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Near Miss of the Day 540: “You were too far out in the road”

Our regular series featuring close passes from around the country – today it's Buckinghamshire...

Today’s near miss sees an already close motorist steer towards a cyclist while passing him. In the ensuing argument, the driver claims he was “fully aware” of the cyclist before accusing him of “nearly causing an accident”. The driver, it seems, felt the rider was “too far out in the road”.

Lyndon writes: “This gentleman felt that my being in primary position warranted his dangerous actions. I've learned a phrase before, ‘you can't be reasonable with unreasonable people’ – words to live by if you ride a bike.”

Lyndon pointed out that the footage may seem familiar to some, as he sent a clip from the exact same set of traffic lights just one week ago.

“My riding friends joke that I'm a magnet for bad drivers, or that they see my cameras and want to be famous on YouTube,” he said.

“I rode just under 20,000km last year, most of it outside, so it appears it’s the law of averages that sees me entangled with bad drivers more often than my friends.

“What I have learned is that these incidents are examples of drivers knowingly and willingly putting a cyclist in a compromising position. It’s just not possible to get that close to knocking a cyclist down or running them off the road without making a conscious effort.”

The incident, which took place in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, has been reported to police.

“I called to report it for two reasons,” explained Lyndon. “The first being the unnecessary and close pass which forced me off the road, and the second being the gentleman shouting in my face despite Covid advice to keep two metres apart. I did ask him to step away, to no avail.

“It's just another day being targeted by an angry driver who simply cannot, or will not, understand that a cyclist does have some rights on the road. I really, truly hope the police can take action and help him to understand this, and perhaps avoid a serious incident in the future.”

> 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

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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56 comments

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wtjs | 3 years ago
0 likes

“I called to report it for two reasons,” explained Lyndon

I hope this doesn't mean a phone report. Never report any incidents like this (blood on the road is different) by phone- you need the online report code, dated and timed. It's 10 days ago, so my guess is that the report went straight in the bin marked 'NFA'. Let's hope I'm wrong. The driver is guilty and even Lancashire wouldn't try the 'riding on the pavement' dodge in this case.

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lyndonf replied to wtjs | 3 years ago
1 like

It was initially reported over the phone, with footage being attached to an online report shortly after. I have called TVP on a few occasions after I had not heard any news after 10 days. I find that if you chase TVP, they will generally investigate but you do need to chase them for any sort of updates.

I have been informed by TVP the driver has been issed an NIP for the incident. Time will tell what comes of it.

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JLasTSR | 3 years ago
0 likes

I think my wife first said this and she is right when there are idiots on the road it is a toss up where it is better to be; in front of them so the accident they cause is behind you or behind them by a good distance so it isn't you they crash into. Unfortunately as a cyclist all we can do is try and hope when they go around us they do it safely. This guy was the worst of both situations alongside when his inner idiot had to break out and you did extremely well to avoid the side of his vehicle.  

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FishandChips | 3 years ago
1 like

One hardly ever sees cyclists taking primary , so a lot of motorists assume you shouldn't be there and then try and teach you a lesson..

I've been on the receiving end of this behaviour before, including pushing/shoving and a punch-up and I don't ride in primary position any more, it's just not worth the potential for aggro.

Well done for keeping your cool.

 

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MrSimonMills | 3 years ago
0 likes

This is why we should have compulsory re-testing once you hit a certain age.

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Jimmy Ray Will | 3 years ago
3 likes

As already mentioned, the only outcome of the cyclist submitting this footage will be a fixed penalty notice (or whatever) for cycling on the pavement.
I am aware that this has been a course of action the police have previously used when a cyclist popped into a pavement for the briefest period to avoid an accident... Here we have two prolonged periods of pavement riding.
Personally I'd pull this footage back of possible and hope that no one's watched it yet.
It gives me no pleasure to write this, but you have to get in the minds of the police... Under resourced and under huge pressure... The above action, resolves the case, gets a 'conviction' with the minimum of effort possible... Why wouldn't you?

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HoarseMann replied to Jimmy Ray Will | 3 years ago
3 likes

Using that logic, it's ok to use your car to force another car off the road, just as long as you get them to mount the pavement.

