Today’s submission in our Near Miss of the Day series shows a shocking left-hook by a taxi driver in Manchester.
It was sent in by road.cc reader Bob, who says in the description to the video: “Taxi overtook at speed as I was part way across a junction, then turned left. Saved a couple of seconds, but could have killed me.”
Bob told us that he has passed the video on to Greater Manchester Police under their Operation Considerate and added, “Would be nice if someone could calculate the cars speed.”
> 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@road.cc">info@road.cc or send us a message via the road.cc Facebook page.
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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
79 thoughts on “Near Miss of the Day 229: Shocking left hook by taxi driver”
Get onto the local council
Get onto the local council too- the driver presumably has a taxi licence.
The only way to calculate the speed would be to go back and measure the distance between road markings the driver crossed at 31 secs onward and the time taken to cover them.
PRSboy wrote:
Definitely, hopefully that will end the driver’s licence.
Classic left hook. As PRSboy
Classic left hook. As PRSboy says, local council as well as the police.
You’ve got to wonder what goes through their heads when they do this; do they think that it doesn’t matter, or that you don’t matter or what? I just don’t understand it.
An egregious and borderline
An egregious and borderline murderous left hook, but sorry – what exactly is ‘shocking’ about it?
It looks like the standard behaviour of the driver who doesn’t give a shit about others (which is to say: most of them).
I was left hooked by a driver a few weeks back. Took the very unusual step (for me) of going after the car to have a word. As I got closer, I saw that the driver was female and that there was a child present, so I slowed right down and stopped well away from the driver’s door, so as not to be perceived as threatening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKaeEik6P8k&t=13s
She first claimed that there had been loads of room.
‘If there was loads of room, how was I able to reach out and rap my knuckles on the window?’
Silence.
Then she claimed that I had been ‘undertaking’ her.
I pointed out that I was in a cycle lane.
Silence.
As you can see, the first (and so far only) person to comment claimed that I had accelerated towards the car. My speedometer demonstrates that this was not the case. It was also implied that because she had been indicating, I should have ‘eased off’. Another prick who thinks that the fact that one puts indicators on, gives right of way.
cycle.london wrote:
Judging by the username, they post on here, so have good debate !
cycle.london wrote:
What is shocking is your attitude that this is an acceptable norm!
Also, having unfortunately watched the video (after clicking on your poorly disguesed self promotion post) I have to agree that the situation was avoidable. Yes the car should have waited, it looks like they thought they had enough time as they were not anticipating the bus having to stop for the zebra crossing. They did make that error in judgement but they also had been indicating for long enough for you to anticipate their actions.
ClubSmed wrote:
.. i.e., another prick who thinks that putting indicators on confers some ‘right of way’.
BTW .. ‘self promotion’? LOL! Grow the fuck up.
cycle.london wrote:
Ahh, the beautiful irony.
You post on here playing down an incident to try and promote and incident that you had. When others play down the incident you had you have a fit
ClubSmed wrote:
Yep. Definitely not a native English speaker.
That’s fine.
ClubSmed wrote:
Just to be clear:
I hope that’s a bit clearer.
cycle.london wrote:
The definition of “egregious” is either:
1 Outstandingly bad; shocking.
Or
2 (archaic) Remarkably good.
As you also claimed that it was not shocking (and that you don’t find murder shocking) then that rules out the first definition so that means that that you must have thought it was “Remarkably good”
You do not have to earn money from a thing in order to be promoting it, I don’t think you fully understand what self promotion is.
As I have already said, using the word “standard” does not imply that it is tolorated, the added opinion that it is not “shocking” does though.
ClubSmed wrote:
BTW2 .. where do I say that this is in any way ‘acceptable’? I simply said it doesn’t shock me.
cycle.london wrote:
If it is acceptable then it is able to be tolerated or allowed, you are claiming that it is not shocking and that it is standard so by definition acceptable
ClubSmed wrote:
What the actual fuck..?
cycle.london wrote:
The dictionary definition of “acceptable” is “Able to be tolerated or allowed”
If you are having difficulty with the word “tollorate”, the definition is “Accept or endure (someone or something unpleasant or disliked) with forbearance.”
As you are claiming that this footage is not shocking and is standard then you are tollorating it and therefore it is logical that you are accepting it.
For me it is not acceptable, it is shocking and it is definately not standard. To claim that it is just furthers claims that cycling is too dangerous, which is wrong and not helping cyclists be any safer. You claim that most drivers are like this but I do not see more than 50% of the drivers in your video acting in this way, in fact II don’t even see 1% of drivers in your video acting in such a dangerous way!
