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news
Near Miss of the Day 857Near Miss of the Day 857: Driver of HGV carrying crane barely misses cyclist during shocking close pass
As far as Near Miss of the Day goes the 'near miss' part rarely gets closer than this, an absolute shocker of a close pass submitted by a road.cc reader in west London.
And as anyone who read yesterday's edition will note, Gary was wearing hi-vis and had lights on his bike, something a taxi licensing board objected to about NMotD 856.
Anyway, back to today's matter...
This was my close pass yesterday Phew pic.twitter.com/ysbs1av513
— Gary Craig (@_GaryCraig_) March 21, 2023
The footage has been viewed more than 1.4 million times on Twitter and has been reported to the Metropolitan Police, who are yet to respond, and the company whose HGV was involved.
To the company's credit, Gary pointed out to us that Ainscough "have been fantastic with their response to date" and are "very apologetic".
"It really does appear that Ainscough are taking all the appropriate actions and are really safety conscious," he told us.
@Ainscough_ This was my commute this morning in Hayes your Swallowfield Road depot. @metpoliceuk full footage front and rear available @Technologic pic.twitter.com/zJDajH0zQs
— Gary Craig (@_GaryCraig_) March 20, 2023
The west London incident saw the van driver travelling in the opposite direction forced to brake to a complete standstill to avoid a collision and attracted plenty of comments from those who saw the footage.
One reply said: "Hope Ainscough and the Met sort it out, could have been such a bad outcome. I know that stretch of road well and is always so dangerous."
Another called it the "worst close pass I have seen".
"I know the camera makes the gap look bigger than it is so I don’t know how you managed not to get hit. This should be prosecuted," they said.
road.cc has contacted Ainscough for comment.
> 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
Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.
Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.
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24 comments
The police will do nothing, and without personal consequences for the driver these unspeakable offences will continue - punctuated by the occasional KSI where the police police say their thoughts are with the family of the bereaved, but not as much with them that they will lift a finger to deter the offences
Absolutely lost for words, just glad Gary is ok.
That driver needs to be taken off the road immediately before someone gets killed
Its OK, when they kill someone it will be an accident. A momentary lapse in concentration. A tragic and unpreventable death. Another reason cyclists shouldn't be on the roads. I mean, how can anyone suggest that someones right to live is more important that someone elses right to drive like a complete ****.
Good grief, that wins the close pass feature. When I saw the van coming I didn't think for a moment someone would overtake, then
Someone did exactly the same thing to me last night, but the overtaking vehicle was only a BMW estate... Long straight road, approaching a new speed table/hump/thing: heard the car moving to overtake, could see a white transit van and two cars coming the other way plus we were practically at the speed table so I thought they must be going to back off. But no - I think the overtaking clearance at 20-30 mph was about 30 cm? Not very pleasant...
I was on a 50mph road going to the ride start by myself. Had a few close passes but only of the "irritated hand flick" variety, then I heard a car coming up quickly as a van appeared. I stuck my hand out which alerted the van driver, but Mr Audi A5 in personalised plate wasn't going to be told not to overtake so he went for it anyway, van driver came to an almost complete halt - so that's closing speed of around a hundred, the Audi driver was prepared to risk. Audi driver just made the pass without contact. Van driver less happy than I was!
I'm sure that driver is going away considering they've well judged the incident but they needed both me and the van driver to evade their driving.
I've only got a rear camera ATM, so I'm not sure it would get actioned, but I'm considering suggesting an S59 notice which can be issued on referral from the public if the officer considers it appropriate. S59 is complaint of poor driving that allows the car to be seized if further complaints.
I only went out for a less than 5 minute ride to the PO to collect a parcel today. Got close passed by an Audi convertable that forced me into the door zone on the way home. It was even more pointless as I then followed at the exact same speed until my turning. By the time I'd sorted out cameras, locked up the bike etc. it would have been as quick to walk and my life wouldn't have been put at risk. It's no wonder non cyclists don't take it up.
Terrible... if by any chance you have the van drivers reg no on your rear camera then perhaps he could be contacted by the Police as a witness, along with your testimony. Assuming of course that the police have the inclination and resources.
Keen to learn the police response... expecting a notice of intended prosecution will be issued to the cyclist shortly. Such language and road rage on the roads can not be tolerated, especially by tax dodging lycra rats.
In case anyone is confused... sarcasm!
I think this is a deliberate intimidation attempt that's gone a bit far, because that was too close. Looks like a left hand drive to me, that would give a driver confidence they could get very close to a cyclist as they can see that side of the vehicle. Needs everything the law has thrown at the driver.
That is utterly horrific. The tail bar must have cleared your leg by scant millimetres. Not even an attempt to slow down from the driver, let alone give you any room. Please keep us informed of Ainscough and Police response.
"So what if I am on my phone, twat, the roads are empty and I'm only doing .... faaaaaaaak!"
F**kin hell. Absolutely.
One of the closest passes I have seen on here.
You can tell it was absolutely horrific because there are only a few ***** on twitter blaming the cyclist for it rather than dozens.
you just cant believe anyone operating one of those things on the road, can remotely believe thats an acceptable standard of driving.
thats an appalling pass, its that close the cyclists light is illuminating the inside of the flipping rear wheel hub.
and how that rear marker light on the crane, which sticks out further than the cranes side misses either the bike or the cyclist.
thats one of those any closer and your dead passes.
so Id hope the company were abit more than apologetic about it, but for their part it may have been hired out to a third party construction firm, from which theyve then little control or recourse Id guess over who gets behind the wheel.
Oh my goodness! That was a near-death experience.
Even the oncoming white Transit stopped!
Absolutely inexcusable - driver just couldnt be bothered to brake.
View is clear, oncoming car visible for ages.
And a professional driver in charge ....
Someone needs a new job that doesnt involve driving cranes.
Thank goodness you're still with us.
Fooking hell!
ARGGGGHHHHH
This.
This is why people don't cycle.
this is why people who do cycle, sometimes consider those life choices
Sad but true
If that doesn't result in a driving ban then the system needs to be torn up.
JHC, that was close. Swearing entirely appropriate and understandable. Driver should be sacked and prosecuted, his licence revoked and forced to ride a bike.
Times like this, you should be able to RIDDOR instances that involve commercial vehicles.
Never happen though.
That was exceptionally close, and well done the rider for staying on.
I hope the Police take action, and I'd probably report it to the relevant Traffic Commissioner too.