I can't see them being that petty - any court would turn that over.

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Hirsute replied to HoarseMann | 3 years ago
7 likes

https://road.cc/content/news/257743-police-use-close-pass-footage-prosec...

 

I watched the footage again with a different mindset. When I first saw it, since it was 4 mins long, I expected the action at 2 minutes with some build up to explain the driver's frustration.

But watching it again without that expectation showed how appauling the incident was. That bloke should not be allowed to drive without an extensive retest.

 

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bikeman01 replied to Jimmy Ray Will | 3 years ago
4 likes

Jimmy Ray Will wrote:

The above action, resolves the case, gets a 'conviction' with the minimum of effort possible... Why wouldn't you?

Because I naively expect the police to uphold the law, do the right thing and serve the public not just look for the quick nick. 

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hawkinspeter replied to bikeman01 | 3 years ago
3 likes

bikeman01 wrote:

Jimmy Ray Will wrote:

The above action, resolves the case, gets a 'conviction' with the minimum of effort possible... Why wouldn't you?

Because I naively expect the police to uphold the law, do the right thing and serve the public not just look for the quick nick. 

It's a general problem that once you start measuring 'performance' you'll get unintended side effects of people 'gaming' the system to increase whatever stat is being measured.

Unfortunately that means that if we track the performance of police by measuring convictions, we're providing an incentive for police to get any kind of conviction as quickly and as easily as possible.

(You see a similar problem with teachers coaching kids how to pass exams and not focussing on what they understand)

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Hirsute replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
0 likes

And as they say in Line of Duty - 'laddering '

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lyndonf replied to Jimmy Ray Will | 3 years ago
8 likes

I genuinely hope this is not the case. I could not remain at the scene as the driver was antagonising me and would not get away from me. I did get back on the road and saw him behind me, and out of complete fear I mounted the pavement. I thought I was in the clear, but could still see him behind me. I was worried about getting run over, seeing the driver already proved he would try to hurt me. I was afraid and quite shaken, I hope the police could understand my hesitation to return to the road. 

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Mungecrundle replied to lyndonf | 3 years ago
3 likes

If you genuinely had cause to fear for your wellbeing then you are the victim of an assault, not merely a witness and this seems to be quite an important distinction as to how it is dealt with by the constabulary.

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wtjs | 3 years ago
4 likes

Driver is guilty.

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brooksby | 3 years ago
5 likes

I'll be honest - I switched off when the driver's opening comment was "No I did not [nearly hit you]" when he so clearly did... surprise

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ymm | 3 years ago
13 likes

Amazing and quite baffling behaviour from our driver here. To be a fly on the wall in the police/driver discussion would be a treat. That must happen, as this guy should not be allowed behind any wheel for everyone's sake.

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bikeman01 | 3 years ago
6 likes

You really should have taken the 'self defence' option and thumped him as he started to get close and aggressive. Sometimes people need to be taken down a peg or two.

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iandusud | 3 years ago
20 likes

Clearly that driver should have his licence revoked. That is one of the most worrying NMOTD I have seen here as it was an attempted assault and not just ignorant or bad driving. 

On another note why is it that drivers who obviously consider their journey has been delayed for a few seconds are prepared to stop, holding up other road users, and stand around having an argument? Clearly it has nothing to do with being held up in traffic, as I'm sure they don't do that evey time they get held up by another motorised vehicle, and simply a perverse hatred of cyclists (probably along with other minority groups who they blame for all the ills in the world). 

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Awavey replied to iandusud | 3 years ago
7 likes

I dont feel in these cases the driver is bothered about being held up, I mean they werent in this case theyd already passed if theyd just carried on youd have chalked it up to standard close pass off a traffic light

its that they believe you were riding in the wrong position and you needed to be taught that was wrong, and you hear that in this drivers justifying of their actions "you were too far out..", I mean so what even if you were why should that bother him anyway, its none of his business where you ride, but he decides you need to be taught to ride where he thinks you should be and thats what triggers the whole thing.

and if I had to take a punt as well Id suspect the drivers blood sugar was out of kilter,which can be a common problem with advancing years,and why pensioner drivers can often seem to be angry and rapidly escalate things for seemingly no reason, and also why I think what the driver says makes no sense in thats its just a bunch of jumbled up words and feelings, its not a rational conversation you end up having with them in this state.