ClubSmed wrote:
Being kind now, I am guessing that English isn’t your native language?
Stating that something is ‘standard’ in no way implies that I consider it to be ‘acceptable’ or ‘able to be tolerated’.
cycle.london wrote:
You are right, stating something is “standard” does not imply that you find it acceptable. Also stating that it is not shocking does though.
To help you out, the definition of “shocking” is “causing indignation or disgust; offensive” so if you do not find it shocking then you do not find it to be offensive so it is therefore acceptable.
ClubSmed wrote:
No it doesn’t. I am not ‘shocked’ when people murder each other, either. Do you think I find murder ‘acceptable’, too? [/quote]
cycle.london wrote:
What I am starting to think , is that you are displaying a lot of indicators of a sociopath…
BTW3…
BTW3…
6.8 seconds.
Which part of ‘indicators don’t give you right of way’ are causing you problems?
cycle.london wrote:
So because you couldn’t be bothered to anticipate a bit and ease off, you decide to make a big issue of it.
Coupled with the blatant rudeness of your replies on YouTube – you don’t get any sympathy from me here.
As road users we need to need to anticipate and not make mountains out of molehills – make a noise when it’s important and worth it, rather than borderline situations like this.
Really nasty left hook by the
Really nasty left hook by the taxi and very dangerous. Needs pursuing.
I’m not sympathetic to the cycle.london example though. Overtaking car underestimated bike’s speed and how much the bus would slow down. Slight error on their part – give ’em a break and ease off!
Really nasty left hook by the
Really nasty left hook by the taxi and very dangerous. Needs pursuing.
I’m not sympathetic to the cycle.london example though. Overtaking car underestimated bike’s speed and how much the bus would slow down. Slight error on their part – give ’em a break and ease off!
Really nasty left hook by the
Really nasty left hook by the taxi and very dangerous. Needs pursuing.
I’m not sympathetic to the cycle.london example though. Overtaking car underestimated bike’s speed and how much the bus would slow down. Slight error on their part – give ’em a break and ease off!
Really nasty left hook by the
Really nasty left hook by the taxi and very dangerous. Needs pursuing.
I’m not sympathetic to the cycle.london example though. Overtaking car underestimated bike’s speed and how much the bus would slow down. Slight error on their part – give ’em a break and ease off!
danhopgood wrote:
That cycle path is much used by cyclists coming through Eltham, heading towards Sidcup and Bexleyheath. I drive it daily, since I go to get my wife at the station, so I head west towards Eltham on that road by car, and I head east again once collecting my wife. And as I drive down past the junction with Riefield Road, past the filling station and onto Blackfen Road, there are very often cyclists belting it down that road. And as we indicate and turn left further on, how come I don’t cut across cyclists? I will do the ‘life saver’ over my left shoulder, and if my wife’s there, she’ll reflexively do the same thing. And vice versa. If there’s a cyclist in that lane, I’ll stop until he or she has passed me.
If I can do it, and I’m no more than an average driver, why can’t others do it?
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Tommytrucker wrote:
I suspect the rest of you have been bored for quite a while.
“How To Win Friends and
“How To Win Friends and Influence People” by cycle.london — Sales: appoximately just below 1.
I’m with StuInNorway (on youtube) and other posters here – that’s a pretty minor league example of a left hook, and you had plenty of time to anticipate her actions, adjust speed and/or make a course alteration. Oh, and just before you start the ad-hominem attacks just because someone holds a diffrent viewpoint, that’s not saying she had the right of way just because she had a flashing orange light.
CygnusX1 wrote:
Two straw men for the price of one. I’m impressed.
Q. did she have right of way?
* yes – cyclist was in the wrong
* no – driver was in the wrong
End of discussion, move along now. Nothing to see, move along.
cycle.london wrote:
To quote the highway code:
“The rules in The Highway Code do not give you the right of way in any circumstance, but they advise you when you should give way to others. Always give way if it can help to avoid an incident.”
So neither the cyclist nor driver had right of way……
ClubSmed wrote:
…. virtually none of which is enforceable.
LOL .. what is this? Who gave way, and who didn’t?
My God, what a fucking tit… really. I mean, you have to be doing this for a dare.
cycle.london wrote:
Or we could be feeding a troll.
