A cyclist’s near miss in Peru has cycling social media asking whether this is the closest call ever caught on camera.
Bruno Mendoza was riding a 115km charity event on the edge of the Peruvian Amazon on Sunday when a delivery truck, overtaking another truck at speed, came straight at him in his own lane.
He escaped by inches. And the footage is genuinely hard to watch.
What Happened
Mendoza was taking part in the Cletea Contra el Cancer (Bikes Against Cancer) Challenge of Hope and Solidarity, a free charity ride from Moyobamba to Tarapoto along Route 005, Peru’s main road through the jungle.
Partway through the ride, he spotted a delivery truck barreling toward him in his lane while passing another truck. Mendoza stopped and pulled to the edge of the road. The driver never slowed down or pulled back into his own lane, forcing Mendoza to lean into the roadside drain as the truck blew past, missing him by a hair.
The Details
Mendoza originally shared the moment as part of a vlog of the event. He was riding in memory of a friend who died of leukemia, and for his mother, who has been in poor health.
The Moyobamba cycling association that co-organized the ride responded with a public statement backing him. “We reject any vehicular maneuver that endangers the life and safety of cyclists,” the group wrote, calling for authorities to objectively evaluate the incident and determine liability.
Shalom, the delivery company that owns the truck, has not publicly responded. It’s not yet clear whether a formal complaint has been filed.
Why It Matters
The reaction online split fast. Some commenters blamed Mendoza for riding a busy route at all, a take fueled by the mistaken belief that the road was one-way. Others called for the driver to be charged, with one commenter arguing the driver “did nothing to reduce the speed” despite clearly seeing the cyclist.
Wherever you land, the video shows what cyclists everywhere are up against when a driver decides an overtake matters more than a life. Every one of us has had a close pass. Few have had one this close.
Watch the moment below (the incident comes about two minutes in). Footage via Amazon Mountain Bikers Peru; Mendoza shared his own clips on Instagram at @brunomendozawong.
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