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news
Near Miss of the Day 236: Close pass with BMW driver (includes swearing)
Today’s video in our Near Miss of the Day series shows a BMW driver in West Sussex overtaking a cyclist without leaving sufficient room. The rider points out that yes, he was riding out from the kerb due to road defects but even if he hadn’t been, it would still have qualified as a close pass.
It happened yesterday in Felbridge and was submitted by road.cc reader Phil, who said: “I was getting bored training on the turbo so decided to dust off an old mountain bike.
“I was travelling at about 25mph in a 30mph zone on a rough bit of road moving around more than usual to avoid the pot holes and ironwork, the first two cars clearly saw this and gave me loads of room but the third didn't or didn't like my road position and left me no room.
“If you pause the film at 19/20 seconds you can see me leaning away from the car to avoid a collision.”
Phil continued, “Some may say I was too far out and I accept that, but if you look at the position of the BMW relative to the white lines, even if I was next to the kerb it would be a close pass.”
“PS,” he added, “I’m back on the turbo now.
> 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.
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A few problems here https://youtu.be/0P0a_n6XgrQ?t=125
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37 comments
Intimidating and deliberate. No need for that whatsoever. Hope you get back on your bike soon or he has achieved his goal of taking cyclists off the road.
As I mentioned the other day, I would report the driver for this punishment pass and close pass. I've just had an email from the Police to say that they're now issuing the driver with a NIP (notice of intent to prosecute).
I remain to be convinced whether it'll go to court or not, and whether anything will happen. I've had some appalling responses from Sussex Police in terms of Roads Policing (such that I've had to make complaints to their Professional Standard Dept due to the Police making multiple mistakes).
That said I hope this driver is charged and found guilty.
Sussex Police claimed "cyclist error" 4 years ago when I was hit from behind, in a mandatory cycle lane, by a 72-year-old taxi driver at 40mph (I was barely moving due to a cleat engagement issue). It seems this was all they needed to do so as not to need to do any proper investigation or further police work.
TRL investigated my GPS logs and provided a thorough report that closely matched my version events and totally did not match the taxi driver's version of events. I settled for a large sum the day before it was scheduled for court (I lost a kidney, nearly lost my spleen, broke 6 ribs off at the spine and various other associated trauma). I feel this shows Sussex Police's 2-minute "investigation" was entirely biased. I really should have made a formal complaint but my health, work, compensation case and other stuff was rather more important.
I'm lucky i haven't been injured (recently). But in my case things such as
Failed to send a NIP (apparently they didn't know they needed to, even tho i told them) -- driver attempted to ram me from behind. had witnesses corroborating my evidence
Failed to follow up and interview the driver within 18 months, thus the case was discharged (there's a time limit, from memory i've said 18 mths but it could be slightly different). This was for a close pass, that was so bad the CTC (or whatever they're called) used my video for their close pass (or whatever it was called) advert
Decided that about a 20cm gap was sufficient for an overtaking car and caravan because we both carried on without a collision
decided that when i was given a punishment pass (similar to this video) but also included almost taking out a pedestrian that nothing would be done because i told the driver to 'off'
etc
sorry to hear about your incident :(. i hope you feel somewhat better
When I see things like this I find myself guilty of having silly fantasies such as, like the Aston Martin in Goldfinger, having a pop out machine gun. Although, when a driver of a Currys artic. did it to me, a bazooka would have been more use.
I keep thinking about a powerful catapult with an inch ball bearing, which would make a very satisfying dent, but never do it because I'd be worried about it causing the driver to lose control and have a collision. That's the trouble when you care about other people but they don't care about you.
It's not all BMW drivers and it's not solely BMW drivers. (I drive an electric BMW at the moment.) This particular dangerous idiot was waaay too close, especially after having been shown two good examples of overtaking immediately prior.
I was riding back from my usual Saturday morning Parkrun when I experience a moron in an MPV that passed me within a couple of feet. I could have reached out and touched his car, I've experienced far worse but a less experienced rider could have been quite shaken up etc. A second or two later I calmly reached out to draw an imaginary line on my right to show what touching distance was (barely the middle of the lane). The driver was obviously looking for a reaction and furiously gesticulated that I should be further to the left, as it happened my tyres were exactly where cars' left tyres tend to be, so I don't see how I should be any further to the left. It's a shame I didn't catch him up to educate him.
There are many dangerous idiot drivers who like to bully and endanger vulnerable road users, they need to be reported and removed from the roads. Ideally, I would like them to be forced to cycle.
Which one do you do? I'm usually at Reading.
