“I’m writing this because it might save someone’s life”: Cyclist riding length of Norway makes impassioned plea to drivers after “three near-death encounters”; AI-generated cyclist rides Mercedes/Canyon combo; Bus lane baloney + more on the live blog

 

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A post shared by Thomas | Becoming Norwegian🇳🇴 (@becomenorwegian)

You might have thought senseless aggression on the roads was less likely in countries where the scenery and pace of life are a cut above the average UK commuter town – however, a growing number of cyclists are reporting bad experiences when exploring Norway’s epic landscape by bike.

> What to do if you capture a near miss, close pass or collision

Thomas Jarolics – better known as ‘Become Norwegian’ on Instagram – emigrated to the country from Denmark and often documents his adventures by boat, bike, skis and more. He’s currently riding the length of the country to raise funds for a mental health charity, but says he has encountered “three near-death experiences” just five days into his trip due to “impatient and dangerous overtaking”.

“This isn’t about cars vs cyclists”, says Thomas.

“It’s not about middle fingers, yelling, spitting, or windscreen washers deliberately sprayed as you pass. It’s about respect for human life.

“…The bigger the vehicle you drive, the greater your responsibility. Cyclists need to be mindful and respectful too. But when a bicycle and a vehicle collide, the consequences are not equal. You might arrive 10 seconds later, they might not arrive at all.

“Slow down. Give space. Share the road. 10 seconds for you could mean a lifetime for someone else.”

Wise words indeed. A British cyclist also commented on the post to say that her husband was “driven off the road” while competing in an ultra race, and several others commented on poor driving standards they had experienced in Norway – however, some said they had positive experiences while riding in the country.

Let’s hope Thomas encounters far better driving for the rest of his trip.

“Who needs fancy machines when you’ve got a little creativity? 😂 pic.twitter.com/NxG0ncsoLo

— George (@george_geX0) August 10, 2026

The bastion of truth that is X-formerly-Twitter has served up another silly serving of slop thanks to this absurd AI-generated car/bike contraption.

On what looks like a German autobahn, our AI cyclist can be seen pedalling his Mercedes from the right rear passenger seat. It’s difficult to know where the drivetrain starts and ends, as one part is spinning around the car’s wheel, and there’s also a whole other chain-driven contraption inside the vehicle.

If neither the possibility of a cyclist generating enough power to make a very heavy vehicle tank along at 80mph or the other car further ahead being driven down the central reservation didn’t give it away, helpfully X’s wise community has added a note under the video: “The cyclist appears inside the frame in some shots and outside the frame in others. The video appears to be AI-generated and should be labeled accordingly.”

Glad we’ve cleared that one up!

Driving an SUV in the UK should require a C1 category driving license.

Let’s see how certain Timothy and Gemima are that they need one to ferry their kids around Walthamstow then.

— John Bull (@garius.bsky.social) 11 August 2026 at 09:21

Contains 🤬. Driver entitlement on full display here. Illegally enters the bus lane without bothering to check if it was clear. Then had the cheek to gesture that I should have been using the cycle lane. pic.twitter.com/gHNKJDB3dy

— Cycling For Mind (@CyclingForMind) August 10, 2026

If you think the cyclist should have been in the cycle lane, does that mean it’s no longer illegal to pull into a bus lane?

Regardless, this cyclist is perfectly entitled to use the bus lane as he mentions under his post on X, claiming that the cycle lane to the left of it was “obstructed by a vehicle”. While riding along it, a van driver pulls out, nearly hitting the cyclist who managed to take evasive action.

It’s alleged the driver then gestured for the cyclist to get into the cycle lane, and plenty of people on the social media website formerly known as Twitter appear to agree, seemingly oblivious to the face that they are completely wrong.

Will the driver face action for the illegal manoeuvre? We’ve asked the rider behind the Cycling For Mind account for more info.