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news
Near Miss of the Day 588: “You were in my blind spot!”
“You were in my blind spot!” is the excuse a motorist gave a cyclist after she pulled out on him in Bristol as he passed a row of parked cars – although as the Highway Code makes clear, that’s no excuse for failing to spot the rider.
Rule 159 of the Highway Code says:
Before moving off you should
- use all mirrors to check the road is clear
- look round to check the blind spots (the areas you are unable to see in the mirrors)
- signal if necessary before moving out
- look round for a final check.
Move off only when it is safe to do so.
Rule 211 adds:
It is often difficult to see motorcyclists and cyclists, especially when they are coming up from behind, coming out of junctions, at roundabouts, overtaking you or filtering through traffic. Always look out for them before you emerge from a junction; they could be approaching faster than you think. When turning right across a line of slow-moving or stationary traffic, look out for cyclists or motorcyclists on the inside of the traffic you are crossing. Be especially careful when turning, and when changing direction or lane. Be sure to check mirrors and blind spots carefully.
Jon, the road.cc reader who submitted the clip to us and plans to send it to the police, told us: “It happened in Bristol on Durdham Downs as I had reached the end of Lady’s Mile and had just turned left onto Stoke Road.
“I took my foot off the gas (so to speak) as cars came the other way in single file between parked cars before proceeding, but then had to brake as this car pulled out in front of me.
”When I caught up a traffic lights, her response was ‘You were in my blind spot, what could I do?’ to which my response was ‘Look more, then’.
“The mitigating factor for her is that she did apologise and you would not expect a car to appear so quickly from my direction given the two cars which had passed. B
“ut that completely ignores that there are loads of cyclists in Bristol who have just as much right to use the roads as cars and not be cut up.
“So my full response should have been ‘Look more then, including for cyclists!’”
> 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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88 comments
No indicating, no blind spot check. Poor driving.
Fortunately the cyclist had plenty of time to safely avoid. And at least the driver sort of apologised.
Not saying the car driver wasn't a bit hasty/careless but as a cyclist we all have to take responsibility for our own safety as best we can. This cyclist speeding up instead of slowing down when the motorist pulls out infront of them and shouting at the driver is just escalating the situation. To then catch up with them crossing the demarcation into oncoming traffic to have a go at the driver is both irresponsible and risks escalating things even further. A) The cyclist does not know or have the slightest idea who the driver is, what they are going through or if they are prone to aggression or road rage. B) If the driver does flip out or react badly the cyclist does not stand a chance against a car used in anger, why risk it. C) The cyclist using the fact that they are filming people semi overtly as an excuse to be reckless and intimidate drivers is very sad and is also open to abuse through cynical editing and cherry picking footage that looks worse than it is, the cyclist should stop acting like this and try to be more proactive/defensive/tolerant while riding their bike on public roads, there are idiot drivers everywhere, so what? Nobody cares in the slightest if this cyclist was in the right when they end up under the wheels of a vehicle bleeding to death to prove a point.
"You were in my blind spot" = Victim blaming.
What she should have said was "I didn't look properly". This was the real issue.
I have been watching these on my new feed for a while and finally decided I need to comment. This is a classic example of everything that is wrong with this series of posts and only gives cyclists a bad name. The cyclist has deliberately tried to cause an issue, although the video has been edited to keep it straight you can see from the time stamp that the rider stood up and tried to accelerate towards the car in an attempt to cause an issue. Had the rider simple slowed gently the timestamp would remain level and there would be no issue. Like most of these videos the article fails to take away the real value - eductaing cyclists to cycle safer - how they can avoid dangerous situations. That starts with an appreciation that most drivers are not cyclists but most cyclists are also drivers. That puts us as cyclists in a unique position to understand the sitution from both sides and to take control of the safety of it. And lets be honest we are far more vunerable so it is in our interest to do so. In this instance the cyclist would have had far greater view over the top of the oncoming car, whereas from the drivers perspective the cyclist would have popped out from behind the oncoming car. Even with their attempt to accelerate towards the car the cyclist still doesn't come close to creating any genuine danger here though. Please people, cooperate with other road users, stop believing that cyclists are in some way superior and stop giving the sport a bad name for the rest of us. The roads these day are very busy and even as a driver you can't just drive to the letter of the rules, you have to make allowances for the mistakes of others as nobody is perfect. If you cycle with this degree of agression, anger and arrogance towards other road users you will end up in an accident. I would urge that this series of articles starts to take a less high and mighty approach and starts to look at how it can help educate cyclists to avoid danagerous situations. In this instance it is obvious - be aware of when you are doing things a car cannot, take advantage of your greater sight lines and don't try to force comntention for space. There is great potential value for cyclists in these videos but there is no value in a rant column designed to build anomosity between drivers and cyclists. You may be able to blame an accident technically on someone else but there is no point in being in the right if you're dead.