I think the only one here who has used offensive language is you.
mustgettaller wrote:
Oh FFS, here we go .. ‘when in doubt, call him a troll’.
cycle.london wrote:
(Off go get popcorn).
You are remakably self-righteous and so easy to wind up.
mustgettaller wrote:
Erm, it actually doesn’t look like he’s getting wound up at all. It looks more like exasperation that he’s being accused of having opinions that he never espoused, and that those doing so are either being deliberately disingenuous, or else they really are a bit thick, as he’s suggested.
But hey, what do I know? I’m just a troll/sock puppet/anarchist/car driver*
* delete as applicable
Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:
Cycle.London has clearly stated that they do not think that the original video was not shocking and that it is just the standard behaviour by the majority of drivers.
This is not an attitude that is in my opinion helpful to the furtherment of increasing the safety of cyclists on the road. Nor do I feel that it is accurate to state that this is the standard of driving held by >50% of motorists
ClubSmed wrote:
Well, it doesn’t actually ‘shock’ me either. Drivers are twats – I obviously agree. I don’t think his video was particularly ‘shocking’ either, however. Both videos basically just demonstrate what is an everyday occurrence for cyclists. Could that be what he meant by ‘standard’?
Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:
Well, it doesn’t actually ‘shock’ me either. Drivers are twats – I obviously agree. I don’t think his video was particularly ‘shocking’ either, however. Both videos basically just demonstrate what is an everyday occurrence for cyclists. Could that be what he meant by ‘standard’?— ClubSmed
That’s precisely what I meant. I did NOT claim thagt it was somehow ‘acceptable’.
mustgettaller wrote:
Why do people always think that you’re being ‘wound up’ or are ‘a troll’ if you use ‘bad’ language?
Of course ‘troll’ is a standard Internet technique to shut someone down – or even better to persuade moderators/admins that someone’s opinions are not sincerely held, and get their posts removed and possibly even a ban for the person concerned. It’s a bit like ‘pædophile’ on newsgroups – a straw man immediately putting the person on the defensive, forcing him or her to deny being ‘a troll’.
Back to the original video –
Back to the original video — WTF is that metallic thing bottom left of screen? Looks like the top of a swimming pool ladder.
CygnusX1 wrote:
I think it is a Pletcher (?) map holding device. I used to have one twenty years ago.
burtthebike wrote:
You, sir, are correct (apart from spelling). Quick google found this:
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/accessoriesmaps-navigation-holders/pletscher-map-holder/
CygnusX1 wrote:
Fat chance.
In both videos the drivers
In both videos the drivers should have anticipated and hung back until the cyclists had cleared the junctions.
Neither cyclist did anything wrong.
One cyclist would more than likely have suffered more significant injuries than the other.
Can we stop excusing drivers for poor driving, please?
Had that video been watched in isolation, there would be a different line to the thread about piss poor driving. But yes, cycle.london should have been taught a lesson by the lady driver and serve them bloody well right, just because I can’t handle their attitude!!!
don simon fbpe wrote:
*ding*
don simon fbpe wrote:
How do you get your name changed? What does the “fbpe” mean?
Edit: Never mind, I think I’ve figured out how to change my username
hawkinspeter Sciuridae wrote:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/17/fbpe-what-is-pro-eu-hashtag-spreading-across-social-media
I’m sure changing your display name is as simple as editing your profile on road.cc
Weird. I’m sure I quoted you before your edit, yet it picked it up when I hit save.
hawkinspeter Sciuridae wrote:
That blue account tab up there.
EDIT: then change name.
fbpe = https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/17/fbpe-what-is-pro-eu-hashtag-spreading-across-social-media
don simon fbpe wrote:
That’s the first time that I’ve come across fbpe, but maybe after recent events it’ll become more popular.
I was going to try to think of something witty to change my name to, but then realised that I’d more than likely forget it and have trouble logging in to post pics.
hawkinspeter wrote:
You’d surely remember Squirrel McSquirrelface, wouldn’t you?
don simon fbpe wrote:
Probably not.
I can’t for the life of me
I can’t for the life of me work out what this argument is even about, so have no idea who is right or wrong.
Though
“This is not an attitude that is in my opinion helpful to the furtherment of increasing the safety of cyclists on the road.”
For some reason makes me want to shout “Parklife!”.
Must be something to do with the structure and rhythm of the sentence. (Also the preceding sentence to that one has a double negative that is confusing).
