An obsessive cycling zealot who films his bike rides and pursues motorists he claims have driven too closely to him has become embroiled in his most extraordinary roadside row yet.
Adrian Chapmanlaw has been dubbed ‘the new Cycling Mikey’ – after the notorious helmet-cam warrior whose war on motorists has led to drivers being issued thousands of penalty points, banned from the road and slapped with fines of nearly £170,000.
The ‘self-appointed busybody’ has posted dozens of videos on YouTube and has bragged of catching 80 motorists committing driving offences as part of his one-man crusade to make the streets safer in his hometown of Bournemouth, Dorset.
The cycling vigilante described as ‘snide, aggressive and vindictive’ by local car drivers was first revealed by the Daily Mail in January.
But rather than scale back his campaign in response to the criticism our report brought, he has apparently increased it.
Now a new video posted by Mr Chapmanlaw shows a bizarre confrontation between the notorious campaigner and a supermarket delivery driver.
The clip shows Mr Chapmanlaw, an elected Liberal Democrat councillor, riding in the road, outside the markings of a designated cycle lane in Poole, Dorset.
An Iceland delivery van drives up behind him and overtakes at close quarters, prompting Mr Chapmanlaw to sound his horn and wave his hand.
A new video shows a confrontation between Adrian Chapmanlaw – who has been dubbed ‘the new Cycling Mikey’ – and an Iceland delivery driver in Poole, Dorset
The driver, named Sean, then gets out of his vehicle and a comical three minute debate ensues between the two men over whether or not there is a bike lane on the road in Poole
Adrian Chapmanlaw is a Liberal Democrat councillor who for the last two years has been helping to improve the quality of life of the citizens of the seaside town of Bournemouth
The driver stops his van further up the road on double yellow lines, gets out and approaches Mr Chapmanlaw.
He introduces himself as Sean and points out to the cyclist that he was not in the bike lane.
Mr Chapmanlaw informs the van driver the lane is advisory as it is only made up of painted white lines and he was under no obligation to use it.
There then follows a comical three minute debate between the two men over whether or not there is a bike lane in the road.
For his part, Mr Chapmanlaw repeatedly tells the driver to look up section 163 of the Highway Code which states motorists must give at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking cyclists at speeds up to 30mph.
The van driver repeatedly asks the cyclist whether there was a bike lane in the road before jokingly insulting him by saying [in an apparent allusion to Mr Chapmanlaw’s weight]: ‘I don’t know if you can fit in it, your bike can.’
Mr Chapmanlaw tells the driver to ‘shut up for a second’ before saying: ‘I am perfectly within my rights to take primary position within a lane.’
The driver asks him again: ‘Was there a bike lane there?’
Mr Chapmanlaw: ‘It does not matter, you still passed too close. I was able to touch your vehicle.’
He then asks the driver if he knew what rule 163 says, to which he replies: ‘I don’t give a monkeys, I’m not a bikey.’
He then points to a purpose-built bike lane further up the road that BCP Council has recently installed and asks Mr Chapmanlaw if he doesn’t have to use them as well.
The councillor says he doesn’t have to, to which the driver says: ‘No f***ing way.’
Mr Chapmanlaw then further ticks him off for parking on double yellow lines and straddling the pavement.
But as well as being a councillor, Mr Chapmanlaw has an alter ego as a ‘snide, aggressive and vindictive’ cycling vigilante biking across Dorset
Mr Chapmanlaw sends his videos to Dorset Police’s Operation Snap which encourages people to submit footage of potential traffic offences so they can prosecute guilty motorists
The undignified exchange ends with Mr Chapman cycling off singing about the driver losing the argument so he has to resort to throwing insults.
Mr Chapmanlaw was dubbed ‘the New Cycling Mikey’ for repeatedly posting YouTube videos of confrontations between himself and motorists.
He has been accused of deliberately escalating spats with his ‘confrontational and provocative’ attitude to drivers to increase views of his YouTube channel.
His followers posted comments in support of him over the delivery van incident on his social media page – but then critics joined in to condemn him.
Andrew Chappell said: ‘Bike lane or no bike lane you still need to give space.’
Andy Crawford described the van driver’s behaviour as ‘completely unacceptable’.
Dave Scott said: ‘Those “bike lanes” are best ignored. Cycle in primary position.’
But Brett Chamberlain said: ‘You are just deliberately riding far from the kerb to find opportunities to complain.’
Mr Chapmanlaw has been compared to Mike Van Erp, 50, better known by his YouTube name, CyclingMikey, who rides around London with a GoPro to catch drivers using their phones – often in traffic jams or by red lights – before confronting them on video
The councillor’s critics say he is a more aggressive ‘swearier’ version of the road safety campaigner Cycling Mikey – with his own footage showing him launching into four-letter tirades at drivers and angrily banging on their windows.
After one incident he was forced into making an apology after he angered parents by filming children outside a school.
Mr Chapmanlaw was approached for comment.
