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news
Near Miss of the Day 4: "Caravan idiot" passes cyclist way too closely
The latest edition of our Near Miss of the Day feature took place in the Peak District, involves a driver towing a caravan who overtook a cyclist far too close for comfort, and has a bit of a comic twist.
"Here's the good bit," says road.cc reader Martin Peake, who sent us a link to his YouTube video of the incident.
"The numpty then met a bus coming in the opposite direction, allowing me catch him and discuss his driving.
"Apparently, he had waited too long behind me, he was a cyclist, I gave cyclists a bad reputation etc etc...
"At this point, the guy in the red car which had passed me first came and joined in by laying into the caravanner.
"Good show!"
We couldn't agree more, and also found some comedy gold in the video that YouTube chose to show next - there isn't a bicycle in sight but trust us, it is a must-watch.
> Cyclist gets own back on caravan-towing driver who almost knocked him off his bike (+ link to video)
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 contact us via the road.cc Facebook page.
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
- HLaB 2 sec ago
Yip, a bus lane may make it slightly better for the existing " brave and bold cyclist" (I quite liked ones in Dublin and Edinburgh when I was young...
- mdavidford 3 min 50 sec ago
Now there's a thought to chill the marrow.
- stonojnr 24 min 55 sec ago
Norwich Airport is best part of 5miles from Norwich station, it's on a bypass/ringroad I wouldn't cycle it, though it's attempts at cycle infra...
- msackman 29 min 38 sec ago
Difficult to be sure from the photos, but could you confirm / correct me: it looks to me like the spokes are held into the hubs by tension alone. I...
- ravenbait 38 min 17 sec ago
Loads of cycling content on mastodon. Just need to follow the BikeTooter hashtag. I'm on Bluesky as well. Do not miss xitter one bit.
- Beatnik69 41 min 16 sec ago
I quite like some of these and already have a few. I like the cactus holder and the build-your-own bike. Maybe even the cushion. I have a bicycle...
- stonojnr 1 hour 7 min ago
So close to a hole in one and they didnt find a short cut https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2pg1qyqd0o
- james-o 1 hour 46 min ago
"some smoky black accents and fading on the arms and the bottom of the jersey." Reminds me of an oil-stained bird
- chrisonabike 2 hours 39 min ago
Did you go out the back of the wardrobe you found them in perhaps? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion,_the_Witch_and_the_Wardrobe
Add new comment
20 comments
"OldRidgeback [2759 posts] 5 hours ago
I'm curious where that close pass incident took place. It looks like a stretch of the route I take from the M1 when I drive to Buxton. It might be the A6 before you get to Matlock. It doesn't really matter, I'm just curious."
looks a bit further north to me - reckon it is the road heading south out of Hathersage to Grindleford, B6001 with the Derwent down to the left - narrow and winding with a few places to pass safely as the driver of the red ford demonstrated - when I see good passes like that I think forget 1m/1.5m laws - just make it "must fully change lanes to overtake cyclists"
Sir, you are correct.
The problem with long vehicles/vehicles with trailers is that drivers are oblivious. Once they have passed you they "forget" that there vehicle or combination maybe another 5 - 10m long and feel safe pulling back over.
This is bad enough from car drivers who have had no training operating vehicles that long. What is worse to me is the number of supposedly trained commercial vehicle drivers who also seem oblivious (or just don't care) about the length of the vehicle they are responsible for.
Exactly. I have a regular close passer on my commute - a f***-off great big coach (no markings, unfortunately). Last time was just yesterday, and he then stopped at the shops up the road, I gave him an earful when passing, he didn't even look in my direction. Wanker.
I didn't want to confront him as a) it won't make the blindest of difference, and b) he has a 5 ton weapon under his 'control'. Next time I might not think so rationally - although taking the reg number and reporting it would be wise I know. As would be actually carrying/using the camera I have.
I'm curious where that close pass incident took place. It looks like a stretch of the route I take from the M1 when I drive to Buxton. It might be the A6 before you get to Matlock. It doesn't really matter, I'm just curious.
I think you are right, it does look like the bit between Belper and Matlock
Isn't it southbound between Hathersage and Grindleford bridge? If it is its a horrible bit of road for cycling the light/dark combined witht he twistiness mean its somewhere I would avoid riding.
Yep, that's the bit I think. Though some of the other posters think otherwise. Like I said, it doesn't relly matter.
I've never cycled round there, though I've ridden my motorbike on a number of occasions and that was great.
I've been thinkinf taking my bike up there some time though. Some of the old railways are now cycleways and have some stunning scenery, which i'd be able to see on my bicycle, as i certainly can't when i'm on my motorbike!
I will be down there cycling this weekend so I'll let you know
So if he caught caravan man up......where's the video of his admonishment? I'd rather watch the argument or does it require a 'none of this really happened' jpg?
Because the camera is fixed below my Garmin and was thus audio only.
I feel a diagram coming on.
I don't have a caravan but I do drink Peroni.
Wasn't an Audi though so some road.cc members will be confused about this.
I can confirm that there is no confusion for us Audi owners we are not drivers just car and bicycle owners.
Yep, not a cyclist either:
1. have hair on legs
2. Have 6 bikes and told the wife it was enough
3. There are loads of other reasons.
Anyway I blame the BMW and Mercedes owners they're the real culprits - they think they own the road when we all know that roads are ONLY for Audis oh and maybe a few other VWG vehicles...
VAG vehicles, isn't it? Appropriately enough...
Typical caravan driver, probably forgot he was towing one.
Just a thought; if this was shown to Jeremy Clarkson, would he self combust in a spiral of indecision about who to hate more, caravans or cyclists?
I hope "Near Miss of the Day" is just a week-long feature.
There is a god. Poetic justice at its finest, and if only this happened to all those imbeciles doing the close passes.