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(Not so) Near Miss of the Day 396: Driver gives loads of space

Our regular series featuring close passes from around the country - today it's Dorset ...

Every now and again on our Near Miss of the Day feature, we show a motorist who deserves applause because they do the opposite and leave plenty of space to a cyclist.

One of our regular contributors, Dave who lives in Dorset, sent us this clip through.

It's a recipe for a standard close pass video ... there's a pinch point in the road due to a traffic island, and there is oncoming traffic.

But on this occasion ... perhaps, as Dave posits, because some drivers are being more considerate now (though there is plenty of evidence that others aren't) ... he gets given a very wide berth.

> 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.

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5 comments

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srchar | 4 years ago
4 likes

Clearly a bike rider.

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spen | 4 years ago
7 likes

I was out yesterday and had something similar but more surprising happen.

 

I was approaching a bit of road with two islands in the middle with a car coming up behind.  I pulled out abitto claim the lane as I passed the first island and then pulled in and slowed to letthe driver pass before the second. It quickly became clear that they weren't going to pass so I sped up and passed the second island with the driver still behind me.  They then passed me, in the opposite lane giving a very topical 2m at least. 

And the surprising bit, they were driving a white BMW!

 

There are some out here who can actually think and drive at the same time

Avatar
Gary's bike channel | 4 years ago
4 likes

thanks simon. i wish id got the reg so i could post it on rate driver but cannot make it out. Thats how i always pass cyclists too, so yes, they probably do ride too. 

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NZ Vegan Rider | 4 years ago
6 likes

 

Good to see someone doing the right thing  3

I'm still riding most days. There are very few cars and the drivers are giving me more space. Perhaps they're reluctant to send me to hospital!

I've still had to do a few complaints though - including a cop who passed me on the brow of a hill.

Avatar
Richard D replied to NZ Vegan Rider | 4 years ago
12 likes

There's a reasonable chance that a driver who gives a cyclist that much space is themselves used to riding a bike.

I know that I do both.

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