Cops identify driver in left turn bicycle accident

A driver is facing charges for fleeing the scene of an accident after a video on social media showed a car turning left in front of a woman on an electric bicycle, with additional charges possibly including negligence.

Police said they pressed charges on Saturday against a Limassol district resident in connection with a car-bicycle accident Friday morning on Kykladon Street.

A short video on social media showed a red sedan after 10am making a left turn and blocking or possibly striking the front wheel of an electric bicycle that was moving straight ahead at the time.

The video clip shows the woman, described as a 67-year-old Greek Cypriot, riding her bicycle on the outer edge of the driving lane, next to an illegally parked vehicle on the left, when the car in question failed to yield before making a left turn in front of her.

Reports said the woman fell down after the turning vehicle blocked her path. She was transported to Limassol General Hospital where doctors said she sustained a knee injury.

Police did not specify how the driver was identified or apprehended but officers confirmed knowledge of a video as well as witnesses at the scene. No arrest was made according to reports.

A 33-year-old man, described as a foreign national who lives permanently in the district, has been accused of fleeing the scene of the accident while police said additional charges could include other traffic violations. It was understood that he was not the owner of the car seen in the video.

Proper yielding has been a contentious topic among drivers and cyclists, with reports pointing on the one hand to incorrect use or lack of proper lanes by people using electric scooters and bicycles and on the other hand pointing the finger at a car driver culture that is unfriendly to others.

While it was not clear whether the woman had also violated any laws, police sources told Knews car drivers were principally obligated to share the road responsibly with people operating a bicycle.