"When will drivers treat cyclists as humans?": Cyclist riding with his kids gets cut off before a roundabout... and then gets close-passed by a van driver

A cyclist had taken his two kids for a spin on Sunday morning, hoping to train them key riding skills such as road positioning, but his efforts were blocked by a driver who decided to cut them off anyway, despite proper signalling and positioning. And then minutes later, as they were enjoying the ride back home, a van driver close-passed them at high speed, meaning the young riders went from "happy delight" to nervousness and anxiety.

A resident of Rugby, the cyclist told road.cc that he took his kids along for the ride yesterday as it makes for a good opportunity to "go through a couple of roundabouts en route from our house to the church and get them used to how they work and how to position".

"I take them both on the road whenever I can, because there's no better way to learn how to be safe - and if I leave it till they're e.g. 13 they'll be much less inclined to listen and learn," he said. "It is, however, why I ensure I always keep on the outside of them, so that they don't bear the brunt of this type of behaviour."

> Viral video of driver refusing to stop for five-year-old cyclist debated on Jeremy Vine's Channel 5 show

As they were making their way across Whitehall Road in Rugby, the cyclist said that the daughter — the elder of the two children — was more comfortable and had ridden up ahead, followed by the younger son and himself.

I've just told them to signal and get in lane for the correct lane of the upcoming roundabout

This is what this 60 something lady thinks is safe & acceptable driving having seen that ahead of her🤯

How can we get drivers to treat cyclists as humans?@theJeremyVine @AndyCoxDCS pic.twitter.com/sEoSC7F8hg

— pedalmania (@pedalmania1) November 19, 2023

He was explaining to them how to look, signal and position for the right-hand lane coming up before the roundabout, which he said that they managed well. However then, a driver in a blue Ford Ka came from behind and cut them off.

The cyclist said: "To say I was astonished when the blue Ka pulled out to overtake is an understatement. I wondered if she was short-cutting a turn into the school - but quickly realised not.

"I was then worried she was going to cut in between us and split us up which would have been problematic as well - but in the event she just carried on all the way and cut in front of my daughter just as she was reaching the roundabout.

"Fortunately my fear that someone would take a fast left from the road ahead and meet her head-on did not come to be - although one did turn in very soon after."

> “The kid can cycle, but can the driver drive?”: Parents demand safer cycling infrastructure as video shows 5-year-old having to navigate traffic and blocked bike lane

And then as they were making their way back home through Coventry Road in Dunchurch, multiple drivers passed them safely, causing the deciduous leaves to blow and swirl, delighting the young boy. However, soon after, a van driver goes past them at a high speed and honking his horn, at a distance the cyclist believed was "dangerously close".

Then, on the way back home - this charmer - see how quickly my son goes from happy delight to "that's why I don't like going on the road"

Enough width on this road for a tank to pass us all with 1.5m clearance, even with oncoming traffic - but they choose this instead pic.twitter.com/H0po8zntoG

— pedalmania (@pedalmania1) November 19, 2023

In the video, the boy's elder sister can be heard sarcastically commenting "Thank you!" at the driver, while the boy, who the father said was generally more nervous than his sister, says: "This is why I don't like going on roads."

The cyclist told road.cc: "Unfortunately as you can hear, it is not his only experience of this nature. He doesn't like it, but it doesn't stop him from going out on the road with us.

"I take them both on the road whenever I can, because there's no better way to learn how to be safe, and if I leave it till they're like 13, they'll be much less inclined to listen and learn. It is, however, why I ensure I always keep on the outside of them, so that they don't bear the brunt of this type of behaviour.

"But he is a pretty competent and sensible cyclist for his age. He bounces back quickly, and it hasn't put him off any more than his existing nervousness about bad drivers."

> “In the middle of the road!” Motorist berates children cycling “harmlessly home from school” on empty cul-de-sac

He said that he had already reported the van driver to the police, but didn't bother with the driver of the Ford Ka. He said: "It was more just jaw-dropping poor driving, and the potential for it to go badly wrong than any actual danger in the event - but that was pretty much luck on her part.

"If she was really that impatient to pass, she'd have been safer to dive into the left lane to do so. If I did report then it's 100% cert that local force would either NFA or at most send a warning letter, and it just isn't worth the effort."