proud of the community of UpRider’s for posting over 10,000 incidents and together, helping to make cycling safer. With many of our users uploading over 20 incidents to UpRide, we’re glad to see the platform performing its desired task as a cycling safety hub and awareness platform.

Let us introduce our friend Steven.

Steve lives in South Australia, and has been involved in numerous incidents on the road. Thankfully Steve always rides with a Cycliq Fly12 light and camera, so has evidence of all of the incidents.

“I first decided to get a Cycliq camera when a bus squeezed me against a kerb as they turned left and I broke the boa dial on my brand new shoes on the kerb, but I had no evidence of the incident.”

“My bike was fine, even after a ride with a near death experience I’m still riding my bike, and that’s great!”

Record your ride. Make it count.

“I first decided to get a Cycliq camera when a bus squeezed me against a kerb as they turned left and I broke the boa dial on my brand new shoes on the kerb, but I had no evidence of the incident. Now, I commute to work in some fairly heavily trafficked roads, and am resigned to the fact that I may need the evidence to show what happened. I think the more drivers that get held to account for their irresponsible actions the more that word would get around.” 

“ I think UpRide is a very useful tool. I use it to be able to send police a link so they can view a video without having to email, Dropbox or give them a memory stick. It’s also fun to show friends and colleagues what kinds of idiocy exist on the roads. UpRide is better than just showing them clips on my phone, as the map really gives some context to the number of incidents.  ”

“Driver education. Teach them that impatient drivers are what makes cycling unsafe. Bike lanes are great, but they aren’t everywhere, so drivers need to learn to look for and respect cyclists as road users. Something like the “think bike” ads for motorcycles would be good, but it needs to emphasise that cyclists are 1. Legal, 2. Don’t break the law anywhere near as often as drivers, 3. Really vulnerable.”

“An ad portraying impatient drivers as ‘selfish pricks’ like our drink drive ads would be good. Sadly though, while all police officers agree drink driving and using a phone are offences that are intolerable, my experience suggests to me that they don’t all feel the same about offences that endanger cyclists.”

“I can only speak for the process in South Australia. In the event of an injury or damage, less than $3,000 reporting is mandatory. Close passes that don’t result in injury are voluntary. 
I take the footage to a police station, and file a report outlining the incident, showing the desk officer the footage which they then included in their report. I usually get a report number.

Something that makes it particularly hard is that reporting a non-mandatory incident can normally be done online, however, there is a single checkbox that asks, “was anyone injured or was there video of the incident” as soon as this box is checked, the auto response is “This must be reported in person at a police station”. 

Another issue with reporting in person is that the there is no easy way to actually get the footage to the police officer to include in their report, the high resolution videos are still quite large and on more than one occasion I have crashed their inbox with a 40 second video! UpRide is good for this, as I can send a link. “

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.