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FrankH replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
2 likes

Awavey wrote:

and if I had to take a punt as well Id suspect the drivers blood sugar was out of kilter,which can be a common problem with advancing years,

Great diagnosis. If I had to take a punt I'd guess that you don't have any medical training but you've recently read about blood sugar on that interweb thing.  1

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Awavey replied to FrankH | 3 years ago
7 likes

and youd be quite correct Im not medically trained at all, but my dad was diabetic in his later years, and we ended up quite adept at spotting the signs his blood sugar levels werent normal.

people dont fly off the handle like that for no reason, unless they are using recreational drugs, just unstable anyway, or theres a medical explanation, and Id pick the medical explanation in this case as the most likely, you are free to disagree and promote your own theory if you wish of course

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David9694 replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
6 likes

Yes they do. I think our rider had a narrow escape from the patriarch of the Wycombe Chainsaw Massacre family there.  He sounds as screwed-up as the on the snooker club driver in Budleigh Salterton. 

Whether your blood sugar theory/excuse is right, this guy is not fit to be in charge of anything motorised. 

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wtjs replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
4 likes

Id suspect the drivers blood sugar was out of kilter,which can be a common problem with advancing years

It's not the advancing years, it's the advancing girth- although the two are moderately correlated.

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Mungecrundle | 3 years ago
19 likes

Given the standing puddles of water and parked vehicles, the cyclist was absolutely correctly positioned. Ironically, so was the motorist giving plenty of space at the lights and positioning for a clean overtake once moving. Why he decided it was his civic duty to run the cyclist off the road is something that hopefully he will be explaining in court and then in the pub for years to come as he recounts how he lost his driving licence to anyone who will listen.

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IanMK replied to Mungecrundle | 3 years ago
11 likes

Particularly, at this time of year that's the position you'll find me in. It's generally safer but there's a number of drivers that think you're just doing it to piss them off. I'm not sure why the police don't recognise this and as a consequence run campaigns to explain it to drivers. I did have one guy that told me I should have been further over. I asked for his email address to send him reference material explaining it but he drove off. Luckily his company's email address was on the side of his van so I sent it to them😂

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Velophaart_95 replied to IanMK | 3 years ago
6 likes

This absolutely!! We need more campaigns/ public information films making people aware of what is/isn't allowed. I'll be generous and say some people may not realise - others do, but don't care.

It's no good people quoting the Highway Code - most of these people haven't read since they were learning.

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Gary's bike channel | 3 years ago
6 likes

you were too far out in the woad?

 

i think he will find his seat was nearly in the centre of the actual road, so actually, HE is too far out in the road. why doesnt he drive using the left hand seat and cut the right hand one off? takes up too much road space but has the cheek to tell someone using far less of it to use even less.   like a fat sumo wrestler going into a primary school and telling the children to stop eating their lunch because he needs more of it due to his silly size.

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sensei | 3 years ago
11 likes

The Collins dictionary needs updating as this video provides the perfect definition of "ignorance". The sense of privilege to drive has long been lost on this fool and it's morphed into a dangerous sense of entitlement. If you get no action from the local police on this one then you need to go public and shame them into action, because that driving behaviour cannot continue, next time it will be serious injuries or worse caused. Plus if the next victim isn't blessed with such patience this deluded old boy will find himself waking up in a hospital bed.

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leisurist | 3 years ago
4 likes

This happens to me occasionally. And when a driver goes out of their way to stop and wait for me to come up to them so they can further yell and scream in my face, I just dont let them. I turn around. Get as far away from them as I can. I don't let them engage further, what possible good outcome could there be? I dont have a camera, so I guess maybe this has something to do with it, but I am more concerned with my safety than catching the bastard. You got their plates, stay the hell away from them!

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Rendel Harris | 3 years ago
14 likes

Massive kudos Lyndon for not losing your shit there - I wish I had your self control!

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