On Beach Road, Melbourne, 94 incidents have been reported by riders to date, according to Upride.cc.

Siim was riding along Beach Road on his way to work when a P-Plater failed to maintain the minimum passing distance while overtaking. At the next set of lights, when Siim gestured for more room, the situation turned ugly — the driver made another close pass and deliberately blocked his path.

"The incident was reported through Crime Stoppers. About a month later, I received a call asking me to provide more details. They explained the driver could be fined if I was willing to go to court should he dispute it."

Cyclist's deserve to feel safe on the roads. The UpRide team asked Siim a few questions about his experience, here are his answers:

What Happened Before the Incident?

What happened on this ride, happens too often. I was commuting to work — using a road that sees hundreds, often thousands of riders. The lanes are wide, and traffic is usually not too heavy. With two lanes in each direction, it should be simple for drivers to safely overtake a slower vehicle, parked car, or cyclist.

But that morning, things went differently. After the P-Plater’s close pass, I caught him at the next set of lights. Still shaken by the near-miss, I gestured to show how close it was. I’m not sure he understood — but instead of backing off, he pulled up beside me again with the clear intent to intimidate.

As he passed, I reached out and touched his side mirror — to demonstrate just how close he had come (around half a metre). The thump was loud. He didn’t like that. From there, he slowed down deliberately, blocking my path.

I held back, not wanting to escalate further. We both moved slowly, shouting at each other. Words like “get off the road” and “you don’t pay rego/taxes” — the same tired phrases cyclists hear too often — came my way.

Eventually, I moved onto the shared pedestrian/bike path to get clear. He kept yelling for another five minutes before we split ways.

What Was The Reporting Process

I reported the incident through Crime Stoppers. About a month later, I received a follow-up call and email asking me to provide more details.

The officer explained the driver could be fined, but only if I was prepared to go to court in case he disputed it. After some discussion, I was satisfied with the driver receiving a verbal warning. A note was still placed on his file — so if he offends again, there’s a record.

Why Recording Matters

It’s hard to believe some of the reckless behaviour that happens on the road. But the best defence is crystal-clear video that leaves no room for debate.

You’ve heard it before: “I’m sure they wouldn’t have done that” or “No one would be that stupid.” But unfortunately, we know better.

With video evidence, there’s no more he-said, she-said. It makes it clear exactly how and why those “what just happened?” moments unfolded. And just as importantly, when drivers know they might be recorded, they’re more likely to think twice before making a dangerous move.

Feel safe. Record your ride. With the dashcam engineered for cyclists.

It’s hard to believe some of the reckless behaviour that happens on the road. But the best defence is crystal-clear video that leaves no room for debate.

You’ve heard it before: “I’m sure they wouldn’t have done that” or “No one would be that stupid.” But unfortunately, we know better.

With video evidence, there’s no more he-said, she-said. It makes it clear exactly how and why those “what just happened?” moments unfolded. And just as importantly, when drivers know they might be recorded, they’re more likely to think twice before making a dangerous move.

Feel safe. Record your ride. With the dashcam engineered for cyclists.