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news
Near Miss of the Day 920: "This was a typical 'Oh look a cyclist, I must pass them' without any thought for the situation"
The cyclist who submitted today's Near Miss of the Day was satisfied with Warwickshire Police's handling of the situation — the driver's inconsiderate manoeuvre earning them a warning letter — even if they "could really do with some re-education as to hazard perception".
road.cc reader Stephen was approaching this bridge back in January when he was on the receiving end of a "must get in front" overtake which, in his own words, was "a typical 'Oh look a cyclist — I must pass them' without any thought for the situation they were driving into or the consequences of their actions to me".
"It was on Welsh Rd, travelling west towards the narrow bridge over the canal," he recalled. "This section of road is slightly downhill so on the bike you can be riding at around 20-25mph and whilst the bridge isn't wide enough for two cars to pass each other by, it is wide enough for a cycle and car to pass each other.
"You'll also note that there is a junction to a lane on the right which unfortunately isn't sign posted so cars aren't aware of it as they approach from either direction."
Having reported the footage to Warwickshire Police via the Operation Snap reporting portal, Stephen learnt that the driver was "sent a warning letter regarding the offence of inconsiderate driving". He told us he believed that to be an "acceptable" outcome, even if he believes the driver "could really do with some re-education as to hazard perception".
> 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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8 comments
While a warning letter is better than nothing this should have been a NIP for inconsiderate driving. Classic overtake and then brake, INCONVENIENCING the cyclist.
Capital letters because I live in Gloucesterhire where being inconvenienced is dealt with more harshly than being close passed, no matter how close or how fast.
https://road.cc/content/news/close-pass-isnt-offence-says-police-officer...
I live in Gloucestershire where being inconvenienced is dealt with more harshly than being close passed, no matter how close or how fast
If I understand Bungle correctly the 'more harshly' consists of an advice letter at most, and the 'less harshly' consists of NFA. Lancashire has just streamlined the process with ignoring these and all other offences because issuing NFA is just too much effort. This is BMW I4 817 ATH today close passing and illegally crossing the unbroken white line - awaiting upRide. This is another similar offence, but not as close
https://upride.cc/incident/n7blh_rangerover_closepassuwlcross/
The following day, yet another similar pair of offences at the same spot, which will be ignored by the police yet again. The only factor delaying a head-on collision here is the low number of cyclists, because they have been intimidated off the roads by the hostility of the police and drivers- therefore, it is unlikely that there will be simultaneous opposite-direction cyclists ready to be illegally overtaken by nutter drivers. This is Punto MA12 EYG, and the woman driver of oncoming black BMW issues an irate blast of the horn. All over in 2 seconds. Awaiting upRide
You are close. The still below is of my latest close pass report. I had to react quickly to stop moving out to avoid being hit while negotiating the traffic calming (see rule 153). Initially it was NFA (as all the others have been) but I asked for it to be reviewed and I've now been told it will be an advice latter (this is not a warning letter which would go on file).
In the past I've been told that a warning letter has been sent when, for example, I was slowy edged out of the central lane at traffic lights. I think they see this as being inconvenienced but I'll leave you to work out which was more dangerous.
I've also recently found out that a driver has got points and a fine when they stopped under the bridge in the picture when I was coming the other way. I managed to squeeze down the side so again inconvenient and the driver had broken the law (if I have understood it correctly) but level of danger was less than this. Talking about this bridge, made famous by NMOTD 520, I've had drivers coming through driving at me and forcing me to swerve with NFA and I actually had a car overtake me under the bridge with NFA.
https://road.cc/content/news/near-miss-day-520-cyclist-hit-coming-under-...
So to summarise inconvenienced is a warning letter (sometimes) whereas a close pass is NFA or for one so far an advice letter. I have not managed to work out how they differentiate yet. A warning letter is harsher than an advice letter.
I've got a few reports coming up to one year where I've been told that they will take action but I don't know what action yet. I'll let you know when I find out.
I've got a few reports coming up to one year where I've been told that they will take action but I don't know what action yet. I'll let you know when I find out
That would be very useful, thanks, in the absence of any results from Rendel and the Met. and HoarseMann and Northamptonshire- I need something to support my 'never stop aggravating the b******s' repeat FoI about this
https://upride.cc/incident/4148vz_travellerschoicecoach_closepass/
A better result might have been "Give me your driving licence; now, go away and retake your driving test!"
"... so cars aren't aware of it as they approach from either direction..."
Are cars aware (and self-aware) now...?
Nearly... (more so in the US - the problem is are they aware of their passengers and the humans around them?)