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news
NMotD 230.PNGNear Miss of the Day 230: Cyclist squeezed between parked vehicles and close-passing van (includes swearing)
Today's video in our Near Miss of the Day series shows something that will be familiar to any cyclist - a motorist overtaking a rider as they pass a line of parked vehicles, causing them to get squeezed between the two.
It's made worse in this case by the fact there is a vehicle coming in the other direction too - meaning the van driver gives even less space to the cyclist being overtaken.
It was filmed on Monday in North Parade, Portsmouth by road.cc reader Adam, who told us: "My language is a bit colourful as the van passes, but I composed myself and just looked at the driver at the traffic lights.
"I could not believe that he overtook me whilst I was passing parked vehicles and there was an oncoming vehicle on the other side of the road.
"He seemed to realise his poor spacial conduct, but then could have given more passing space after the lights to redeem himself.
"This is one of many closes passes that I have experienced on Northern Parade, and my lack of confrontation this time may mean that I am starting to become immune to it."
> 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.
Latest Comments
- Arjimlad 2 sec ago
That's very disappointing. Sometimes the fear/shock of a nasty close pass remains in the system for hours afterwards, it's wholly understandable...
- dubwise 14 min 54 sec ago
Anyone else getting fed up with the constant "controversial cycling this, controversial cycling that" narrative?
- Cugel 25 min 37 sec ago
The stuff we eat comes from non-supermarket sellers who are mostly packaging free - certainly the dates, figs, bananas and oats are all bought ...
- mitsky 58 min 8 sec ago
While I agree that driving relatively short distances is wastefull and unneccessary, I drove to 6th form daily for 6 months after I passed my...
- Boopop 1 hour 43 min ago
Bravo! I'd love to know what modifications were made to it. I would hope going up huge hills means he had lower gear than standard.
- Paul J 2 hours 28 min ago
Where do you get those numbers? I have their Power Shield Pro and Power Shield RPM pages open here now and I read this, C&Ping from the pages...
- Beatnik69 3 hours 16 min ago
I have a funny feeling that Translink don't allow bikes on trains before 9am, which is ridiculous. They ned to bring back the guard van that used...
- Daveyraveygravey 3 hours 24 min ago
+1 for my Proviz jacket. It's a proper one although I think I got it half price for £50....
- eburtthebike 3 hours 49 min ago
Much better than what I was trying to concoct.
- chrisonabike 4 hours 6 min ago
Was it you that stole my bike?...
Add new comment
23 comments
Ignorance is bliss.
I'm ignoring Don's shenanigans, but obviously have to post about it otherwise he wouldn't know that I know that he knows that I'm ignoring him.
And I'm supporting both you and Don by immediately ignoring both of you. Please ignore this post.
I'm sitting on the fence for this one. Please ignore these posts.
more_posts.png
This is the only way I can think of topping your post
cast-iron-squirrel-post-cap-base_1_e871d46b1f88b5c3b7abe79a3d09d548.jpg
What the hell are you talking about, man?
No idea - that must have been written by a spoof account.
Spoof account? Well I never...
I don't know what this is about either...
I would say virtually all my close passes are the same reason as this.... the overtaking driver decided to overtake when there is an oncoming vehicle or obstruction which causes them to move over, the sheer lack of observation is appauling and this is something that somehow needs to be addressed.
I had one coming head on at me this evening. Cyclist just doing what they do, I was coming in the opposite direction and the oncoming van decided to overtake.
Result, a dangerous overtake. For those that know Hoole Road at rush hour, a completely pointless overtake.
Outrageous!
Almost certainly a hire van, so possibly not experienced, but that is no excuse. If you aren't experienced you take more care, not less.
Overtake made worse by the fact that if the driver had waited literally a second, they could have passed safely. As Adam says, he probably realised how bad his driving was, and at the lights he is well over to the right.
And had they waited 10 seconds they would have been stopped at exactly the same place in the short queue for the light, not only was it a dangerous pass it was a completly pointless one
Shocking
And.....here....we......go!
And.....here....we......go!
Some might say egregious.
An egregious maneuvre maybe, but sorry - what exactly is 'shocking' about it?
This is the standard behaviour of the vast majority of drivers who don't give a damn about others.
I was nearly killed by a driver a few weeks back. You can admire my youtube video where I have a fantastic exchange with the driver. You cannot hear it though as there is no sound, but believe me that my rapier wit was cutting and I left the fool destroyed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKaeEik6P8k&t=13s
Is this a parody account of Cycle.London?
Not cool.
Shocking!
Will you be posting a link to your youtube channel in the comments on every near miss of the day video?
That's no way to talk to someone on their first post. How about an apology and a proper welcome for them now?
Well, 'I' might. But since 'I' didn't post the above comment, the issue is really academic.
The person responsible for the spoof account has been banned.