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Near Miss of the Day 212: Lorry driver makes punishment pass on cyclist for “riding in the middle of the “f***ing road” (includes swearing)

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

The latest video in our Near Miss of the Day series is a nasty one – a cyclist coming downhill at speed who is subjected to a punishment pass from the driver of a lorry.

It was submitted by road.cc reader Phil, who told us: “Apologies for the colourful language but this was close and at around 35mph .

“I was out on a training ride in East Grinstead West Sussex in late September this year when for no reason this lorry pushed me off the road?

“The response from the driver was: ’That's what you get for riding in the middle of the f***ing road!’.”

Phil added: “I have not reported this to the police.”

> 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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66 comments

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Russell Orgazoid replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
2 likes

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

HoarseMann wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

brooksby wrote:

And you've not reported this to the police because...? 

Because he'd get done for wanton and furious cycling?

Completely fucking idiotic response going up the outside of the wagon to yell at the driver but I guess that's adrenaline for you.

 

Yep, that would have induced a shot of adrenaline, resulting in a fight or flight response. What this shows is going after the lorry driver hasn’t helped. The driver clearly wanted to cause the cyclist distress and showing him just how much distress he caused has probably made him think job well done. The bad riding afterwards doesn’t help, as it appears the cyclist is acting as dangerously as the driver (even though any risk is mainly to the cyclist and I don’t want to be too critical as it’s an action taken in the heat of the moment). But armed with cameras and knowledge gleaned from these close pass videos, if caught up in something like this, it’s clear that trying to remain calm, gathering evidence (such as face video and calling out number plate to record on audio) without confrontation, offers the best chance of changing behaviours. Firstly through police action and failing that by shaming of companies/individuals via social media.

Did you really just compare an HGV driver driving criminally putting another persons life at risk to the cyclists actions which doesn't?

REALLY?

That's the problem, you are a cyclist and even youi can't see the difference between a criminal action that causes death and one that does not, or are you going to produce stats/instances of cyclists getting killed doing this kind of thing, certainly if you find one or two from over the years, it is clearly outnumbered by the deaths/SI of cyclists being struck by motorists from being close passed/run right over the top of. So the reaction does not equal the initial reckless, dangerous, criminal act, not even close!

That you do compare them is offensive.

You offend easily, flower.

Avatar
davel replied to Russell Orgazoid | 5 years ago
4 likes

Plasterer's Radio wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

HoarseMann wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

brooksby wrote:

And you've not reported this to the police because...? 

Because he'd get done for wanton and furious cycling?

Completely fucking idiotic response going up the outside of the wagon to yell at the driver but I guess that's adrenaline for you.

 

Yep, that would have induced a shot of adrenaline, resulting in a fight or flight response. What this shows is going after the lorry driver hasn’t helped. The driver clearly wanted to cause the cyclist distress and showing him just how much distress he caused has probably made him think job well done. The bad riding afterwards doesn’t help, as it appears the cyclist is acting as dangerously as the driver (even though any risk is mainly to the cyclist and I don’t want to be too critical as it’s an action taken in the heat of the moment). But armed with cameras and knowledge gleaned from these close pass videos, if caught up in something like this, it’s clear that trying to remain calm, gathering evidence (such as face video and calling out number plate to record on audio) without confrontation, offers the best chance of changing behaviours. Firstly through police action and failing that by shaming of companies/individuals via social media.

Did you really just compare an HGV driver driving criminally putting another persons life at risk to the cyclists actions which doesn't?

REALLY?

That's the problem, you are a cyclist and even youi can't see the difference between a criminal action that causes death and one that does not, or are you going to produce stats/instances of cyclists getting killed doing this kind of thing, certainly if you find one or two from over the years, it is clearly outnumbered by the deaths/SI of cyclists being struck by motorists from being close passed/run right over the top of. So the reaction does not equal the initial reckless, dangerous, criminal act, not even close!

That you do compare them is offensive.

You offend easily, flower.

He's right - they're just not comparable.

One of the people in the video is titting about with what 30? 40? tons of HGV with a chance of killing another road user if it goes even more wrong than it already had gone. 

Yet armchair warriors on here make more of a point of addressing the behaviour of the cyclist who was full of adrenaline, reacting to the close pass and THEN the brake test at a pinch point in the road.

That is fucking offensive.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to Russell Orgazoid | 5 years ago
0 likes

Plasterer's Radio wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

HoarseMann wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

brooksby wrote:

And you've not reported this to the police because...? 

Because he'd get done for wanton and furious cycling?

Completely fucking idiotic response going up the outside of the wagon to yell at the driver but I guess that's adrenaline for you.

 

Yep, that would have induced a shot of adrenaline, resulting in a fight or flight response. What this shows is going after the lorry driver hasn’t helped. The driver clearly wanted to cause the cyclist distress and showing him just how much distress he caused has probably made him think job well done. The bad riding afterwards doesn’t help, as it appears the cyclist is acting as dangerously as the driver (even though any risk is mainly to the cyclist and I don’t want to be too critical as it’s an action taken in the heat of the moment). But armed with cameras and knowledge gleaned from these close pass videos, if caught up in something like this, it’s clear that trying to remain calm, gathering evidence (such as face video and calling out number plate to record on audio) without confrontation, offers the best chance of changing behaviours. Firstly through police action and failing that by shaming of companies/individuals via social media.

Did you really just compare an HGV driver driving criminally putting another persons life at risk to the cyclists actions which doesn't?

REALLY?

That's the problem, you are a cyclist and even youi can't see the difference between a criminal action that causes death and one that does not, or are you going to produce stats/instances of cyclists getting killed doing this kind of thing, certainly if you find one or two from over the years, it is clearly outnumbered by the deaths/SI of cyclists being struck by motorists from being close passed/run right over the top of. So the reaction does not equal the initial reckless, dangerous, criminal act, not even close!

