HEART-stopping footage shows the moment a young girl on an oversize bike careers off the pavement and in to the path of a van.
The youngster – whose dad watches from a few feet away – is saved from serious injury or worse by the rapid reactions of the van driver.
Martin Lentz who was driving on the A93 near Cults, Aberdeenshire, on Sunday when his dashcam captured the near miss.
Martin, 50, says it was only the fact he was sticking to the 30mph speed limit that averted a possible tragedy.
Martin, from Haugh of Glass, Aberdeenshire, posted the clip with the caption: “Well that was close. Luckily no contact with the young cyclist.”
The short clip shows Martin approaching a corner marked “slow”.
In the distance, and partially obscured by bright sunlight, a father and daughter can be seen riding on the pavement on their bikes.
The girl appears to lose control of her bike and veers in to the road. The bike appears too big for her and she struggles to get her feet on the ground to slow down.
Martin quickly realises the danger and emergency brakes in time to avoid a collision. The clip ends with the father dropping his bike and walking over to his badly-shaken daughter.
Speaking today Martin said: “I was abiding by the speed limit going around a left-hand bend coming out from shade to sunlight.
I think the youngster was riding a bike not set up correctly size wise. After stopping my first words to the father was, was she alright? He replied ‘yes and thank you so much’.
“There was no contact between my vehicle and the cyclist. She was clearly shaken by the look of her face.
“No doubt in my mind if I was traveling any faster the outcome would have been very different.”
One user wrote under Martin’s post: “Change of underwear required. I have nightmares about my kids doing that. Good reactions sir.”
Another said: “Jesus. Cracking driving. That’s why my kids don’t go anywhere near the road at that age.”
Another added: “Wow… bloody cyclists lol. Fair play to the driver for paying attention.”
