Cycling Mikey – The Most Divisive Man in Britain

Britain’s most hated cyclist, Cycling Mikey. For some, he’s a hero cleaning up London’s roads. For most, he’s a nuisance with a GoPro and an ego.

In this video, we break down the rise of Cycling Mikey: how he became infamous on TikTok and YouTube, the celebrities he’s caught (including Guy Ritchie and Chris Eubank), the controversies around posting people’s number plates, and why the internet is so divided.

This is the full story of Britain’s most hated cyclist.

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He has helped the authorities dish out about 40,000 quid worth of fines. People are on the hood for Cycl. To me, this just seems like he’s on smoke to try and get content. It’s your green badge. I have a think about it. Hi. I’m good, thanks. How are you? Why do you think I’m filming you? [Music] Meet Cycling Mikey. Potentially the most hated man in Britain. A 53-year-old vigilante who spends his days pedalling around London with a GoPro, catching drivers on their phones and sending the footage to police. To some, he’s a hero making the road safer. To most, he’s an ego-drunk busy body chasing clicks. He’s been called everything from a public servant to Britain’s most annoying grass. What kind of man talks to the DEA? No man. No man at all. A crippled little ratta. What a reputation to leave behind. So today we’re asking, is Mikey cleaning up London’s roads? So we have a Golf Victor 68 kilo fox. Or is it just an egoomaniac with a camera? Oh dear, that’s a costly mistake. Mike vanerp aka cycling Mikey is one of the most controversial figures in Britain and that’s really saying something these days. His whole stick is simple. GoPro strapped on, ride around London, catch people on their phones, confront them, then upload the footage to Tik Tok and YouTube. Can’t let that sweet, sweet ad revenue go to waste. Hey Mikey lad. So it’s going to go number one to the police and then number two is going to go on YouTube. And it works. Mikey boasts over an 80% conviction rate. meaning if he catches you, you’re basically screwed. I’m on the way to City of London Magistrate’s Court for another phone driver. I caught him on the way back from Lavender Hill Magistrate’s Court. Anyway, the result was six points on his license. It’s not personal, you know. Just try and do better when you’re on the road. Now, on the surface, that doesn’t sound so bad. Keeping roads safer, cracking down on distracted drivers sounds like something you’d win a Blue Peter badge for. And yeah, the pros are clear. People shouldn’t be on their phones behind the wheel. Drivers know he’s out there, so some genuinely probably think twice. In a weird way, he’s like a Lyra clad Batman. The fear of Mikey keeps people honest. Why you hiding your phone, mate? The police. No, it’s not going to make any difference to you, though, cuz I’m still going to report it. Mikey. Oh my god. Who? Yes, it’s me. And a handheld phone call as well. I’m going to report you, mate. But Mikey’s character isn’t exactly black and white. And this is where the cons pile up. Most of the drivers he nails are sat in standstill traffic, scrolling their phones. Still illegal, but hardly the fast and furious. Hi, buddy. Hi. All right, sir. I’m good, thanks. How are you? Yeah, good, thanks. Why do you think I’m filming you? Any idea? I don’t know. I’m ex-military brother. I have honor, integrity. You’re messaging away. I’m the youngest of three military brothers who died for our country to do things right and to help other people. So, pay attention to your driving, sir. When I was following the correct protocols messaging and the law, do you have anything else to say? He doesn’t just film people, he profits from them. monetizing every encounter across YouTube and other platforms. He loves reminding people of his fame. He gets a weird Walter Whiteesque card on for being recognized. Carry on. I’m that person. Huh? I’m that guy. What? You know the one. You seen me. Now say my name. Oh my god. You’re goddamn right. He posts regge plates and personal info online, basically doxing people for clicks. And later in the video, we’re going to see that Mikey hasn’t always stayed on the right side of traffic law himself. And the biggest issue, the smug little digs. He doesn’t just catch you, he twists the knife. 