A cyclist has been criticised after someone filmed him riding his bicycle one-handed down the street while carrying a child under his arm. Even worse than that, neither of them were wearing any kind of protective headgear at the time of the video.
The cyclist has been described as 'reckless' after being spotted nonchalantly pedaling down a street in Bristol city centre with the child sitting on his hip in one arm and the other arm on his handlebars.
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The man and child, who were filmed by an eyewitness, were wearing matching orange jackets, but that is about as far as they went with regards to safe cycling protocol.
Neither of them was wearing a helmet.
The witness, who shot the footage on 11 December on Cotham Hill in Bristol, said that the whole scene was 'shocking'.
The anonymous 52-year-old said: "I was thinking this cannot be for real.
"He was cycling one-handed and the kid didn't even have a helmet on a busy narrow road.
"The question is why? Why would you put your child in danger? Imagine if he was involved in an accident."
The witness went on to say how he believes that wearing a helmet should be a compulsory requirement for all cyclists.
It's hard to disagree with that logic, to be fair.
He continued: "When my son was 14, he was cycling home from school and he came off his bike, cracking his helmet.
"That could have been his skull. That's why I am always like, 'Wear a helmet for God's sake.'"
As it stands, it isn't mandatory to wear a helmet whilst cycling. However, it is most certainly illegal to take a passenger on a bike unless it has been specially designed or modified to accommodate others.
This one wasn't by the looks of things. It seems like just a normal bike.
Jon Usher, head of partnerships at cycling safety charity Sustrans, said: "The Highway Code is clear that passengers must not be carried on a cycle, unless it has been specifically built or adapted to carry one.
"So family cycles, cargo cycles, or any cycle fitted with a child seat fit well within the law.
"We believe that it is a personal choice whether to wear a cycle helmet or not, and for parents to make that choice for their children.
"Parents should, of course, always ensure that their children are safe and feel safe when they are cycling together.
"We believe the best way to increase cycling safety would be to increase the amount of cycling infrastructure that is physically separated from motor traffic, as well as reducing the levels of traffic in residential areas."
Featured Image Credit: SWNS