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news
Near Miss of the Day 636: Van driver overtakes one cyclist, almost hits two others head-on
Some very poor driving on display in our Near Miss of the Day feature today, with a van driver overtaking a cyclist on a narrow road failing to slow down for two others coming in the other direction and almost hitting them.
Mark, the road.cc reader who sent us the clip, said: "It happened a couple of weeks ago on a quiet country road in Foulridge, Lancashire.
"I was out with my 14 year old son on our MTBs, me in front and my lad behind. I could see the white van coming down the road from some way off and could tell he was going a bit quick, but as I got closer I could see he was overtaking another cyclist, not slowing down and almost completely on my side of the road.
"I had no choice but to come to a complete stop and head as far into the side of the road as I could, telling my lad behind to do the same.
"Fair to say I may have made my feelings known to the driver of the van who gave me a middle finger salute, which I guess tells you all you need to know about the utter cockwomble behind the wheel. Wasn't just me and my son he endangered but also the other cyclist, who you can see has a worried look over their shoulder as the van comes through.
"I've seen plenty of bad driving in my time but this was one of the worst, if I hadn't stopped I've no doubt the van would have taken me and my son out as there was literally no room. Complete buffoonery of the highest calibre."
> 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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14 comments
I'm sure there is something in the HC about not causing others to have to take evasive action. But let me guess - no one was injured here, so no offence was committed, because the cyclists took evasive action. Catch-22
Yup, you shouldn't o/take when to brings you into conflict with other road users
If you don't have to take evasive action some forces will say that no offence has been committed as in there is no offence of close passing. If you do have to take evasive action, as happened here, then there is a possible offence. One thing is sure, if it hasn't been reported we'll never know.
The test that is used by the police for whether you are driving with due care and attention for other road users is whether you caused another driver to change speed or direction. Ultimately, it is for the court to decide whether the vaguely defined offence (also described as driving below the standard of a reasonable driver) has been committed.
The reasonableness test is why dangerous driving is so hard to convict, it seems the courts have a pretty pessimistic view of what is "far below" a reasonable standard of driving "You drove a cyclist off the road - seems reasonable to me."
It is obvious that what this country considers a 'reasonable standard of driving' is very, very low. That is the law, as it stands, and there is no democratic mandate for changing it.
Probably the best thing cycling campaigners can do here is phrase the cost of that low standard in terms of the impact (no pun intended) of bad drivers on other drivers.
Courts should bring in a driving exam tester as an expert witness and get their opinion on whether the driving would be a pass or fail on a driving test. That's probably the best way to determine the "standard of a reasonable driver" as it's the bare minimum that is required to be allowed to drive motorised vehicles.
PS I have 3 names, but none of them is Mark and, sadly, my daughters are considerably older than 14.
Objection, Your Honour! Many's the time I have been in the vicinity of Foulridge- and I should have been close this week on the Pennine Bridleway (gravel bike back on the road after replacement wheel) but I have had to delay because of an attack of tennis elbow (nothing, of course, to do with tennis). I also traversed the Leeds-Liverpool canal, except you have to cheat at the Foulridge tunnel, and come off route.
Has the footage been sent to the police?
At least it wasn't Wiltshire.
I think you will find Lancs are the lead authority in doing nothing about driving offences.
Well, I'd say Wiltshire are catching up fast, or have possibly overtaken them.
Is this wtjs ?
I suspect not. Foulridge is deep in the Pennines and wtjs is more North Lancs.
Come on wtjs, prove me wrong!