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news
Near Miss of the Day 437: Van driver speeds along narrow country lane straight at cyclist (includes swearing)
This is one of the most frightening submissions we've ever seen in our Near Miss of the Day feature, with the driver of a van towing a trailer speeding down a narrow country lane towards a cyclist and missing him by inches.
It was filmed on 29 May in Clappers Farm Road, near Bramley, Hampshire, by road.cc reader and YouTube user Uphillfreewheeler, who told us: "I had stopped so was unable to take primary to slow the driver who just barrelled through regardless of my safety. I wasn't expecting fast traffic on this narrow lane with a ford just behind me.
"The rear registration did not match the front. The trailer was carrying machinery which leads to the suspicion it may possibly have been stolen.
"I didn't report this incident to the police but I really should have done. Unfortunately Hampshire Constabulary are notoriously poor in enforcing the law against dangerous drivers caught on a cycle camera."
> 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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13 comments
This is indeed like Lancashire! Tractor drivers, white vans and SUV yummy mummies- narrow roads and no attempt to slow down. This should have been reported
Please pass it to the Police crime commissioner stating that you have no confidence in the Hants Police but could he/she prove you wrong!
I live very near here, and cycle down there often. I never drive down there, it isn't worth the effort, so narrow, very few passing places, and often horse riders, walkers and of course cyclists. It is incredibly narrow, with a blind crest over a little hill, and blind corners, the ford has a cracked pot holed road either side of it.
Please report this, I cycle here, my young daughter cycles here, and many others cycle here, some with young families. And that is before we get on to the horse riders.
some days, the intelligent positioning of one's bike will help calm the traffic for a safe pass. Other days you just have to throw yourself into the hedgerow to avoid getting killed by a psychotic idiot. Thank goodness you read what was happening there. I think they would have ploughed straight through you otherwise. Surely that had to be a criminal offence not a motoring offence. Total disregard for human life.
As frustrating as it might be, if you don't report it then things will never change. At some point there will be plenty of data that can be used to force change. Without it then everyone thinks all is ok and nothing ever changes.
Report it. If youy aren't happy with the outcome then make an official complaint - more data...
What's the point in reporting? I was told by Hertfordshire police that they don't care much about my reports unless I die. Reply from Essex after reporting close pass on a blind corner was that it wouldn't stand in court. While close pass on straight in London was penalised with ticket & points (from Cyclegaz video).
Both forces hide behind 'data protection act' because I could potentially identify the driver.
I got fed up with reporting because I don't believe anything will change police attitude towards cyclists.
On such driving - had a number of drivers coming from opposite direction when their lane is blocked with parked cars. So many of them neither slow down nor actually make room.
True, they don't- but you have to keep going! I may be having some success in my 'police ignoring red light jumping' campaign, but I think they have several tricks left to deploy in their ceaseless quest to both rid the roads of the cyclist scourge and discourage the reporting of offences. However, the disdain for all that legislation about traffic lights is a risky strategy for them- they have managed to disappear 'close passing' as an offence, but 'traffic lights'?
For the possibility of the theft, if nothing else ? It might not affect you much, but that might have some usefulness for the community.
Honestly ?
Quiet country roads should be 'safe', but actually rarely are..... You can't relax ever; busy roads you expect trouble, but the rural/semi rural roads are just as dangerous as many people treat them as a race track/rally stage....and the surfaces can be poor and unsuited to high speeds.
Depressing.
How depressing is it that Hampshire Police have such a bad reputation that the cyclist probably isn't going to report this?
Hampshire Constabulary have a dire reputation where cyclists are endangered or injured. They actively victim blame and provide excuses for the driver involved. And they talk to cyclists as if they are shit.
i reported so many drivers to Hants police. Basically told unless killed or seriously injured nothing would happen. The best outcome I got was apparently a letter sent to a driver saying he was a naughty boy for nearly killing me.
Horrendous.. complete disregard.
possibly could assist the police with other investigations (theft) and incorrect number plates if reported.