Near Miss of the Day 51: Dangerous overtake in French gorge

Geraldaut wrote:

It is a hairdresser’s car. No offence intended...

Maybe they thought he wanted a close shave?

All joking aside, that's pretty shocking - although it's the kind of overtake I usually get at least once a week - without the awesome scenery. Would be interesting to hear if they reported it, and whether the French police did anything.

Jem PT wrote:

Yes, definitely a non-French driver in a hire car.

British? Italian? 

No we really have some proper bellend in France as well 

jfparis wrote:

Jem PT wrote:

Yes, definitely a non-French driver in a hire car.

British? Italian? 

No we really have some proper bellend in France as well 

Lol I recall Ronde Picarde when a car over nothing and in the middle of a little one street village decided to have a go at a cyclist. One of those Bellends indeed.  I think the cyclist cycled past his car stopping him getting out of his parking space for 2 seconds.  The delay was so severe it mean he had to remonstrate for 2minutes

burtthebike wrote:

Having ridden quite a lot in France, I'm a bit surprised this was a French car, as most of the ones that did that kind of thing had GB plates.  Most French drivers take exaggerated care around cyclists, but perhaps it was a French car with a Brit driver?

I'm not surprised in the slightest, have ridden and driven over there quite a lot too, the modern day French driver is no better than those on UK roads. Given like for like they are far worse in terms of road deaths/serious injuries (3,400 deaths) and the number of cyclists killed is around 50% more, the impression that French drivers are great is simply not true.

Swiss drivers are worse but the worst on continental Europe that I've encountered are Italians, absolute baw-bags.

As for this guy, far too close to the gutter and absolutely no get out of jail space, it's a pretty common theme IME, one that I don't approve of.

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Having ridden quite a lot in France, I'm a bit surprised this was a French car, as most of the ones that did that kind of thing had GB plates.  Most French drivers take exaggerated care around cyclists, but perhaps it was a French car with a Brit driver?

I'm not surprised in the slightest, have ridden and driven over there quite a lot too, the modern day French driver is no better than those on UK roads. Given like for like they are far worse in terms of road deaths/serious injuries (3,400 deaths) and the number of cyclists killed is around 50% more, the impression that French drivers are great is simply not true.

Swiss drivers are worse but the worst on continental Europe that I've encountered are Italians, absolute baw-bags.

As for this guy, far too close to the gutter and absolutely no get out of jail space, it's a pretty common theme IME, one that I don't approve of.

Whats surprising is that France has (roughly) the same population as the UK but twice as much (approx) motorway network by distance. You might expect their accident rate would be dragged down by having more available (relatively) safer motorway miles than us... Maybe its used less as people avoid their tolls? My own experience of riding in the South of France - 5-600km each summer for the past five years is that the drivers, by and large, are considerably more thoughful, respectful and courteous than UK drivers. Its most noticeable for me, when you ride through little bits of street furniture, pinch points ahead of mini roundabouts, crossings or where two lanes filter down to one, that sort of thing... I've had numerous drivers up my tail, who by and large, patiently wait until I cycle through these sections of road, when it just would be too narrow for them to pass. In the UK, I'm forever finding drivers here loathed to do the same, and will overtake you when its risky, only to stamp on their brakes the second they realised the road has changed shape, pinches in or whatever. Its often as if they've completely forgotten you exist - the moment the overtake.

dietbruboy wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Having ridden quite a lot in France, I'm a bit surprised this was a French car, as most of the ones that did that kind of thing had GB plates.  Most French drivers take exaggerated care around cyclists, but perhaps it was a French car with a Brit driver?

I'm not surprised in the slightest, have ridden and driven over there quite a lot too, the modern day French driver is no better than those on UK roads. Given like for like they are far worse in terms of road deaths/serious injuries (3,400 deaths) and the number of cyclists killed is around 50% more, the impression that French drivers are great is simply not true.

Swiss drivers are worse but the worst on continental Europe that I've encountered are Italians, absolute baw-bags.

As for this guy, far too close to the gutter and absolutely no get out of jail space, it's a pretty common theme IME, one that I don't approve of.

Whats surprising is that France has (roughly) the same population as the UK but twice as much (approx) motorway network by distance. You might expect their accident rate would be dragged down by having more available (relatively) safer motorway miles than us... Maybe its used less as people avoid their tolls? My own experience of riding in the South of France - 5-600km each summer for the past five years is that the drivers, by and large, are considerably more thoughful, respectful and courteous than UK drivers. Its most noticeable for me, when you ride through little bits of street furniture, pinch points ahead of mini roundabouts, crossings or where two lanes filter down to one, that sort of thing... I've had numerous drivers up my tail, who by and large, patiently wait until I cycle through these sections of road, when it just would be too narrow for them to pass. In the UK, I'm forever finding drivers here loathed to do the same, and will overtake you when its risky, only to stamp on their brakes the second they realised the road has changed shape, pinches in or whatever. Its often as if they've completely forgotten you exist - the moment the overtake.

so given all what you said why is their cycling death rate (per mile) significantly higher and getting worse, this BS about it being UK is just that?

Cycle commuting in France is at an all time low IMHO, go into any small/medium sized town and cycling is virtually non existant. There's no doubt cycle sport is still popular but when you have increases in cycle deaths for at least the last 6 years (against a significant drop of KSIs for motorists) and increases in pedestrian deaths this definitely reflects in the driving std.