Woodley, usually. I once finished 4th at the Reading one (by the Thames). Dinton is a bit stoney for me. Haven't tried Prospect Park yet, apparently it's a bit muddy
Think I just started following you on Strava
Hope you don't mind.
The only way to solve these close passes is to have some mechanism of clearly indicating the safe passing distance to drivers who might be unsure. Perhaps some sort of radar/sonar activated flame thrower that can project a 1.5m long reminder. It would work in the dark too. I wonder if Colin Furze could help...
Utter bollocks.
The safe passing distance was clearly demonstrated by the first vehicles in the above video. The safe passing distance is to overtake using a completely different lane and at an appropriate time. I.e not into oncoming traffic, near junctions or where there are road restrictions and pinch points.
The close pass in this particular video was wilful harassment. The Police need to take such incidents seriously as such attitude is not compatible with safe operation of a toaster. Let alone a vehicle.
Quite right. I was being too conservative. A wall of fire across the lane will learn 'em.
“Claim the lane with a wall of flame”, Dragons Den here I come...
.. .find some way of finding the driver and inflict life-changing injuries on him/her.
There. Fixed it for you.
I agree with Burtthebike - multiple reports of the same incident will probably just annoy the police. I'd be more inclined to report it and then follow up with a complaint if the outcome is unsatisfactory. Complaints should actually be counted in their stats whereas dismissed (by them) close passes won't.
Also agree that nothing's wrong with the road positioning.
Phil, you were in a good position, riding in the left hand wheel rut, this wasn't in any way your fault. It was all on the driver.
Totally agree, cycle position was fine making it clear to everyone that you are there. In line with Bikeability training and the RoSPA guidance to motorists on where cyclists should be positioned.
And not only that, the first two cars passing showed that the rider was positioned correctly and that it was perfectly safe to make a proper overtake. The BMW driver was making a point, a stupid and dangerous one.
i have personal experience about how awful sussex police can be, and how they've failed to take these seriously and act in a professional manner.
i've several cases which they've completely messed up.
FWIW, i've reported it via Op Crackdown
https://webcontact.sussex.police.uk/ASDPRS/
I suggest that anyone interested in this reports it as well to Crackdown (we should flood them with reports so that they do something).
you can copy in a link for the youtube video
I would suggest stating that it took place in Felbridge West Sussex on 13/1/2019.
I would suggest stating that it was a punishment pass, on purpose, and CPS charging guidelines would put that down as dangerous driving versus careless, and that the police should issue the driver a NIP (notice of intent to prosecute).
Thanks to whoever helped with the number plate (although the actual youtube video is clearer!)
FWIW, i've reported it via Op Crackdown
https://webcontact.sussex.police.uk/ASDPRS/
I suggest that anyone interested in this reports it as well to Crackdown (we should flood them with reports so that they do something).
you can copy in a link for the youtube video
I would suggest stating that it took place in Felbridge West Sussex on 13/1/2019.
I would suggest stating that it was a punishment pass, on purpose, and CPS charging guidelines would put that down as dangerous driving versus careless, and that the police should issue the driver a NIP (notice of intent to prosecute).
Thanks to whoever helped with the number plate (although the actual youtube video is clearer!)
FWIW, i've reported it via Op Crackdown
https://webcontact.sussex.police.uk/ASDPRS/
I suggest that anyone interested in this reports it as well to Crackdown (we should flood them with reports so that they do something).
you can copy in a link for the youtube video
I would suggest stating that it took place in Felbridge West Sussex on 13/1/2019.
I would suggest stating that it was a punishment pass, on purpose, and CPS charging guidelines would put that down as dangerous driving versus careless, and that the police should issue the driver a NIP (notice of intent to prosecute).
Thanks to whoever helped with the number plate (although the actual youtube video is clearer!)
Flooding the police with a report about a single incident is hardly likely to improve the outcome, they are more likely to think that it's some kind of vendetta. The best anyone else apart from the victim could do is probably to contact the Police and Crime Commissioner, using this as an example and demanding action from the police.
+1 Please, please report this.
Report to the police if you haven't already.
Nothing will change if you don't.
Just ridiculous that the driver should endanger someone's life to make some invalid point, which dwells only in their tiny minds. It's at times like these I hope for a traffic light changing to red further up, or driver getting to the back of a queue.
I agree with everything the cyclist said!
cyclist was in an ideal position. perhaps too close to the kerb. (i'd ride in primary). anyway, i live in west sussex so this hacks me off. can anyone ascertain the number plate so i can report it.
YC59 NYT
Nothing to worry about, the government's review of road laws is going to sort everything out and dangerous, entitled, idiot drivers like this will be banged up and their licences revoked until they learn to drive. Like they promised in 2014. Just as soon as they start it.
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