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
My take on it – 1. video posted for ‘close pass of the day’. 2. someone chimes in with ‘fark, that’s not ‘shocking’ – I get that every day’. 3. someone replies with ‘if you don’t find it shocking, you must think it’s OK?’. 4. ‘No I don’t’. 5. ‘But that’s what you said’. 6. ‘No it isn’t’. ‘Yes it is’. ‘No it isn’t’. ‘Yes it is’. ‘Fuck you’. ‘He’s a troll!’ ‘No I’m not’. ‘Yes you are!’.
And so on.
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
My take on it – 1. video posted for ‘close pass of the day’. 2. someone chimes in with ‘fark, that’s not ‘shocking’ – I get that every day’. 3. someone replies with ‘if you don’t find it shocking, you must think it’s OK?’. 4. ‘No I don’t’. 5. ‘But that’s what you said’. 6. ‘No it isn’t’. ‘Yes it is’. ‘No it isn’t’. ‘Yes it is’. ‘Fuck you’. ‘He’s a troll!’ ‘No I’m not’. ‘Yes you are!’.
And so on.
Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:
Me too – and I even got involved!
Anyway – now we’ve morphed into username discussions.
Much more productive. Beats working.
mustgettaller wrote:
I’ve been spending some money online. Bought a new wheelset and gave Alexa several hundred quid of my hard-earned, for Alexa and associated goodies.
mustgettaller wrote:
Just don’t hit the upside down button.
Edit: I think I fixed it going upside down, but now I’ve got no chance of logging in again.
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
Maybe, but does it give you an enormous sense of wellbeing?
How did you get that speckled
How did you get that speckled effect Squirrels / hawkinspeter / whatever you are called by the time I’ve finished typing this post?
CygnusX1 wrote:
Just type with really muddy fingers.
ɿɘƚɘꟼꙅᴎiʞwɒH wrote:
Okay, someone is having fun with extended character sets.
CygnusX1 wrote:
Bored now
CygnusX1 wrote:
Okay, someone is having fun with extended character sets.
[/quote]
Aaaaagh! My eyes!!!!!!!
Where is stuinnorway?
Where is stuinnorway?
We need more swearin’ an’ effin’ ‘n’blindin’
hirsute wrote:
erm, in Norway?
We have a long thread and no
We have a long thread and no one has responded with appropriate squirrel pictures. Hint, hint..
Though I applaud the weird username thing.
ktache wrote:
Shocking!
Whats worrying is the
Whats worrying is the “Squirrels” moniker appears to have been decorated with several of ҉҉ — the “combining cyrillic millions” character (U+0489) — so millions, upon millions, of squirrels. Keep a good guard on your nuts, folks!
I’m not shocked that it’s a
I’m not shocked that it’s a Taxi driver.
I think that ‘shocking’ is
I think that ‘shocking’ is one of those words like ‘fury’ and ‘outrage’ that gets tagged onto every headline on almost every news site. Of course, the fascists over at the Daily Mail are the worst offenders, because how else can they block the flow of social progress, if they’re not getting people angry at such ‘outrageous’ and progressive subjects like giving women the vote and allowing black people to go about their business without being spat on?
It’s an overused word that really has ceased to have any meaning. That first video doesn’t ‘shock’ me and I don’t expect people to be ‘shocked’ by my video. And by ‘standard’, I don’t mean that I’m not dismayed by the driver’s behaviour. It’s that it’s not unusual, and therefore not ‘surprising’, and therefore not ‘shocking’.
cycle.london wrote:
“Shocking” is “Causing indignation or disgust; offensive.”
I personally find that attitude of the subset of drivers on the road to be disgusting and offensive.
“Shocking” is also definded as “Causing a feeling of surprise and dismay.“
I can almost guarantee that the cyclist in the clip was left with a feeling of surprise and dismay.
“Shocking” is also be defined as “very bad“
I do not think anyone here would challenge that the driving in the article is very bad
So I do not believe that “shocking” is out of context here in this article, you may feel that it did not surprise you but that is because you knew it was coming due to the headline. The cyclist did not and therefore it is surprising.
As for “standard”, that is certainly not the standard of driving required for a license so I am not sure what standards you are refering to.
I thought the driving
I thought the driving standard in both videos was particularly SICK!
Assuming the dashes are
Assuming the dashes are spaced correctly at 6 metres, I make it 31 mph as they go up the road after the turn. However, to be sure, you would need to go and measure them; I find they are usually correctly painted but some might not be.
What an argument.
What an argument.
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