14 days now to wait for the police letter. What is it? PX58 UCO. Good luck. You got to pull over to to do that. You can make that excuse to the magistrates. Getting caught by Mikey is like having a James Bond villain as your substitute teacher. He’s not just giving you detention. He’s got to give you that last smmy dig on the way out. You know that’s You know that’s going to go to the police, right? And they’re going to prosecute you. Go on back. No, you you’re breaking the law. You’re doing something very dangerous. Look, everyone’s Let me No, he’s going back. That’s going to you in about 6 months, you’ll find your number played on YouTube. And and the police will most likely choose to prosecute you for driving without due care and intention. All right. Oo, you’re hard showing off. And here’s where some people really despise him. Mikey doesn’t just stop people, he humiliates them. He’s had quite a few situations where he just comes across as actually quite evil. Take his infamous taxi driver video. Oh, bit late there. I’m afraid to be using your phone in traffic. So sorry. It’s your green badge. I know. Please, can you forgive me for that? I have a think about it. I don’t promise anything. I understand the consequences. You know, kids. I understand the consequences. That’s why I said I’m going to think about it. A bloke practically in tears, begging for mercy, explaining he’s got kids to feed. Any normal human would probably warn him and move on. Mikey’s response. No, I I apologize. I get I get your stress. I’ve got three kids. I’m going to lose everything. I lose my house. All I can promise you is you’re going to have I’m going to have a think about it. I don’t I don’t promise anything. which will at least leave you with the one thing of two weeks of not knowing. At one point, the man even hints at ending his own life and Mikey just brushes him off with a have a nice day and then uploads the whole thing to YouTube. Reg plate in the title. Don’t assume anyone that I catch is a bad person. My whole life’s going to go. I’ll end up killing myself. I understand. I end up killing myself, man. You have a good day. To me, that comes across less like road safety is your main concern and more like you’re having an ego trip being seen as an authority figure. And it’s not just ordinary people. Mikey’s even bagged celebrities. Director Guy Richie banned after Mikey filmed him texting. Messages open here. Oh dear. Hello, my friend. Shalom. I don’t think you should be using uh your text messages while you were driving. I saw you doing it back there as well. Hold on a second. Let me move out the way. Oh, he doesn’t want to guess he wants to give up. He doesn’t want to talk anymore. You just know Mikey’s got that headline framed on his wall, polishing it every night like a trophy. Then there’s Chris Eubank, one of the hardest men alive. Nice car, mate. Thank you. I hope you’re not using the phone. I know, but if you if I film you using it and you get six points. Yeah. Did you read about Guy Richie? I didn’t actually. I read about David Beckham. Oh, that was some other random person, but I was the one who got Guy Richie. Not that I I didn’t even know who he was, right? Are you famous? I wouldn’t know who you are either, Mikey. Come on now, Mikey. If you didn’t know he was famous, how would you lead with the whole guy Richie thing or even mention being famous? And I can’t be the only one who finds it gross when he says he doesn’t know who they are, but expects them to know who he is. I’m that guy. You know the one I have. You happy, man. Yeah, but you shouldn’t be holding it, should you? Hi. Go away. Go away. You shouldn’t be holding it, should you? I’m an officer. Okay. You’re a police officer. Off you go. Should you be holding your phone? Off you go. No, I’ll stay here. That’s the thing. Mikey isn’t just chasing justice. He’s chasing recognition. He wants to be the star of his own show. But playing traffic cop comes with consequences. Mikey’s been screamed at, shoved, even put under citizens arrest by furious drivers. [Music] Off, mate. Get out of my domain. This is not your domain. This is a perfect road. I’m going to get out my van. Yeah. Please call the police. Yeah, I’m not assaulting you. Can you get out the way? I want to get out my van. Put you under citizen’s arrest. You’ve got me on video, mate. No, you’ve got me on video. I’m calling the police. I want to take that video off of you, mate. [ __ ] And do I don’t want to go with you. Come, let’s go in the park, bro. One bloke even lobbed liquid in his face. Mikey hunted him down like Liam Niss in Taken. That’s a very guilty dropping of your phone. Run you chicken. He thrives on confrontation. The little digs, the refusal to back down. But the more he winds people up, the more they fight back. You got to go back, mate. You see this? No. No. You go back that way. You have to go around that side. Come out the way, please. No. No. You have to go that side. What? What’s your problem? You’re trying to turn right. What’s the problem? Where your problem? There’s a whole heap of traffic down there. There’s no cars down here. You’re going get on. Touch me again. I’ll smack you. You going to smack me inside. What are you going to put on your Hello, mate. Oh dear. That’s a bit too late. playing billiards or snooker or something on your phone. While you’re driving, I could see looking down. I could