Winnipeg motorcyclist's close call with car caught on video

A Winnipeg motorcycle driver was almost hit by an oncoming car that was passing another vehicle on a highway over the weekend — and he captured the heart-stopping encounter on video.

Ryan Evans says he was driving north on Highway 9 toward Gimli, Man., on Saturday — his first ride of the season — when a car driving in the opposite direction suddenly pulled into his lane in a bid to pass a truck pulling a trailer.

"It was just kind of instinctual to get out of the way,… kind of hoping that he would leave me enough room to be able to stay on the road and not have to hit the shoulder," Evans told CBC News on Tuesday.

​"If I had hit the gravel on the shoulder, I most certainly would have probably gone down as well."

Evans estimated he had slowed down to about 70 kilometres an hour by the time the car passed him.

The moment was recorded by a GoPro camera mounted on his motorcycle's windshield.

Evans said he didn't realize how close the car came to striking him until he watched his video footage at home.

"It was very close. Had I made a different decision, we likely wouldn't be sitting here talking," he said.

"I imagine I was probably inches from his mirror with my handlebar, so it was that close."

Evans said he contacted Winnipeg police, who referred him to the RCMP. He said he's waiting for a call back from the Selkirk RCMP detachment.

He also posted the video on his Facebook page, in the hopes of reminding all drivers, including other motorcyclists, to always pay attention on the road.