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Sussex Police say they are now investigating video of driver who hit cyclist while attempting close pass

Cycling UK pleased that incident is being taken seriously

Sussex Police have said they are investigating a February 12 collision on the A23 in Crawley having reviewed dash cam footage which showed a motorist hitting a cyclist while attempting to squeeze past him.

The video was captured by Richard Moule who had been in the car behind when the incident took place.

Moule had said that he thought the matter was being dealt with through insurance only. However, investigating officer PC Steven Lambeth subsequently said: “We have been able to view the footage filmed from the car’s dash cam and have spoken to the cyclist, the witness who filmed the incident and the driver about what happened. At this stage we are still investigating.”

In a statement, Sussex Police added: “A police unit responding to an unrelated emergency call came across this collision between a car and a cyclist on Crawley Avenue and stopped to help. No-one had called the police.”

Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s Senior Road Safety and Legal Campaigns officer said: “Cycling UK is pleased to hear, despite earlier reports to the contrary, that Sussex police are taking this incident seriously and are currently conducting an investigation.”

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35 comments

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Griffsters | 7 years ago
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Looks intentional to me, driver veers left in a typical 'punishment' style manner. This is the exact opposite of what the driver should have been doing as they approached the lane closure. 

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Butty replied to Griffsters | 7 years ago
0 likes

Griffsters wrote:

Looks intentional to me, driver veers left in a typical 'punishment' style manner. This is the exact opposite of what the driver should have been doing as they approached the lane closure. 

 

I'd go for the veer due to them looking right for too long as they worry about not being let in to the single lane and allowing the car to drift off to the left.

Careless driving in my eyes.

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beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
0 likes

here's a radical little fantasy I had...

the woman pays for the damages, and is a bit shaken up at her actions that she shows increased awareness in the future

the cyclist gets some new kit and the bruise on his elbow heals up in a week or two, he learns to be a bit more wary of idiot drivers on busy traffic packed dual carriageways

they deal with it like two adults, having learnt from the incident and then go merrily on their way

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davel replied to beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
3 likes
beezus fufoon wrote:

here's a radical little fantasy I had...

the woman pays for the damages, and is a bit shaken up at her actions that she shows increased awareness in the future

the cyclist gets some new kit and the bruise on his elbow heals up in a week or two, he learns to be a bit more wary of idiot drivers on busy traffic packed dual carriageways

they deal with it like two adults, having learnt from the incident and then go merrily on their way

Enough of your nonsense - my pitchfork's not going away until it's done a-stabbin'.

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FluffyKittenofT... replied to beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
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beezus fufoon wrote:

here's a radical little fantasy I had...

the woman pays for the damages, and is a bit shaken up at her actions that she shows increased awareness in the future

the cyclist gets some new kit and the bruise on his elbow heals up in a week or two, he learns to be a bit more wary of idiot drivers on busy traffic packed dual carriageways

they deal with it like two adults, having learnt from the incident and then go merrily on their way

Fantasies are fine as long as you don't try to live in them. It's because people _don't_ generally behave like that that we invented the state and laws and stuff. The countries where the state has gone bye-bye don't seem to be living that dream, after all.

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edster99 replied to beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
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beezus fufoon wrote:

...

the cyclist gets some new kit and the bruise on his elbow heals up in a week or two, he learns to be a bit more wary of idiot drivers on busy traffic packed dual carriageways

...

 

ha ha.  'learns to be more wary of idiot drivers'.  That's like saying if you, as the Minchinhampton rugby XV, study the All Blacks it will mean you wont be splattered by them in a match.  Doesnt matter how wary you are - if they drive into you, you are still screwed.

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beezus fufoon replied to edster99 | 7 years ago
0 likes

edster99 wrote:

beezus fufoon wrote:

...

the cyclist gets some new kit and the bruise on his elbow heals up in a week or two, he learns to be a bit more wary of idiot drivers on busy traffic packed dual carriageways

...

 

ha ha.  'learns to be more wary of idiot drivers'.  That's like saying if you, as the Minchinhampton rugby XV, study the All Blacks it will mean you wont be splattered by them in a match.  Doesnt matter how wary you are - if they drive into you, you are still screwed.

...and that's why you lost your job as head sports psychologist of the Minchinhampton rugby team?

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waynem1983 replied to edster99 | 7 years ago
0 likes

edster99 wrote:

beezus fufoon wrote:

...

the cyclist gets some new kit and the bruise on his elbow heals up in a week or two, he learns to be a bit more wary of idiot drivers on busy traffic packed dual carriageways

...

 

ha ha.  'learns to be more wary of idiot drivers'.  That's like saying if you, as the Minchinhampton rugby XV, study the All Blacks it will mean you wont be splattered by them in a match.  Doesnt matter how wary you are - if they drive into you, you are still screwed.

 

Think Painswick RFC would stand a chance. 

