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news
Near Miss of the Day 308: "Reckless and plain idiotic driving"
Today’s video in our Near Miss of the Day series shows what the cyclist who filmed it describes as “probably the most reckless and plain idiotic driving I have seen” since he began commuting by bike.
It was filmed by road.cc reader George, who told us the incident happened on Barncroft Way in Havant, Hampshire on 16 September at around 7.50am.
He told us: “Conditions were overcast but clear with good visibility. I was cycling on my way to work when a blue Citroën decided to overtake me, speeding might I also add.
“There was another cyclist and a motorist on the opposite side of the road which the driver narrowly avoids.
“The driver put two cyclists, a motorist and themself all at risk for this stupid manoeuvre.
“The other cyclist was clearly scared by the driver, shouting at them after they had passed.
“I have been commuting by bike for the last three years and this is probably the most reckless and plain idiotic driving I have seen yet,” he added.
> 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.
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
- Rendel Harris 1 sec ago
So Elite Event Management, the professional company that took over running the event from ICVA in 2020, do it for free, do they?
- Slartibartfast 1 hour 38 min ago
What I find most amazing is that they didn't use this an opportunity to encourage drivers to check their vision and get an eye test. I was waiting...
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Three further incidents this week. What a bonanza!...
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Cyclists have been riding in Bister for about 150 years, and now all of a sudden they are a great danger to pedestrians.
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I didn't remove the sound because I didn't think that it mattered - quite clearly the swearing was in reaction to an act of frankly horrid...
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Know how the limiter screws on your derailleur work and use the right ones to keep chain on a manageable cog at the back and/or chainring at the...
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Front wheel trued and tensioned last night. I think it took me well over an hour.
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From the article above.
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18 comments
hamphire police now have a portal specifically for close passes etc on the vulnerable, see this tweet:
https://twitter.com/HantsPolRoads/status/1173898417296302080
or go direct here:
https://secureform.egress.com/hampshirepolice
Poor decision to overtake, at least the driver gave the cyclist plenty of room. I have been recently joining a road where I see the same rider. I followed him for 1.5miles the other day before I passed him(completely to the other side of white line) because I have a large vehicle, the traffic was extremely busy coming the other way plus the route has lots of blind corners/crests so its not safe when you cannot see far enough ahead.
He gave me a thumbs up. I then watched briefly other drivers trying to squeeze by
The old MGIFs...
20160809_midford_near_miss.png
Please report it. If you don't they'll say there's no driver issues in their area, but if they are not acting on reported incidents, that's different.
By the way, the Welsh police forces don't advise you of any reports that they are following up, so no news is good news. The only time they would advise you of action being taken would be if it were to become a court matter.
But do they inform you when they are not following up?
If you make a complaint to the police, which uploading footage of ‘bad driving’ is, then they should firstly be acknowledging your complaint - if only a cursory email - and then upon completion of enquiries giving you a result in writing (electronic or letter).
This would be better for the police and the complainant. Does it happen in real life? Nope and Hampshire I’m thinking of you …
I've started watching these videos without reading the commentary first. Have to admit I watched the incident 3 or 4 times (admittedly in a small window) and didn't even see the oncoming cyclist. Bad enough for the oncoming car, but the cyclist must have been bricking it.
I try to do the same. I expected it was going to be an issue with one of the "parked" cars at first but it also helps train on expecting the unexpected....
He gave you plenty of room; so much for near miss !
A near miss and a close pass are two different things.
They overtook at a time that put both the cyclist and the driver on the opposite side of the road at risk.
I never called it a close pass.
I wasn't actually being serious (the series is nmotd).
Whilst riding along a twisty county road, a friend was passed very widely by a car... which then ran into an oncoming car only a few metres ahead.
He was very lucky to escape unscathed from the chaos that ensued. He was upset to the extent he did not ride his bike on the road for a year.
Near miss on the other cyclist I suspect.
More than likely on their phone and not paying attention to anything else. Has it been reported?
I didn't notice whether they were or not but you're likely correct. It hasn't been reported, my opinion of Hampshire Constabulary is pretty low after reporting other near misses or aggression in the past.
They simply don't care unless you end up in a casket.
I reported a close pass to Hampshire police, that was over a month ago and I still haven't heard back yet.
One of the first questions on the web form is "Did at least one vehicle collide with something or someone?". Makes me think that if you click "No" then they just bin in.
That huge BMW (?) with it's nose sticking right out into the carriageway didn't help either? I presume it was waiting to pull out, rather than just parked like this?
And yes, I also notice these incidents more these days. Monumental impatience. It's sad that there is now a driving culture of 'I should be able to continue my journey at the same speed for the entire duration no matter what'.
Yeah the BMW was pulling out but I tend to always exercise caution around drivers of long or large cars as from my experience most of them don't know how to drive them and have the spacial awareness of a bull in a China shop at the best of times.
Braking and being patient is inefficient, why in the world would anyone want to do that?
This seems to be the new norm, get more of these per ride than close passes!