A “victim blaming” row has broken out on social media, after a cyclist uploaded footage of what he described as the “closest pass I’ve ever seen”, featuring a horn-blaring van driver who clipped a rider in rush hour traffic, in an apparent fit of road rage – only to be greeted by hundreds of responses, including one from a Conservative councillor, criticising the cyclist and claiming he should have been riding in the cycle lane.

The shocking incident, uploaded to X (formerly Twitter) by the Chapona Bike account and already viewed over a million times, took place on 30 April at around 6pm, on west London’s Grosvenor Road.  

The 36-second clip shows camera cyclist Chapona Bike riding westbound on the road as a car horn can be heard from behind, prompting him to move back into the road’s semi-protected cycle lane.

However, as another cyclist makes his way past on the road, a van driver – continuing to blare his horn – passes him as they head under a bridge, towards oncoming traffic. The van driver then appears to clip the cyclist with his wing mirror during the dangerous overtake, causing him to wobble as he narrowly avoids a potential crash.

“Absolute madness. That’s the closest pass I’ve ever seen,” Chapona Bike posted on X alongside the video. “Shocking behaviour. No doubt punishment for ‘not being in the cycle lane’.”

Expanding on the incident, Chapona Bike told road.cc: “It was a busy evening, and motorists were almost gridlocked, given the normal rush hour traffic

“The van driver was clearly upset that a cyclist overtook him, started sounding their horn, and looks like they clipped the cyclist with their wing mirror in an apparent revenge attack.

“They were then only able to get ahead a few metres before getting stuck in the traffic again, at which point I saw him trying to get out of his van in a fit of rage.”

Van driver clips cyclist during dangerous rush hour overtake on Grosvenor Road, London
Van driver clips cyclist during dangerous rush hour overtake on Grosvenor Road, London (Image Credit: Chapona Bike/X)

However, after his close pass clip went viral this week, Chapona Bike has been inundated with replies claiming that the cyclist was at fault for not using the Grosvenor Road’s cycle lane.

“Why isn’t he in his own, safer cycle lane?” one of the comments, from Stefan Kenson, asked.

“Who knows?” replied the road.cc reader. “But unless you’re there to ask him, the only evidence you’ve got is a driver sounding their horn and trying to ram a cyclist off the road. All to gain an advantage of what, 20 metres, until they are impeded by other motorists waiting at the traffic lights”.

“If cyclists are going to cycle like this, we might as well abolish cycle lanes,” added Marv, prompting Chapona to respond with: “If drivers are going to drive like this, we might as well abolish roads.”

> Cyclist threatened with legal action for posting video of close pass by driver in company-branded van

Even those critical of the motorist’s actions also claimed that the cyclist was responsible for causing the tension that led to the driver’s fit of road rage.

“The van driver deserves everything that’s coming to him but it’s almost like the cyclist is looking for confrontation,” wrote Garry.

“He could easily have kept to the cycle lane but refused, attitudes between cyclists and drivers will never change if they continue to act in this way.”

“It was slow moving traffic, the cycle lane was busy, and the cyclist had every right to overtake,” replied Chapona Bike. “Or are you saying they’re not allowed to overtake, and only drivers are?”

Van driver clips cyclist during dangerous rush hour overtake on Grosvenor Road, London
Van driver clips cyclist during dangerous rush hour overtake on Grosvenor Road, London (Image Credit: Chapona Bike/X)

Meanwhile, even Conservative councillor Kevin Buck, a member of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, got involved, criticising cyclists who “refuse” to use bike lanes when they’re provided.

“Not, repeat NOT, defending the driver of the vehicle, however, cyclists often and rightly complain they have no dedicated cycling infrastructure, yet when it’s provided, still refuse to use it!” Buck wrote. “Some do not help themselves!”

> The Highway Code for cyclists — all the rules you need to know for riding on the road explained

Contrary to what many on X may believe, it is not compulsory for cyclists to use cycle lanes and other infrastructure where it is provided, with the Highway Code noting that people on bikes can use them “where they make your journey safer and easier”.

“This will depend on your experience and skills and the situation at the time,” rule 61 of the code says. “While such facilities are provided for reasons of safety, cyclists may exercise their judgment and are not obliged to use them.”

“Cyclists aren’t obliged to use cycle lanes, and the cyclist was acting perfectly and in accordance with the Highway Code,” Chapona Bike told road.cc on Friday. “There is nothing wrong with a cyclist overtaking other cyclists. Plenty of space.

“The responses to the video are absolutely shocking, and sum up the state of the ‘war against cyclists’. Which wasn’t helped when a certain Prime Minister coined the #waragainstmotorists tag.

“Everything always seems to be a cyclist’s fault, including being a victim of a road rage incident. I won’t begin to try and sum up the comments, but the usual vile abuse starts, the wishes of harm, the violent threats, the accusations of being a sex offender. The list goes on.

“I hope my footage helps raise awareness and shows just how vulnerable cyclists are, as we need to encourage more people into bikes, and out of their motor vehicles, to solve this perpetual problem of gridlock and congestion.

“Trying to ram a cyclist off the road is deplorable. Drivers like this need taken off our roads.”