see you looking down while I in your rearview mirror while I was behind you. Okay. You can’t do that, man. I do apologize. No problem. I do wish you to be lucky and have a good day, but I still have to report it. I’m afraid. No, you don’t. Please don’t. Come here, sir. Please don’t report me, sir. I wasn’t doing anything. I cannot. I’m sorry. I give you the respect of having a chat with you. It’s not necessarily going to change anything, though. I will I will be straight with you. I was I was just in slowmoving traffic going about one mile an hour. I couldn’t cause harm to anybody what I was doing. Yeah. You know, lots of people think that. You give me the benefit of doubt this time and then I’ve learned my lesson. I’m [ __ ] myself. I won’t make that mistake again. Obviously, I do appreciate that. But you’re going to report me anyway. I said I will think about it before tonight. I think I I don’t think this is going to achieve anything more. As I said, I promise you I’m going to have a look at it. No, you’re not. And I’ll think about it. No, you’re not. No, no, no. You stay away from me. I want that. I want that bloody camera. You’re not getting it. Call the police. Please call the police. No, don’t call the police. The thing is, when you spend most of your day playing traffic Batman, lecturing strangers, posting their plates, and telling them no excuses, you put yourself under an even bigger microscope. Because if you’re holding everyone else to zero tolerance, then when it’s your turn, there can’t be any excuses. And sure enough, Mikey eventually got caught on camera doing the very thing he condemns, running a red light. Huh? Are you sure that was green for me? Am I really confused about that? Mikey then uploaded this video himself with the intentions of explaining the context behind the situation. So, this next bit of video, you’re going to see me run a red light. Yeah, it’s my mistake. I hold my hands up. I’m at fault there. Um, essentially what happened is, whoa, Mikey, sorry mate, no explanations. Tell it to the magistrates by your own rules. That’s six points and you’re getting bust down to a unicycle. Even Mikey’s own comment section called out the hypocrisy. Now, given Mikey’s unique occupation, public persona, and confrontational style, it was probably inevitable that this comes with dangers. Over the years, several clips have surfaced of him getting knocked off his bike. Sometimes by accident, sometimes looking a little bit more intentional. [Music] [Music] Why are you driving into me? [Applause] [Music] Whether you think it’s an accident, karma, or just the risk of cycling around London with a GoPro, for harassing the locals is up to you. Mikey often explains that the reason he does this goes back to when he was 19. His dad was killed by a drunk driver while out on a motorbike. And that tragedy clearly shaped the way he sees road safety. Why is any of this your business? It’s a it’s a fair point. Um, I guess as you know, my dad was killed by a drink driver when I was 19. And studies suggest that drink driving is roughly similar to phone driving in terms of the level of distraction um, a driver is put under. And secondly, as a cyclist, I think many cyclists wouldn’t realize just how much bad driving can be triggered by our presence on the road. From his point of view, every driver on their phone is one distraction away from another family going through the same thing. And that motivation is hard to argue with. His goal is understandable, even noble some may say. But the delivery, that’s where things get messy. Instead of quiet prevention, Mikey leans on public shaming, smug oneliners, and monetizing every encounter for YouTube and social media. I’ve also heard the argument that if your real goal is road safety, then winding people up while they’re sat in standstill traffic, then sending them back out fuming might actually make things worse. A driver who’s just sneaking a glance at their phone is one thing. a driver who’s now red-faced, furious, and distracted by the thought of losing their license or job. That’s arguably even more dangerous once they pull back into moving traffic. So, in trying to prevent one risk, Mikey might be creating another. It’s why some see him as a necessary evil, and others just see him as another bloke on a bike winding people up. So, is he a road safety crusader with a message worth listening to, or just proof that even good intentions can be lost in the delivery? Either way, Cycling Mikey has become one of Britain’s strangest internet figures. Subscribe for more deep dives into the internet’s weirdest characters. And thanks for everyone who left a like or comment so far. As a smaller channel, it’s the only way my videos get seen. So, thanking you kindly. All right, bye. I have nothing further to say to you at all. And if you don’t get it, that’s your challenge.