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edster99 replied to waynem1983 | 7 years ago
0 likes

waynem1983 wrote:

edster99 wrote:

beezus fufoon wrote:

...

the cyclist gets some new kit and the bruise on his elbow heals up in a week or two, he learns to be a bit more wary of idiot drivers on busy traffic packed dual carriageways

...

 

ha ha.  'learns to be more wary of idiot drivers'.  That's like saying if you, as the Minchinhampton rugby XV, study the All Blacks it will mean you wont be splattered by them in a match.  Doesnt matter how wary you are - if they drive into you, you are still screwed.

 

Think Painswick RFC would stand a chance. 

 

Yeah, they are hard as nails.  Although I have heard Chalford are even tougher.

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OldRidgeback | 7 years ago
1 like

Clearly it was the fault of the road, or the traffic lights, or someone else.

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JohnnyRemo | 7 years ago
1 like

According to the Daily HateMail readers...

"The cyclist wobbled into the car"

"The cyclist should have noticed the car was too close"

"It's those stupid skinny tyres that made him fall"

"They're all crazy - look at that woman who tore the wing mirror of a van yesterday"

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230548 | 7 years ago
3 likes

Interesting the driver did stop but just couldn't make that little extra effort to get out of his tin box  and apologise/ ask if he could help/ apologise/ you can imagine the conversation in the car."Oh my god i have hit a cyclist, oh! he's alright he's got to his feet and somebody else has helped him. Well there's no point in us getting out as well, otherwise we'll be late getting to the /supermarket/library/lunch/coffee"............ anything better than facing the reality of your actions

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ChrisB200SX replied to 230548 | 7 years ago
2 likes

230548 wrote:

Interesting the driver did stop but just couldn't make that little extra effort to get out of his tin box  and apologise/ ask if he could help/ apologise/ you can imagine the conversation in the car."Oh my god i have hit a cyclist, oh! he's alright he's got to his feet and somebody else has helped him. Well there's no point in us getting out as well, otherwise we'll be late getting to the /supermarket/library/lunch/coffee"............ anything better than facing the reality of your actions

Apparently, she did eventually get out of her car after about 5 minutes. This, the fact that she took so long to brake and then put it in reverse is concerning, at best.

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SNS1938 | 7 years ago
2 likes

I find when I'm driving and I think I'm really close to something,  if I stop and get out, I'm actually a couple of feet away. To be close enough to clip someones bars, from my view in the drivers seat it would feel like I'm driving over the person.

Glad the rider, and bike, fell away from the car and a limb didnt go back under the wheels (as has happened to me). 

1) Driver has poor skills to cause the crash. Even if they'd not collided, it would still have been a pass with inches to spare. Some points and a re-test would seem sensible to me (in all casses like this ... you demonstrate you can't cope driving on the roads, you re-test).

2) The driver actually stopped, which is great to see. How many articles are there each week about riders being knocked off their bikes and drivers just driving away without even seeing if the rider is injured or not.

Hope the rider is made right with bike damage and any compensation needed to cover costs/hassle of medical/time off work etc.

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SL1D3R | 7 years ago
4 likes

If anything the car needed to be moving further over to the right not left to filter for the roadworks ahead, obviously oblivious to anything going on around them. If they had been maintaning a proper position behind the cyclists rather than creeping along side them, they would have seen that the cyclist wearing bright yellow jersey was continuing straight on.

There is no excuse for this, Clearly impatience mixed with incompetence and complete disregard for the cyclists safety.

If ever the close pass initiative was in question this is surely the evidence that is needed to keep it going.

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Oscarzero | 7 years ago
4 likes

I'm pleased that Sussex Police are investigating this further and I do tend to side with the unfortunate cyclist just...  But cyclist's really do need to learn how to take the primary position to avoid this kind of thing happening. Take the lane, protect yourself and the driver behind you. Be proud that you are a road user just like any other but hogging the kerb or side of the lane is a recipe for distater.

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davel replied to Oscarzero | 7 years ago
8 likes

Oscarzero wrote:

I'm pleased that Sussex Police are investigating this further and I do tend to side with the unfortunate cyclist just...  But cyclist's really do need to learn how to take the primary position to avoid this kind of thing happening. Take the lane, protect yourself and the driver behind you. Be proud that you are a road user just like any other but hogging the kerb or side of the lane is a recipe for distater.

Protect yourself and the driver from what? The driver being incompetent/stupid/spatially unaware enough to think that a few inches of space is safe overtake room? Protect the driver from their own stupidity? Do you really think that's the right way round to be looking at this?

I get your point and by the looks of that road I'd have been avoiding it or in primary too, but taking primary still leaves you completely at the mercy of shit driving, and it's that that needs to be tackled the most.

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Darkhairedlord replied to davel | 7 years ago
1 like

davel wrote:

Oscarzero wrote:

I'm pleased that Sussex Police are investigating this further and I do tend to side with the unfortunate cyclist just...  But cyclist's really do need to learn how to take the primary position to avoid this kind of thing happening. Take the lane, protect yourself and the driver behind you. Be proud that you are a road user just like any other but hogging the kerb or side of the lane is a recipe for distater.

