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Video: Driver turns across Jeremy Vine’s path on new pop-up bike lane

Social media questions about whose fault it was robustly answered by police

Broadcaster Jeremy Vine has posted footage of a couple of near misses suffered within moments of each other while riding home on a new pop-up bike lane this week.

The incidents occurred while Vine was riding along Hammersmith Road yesterday (Friday).

After first manoeuvring around a motorist who emerged from a side road and positioned their vehicle across the bike lane, Vine continued on his way.

He then almost immediately suffered a driver turning left across his path – and almost into him – from the adjacent motor traffic lane.

“What the hell?” said Vine as the driver pulled over.

“Oh my God, I didn’t see you at all,” she replied.

Vine then told her not to worry.

Writing on Twitter, he explained: “I just could see she was anxious, and alarmed, and I didn't want to make things worse. An apology always helps.”

Social media being social media, a number of people have replied to Vine’s video asserting that he was somehow to blame for the incident.

The Surrey Roads Policing Unit was unequivocal in responding to this.

They did however add:

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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11 comments

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Bungle_52 | 3 years ago
0 likes

The black car pulling out definitely in the wrong.

The silver car was ahead all the time and indicating left. I would have waited.

Well done for accepting the apology and moving on.

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Colin Peyresourde replied to Bungle_52 | 3 years ago
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Agree. You've got to ride defensively. He was sat in the silver cars blind spot for exactly the wrong space of time. Sit and wait to see what the vehicles are doing - especially in that sort of traffic. Many drivers think they're going so slow that they don't need to signal and won't perceptively slow while manoeuvring so will just turn.

That doesn't absolve them of blame, and it's shit driving. I just don't want to be an oversized piece of road kill, nor anyone else. City riding requires a lot of observation.

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Mark_1973_ | 3 years ago
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Oh to be a celebrity eh? I was smashed to bits by a van turning left on me on the  Millbank cycle lane (exactly the same as the recent Tesco van incident). 

I had two and a half years of stress whilst the police did absolutely nothing (apart from wait months to review the incident and then say too much time had passed). 

"Driver every time"....yeah, right!

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roubaixcobbles | 3 years ago
3 likes

Terrific reaction from JV, all to easy to let adrenaline take over and rip off regardless. The driver is clearly really upset with herself, no need for any further lecture. Wish I had his self control!

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BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 3 years ago
5 likes

Both those 'incidents' are just another day in the life of an urban cyclist. 

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Hirsute | 3 years ago
0 likes

That Twitter feed shows how incompetent most drivers are. It's ok to change lanes if you are indicating. (In a coned off lane ) he was coming up the inside. You can't see people in your mirrors

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robike | 3 years ago
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If the cycle lane was marked that wide properly and the red and white things weren't there:
- the black car would probably not have pulled out so far
- the cyclist can be further right then, ...
- start going round the back of a left turning car earlier

Do those barriers really improve things over a proper width of cycle lane - I'm very suspicious of the physically separated lanes because it adds significant obstacles to the cyclist.

I'm in the market for a loud horn - has road.cc done reviews.

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TheBillder replied to robike | 3 years ago
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Why do you think that about the black car? I don't think that pulling out like that improves the sight lines on a straight road and the driver can surely see over the plastic barrier.
But you make an interesting point about physical separation - I had not thought that it can reduce escape options. On balance I think I prefer the protection from close passes, but clearly care at side roads is as important as ever.

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ktache replied to robike | 3 years ago
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I believe the horn he had was the AirZound, probably II, I have had a couple, they are excellent and you power them up with your bike pump.

Shockingly loud, you can converse with the insulated motorist in the "language" they understand.

Uninhibited by bodywork it has real volume.  I have yet to hear what it sounds like in front of the bike, but it is louder than behind. 

If anyone knows where I can buy the metal bottled one, that's the one I would like for my Ultimate Commuter.

Protected infrastructure gives less confident cyclists more confidence.  Paint very rarely stops drivers ingressing into cycle lanes.  Just look at all of the wear on the paint on even mandatory solid white lines.

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Deveron53 replied to robike | 3 years ago
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I've got one. I never use it as I don't have to dodge traffic. Don't test it out indoors. Ear splitting!

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spen | 3 years ago
4 likes

At least she had the decency to be shocked by what she'd done and didn't try to blame jezza for her careless mistake (yes, it was a mistake, not "punishment") 

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