I think you're confusing "cause an issue" with "educate a driver about their mistake". I'm not sure how you get to the "giving cyclists a bad name" conclusion when surely it should be that the driver is giving motorists a bad name? The cyclist was simply progressing in his lane when the motorist just swung across the road without indicating or looking which is a careless and dangerous thing to do. The cyclist made an attempt to catch up to the driver - that's neither careless nor dangerous.
I'm always puzzled when people say "there is no point in being in the right if you're dead" - is that some kind of threat? What would have happened if everyone had taken that attitude in World War II?
I often cycle around the Downs and it's a hazardous place for drivers suddenly pulling out of their parking space or suddenly stopping to attempt to park. It'd be so much nicer if they banned cars from most of that area.
You have much more patience than I HP
Not a threat no - just truth, it applies to anything in life. There is no point being dogmatic about the rules if it puts you in danger. Everyone needs to learn to get alongand cooperate, this cyclist is trying to accelerate and cause a problem that they have every option to avoid with negligable loss of speed. In my view it is the cyclists actions here that are indefensible. The video has been heavily edited to try and make it look like the drivers fault. If the cyclist hadn;t attempted to accelerate towards the car they wouldn't have even come close to it. Comments like suggesting they ban cars just makes it clear how self righteous and intollerant cyclist are becoming and how much columns like this only go to encourage that attitude. If you cycle in a courtesy and defensive manner you will find you have far fewer problems and actually enjoy life more with less stress. Most of the people watching this column probably fall into a minority of cyclist that cycle in such a way as to cause as many problems as they can - that gives cyclist a bad name. Most drivers see cyclists as annoying, arrogant and self important - something that actually only applies to a minority but that columns like this only serve to fuel.
I don't see any significant acceleration from the cyclist and even if they did, that would in no way endanger the driver, so I don't think you're making any sense.
It seems shockingly clear to me that the driver didn't indicate nor look to ensure that they could safely pull out and not cause other road users to have to change their speed to avoid a collision (which to me is a standard benchmark as to whether a maneouvre was performed correctly).
I stand by my statement that the Downs would be better off with banning cars as it is getting ridiculous in nice weather. I cycled around there yesterday and there was a horde (not sure of the correct collective noun) of about 20 cars parked up on the grass - it looked like some kind of meet as they had music playing and were happily chatting away. It'd be quite easy to restrict that part of the road as through traffic can go round the other way without causing a hazard to cyclists/joggers etc. Luckily, it's usually very windy around there (top of the Avon Gorge) so the traffic fumes aren't a noticeable problem.
Check how much the timestamp wobbles (timestamp is genuine camera level) - that is the cylist pedaling hard out of the saddle. The cyclist is trying to create a video for this column by trying to makie it look like the driver cut them up. The reason the driver didn't see the cyclist is that they weren't actually there when the driver started to pull out. There is actually no problem here, just someone trying their best to make it look like there is one to get on this column. If I got annoyed in the car everytime a driver pulled out of a side road and didn't accelerate quite fast enough so I had to slow a little I'd be a very angry person. The roads require cooperation.
And if you don't like traffic in the nice weather try one of the wide variety of offroad cycling disiplines.
The Downs is an area of natural beauty and a significant green space, but the road going around it is filled with inattentive drivers as they look to find a scarce parking space (presumably to avoid walking too far to enjoy walking in a pleasant green space). Whenever there's nice weather, the Downs are filled with people jogging, skating, flying kites, having picnics etc. and there's usually a significant number of cyclists (of mixed abilities) going round the road there. To my mind, the recreational/sporting nature of that area would be enhanced by restricting traffic near the cliff edge along Circular Rd (obviously the ice cream vans would be allowed through) so that parents wouldn't have to be so concerned if their children go running off (or dog-walkers and their dogs) and less experienced cyclists wouldn't be put off from getting exercise.
You've made a bunch of assumptions about the driver and the cyclist and I think you're mistaken and just approaching the video from a particular viewpoint and not appreciating what is and isn't good roadcraft. You're correct about not getting annoyed by poor driving, but that doesn't mean that we should try to excuse it - how many collisions are caused by drivers neglecting to indicate and look?
