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news
Near Miss of the Day 540: “You were too far out in the road”
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
I would have gone in to 'fight or flight'. Can't say which way it would have gone. I would love that level of composure. I'm a work in progress.
I had an old man like that shouting at me once when I'd taken primary appropriately and delayed him several entire seconds. He was beeping his horn behind me, then after passing me did a brake check. I got on the pavement, and he opened his door, stood up, and after some back and forth threatened to "kick my ass."
I just replied, calmly, "I have time." He got back in.
The best part was the horrified, embarrassed look on the face of his younger female passenger during the whole exchange.
wow, what a deeply unpleasant person he was. Good luck with the police report.
How is that some drivers think they are there as Road Marshalls ( and this despite their skewed view of what the rules are ) and that their car is some sort of enforcement implement. It is a significant lump of metal that can main and kill, don't ever point it at people, don't ever drive it at people. That has got to be a ban, or even a criminal conviction. It wasn't careless, it was deliberately threatening. Btw dear motorist in the clip: bring a car that close to me, and for fear for my personal safety I will instantly make you back it away again, and for good measure help you remember never to threaten my safety again
The "Road Marshall", self-appointed, and with a made-up rule book is a massive concern of mine and should be for all of us.
Clearly, there are plenty of terrible drivers in that area as many parts of the verge have been destroyed by pavement parking!
The rider showed much, much more patience than I would. I'd have started Effing and Jeffing at the driver almost straight away after the stupid old fart tried to run me off the road like that, and if he had continued to approach me the way that he did, I'd have punched him.
Me too. If you're prepared to leave your car, you better be prepared to fight me.
Me too. I would have slapped that old c++t in the face.
If you had been forced to change your path because of a man with a weapon he have been arrested and charged, but because the car was a weapon nothing proportionate will happen. Disgraceful.
correct.. and if you strike out at the car and damage it, the police will come after you.
"My son rides one of these all around country"
"So would he have liked a vehicle going passed too close and then turning into him?"
I hope they do something about him.
However, one slight criticism, and I can understand why with adrenaline etc and the need to get away, but you appear to have rejoined the road right next to the vehicle coming along. If there was a slight pothole there you could have come off straight under the wheels etc. Especially at wobble speeds as well.
Jeez, the ignorance and arrogance are unbelievable.
Sadly I found the ignorance and arrogance all too believeable.
yep.. after being subjected to a close pass, I remonstrated with the driver at the next intersection, who told me to get off the road and then stopped his vehicle further along and wanted to fight me.. the same sort of idiot that goes to pubs and clubs, just to find someone to fight with.
If he had been in my face like that after running me off the road, he would not have stayed upright for long. Seems he doesnt give a shit about his own health or safety either.
My sentiments entirely. But it wouldn't have improved the situation I suppose.
kudos for staying that calm in the situation, Id have been absolutely livid at someone driving into my space that way and forcing me on the pavement to escape being hit, thats a clear punishment push to ride on the cycle path move and I would not have been able to stop swearing continuously at them if theyd remotely dared to stop in the middle of the road to then argue about it.
"My son rides one of these" is a new variant on "I'm a cyclist myself".
Presumably you sent TVP the video? They've generally been very good at dealing with these, but less so with proactively following up with updates since Covid hit. Definitely an NIP in the post if previous results are anything to go by.
In Essex I would have to weigh up getting a NIP for cycling on the pavement as opposed to the driver getting a NIP.
"You almost caused an accident" errr no, you almost ran a vulnerable user off the road and potentially off their bike. That old bloke should not be allowed to drive, so I suppose I would send it in.
Please chase this up and demand an NIP if the police haven't taken action within 14 days. That kind of threatening driving and bad attitude need addressing.
Check up before 14 days. Based on some recent responses here, after 14 days they'll say "oops, we were going to, but it's too late now."
That's a proper punishment pass - using the vehicle as a weapon to intimidate other people.
Would be if he'd actually passed! It's pure rage, this chap should not be behind the wheel.
Well done to Lyndon for keeping his cool. He's had more than his fair share of nasty incidents lately, so plenty of practise dealing with nutters.
No, it wasn't a punishment pass, it was an assault with a deadly weapon, and if there hadn't been a dropped kerb there, the driver would have knocked the cyclist off.
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