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Near Miss of the Day 127: Close pass to get to red light earlier

Our regular feature highlighting close passes caught on camera from around the country – today it’s Central Lonndon

One acronym you may have spotted being used in connection with videos of motorists driving badly around cyclists is MGIF – ‘Must Get In Front’ and describes the kind of person behind the wheel of a motor vehicle who simply has to get ahead of a cyclist.

All too often, as in this example filmed in Central London and submitted by road.cc reader and YouTube user MCR Cyclist, it’s accompanied by a dangerous overtake,

The poster also made another observation that is very common to this type of video, telling us: “The driver was very keen to get to the red light and decide to perform a very close pass.”

In this case, since the motorised observed the Advanced Stop Line box, the cyclist was back in front while the lights were still red … so why bother taking the risk?

Standing copy at the end in bold. 

> 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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23 comments

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WillRod | 5 years ago
0 likes

I never understand drivers like these. Idiotic close passes just before a red lightning and ASL.

 

I had one who kept trying to pass me going into Cambridge the other weekend. A few close passes, etc, but I out accelerated him at the lights and got into the cycle lane, and when he tried to overtake, the lights changed, I got in the ASL and after a few sets of lights I left him behind in a big queue.

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ChrisB200SX | 5 years ago
3 likes

I get this all the time commuting across London at the moment. Some drivers just think they can skim you, regardless of the size of their vehicle, how little room you have on the other side, what speed they (or you) are doing, whether there is another vehicle/obstacle directly in front of you... and they'll happily do that while heading into a red light, or stationary traffic, or a mini-roundabout.
The other week, I called out a Police traffic car that was stationary in traffic, opposite a driver stopped in the ASL box, asked if they were going to do anything. The response was a whiney, "stop giving me hassle, what do you expect me to do, it's not a priority..." while they are sat there doing absolutely nothing. With that attitude, it's no wonder some drivers behave as if they can get away with murder on the roads.
Oh, pedestrians in London... suddenly crossing after their light has changed to red (even after the countdown timer), this happens incessantly and stops traffic from moving off. They think if they show they are making an effort to not walk slowly then it's all fine. There are literally herds of them suddenly trying to step out in front of traffic that is pulling away. Oh, and they'll just walk at you as you are coming to a stop in the ASL. Mental.

I particularly like the HGVs and buses that encroach into the cycle lane when I'm in it and they are alongside me  2
Might have to engage the engine kill switch on the next bus that endangers me.
Driving standards in London are abysmal.

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Daveyraveygravey | 5 years ago
6 likes

I'd have lost my rag with that totally.  Did the driver think it was ok because it was their near side?  Whenever I get MGIF'd, I make it a priority to get back in front and dawdle away when the light changes.  Scumbags!

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ChrisB200SX replied to Daveyraveygravey | 5 years ago
3 likes

Daveyraveygravey wrote:

I'd have lost my rag with that totally.  Did the driver think it was ok because it was their near side?  Whenever I get MGIF'd, I make it a priority to get back in front and dawdle away when the light changes.  Scumbags!

This is a must for the situation in the video, get back in front of them via the ASL box... and then don't bother to pull away briskly  1

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Hirsute replied to ChrisB200SX | 5 years ago
0 likes
ChrisB200SX wrote:

This is a must for the situation in the video, get back in front of them via the ASL box... and then don't bother to pull away briskly  1

If it is a lorry, then make sure you can see the driver in the window, otherwise he won't see you and squash you.

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hawkinspeter replied to Daveyraveygravey | 5 years ago
0 likes

Daveyraveygravey wrote:

I'd have lost my rag with that totally.  Did the driver think it was ok because it was their near side?  Whenever I get MGIF'd, I make it a priority to get back in front and dawdle away when the light changes.  Scumbags!

That's a very petty attitude you've got there.

I usually reserve that for vehicles using the ASL box - plonk my bike right in front of their vehicle and then have a little struggle clipping into my pedals when starting off.

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Daveyraveygravey replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Daveyraveygravey wrote:

I'd have lost my rag with that totally.  Did the driver think it was ok because it was their near side?  Whenever I get MGIF'd, I make it a priority to get back in front and dawdle away when the light changes.  Scumbags!

That's a very petty attitude you've got there.

