CCTV footage doing the rounds on social media shows the moment a cyclist in Cornwall ended up inside a bin lorry after crashing into the vehicle at high enough speeds that he was catapulted over the handlebars and into the hold.

The video has been shared on Twitter and was recorded by the recycling collection vehicle’s onboard camera, and shows the cyclist rapidly approaching the rear, failing to stop in time on a steep descent.

On impact with the rear of the lorry the rider is sent flying into the back before seemingly being unable to untangle his bike as the driver, apparently unaware of what has just happened, briefly continues on their rounds.

Luckily the man appears to be uninjured, not seriously at least, and passers by notice, running to his aid and alerting the driver. The impact knocked the rider’s helmet from his head, with the footage ending as a passing motorist tries to work out how to untangle the man and his bike from the rear of the lorry.

It is unclear if the rider suffered a braking issue or could not react fast enough on the slopes which are almost certainly steeper in real life than they appear on camera, but thankfully everyone involved seemed to escape unscathed.

And while not an issue here, back in April 2020 and the first Covid lockdown a Lincolnshire bin lorry driver attracted criticism after telling the local press he was “deeply concerned” about the number of cyclists on the roads and that colleagues were having daily near misses.

“The problem is that lorries are very heavy and slow to manoeuvre and if we suddenly come across cyclists in a group on a blind bend we are forced to go onto the other side of the road,” the recycling lorry driver claimed. “I cannot give them 2m as I pass. The situation is desperately out of control.”

The comments attracted criticism from many, including cyclists, motorists and road safety campaigners alike who asked for more patience and consideration for vulnerable road users.