- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
Near Miss of the Day 169: Close overtake at speed - then driver gives cyclists the finger
Today's video in our Near Miss of the Day series shows a driver making a close pass on a group of cyclists on a road where there was plenty of room to overtake - then for good measure beeped the horn at the riders and gave them the finger.
Garry, the road.cc reader who filmed it, told us it took place at 0720 on 27 June.
He said: "It happened just outside Dunfermline to the north, where me and my mate were heading out for a gentle 100 miler.
"The road where it happened was quiet as it was early and is really wide, so easy to navigate past us.
"We were two abreast but as you can see, I'm not even halfway out in the lane so there is loads of room.
"The driver came up quite quickly and then went past with about 6 inches of room.
"Judging by the video, he had no intentions of slowing.
"We obviously showed our concern after he'd passed and he then stuck his finger out the window and sounded his horn as if it was our fault."
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.
Latest Comments
- ktache 2 hours 45 min ago
I don't think the fine toilet roll holder is made of an old chainset, looks more like the two biggest rings on a carrier from a cassette, my 9...
- Zazz53 3 hours 16 min ago
TBF there are plenty of mountain, gravel, Lime bikes and e-bikes using the Tamsin Trail. Have never seen a collision but have thought a number of...
- Rendel Harris 4 hours 50 min ago
Far be it from me to tell you your business, but if you want to promote your product sneakily on a website without paying for advertising then...
- JMcL_Ireland 6 hours 53 min ago
I absolutely stand by my criticism of Elite (note: I'm not criticising the volunteer marshals). They charge an arm and a leg for these events but...
- Destroyer666 7 hours 7 min ago
There's a lot of good stuff here, but shoe reviews are still lagging on average when comparing to for example bike or tire reviews. Specs relating...
- galibiervelo 7 hours 40 min ago
Loved the Bastion in the flesh but Lemond's bike has the soul. Nice event and met some friends and contacts but like the magazine, it does promote...
- chrisonabike 8 hours 32 min ago
Awaiting the next feckless driver asking the judge to delay the start of the sentence because "they owe a few more cyclists a proper goodbye"....
- Hirsute 9 hours 50 min ago
All in the article - road tax.
- chrisonabike 11 hours 4 min ago
Ah, but: in UK, if a motorist drives into you (or simply parks in a cycle lane, forcing you out into the path of another motorist) then the council...
Add new comment
12 comments
When you submit the footage, ask whether they also consider it a Section 5 public order offence for the obscene gesture.
Had a similar one today, the tyres could not have touched the central line.
Driver then 50 to 60 m further on left the road briefly with nearside tyres on the verge (no kerb).
Pissed or on his phone.
Wish I had a camera.
Well worth considering. Had my new Fly12 CE for about a week before some twat (fucking taxi driver) passed me at speed so closely that his offside wheels were well inside the centre line.
Uploaded details and footage segment to Avon & Somerset Police, got a response a few days later saying that they were sending a warning letter to the registered keeper and the taxi licensing authority. Better than nothing, I suppose.
Frankly, I can't see anything other than the mass use of video cameras by cyclists making a difference. The politicians don't care, the media are actively hostile to cycling, traffic enforcement by mobile police officers has collapsed to nothing, the police and the CPS let killer drivers off, the list goes on...
I have noticed that when a road has a white centre line, some drivers seem reluctant to cross that white line when overtaking cyclists, preferring to squeeze past between the cyclist and the line. They wouldn't think twice about crossing the line when overtaking a slower car.
True. And that demonstrates just how rubbish the current HC guidance on overtaking is, doesn't it?
Even worse when its a solid white line as rather than just wait a second or two, they MUST GET BY.
And painted cycle lanes are even worse - some drivers (and I'd estimate its a sizable proportion) are clearly of the opinion that as long as they're outside the line, they've given you enough space. So I ride ON the line. That's assuming there's not trees and grass growing out over the lane.
Ian Walker's research has shown that there are 1 - 2% of drivers who will pass close to another road user regardless of the road conditions. Whether this is due to a general disregard for others or an inability to judge distances isn't clear.
here is the link to uplaod your footage to the Police
https://www.nextbase.com/en-gb/national-dash-cam-safety-portal/
That's only for England and Wales unfortunately...
& based on my experience of submitting several so far, no response...
WL61 AUU Report it to the Police
Similar to my recent outdoor ride, utter scumbags with no respect for anyone