I usually reserve that for vehicles using the ASL box - plonk my bike right in front of their vehicle and then have a little struggle clipping into my pedals when starting off.

 

It probably is a petty attitude.  They really hate it if you stop alongside them and lean on the roof, still clipped in.  The problem with that is if they floor it when the light changes or you get a slight wobble on restart you could hurt yourself...

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LastBoyScout | 5 years ago
3 likes

Nearly knocked off this morning by driver of Ford Focus that left it to the last second to overtake me before slamming brakes on for a mini-roundabout. When I caught him up in traffic 1/2 mile down the road, he had no idea what he'd just done.

Shame the battery had run out in my handlebar cam  2

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

Only just spotted the use of "Lonndon" in the article. Have Road.cc's spell checkers been disabled?

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Kendalred replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
5 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Only just spotted the use of "Lonndon" in the article. Have Road.cc's spell checkers been disabled?

Yeah, surely it should be spelled 'Lahndan'. Innit.

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hawkinspeter replied to Kendalred | 5 years ago
2 likes

KendalRed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

Only just spotted the use of "Lonndon" in the article. Have Road.cc's spell checkers been disabled?

Yeah, surely it should be spelled 'Lahndan'. Innit.

I just found a cockney translator and applied it to the start of the article:

Quote:

Lor' luv a duck! Our regular feature 'ighlightin' close passes caught on camera from around da coun'ry – today it’s Central The Smoke. Know what I mean?

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zero_trooper | 5 years ago
1 like

Maybe I've had a bad day or something, but is that really a 'super' close pass? Not compared to some of the footage I've seen in this series.
Also, surely the cyclist enters the the ASL box illegally (fails to filter from the cycle/bus lane on the nearside) and 'technically' fails to give way to the pedestrian.

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FrogBucket replied to zero_trooper | 5 years ago
4 likes

zero_trooper wrote:

Maybe I've had a bad day or something, but is that really a 'super' close pass? Not compared to some of the footage I've seen in this series. Also, surely the cyclist enters the the ASL box illegally (fails to filter from the cycle/bus lane on the nearside) and 'technically' fails to give way to the pedestrian.

Its very sad that your are picking out "faults" of the cyclist but not the driver. 

The rules were actually changed to allow cyclists to cross the first stop line:

https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/safer-roads/Pages/...

Also, remember there is no such thing as "give way" but priporty. 

 

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zero_trooper replied to FrogBucket | 5 years ago
2 likes
FrogBucket wrote:

zero_trooper wrote:

Maybe I've had a bad day or something, but is that really a 'super' close pass? Not compared to some of the footage I've seen in this series. Also, surely the cyclist enters the the ASL box illegally (fails to filter from the cycle/bus lane on the nearside) and 'technically' fails to give way to the pedestrian.

Its very sad that your are picking out "faults" of the cyclist but not the driver. 

The rules were actually changed to allow cyclists to cross the first stop line:

https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/safer-roads/Pages/...

Also, remember there is no such thing as "give way" but priporty. 

 

Thanks for the update, quite a decent explanation from CoLPol. You can tell that I'm not an urban commuter  3
Yes I was being picky, but it just seemed a 'meh' 'super close pass'.

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hawkinspeter replied to zero_trooper | 5 years ago
5 likes

zero_trooper wrote:

Maybe I've had a bad day or something, but is that really a 'super' close pass? Not compared to some of the footage I've seen in this series. Also, surely the cyclist enters the the ASL box illegally (fails to filter from the cycle/bus lane on the nearside) and 'technically' fails to give way to the pedestrian.

How is the cyclist 'technically' not giving way to the pedestrian? The pedestrian (using the ASL box) crosses in front of the cyclist and the cyclist then goes into the space that the pedestrian was in. I would have no qualms with doing that (as a ped or cyclist) and I don't see that the pedestrian had to alter their behaviour because of the cyclist.

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zero_trooper replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
0 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

zero_trooper wrote:

Maybe I've had a bad day or something, but is that really a 'super' close pass? Not compared to some of the footage I've seen in this series. Also, surely the cyclist enters the the ASL box illegally (fails to filter from the cycle/bus lane on the nearside) and 'technically' fails to give way to the pedestrian.

