Footage shows the cyclist taking on two trucks and a red light down near Auckland's Port. Photo / Geffen Transport
Footage shows the cyclist taking on two trucks and a red light down near Auckland's Port. Photo / Geffen Transport
An Auckland cyclist has been dished a dose of instant karma after dangerously running a red light in front of two oncoming trucks.
In video captured on dashcam, the cyclist can be seen flirting with danger as he cycles ahead of the trucks on the corner of Tamaki Drive andSolent St.
Despite making it through the red light unharmed, the cyclist's day turned sour as a police car in the opposite direction saw the maneouvre and pulled a U-turn to chase the cyclist.
Footage shows the cyclist taking on two trucks and a red light down near Auckland's Port. Photo / Geffen Transport
Director and truck driver for Geffen Transport, Roy van Geffen, caught it all on his dashcam and told the Herald he was "stoked the idiot cyclist" was got a dose of karma.
The police office reacts quickly, swiftly pulling a U-turn to catch the dangerous cyclist. Photo / Geffen Transport
"I see this all the time sadly. But I was just super stoked that the police was there this time. It was perfect timing."
Even though van Geffen was pleased with the outcome he has a serious message for cyclists, saying that many of them are a massive risk to truck drivers and other road users.
"There's a dedicated cycle lane on that road but the pricks still want to ride on the road. With at least 1000 trucks up and down that road day and night, it's a dangerous situation for sure.
"They sit in front of your truck at the lights so you can't see them. Then the lights go green and you nearly hit them.
"On rural roads, they're even worse, usually riding two or three abreast and leaving no room for trucks to overtake meaning we have to slow a 44,000kg-55,000kg truck from 90km/h to 20km/h in time. When they're around a blind corner it's near impossible to stop in time.
"Red light running is a big one, they think the road rules don't apply to them. New Zealand roads aren't built for cyclists and trucks.
"I'm not saying truckies are perfect because there are some cowboys out there too."
The cyclist's red-light drama comes just a week after a frustrated Northland truckie captured terrifying footage of repeated near-misses by idiot drivers.
In a compilation video posted online, the footage highlights the life-risking decisions road users are making every day to overtake large trucks.
Drivers can be seen coming just inches away from potential death in a series of frightening maneouvres filmed since 2015.
The truckie, who did not want to be named, says his near-miss compilation video is evidence the mentality of New Zealand drivers won't change any time soon and it's putting truck drivers in danger.
One driver was lucky to avoid a crash after the driver overtook a truck despite an oncoming car being just metres away. Photo / Facebook
He told the Herald he believes the Government's aim to achieve a zero road toll by 2020 is laughable.
"I put the video up because I got frustrated at the Government setting a zero target for road fatalities. How can you possibly have a zero road fatality target when you have drivers doing what's in my video? A target has to be achievable. It's not a target, it's a dream."
