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news
Near Miss of the Day 39: Speeding motorbiker swerves towards cyclist on London Cycle Superhighway
With their physical protection from motor traffic, London's latest generation of Cycle Superhighways are transforming cycling in the capital, but even somewhere you might assume would be safe can be the scene of a scary encounter with motor traffic.
YouTube user Ethno Cyclist uploaded this video yesterday taken on Upper Thames Street in the City of London as he rode along Cycle Superhighway 3.
The footage shows two motorcyclists speeding towards him, and according to witnesses they were being ridden at a speed of around 50 miles an hour.
The cyclist added that although it's not entirely apparent from the video, the rider of the second motorbike then swerved at him at speed.
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.
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.
Latest Comments
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Well Gloucestershire are getting better. I'm being told whether or not action is to be take , but not what action, within a few days of each report...
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Churnalism nowadays - mostly clickbait stuff and regurgitation in the local rags/comics and beyond.
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I'm glad the barrier wasn't damaged. Whew, close one there! \s
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34 comments
As someone who uses that CSH every day thing that's really start to wind me up is the number of un-restircted e-bikes. Yesterday I counted 5 including one which wasn't far of a track derney with the rider wearing a full helmet. Doing 19ish MPH (270ish watts) on a road bike they were still comfortably droping me whilst only lightly spinning
I for one welcome our derney overlords. Bring on the Cycle Super Highway Keirin !
Blimey! 19mph (that's over 30km/h for the cyclists), eh? On a road bike....
What can I say? I'm, unusually, lost for words.
The point being I was doing a realtivly average speed due to the number of much slower moving bikes but much more than the 15.5mph / 250watt limit set on e-bikes and was being comfortably dropped by un-limited e-bikes.
The point being whether you would comment at another cyclist passing at over 30km/h. I'd be a little hacked if someone passes without a little shout, but it seldom happens though.
I thought the point they were making was if the e-bicyclist could pass them at that speed ('while only lightly spinning'), then said e-bike must be putting out illegal amounts of power? If it were another cyclist it wouldn't imply a law being broken.
Not sure that was the point but wdik
I witnessed a similar incident with two fast moving motorcyclists near the same spot back in January/February
Thanks, to be contrary with the shared path does that not again put us and pedestrians in a conflict situation? Whilst I appreciate they are the more vulnerable party here and I don't want car drivers telling me to wear a helmet, me travelling 10-15mph on a shared path and unlit pedestrians doesn't sound great. Think I'll stick to the roads.
I wouldn't bet on the motorbikes being stolen. Muggers tend to use scooters.
As motorbikes find it difficult passing large vehicles eastbound, I can see that some would cut into the cycle lane to get a faster route.
Great first post Maverick.
To your points, early October, half past 7. It is possible that the odd person gets caught out by the diminishing light at this time of year, you may even find a car driver that hasn't put their lights on. What exactly has this to do with 2 motor cycles travelling at high speed down a cycle lane? If they were on a pavement and hit your granny would you question whether she had her walking stick?
As for the RLJs - do all traffic lights have cameras, would they be of quality to show faces, what are the legalities of showing these and do you anticipate a cycling website receiving these?
As an aside, what are the laws/highway code stipulations about lights if you're on a cycle path, shared use path etc. Genuinely interested as I don't know.
A cycle path such as the one in the video is certainly part of the road, so normal rules apply. A shared use path of the "white line on the pavement" type, same (road covers boundary to boundary, not just carriageway). For other paths, such as converted railways, I really don't know. I dare say there is no actual law in that case.
I take it that the other cyclists had stopped and multiple red lights were present that indicated "stop", I think is the answer to your last question
I do know how a traffic light works, I was more thinking of lights on a shared path. I think anyone that's cycled regularly will admit to a time where they've been beaten by the day light, had an issue with a bike light etc.
If there's an appropriate shared lane, I would generally go there, reduce speed etc. However, we know these are dangerous places for cyclists, if I'm legally required to be lit on a shared path is everyone using it also required to be lit...
"Given the fact there are two of them, and riding with such speed, these are most likely muggers on scooters/motorbikes rather than your average motorbike rider"
Or one absolute muppet and one thinking "oooh if he's allowed down there then so am I".
2 idiots doesn't necessarily equal an escalation of criminality...
Valid points, but having personally witnessed scooter gangs riding around daily throughout London, the footage has all the hallmarks of their behaviour. I highly doubt a 'legal' scooter rider would fly along a cycle lane at 50mph, especially if they are traceable - the situation points to stolen machines.
I have been a victim of scooter muggings twice in the past few years - a mobile phone stolen snatched a couple of years ago, and and attempted bike snatch last month. You only have to perform a quick google search to see the escalation of criminal behaviour by scooter riders.
Nice to see a red light jumper who also couldn't be bothered to have lights.
In fact two of the cyclists at the start of the clip don't have back lights either.
It's good to highlight near misses, but it also shows poor cycling practice, that is accepted by the other cyclists.
What about a daily mug shots of RLJ'ers
How many people do they kill?
As for lack of lights - nah, I don't accept it - I quietly tut and roll my eyes when I see it. But as it doesn't endanger my life I don't regard it as a priority, sorry.
do you attach your rear light to the stick that's up your arse?
Bit harsh that. New forum member criticises cyclist and gets thrown an insult. We should be welcoming new members and be open to be challenges.
that was me being welcoming
Take a chill pill, don't be so angry
Dont confuse mockery for anger. You will though becuase you're an idiot
Believe you are looking for the Daily Mail comments section...
Being told to stick my rear light up my arse is fine, but suggesting I look at the DM is out of order
you misunderstood - what I meant was that you already have a stick up your butt, and so it would then provide a convenient point of attacment for a rear light
I could happily provide dozens a day. Most of them would be in motor vehicles, though
Given the fact there are two of them, and riding with such speed, these are most likely muggers on scooters/motorbikes rather than your average motorbike rider.
Even the most audacious solo rider would err on the side of caution when blasting along a segregated cycleway in the City of London, one of the most monitored sections of roads in London. Echoed in the comments above, they are probably on stolen machines, so care not about other road users.
Scooter muggings, and crime on stolen scooters has reached an epidemic in London, with many criminals seeing it as the perfect crime. Police are forbidden from pursuing, else they risk the strong arm of the IPCC should any of their pursuivants come to harm.
It's even started to become reflected in the behaviour of delivery drivers and other scooter users. Almost daily I encounter motorbike and scooter drivers running red lights, driving erratically and taking enourmous liberties.
Possibly muggers, more likely using it for convenience I'd have thought. It gives them the same benefits as (non-motor) cyclists: less congestion and more safety.
Possibly these are muggers on motorbikes ? Stolen bikes so they really don't care ?
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