Protect yourself and the driver from what? The driver being incompetent/stupid/spatially unaware enough to think that a few inches of space is safe overtake room? Protect the driver from their own stupidity? Do you really think that's the right way round to be looking at this?

I get your point and by the looks of that road I'd have been avoiding it or in primary too, but taking primary still leaves you completely at the mercy of shit driving, and it's that that needs to be tackled the most.

Watching the video, I thought the cyclist was going to turn left. I can imagine an inattentive driver would be trying to position ready for the road narrowing and already mentally ticked off the cyclist as having turned right with the other one.

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psling replied to Darkhairedlord | 7 years ago
3 likes

Darkhairedlord wrote:

Watching the video, I thought the cyclist was going to turn left. 

 

Why?

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harman_mogul replied to Darkhairedlord | 7 years ago
1 like

Darkhairedlord wrote:

Watching the video, I thought the cyclist was going to turn left. I can imagine an inattentive driver would be trying to position ready for the road narrowing and already mentally ticked off the cyclist as having turned right with the other one.

Exactly. The driver was under the impression the cyclist had peeled off to the left, and was not aware there were two cyclists, one going straight ahead—in other words, not paying attention.

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Grahamd replied to harman_mogul | 7 years ago
3 likes

harman_mogul wrote:

Darkhairedlord wrote:

Watching the video, I thought the cyclist was going to turn left. I can imagine an inattentive driver would be trying to position ready for the road narrowing and already mentally ticked off the cyclist as having turned right with the other one.

Exactly. The driver was under the impression the cyclist had peeled off to the left, and was not aware there were two cyclists, one going straight ahead—in other words, not paying attention.

Therefore prosecute for driving without due care and attention. Job done.

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Yorkshire wallet replied to harman_mogul | 7 years ago
2 likes
harman_mogul wrote:

Darkhairedlord wrote:

Watching the video, I thought the cyclist was going to turn left. I can imagine an inattentive driver would be trying to position ready for the road narrowing and already mentally ticked off the cyclist as having turned right with the other one.

Exactly. The driver was under the impression the cyclist had peeled off to the left, and was not aware there were two cyclists, one going straight ahead—in other words, not paying attention.

Saw this the other morning on the way to work. Car overtakes me, starts to pull back in, doesn't notice guy about 10m in front of me and nearly has a sorry mate. Just not paying attention and looking literally about 15 ft in front of their vehicles.

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Ric_Stern_RST replied to Oscarzero | 7 years ago
4 likes

Oscarzero wrote:

I'm pleased that Sussex Police are investigating this further and I do tend to side with the unfortunate cyclist just...  But cyclist's really do need to learn how to take the primary position to avoid this kind of thing happening. Take the lane, protect yourself and the driver behind you. Be proud that you are a road user just like any other but hogging the kerb or side of the lane is a recipe for distater.

i certainly side with the cyclist that has been hit, but yes, i'd have taken primary (in fact i probably ride primary all the time). However, here's the thing, what evidence is there that riding in primary leads to less close passes, collisions, etc? Does *anyone* have any data on such (note, i have one piece of data on this topic). 

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Hamster | 7 years ago
0 likes

Not going to court ever as the video published above has prejudiced the right to a fair trial. Don't publish to the web if you want a prosecution.

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flathunt replied to Hamster | 7 years ago
8 likes

Hamster wrote:

Not going to court ever as the video published above has prejudiced the right to a fair trial. Don't publish to the web if you want a prosecution.

http://road.cc/content/news/216708-jeremy-vine-road-rage-driver-likely-f...

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FluffyKittenofT... replied to Hamster | 7 years ago
3 likes
Hamster wrote:

Not going to court ever as the video published above has prejudiced the right to a fair trial. Don't publish to the web if you want a prosecution.

So in your considered opinion, a sure-fire way to get away with a crime is to video yourself doing it and then put it on the web?

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bendertherobot replied to Hamster | 7 years ago
1 like

Hamster wrote:

Not going to court ever as the video published above has prejudiced the right to a fair trial. Don't publish to the web if you want a prosecution.

I read this a lot. Can you explain how the fair trial is hampered by the existence of a video on the internet?

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steviemarco | 7 years ago
2 likes

The cyclist clearly lost balance and hit the car probably causing 20p worth of damage to the vehicle. The car was at least 2 inches away from the cyclist more than enough clearance! WTF was the driver thinking? This 'close pass' needs rolling out all across the country.

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atgni | 7 years ago
0 likes

Shouldn't take too long to pass to CPS. Dashcam footage should make enlightening veiwing in court.

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SevenHills replied to atgni | 7 years ago
6 likes

atgni wrote:

Shouldn't take too long to pass to CPS. Dashcam footage should make enlightening veiwing in court.

Oh the niavety you actually think the CPS will decide to prosecute and take it to court.

Bless! 

 

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