Bristol resident's anti-cycling video becomes YouTube hit

By Chris Marshall-Bell

Cyclists in Bristol have had their so-called poor cycling etiquette broadcast to the world after one driver took his furore to YouTube.

The four-minute video (available to watch here) was posted on the video-sharing website on Tuesday from Hamid Parast in a bid to highlight cyclists disobeying the law.

Mr Parast, who works in the centre of Bristol but lives outside the city, decided to make the video after he claimed a cyclist scratched his car and broke his wing mirror when the rider tried to get between his car and a bus. Local police were unable to help.

In the video there are 13 clips, in one of which Mr Parast bemoans about a cyclist not riding on a cycle lane – despite there being no cycle lane on the particular road.

He also videos a cyclist mounting a pavement at a red-light, a rider turning sharply to the right without indicating, a cyclist “flying through the red light at the speed of light”, as well as other footage which he claims demonstrates dangerous cycling.

Additionally, 47-year-old Mr Parast laments how cyclists, in contrast to car drivers, do not pay road-tax (which does not exist), do not have to be insured, don’t have to wear helmets or a hi-viz jacket, as well as not needing to pay MOT or have a ID  number.

The Chrysler Grand Voyager-driver questions why cyclists do not get fined for exceeding 30mph on speed-restricted routes and queries why Bristol City Council place a big emphasis on cycling infrastructure when only two per cent of residents regularly cycle.