A dramatic video has emerged of a cyclist narrowly avoiding an elderly man on a road in New York, USA.

The footage, shot by the cyclist with a helmet mounted camera last week, captures the moment a man started crossing the road as he was approaching at around 20 mph.

The cyclist managed to avoid the man.

"I was unable to move anymore left because I feared a car was right behind me; I had no time to check if I were clear of a car." he wrote online.

I was traveling on my bike with a heavy bag somewhere between 20 - 25 mph when an elderly man proceeded to j-walk. It would have been hard for me to quickly stop due to traveling downhill with the bag. I was unable to move anymore left because I feared a car was right behind me; I had no time to check if I were clear of a car.