The dangerous new trend amongst teens known as ‘snapping’ that parents are being warned of

Happening in the UK and elsewhere...

These acts involve teens doing wheelies on their bikes and e-bikes.

They do these acts directly into the path of pedestrians and oncoming cars, before swerving at the very last minute.

And since they don’t always leave enough time or space to avoid a collision, there have also been cases when they have in fact injured people, including children.

Speaking to Metro, Neighbourhood Watch’s (NW) head of membership, Cheryl Spruce, said that this is something she’s witnessed happening in central London.

Spruce reveals that she has spoken to many NW members who are worried about how dangerous the trend of ‘snapping’ is becoming.

“It’s about getting a reaction. They feel empowered because there’s a lot of them doing it, so they’re being bold and not caring about pedestrians or other road users”, she told Metro.

“I was at a community meeting last night in Kidbrooke (Greenwich) and members said their elderly relatives were finding it difficult to go outside because there are a lot of youngsters on bikes, so they’re not feeling safe to walk on the pavements as they get cut off”, Spruce said, adding that “it’s really, really dangerous”.

On social media, videos have circulated in which a young girl is seen being knocked off her pram on a promenade by a young boy who was carrying out the act.

In another viral clip, a young man get flipped off his bike after he wheelies in front of a car.

Some pedestrians have even fallen over as they tried to run away from the teenagers in bikes. Some others cower in fear when they see what’s coming.

Why the anti-social trend is a genuinely alarming one

This trend becomes more alarming considering 45% of pedal cycle fatalities are in two vehicle collisions between a pedal cycle and a car.

And doing wheelies towards moving vehicles only exacerbates this problem.

According to the Department for Transport, 234 pedestrians were killed or seriously injured after being hit by a cyclist or e-cyclist in 2025.

And as far as the cyclists themselves are concerned, they sustained 3,822 serious injuries and 10,645 slight injuries in 2024, and again, this trend could cause these figures to rise.

To make things more alarming, the ‘snapping’ trend isn’t occurring just in the UK as there have been cases of it even in America and Australia, where it’s also become a big trend.

@insanx_bl2 #swerve #wheelie #bikelife 🎥@Kalani.Fb ♬ original sound - INSANX_BL

If you suspect they might be involved in this type of antisocial trend, charity Every Action Counts has some tips on how to approach a conversation with your child.

As per Every Action Counts, the first step involves broaching the topic in a calm environment that is comfortable for you and your child.

“Avoid starting the conversation when either of you are frustrated or angry,” he charity states.

“Explain how their actions can impact others, how their actions might be intimidating (even unintentionally), and why it is important to consider those around them when out and about with friends. Be sure to keep the tone conversational and not accusatory.”

“Then, outline the possible consequences of committing anti-social behaviour, addressing the affect it can have on their own life.”

The charity adds it’s important to be open to questions and make sure you sit together and find the answers to the questions if you can’t answer them all yourself.