As far as cooperation on roads go, wouldn't it make sense if people agree a common set of rules that would minimise conflict (and collisions) and we could call it something like "The Highway Code". Thus we could easily refer to the recommendations and avoid such conflict e.g. indicate when pulling out and look to ensure that it is safe to do so.
Or did you mean that motorists can just carelessly do what they want and it's just the cyclists (and scooterists) that have to cooperate?
Or perhaps the wobble is caused by braking and shaking head in disbelief ...?
The wobble was caused by acceleration, however he was accelerating after joining the road and seeing it clear.... as most vehicles do when they join.
However then you also got reaction times and also was the cyclist looking ahead or glancing behind as he was moving more into the path of cars coming behind / out of the car dooring zone. I suspect the main wobble that happens is not acceleration but him reacting / grabbing at brakes. However the initial manouvre issue is from the car driver as bikes were coming both ways (one right behind the oncoming car) but she decided to just rush out and hope she didn't miss one either direction.
"Most of the people watching this column probably fall into a minority of cyclist that cycle in such a way as to cause as many problems as they can"
Oh, you have met all of them and observed their roadcraft?
Most of your comments are based on unsupported assertions.
I had a close pass today of 45-50 mph. No doubt I contrived to arrange this so I can post it to 'this column'.
Well you've got to admit, it all seems a bit convenient H....
For all this behaving and being courteous, I received none of that. I was turning right but no way could I take the lane on that road so was in the middle by the line. The driver undertook as though I was not there.
Sorry, was being flippant about the folk who apparently think we "look for trouble for clicks". Not directed at you, but I can see didn't come across that way.
I know you were joking, I was just expanding my description of the 'incident' for the benefit of paul111
Here's the friendly merc driver - even closer than I recalled, perhaps he wanted to say hello.
What an arse
It is often said that cyclists with cameras go out looking for trouble, which seems patently untruse to this uncamered cyclist, trouble seems to find us no matter what we do.
However many red lights we stop at, all, however much Hi Viz we wear, lots, lights, many bright ones, helmet, no headphones, not cycling two abreast, but it makes no difference.
And when you have a camera, you have to behave better as anything you do wrong will be in the clip. So you either don't submit or you take a risk of falling foul of the law.
I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately that requires funding, investment, forward planning, clear strategy. What are you, some kind of libtard socialist?
Let's be very clear - this is in no way a near miss - it is a cyclist accelerating hard towards the back of a car to try and create a problem. Get the unedited video, or a video taken from the side and this will become very obvious.
You know, another interpretation might be a cyclist accelerating because the motor traffic coming the other way had passed, leaving a straight open road? With no indication from that motorist that they were going to come out? If they *had* indicated, or come out more slowly, then maybe out of politeness the cyclist *would* have slowed and let them come out?
Let's be very clear- this is prime trolling!
The motorist caused the issue.
If you have viewed a few of these, then you should be aware that there are comments about defensive cycling made on these nmotd eg 'should have taken the lane', 'should have not barrelled on into trouble', 'should have slowed a bit given the hazard' or a recent one 'that's not even close- I would have given a thumbs up for the space'.
A few comments maybe, but the tone of the column and the central article, is aggressive towards drivers and fails to achieve the educational value that the readers could benefit from. It is more likely to encourage an aggressive attitude that drivers should keep cyclist safe rather then teach people how to look after themselves and stay out of trouble. That should be the editorial focus - don't blame the party you cannot change (thise drivers aren't reading the column) - ask yourself instead what could I do differently in such a situation to reduce the danger, what woudl I suggest others do in that situtation. There is a lot of value in examining the near misses of other but most of that value is in self improvement.
Speaking s a driver, this was a crap bit of driving that came close to resulting in a casualty. Don't get defensive on this particular driver - we're not tribe FFS. That driver was not paying attention, as evinced by "you were in my blind spot". Next time it could easily be a kid, and let's face it, this lack of attention was not confined to this situation alone - the response in itself said habitual.
The driver has a right to be notified that their driving is substandard if only to give them the opportunity to learn for future.
Finding fault the rider is victim blaming
Compelete nonsense. The driver was caught off guard when questioned by a cyclist clearly desperate to feature on this column. Even with the clear acceleration from the cyclist there wasn't even close to a near miss. If the driver had genuinely cut the cyclist up then the video would show them braking and taking avoiding action when it actually shows the opposite.
You know it's not, otherwise you'd have left it there...
Well yes, she admitted she wasn't aware of his presence...
Speculation
Now there's some nonsense...
Which they did
Oh dear, you one of those coppers who thinks that no wobble, no blood, no problem?
There are so many things I disagree with, with what you've written, paul, that I honestly don't even know where to start...
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