Near Miss of the Day 533: Hay transporter lorry driver in very close pass

Here’s one of the worst close passes we’ve ever seen on our Near Miss of the Day feature, as the driver of an HGV towing two trailers laden with hay passes a cyclist with millimetres to spare – but police took no action.

It was filmed by road.cc reader Robert, who told us: “It was taken using a first Gen Garmin Virb Elite, the clip is now some years old but still relevant,” and that he believes “might also have been used in a training presentation by a Northern Fire Service,” as well as being shared online elsewhere.

“Having previously been knocked off by a car driver who then reported me to the police for dangerous cycling, I decided it was time I invested in a camera, so I had some evidence to produce to the police,” Robert said.

“In the incident with the car driver, I was interviewed under caution by North Wales Police who swallowed the car driver’s version of events hook line and sinker, I was served with an NIP {Notice of Intended Prosecution] within the requisite 14 days , I was interviewed under caution and told the facts would be reported, I had a very stressful and nervous few months waiting to be eventually told No Further Action.

“From that time, I will only go out with camera,” he continued.

“Not long after the incident with the car driver, I had this narrow escape with the hay transporter.

“Knowing how the system worked, I made a written witness statement using North Wales Police Statement paper, and within 24 hours went down to the local area police station, where I handed a sealed envelope containing the statement and DVD with footage to a uniformed Police Constable.

“He looked at the envelope and told me he would give it to the Inspector as he was in and on duty.

“The envelope was addressed to the Officer in Charge, Denbigh Police Station,” said Robert, who added that he recognised two officers present – one the station sergeant, the other an inspector – who were both in uniform, and saw him.

“Many weeks later another officer called at my home address and told me that unfortunately my evidence had not been viewed in time and was outside the 14 days of the NIP, therefore no further Police Action,” Robert continued. “Well, there’s a thing!”

“Not being too happy about the manner in which it had been dealt with I made a complaint. The explanation?  The envelope had remained sealed it had been sent from Denbigh Police Station to DHQ St Asaph, from there back to Denbigh for allocation and from there to Ruthin for allocation to an officer to deal with, that took longer than 14 days, so it was out of time. Really!”

> 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