- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
Near Miss of the Day 454: Driver tries to overtake on blind corner, thinks better of it
Something slightly different on our Near Miss of the Day feature today - a motorist who gives cyclists plenty of room when overtaking. That's offset by the fact that she has to swerve back in, almost clipping a rider's back wheel, when she realises there is traffic coming the other way as she tries to pass him on a blind bend.
The foorage was sent in by road.cc reader Alex, who shot it in Buckinghamshire.
He told us: "En route from Wooburn Green to Bourne End (Bucks), this lady decided to go for it round a blind right-hander.
"She had to rethink when the oncoming car appeared (presumably, she saw it a bit late due to being on the other side of the road).
"At least she was giving me (and the other cyclist) a decent amount of room until that point."
> Near Miss of the Day turns 100 - Why do we do the feature and what have we learnt from it?
Over the years road.cc has reported on literally hundreds of close passes and near misses involving badly driven vehicles from every corner of the country – so many, in fact, that we’ve decided to turn the phenomenon into a regular feature on the site. One day hopefully we will run out of close passes and near misses to report on, but until that happy day arrives, Near Miss of the Day will keep rolling on.
If you’ve caught on camera a close encounter of the uncomfortable kind with another road user that you’d like to share with the wider cycling community please send it to us at info [at] road.cc or send us a message via the road.cc Facebook page.
If the video is on YouTube, please send us a link, if not we can add any footage you supply to our YouTube channel as an unlisted video (so it won't show up on searches).
Please also let us know whether you contacted the police and if so what their reaction was, as well as the reaction of the vehicle operator if it was a bus, lorry or van with company markings etc.
> What to do if you capture a near miss or close pass (or worse) on camera while cycling
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- cyclisto 1 sec ago
I am very nose sensitive, so for cleaning chain and cogs I use as hot water as my hands can tolerate and dish soap.
- Tech Noir 15 min 44 sec ago
"Aldi apologised for the blocked bike racks and said "we have spoken with the store to make sure that the cycle bays are clear for use at all times...
- Dogless 38 min 38 sec ago
It's a straw man because trying to support Israel's actions whilst attempting to remain logical and compassionate is impossible.
- essexian 42 min 9 sec ago
Got to say I looked at the comments section with some dread but.... most people on their are in support of the marathon and frankly could not...
- essexian 52 min 4 sec ago
Interesting..... but perhaps I'll wait for the LIdl or Aldi copy and save a couple of hundred quid.....
- Bungle_52 56 min 43 sec ago
Surely it doesn't matter whether the sun is in your eyes or not. If it is you slow down to a speed where you can stop in the distance you can see...
- marmotte27 1 hour 19 min ago
The change in running shoes has come in the last five years or so, the TdF analysis goes until 2010, so before, as I pointed out above....
- hawkinspeter 8 hours 17 min ago
It's not censored if you just pirate it
- stonojnr 9 hours 22 min ago
an example of Kesgraves "best cycling infrastructure in the country" https://maps.app.goo.gl/GsCMbzDUTPdq59qS9
- wookey 9 hours 30 min ago
It turns out that that is national police policy. We found out from this process that there is national 'secured by design' policy which causes...
Add new comment
10 comments
Such a pity. She had been very patient up till that point and gave the other cyclist a reasonable amount of room considering the speed. Personally I would be looking for a safe place to get closer to the kerb and slow down to allow her past but until then I would be well out from the kerb. Sometimes you have to help drivers to make the right decision.
As a final point I think she did very well not to move in until you were out of the way. Many drivers would not.
Yes this happens all the time to me too. It's the typical MGIF attitude coupled with the subconscious realisation that if something does come round the corner they can just turn back into cyclist and neither they (the driver) nor their precious car will suffer.
Not likely to suffer any consequences in the courts as in the case reported here recently and the Dr Helen Measures case a few years ago.
The ones that really shock me is on right hand bends where they are totally blind and will have no time to react. I don't fear them turning in on me because they just won't have time to do it.
It's like those particular drivers all have a mental disconnect whereby the operation to overtake the cyclist, somehow supplants their situational awareness of being on a bend.
Several times I have honestly felt it important to call out, "look, you're on a bend". Because they genuinely do not seem aware of their position. Again as a cyclist be ready to hurl yourself into the ditch - due to being bottom of the food chain - when they lunge back into this lane to save only themselves from the oncoming traffic.
This is so common. I'm convinced I'm going to witness a serious head on colision before long. There are very few rides I go on where I don't have someone overtake me on a blind bend. I can't imagine what they're thinking. I can only assume that they aren't thinking because anyone who was thinking would be thinking what if there's a car coming the other way?
The main danger to the cyclist is that the driver gets alongside before noticing the oncoming traffic, and cuts back sharply.
Indecisive loitering. Think it might have been their first day driving solo ?
Should call this feature "Not so Near Miss of the Day"
Sent one off last week for an overtake right on a blind bend. They had a good 10 seconds to plan for it.
edit just got this back -- Status: Course or conditional offer
I find too many drivers have no idea how to overtake or work out speed differentials and hence expected conflicts.
I've had similar, but with small traffic islands AKA pinch points.
I don't think some people's brains are capable of processing closing speeds, when they're travelling faster than walking pace.
I've suddenly had this a few times, in recent weeks - drivers giving me lot of space, but overtaking on bends, and not always in a hurry about it, either. What's that about?