Tourists hit cyclist and fled the scene

An American couple hit a cyclist with their SUV in Reykjavík just over a week ago and fled the scene after falsely claiming they were going to look for a parking space. The victim, Búi Aðalsteinsson, described the incident to mbl.is as something out of a movie.

“I was biking down Ægisgata, just going straight ahead, when a big SUV came toward me,” said Búi Aðalsteinsson, a cyclist and host of the podcast Hjólvarpið (The Bikecast).

“I had been sick for a few days, but I finally felt well enough to get back on the bike. I’d gone maybe 750 meters when a Land Cruiser slammed into me,” he said.

Two Americans jumped out of the car, shouting repeatedly, “Oh my god! Oh my god!”

Rolled down Ránargata

“They were your typical Americans — older couple in white sneakers. Just the two of them in the car,” Aðalsteinsson said.

He added that he had the right of way, as he was traveling straight while the vehicle was turning across Ægisgata into a side street.

“I thought the driver would stop — they slowed down — so I kept going. But then the driver floored it, and I crashed into the front of the car and rolled down Ránargata.”

Fled the scene

“They were clearly at fault, crossing over into my lane. They stopped the car where I lay in front of it, shouted over to ask if I was okay while I was still dazed on the ground,” Aðalsteinsson recalled.

He managed to get back on his feet, and the couple told him they were going to park and come back. But they never did.

“It was like a movie scene. There were people around who called the police because it didn’t look good. The police and an ambulance arrived and took a report. I waited a long time for the ambulance — it’s not like they couldn’t find a parking space or I was gone in ten minutes. They ran off,” said Aðalsteinsson.

Escaped with minor injuries

Asked about his condition, Búi said he was fortunate to escape with minor injuries — some bruising and swelling, but no signs of broken bones so far. His bike also came out relatively unscathed.

He emphasized how thankful he was to have been wearing a helmet and urged everyone to take care on the roads. He noted that motorists are generally more considerate of cyclists now than when he began cycling seriously ten years ago.

Still, he said, cyclists must always be cautious. He pointed out that tourists may not be used to sharing the road with bikes, especially since cycling culture is lacking in many places — including parts of the U.S.

Aðalsteinsson believes car rental companies and tourism operators could do more to inform visitors about the hazards and unique challenges of driving in Iceland. He hopes his story serves as a cautionary tale.