That you do compare them is offensive.

You offend easily, flower.

So you have nothing to contribute except a sarky comment and are too limited to grasp why it's offensive, so if I rape your partner and then he/she comes back at me to have a pop after I've left the scene, that's comparable right?

Fuck off stupid cunt

Avatar
Jimmy Ray Will replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
3 likes

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Plasterer's Radio wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

HoarseMann wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

brooksby wrote:

And you've not reported this to the police because...? 

Because he'd get done for wanton and furious cycling?

Completely fucking idiotic response going up the outside of the wagon to yell at the driver but I guess that's adrenaline for you.

 

Yep, that would have induced a shot of adrenaline, resulting in a fight or flight response. What this shows is going after the lorry driver hasn’t helped. The driver clearly wanted to cause the cyclist distress and showing him just how much distress he caused has probably made him think job well done. The bad riding afterwards doesn’t help, as it appears the cyclist is acting as dangerously as the driver (even though any risk is mainly to the cyclist and I don’t want to be too critical as it’s an action taken in the heat of the moment). But armed with cameras and knowledge gleaned from these close pass videos, if caught up in something like this, it’s clear that trying to remain calm, gathering evidence (such as face video and calling out number plate to record on audio) without confrontation, offers the best chance of changing behaviours. Firstly through police action and failing that by shaming of companies/individuals via social media.

Did you really just compare an HGV driver driving criminally putting another persons life at risk to the cyclists actions which doesn't?

REALLY?

That's the problem, you are a cyclist and even youi can't see the difference between a criminal action that causes death and one that does not, or are you going to produce stats/instances of cyclists getting killed doing this kind of thing, certainly if you find one or two from over the years, it is clearly outnumbered by the deaths/SI of cyclists being struck by motorists from being close passed/run right over the top of. So the reaction does not equal the initial reckless, dangerous, criminal act, not even close!

That you do compare them is offensive.

You offend easily, flower.

So you have nothing to contribute except a sarky comment and are too limited to grasp why it's offensive, so if I rape your partner and then he/she comes back at me to have a pop after I've left the scene, that's comparable right?

Fuck off stupid cunt

Now that's a slap down.

I think what Plasterer's Radio has done here is casually walked right on to many a cyclists trigger point. So much of the issues we face today, is hinged around an inability, or refusal to acknowledge the difference between the risk and associated responsibilities of cyclists and other road users.

As has been said to death... piss about in a car and you can kill people... piss about on a bike you can get yourself killed. This difference, is fundamental to why there is legislation, strict yet rarely fully enforced legislation that regulates what people do with a potentially lethal machine. It is absolutely fair that the same rules do not apply to cyclists and pedestrians, as they are not going to kill anyone. 

Failing to acknowledge that difference on a bike forum is always going to get a strong response. 

Avatar
Russell Orgazoid replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
1 like

 

You offend easily, flower.

[/quote]

So you have nothing to contribute except a sarky comment and are too limited to grasp why it's offensive, so if I rape your partner and then he/she comes back at me to have a pop after I've left the scene, that's comparable right?

Fuck off stupid cunt

[/quote]

1. I contributed earlier in this comments section, Flower. Do your homework.

2. You call me names over the internet. That makes you a Keyboard Ninja. Very weak and amusing for me to see you expose yourself as such. I'd say that to you in person; you wouldn't do the same with your comments above.

3. Your previous comment proves that you offend easily, as I pointed out. Thanks for doing that!

Avatar
HoarseMann replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
1 like

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

HoarseMann wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

brooksby wrote:

And you've not reported this to the police because...? 

Because he'd get done for wanton and furious cycling?

Completely fucking idiotic response going up the outside of the wagon to yell at the driver but I guess that's adrenaline for you.

 

Yep, that would have induced a shot of adrenaline, resulting in a fight or flight response. What this shows is going after the lorry driver hasn’t helped. The driver clearly wanted to cause the cyclist distress and showing him just how much distress he caused has probably made him think job well done. The bad riding afterwards doesn’t help, as it appears the cyclist is acting as dangerously as the driver (even though any risk is mainly to the cyclist and I don’t want to be too critical as it’s an action taken in the heat of the moment). But armed with cameras and knowledge gleaned from these close pass videos, if caught up in something like this, it’s clear that trying to remain calm, gathering evidence (such as face video and calling out number plate to record on audio) without confrontation, offers the best chance of changing behaviours. Firstly through police action and failing that by shaming of companies/individuals via social media.

Did you really just compare an HGV driver driving criminally putting another persons life at risk to the cyclists actions which doesn't?

REALLY?

That's the problem, you are a cyclist and even youi can't see the difference between a criminal action that causes death and one that does not, or are you going to produce stats/instances of cyclists getting killed doing this kind of thing, certainly if you find one or two from over the years, it is clearly outnumbered by the deaths/SI of cyclists being struck by motorists from being close passed/run right over the top of. So the reaction does not equal the initial reckless, dangerous, criminal act, not even close!

That you do compare them is offensive.

If you read the bit in brackets, I said the only person the cyclist is really putting at risk is himself. So no, I did not compare them as equivalent at all. The point I am trying to make (probably badly) is the riding afterwards doesn’t help as the police will likely take a dim view of it. It could “appear” dangerous to a non-cyclist, such as the copper reviewing the footage. But as I said, it was a heat of the moment call fuelled by adrenaline, so I do not want to be critical of the rider (plus he wouldn’t have got the driver mugshot without it). Just that there’s something here I think I can learn from.

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