How is the cyclist 'technically' not giving way to the pedestrian? The pedestrian (using the ASL box) crosses in front of the cyclist and the cyclist then goes into the space that the pedestrian was in. I would have no qualms with doing that (as a ped or cyclist) and I don't see that the pedestrian had to alter their behaviour because of the cyclist.

Yep, the weakest of my (petty) fault finding. Well the MGIF has already stopped, so that little spurt from the pedestrian must be for the benefit of the oncoming cyclist. Does it have a name, that little 'walk faster' when you catch something bigger/heavier/pointyer travelling perpendicular, out of the corner of your eye?

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hawkinspeter replied to zero_trooper | 5 years ago
3 likes

zero_trooper wrote:
hawkinspeter wrote:

zero_trooper wrote:

Maybe I've had a bad day or something, but is that really a 'super' close pass? Not compared to some of the footage I've seen in this series. Also, surely the cyclist enters the the ASL box illegally (fails to filter from the cycle/bus lane on the nearside) and 'technically' fails to give way to the pedestrian.

How is the cyclist 'technically' not giving way to the pedestrian? The pedestrian (using the ASL box) crosses in front of the cyclist and the cyclist then goes into the space that the pedestrian was in. I would have no qualms with doing that (as a ped or cyclist) and I don't see that the pedestrian had to alter their behaviour because of the cyclist.

Yep, the weakest of my (petty) fault finding. Well the MGIF has already stopped, so that little spurt from the pedestrian must be for the benefit of the oncoming cyclist. Does it have a name, that little 'walk faster' when you catch something bigger/heavier/pointyer travelling perpendicular, out of the corner of your eye?

I really don't think the cyclist has any control over what the pedestrian does, so I think you may have just been extra grumpy with that. I thought you might have been referring to some arcane by-law or some such.

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Rapha Nadal replied to zero_trooper | 5 years ago
1 like

zero_trooper wrote:
hawkinspeter wrote:

zero_trooper wrote:

Maybe I've had a bad day or something, but is that really a 'super' close pass? Not compared to some of the footage I've seen in this series. Also, surely the cyclist enters the the ASL box illegally (fails to filter from the cycle/bus lane on the nearside) and 'technically' fails to give way to the pedestrian.

How is the cyclist 'technically' not giving way to the pedestrian? The pedestrian (using the ASL box) crosses in front of the cyclist and the cyclist then goes into the space that the pedestrian was in. I would have no qualms with doing that (as a ped or cyclist) and I don't see that the pedestrian had to alter their behaviour because of the cyclist.

Yep, the weakest of my (petty) fault finding. Well the MGIF has already stopped, so that little spurt from the pedestrian must be for the benefit of the oncoming cyclist. Does it have a name, that little 'walk faster' when you catch something bigger/heavier/pointyer travelling perpendicular, out of the corner of your eye?

A "courtesy jog"?

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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
1 like

Mini drivers. Have you ever seen a mini driven in a confident manner, with an assured level of attention being paid at the wheel? All the ones I see have young women looking at phones, looking at themselves in the mirror or just generally not paying attention. 

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Awavey replied to Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
3 likes

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Mini drivers. Have you ever seen a mini driven in a confident manner, with an assured level of attention being paid at the wheel? All the ones I see have young women looking at phones, looking at themselves in the mirror or just generally not paying attention. 

yes, when I drive mineangry

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CygnusX1 | 5 years ago
4 likes
=road.cc wrote:

Standing copy in bold at the end.

Where's a proof reader when you need one?

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joules1975 replied to CygnusX1 | 5 years ago
0 likes

CygnusX1 wrote:
=road.cc wrote:

Standing copy in bold at the end.

Where's a proof reader when you need one?

I see errors in almost every article Simon posts. If it's not something like this then he gets a fact or two incorrect.

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burtthebike | 5 years ago
5 likes

"In this case, since the motorised observed the Advanced Stop Line box, the cyclist was back in front while the lights were still red … so why bother taking the risk?"

Precisely because there was no risk to the driver.  If the cyclist had had a Kalashnikov slung over their shoulder, I'm pretty confident in saying that they wouldn't have taken the risk.

This kind of behaviour is far too common and should be grounds for a compulsory retest at the very least.

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