A collision between a cyclist and a car in Sham Tseng on Saturday morning has reignited online debate over road safety after the dashcam video captured the scene of the incident.
The crash occurred at around 9 am yesterday (Nov 1) when a cyclist riding along the Castle Peak Road towards Hong Kong Garden was struck by an oncoming car.
Footage circulating online shows the lead cyclist, heading a group of ten, signaling and swerving from the slow lane to the fast lane as they passed the electrical substation near the transitional housing "Wellness Lodge" on Castle Peak Road.
However, this abrupt lane switch caught an approaching driver off-guard, prompting him to sound the horn and veer toward the curb, but he was unable to prevent the collision.
The impact sent the cyclist into the air, causing him to roll on the ground. Fellow cyclists quickly gathered around to check on his condition, and fortunately, the injured cyclist managed to stand up on his own.
Sustaining injuries to his head and legs, the 21-year-old cyclist, surnamed Tso, was transported to Yan Chai Hospital for treatment. The 31-year-old driver, surnamed Chu, was uninjured.
The video has drawn significant criticism from the online community, condemning the lead rider's "sudden and reckless" lane change without checking for traffic.
Many described the action as irresponsible, questioning the cyclist's decision to switch lanes when there was no traffic in the left lane.
Stressing the danger of abrupt lane changing, several even called for a ban on cycling on main highways.
However, others pointed out that the driver of the oncoming car also shares responsibility as he should slow down when approaching a group of cyclists.
