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news
Near Miss of the Day 218 - One of the worst we have seen: Driver makes close pass on cyclist who was indicating to turn right - then chases after him and tries to force him off the road (includes swearing)
Today’s video in our Near Miss of the Day feature is one of the most shocking incidents we have had submitted for the series – and it resulted in a £500 fine and 12-month ban for the driver involved.
It shows a motorist overtaking a cyclist who was indicating to turn right – and then, after the cyclist remonstrated, chasing after him and trying to run him off the road.
The footage was recorded by road.cc reader Jon, who told us: “This was only the second time I'd used the camera,” hence the incorrect date stamp.
“Ironically I was playing with it to try and make a video to show how easy it can be to ride around some areas of Newcastle for local community group, Space For Gosforth.
“The incident took place back in February on my commute home from work in Gateshead by the River Tyne.
“It went to trial in October and the person driving received a £500 fine [for dangerous driving] and a 12-month ban with the requirement to pass an extended retest,” Jon said.
“The police were very good in handling the case with me,” he continued. “As I've commuted by bike for over 10 years this isn't the first time I've had to speak to them but without video evidence they've never managed much more than a call on the driver concerned.
“A friend of mine was involved in a hit and run not long before this incident so I was keen to make sure a driver behaving like this received appropriate punishment for their actions.
“You can see the original close pass, where I was indicating to turn right when I was overtaken. The driver then turned, caught up with me and tried to run me off the road twice.
“I had nowhere to go and felt very vulnerable until I escaped onto the bike path at the end of the video.
“I probably spent the next couple of weeks looking over my shoulder anxiously as I ride these roads every day and our paths could cross.
“It hasn't stopped me riding, close passes and near misses are all too common so sadly I've had to become immune to all but the worst of them,” Jon added.
“Overall cycling is still the most enjoyable way to get to work. More awareness and campaigning is needed to make this behaviour unacceptable,” he concluded.
> 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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19 comments
Doesn’t this one go way beyond a simple near miss? The motorist actively hunts down the cyclist- it’s ages before they come back into conflict!
(Incidentally, the ads I have showing on this page are all for Vauxhall)
Very similar incident happened to me involving an HGV back in January. Driver tried three times to put me under his wheels, including mounting the pavement and putting his cab into the hedge to block me off. He then got out, assaulted me with two punches and then drove off. I have no cameras, but 5 independent witnesses, including a woman with a pushchair who was on the pavement at the time.
Police were excellent and a few months ago the driver appeared in court (he was sacked by his employer the next day), changed his plea to guilty, lost his licence for 6 months, received a 12 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, was fined £500 with another £500 victim compensation (all to come to me for more bike bits!) and now the Commercial Vehicle Unit at Cheshire Police have picked up on it which, I quote “has a very close working relationship with the Transport Commissioner”, who has powers above that of the courts when it comes to Commercial Vehicle operations. They will be recommending that the driver loses his C+E for life.
So, good result, shame I don’t have footage...
I think ordinary motorists should lose their licence for longer than they do.
Hopefully that thug won't be driving large vehicles ever.
I will report back the result, which the Police have said they will inform me of.
Thank you. Every idiot driver we can get off the roads is a benefit to all of us.
At the very start of the clip
I'm not clear what happened.... "It shows a motorist overtaking a cyclist who was indicating to turn right – and then, after the cyclist remonstrated, chasing after him and trying to run him off the road." The cyclist makes a left turn, moves to the side of the road, then there is a beep. Where's the attempted right turn?
In the first 10 seconds, then the driver appears about 1:25 with the brake check.
Ah yes, thanks.
edit. Not sure how I managed to post 3x. Oh well.
Ah yes, thanks.
Ah yes, thanks.
Good result, what a nasty experience. I came across a very hotheaded & abusive driver last winter who threatened to smack my teeth in when I asked him politely to clear his windscreen whilst driving around schoolkids. Always good to have an exit plan in case the driver turns nasty.
I'd be angry if I drove a Vauxhall (unless it was a Manta GTE)
Dunno about that; the Mk3 Cavalier GSI was a nice motor, too? And hows about that Calibra Turbo? Ive always has a spot spot for the original Astra GTE, too... What was the article about again?
Opel Monza GSE, or better still Lotus Carlton.
Christ! The Lotus Carlton! How could I forget that beastie? Good call. You win GM top trumphs!
Lotus Carlton v Cyclist, The Daily Mail would struggle on which side to pick.
more attack then near miss. Well done in hetting a result too.
Well done for reporting this and getting some kind of justice.
There is something very wrong with that driver, and never mind the extended test, he needs psychiatric treatment before being allowed to drive again, as he is clearly not responsible enough to be in charge of a lethal weapon. Perhaps we need the same tests as for obtaining a firearms certificate, after all, cars kill a lot more people than guns in this country.