Cycling in London can, at times, be a tense experience, and no less so for one cyclist who, after an apparent altercation with a taxi driver this week, decided to get off his bike and climb on the cab's bonnet in protest.

Photos taken by passersby show the incident, which took place on the Mall, in which the cyclist apparently abandoned his bike in front of the cab after a disagreement, before standing on the taxi bonnet peering in at the driver, and then sitting down, leaning back against the windscreen.

Police on bicycles were stationed nearby, and arrived at the incident, a few metres from the Buckingham Palace gates, shortly after the man climbed on the cab bonnet. Both men were allowed to go after a few words of advice.

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One witness is reported by the Express as saying: "I was in my car waiting to cross at the lights when I saw the cyclist cut right in front of the taxi.

'He jumped off his bike – leaving it directly in the driver's path – and climbed onto the bonnet."

"Once on top of the cab, he sat down and exchanged words with the man – who looked almost as shocked as the tourists heading towards Buckingham Palace."

The man cycling was apparently complaining the taxi driver had given him a rude gesture. 

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Two people, believed to be a mother and son, are reported to have left the taxi during the incident without paying. 

One lane of the Mall was blocked during the incident.

Yesterday it was announced a section of East-West Cycle Superhighway that runs past Buckingham Palace has been given the go-ahead after months of talks with the Royal Parks, which will encourage riders to use a parallel road from the Mall.