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news
Near Miss of the Day 227: Audi driver ignores cyclist at roundabout (includes swearing)
The latest video in our Near Miss of the Day feature is another of those ones in which a driver fails to see - or simply ignores - a cyclist on a roundabout.
This one happened yesterday morning on Chorley Road, Walton Le Dale, Preston to road.cc reader Phil, who described it as "Worrying".
He told us: "it was really icy yesterday morning after a night of heavy rain, so I could have slid underneath the car.
"Given that I ride at all times with front and rear lights on, the front being a 550 lumen light, and a Proviz 360 reflective jacket, it never fails to amaze me just how blinkered drivers are. Or ignorant.
"This is almost a daily occurrence for me, where I have to take evasive action to avoid being mown down.
"As usual, the ultra wide camera doesn’t show just how close the driver was to me."
> 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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30 comments
I've seen a transport dept report somewhere that showed the makes of motor most often recorded as speeding with Audi and Mercedes prominent. No surprises there.
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/96663/the-top-10-cars-most-likely...
Blimey! you're right. In a 35 year driving career I got my first points for speeding a couple of years ago and it was in an Audi. Fortunately I currently drive a Volvo so am much less likely to get done for speeding.I feel much more reassured now that there is a survey to help in my defence.
You are flashing 550 lumens in his face and you wonder why he couldn't see the signal. Assuming there was a signal, which I am not convinced about given the pattern of the camera movement.
But lets all keep on blaming the drivers.
Why not? Especially when they're in the wrong.
Watch the video closely. You will see the point where I look behind me again, and you can see my hand outstretched. The light points downwards, so I don't blind drivers. The driver was to blame. He should have seen me from 200 yards up the hill. So he was either not concentrating, texting or Facebooking, or couldn't be bothered to stop.
Perhaps Road.cc could publicise the video in the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x94PGgYKHQ0
While drivers need to also understand the issues raised in the video, and adjust their driving to minimise the issue, it's clear there are plenty of cyclists that should also take note and maybe for their own self preservation adjust their riding to increase the chance of themselves being seen.
In this case, the rider makes no attempt to remove himself from the A pillar blind spot, and the driver makes no attempt to see around the a pillar into the blind spot.
I do adjust my riding according to the threat in front of me. I have done what I can to make myself as visible as possible, what else can a cyclist do? Regarding your point about the A pillar blind spot. You do have a point, in modern cars it can be increasingly difficult to see around the A pillars due to the width when they have air bags fitted to the A pillar, for example. But this driver should have seen me from 200 yards up the hill. It is a straight road with no obstructions at all. I would only have been in his blind spot as he cut in front of me. If he was paying attention he should have seen me earlier and stopped. But this occurs regularly, many people look at me but can't be arsed to stop, or they have their eyes glued to the phone in their lap.
it never fails to amaze me just how blinkered drivers are. Or ignorant.
He was neither 'blinkered' nor 'ignorant'. He 'saw' you, just as most people 'see' the cockroach that they crush underfoot. As a cyclist, you are worth as much to him, as the cockroach is to other people.
It's up to you to teach him the error of his ways.
Looks like a classic hidden-behind-the-A-pillar SMIDSY to me. You have to assume no-one has seen you and you have to be ready to stop dead whenever you are near any junction.
Not really,if they can't see a bike directly in front of them then the pillar makes no difference.
I slow slightly as I turn at mini-rabs, and almost expect the driver who will inevitably proceed whatever. BTW Proviz jackets are not really high-vis at all in dull conditions, only very reflective when it's dark. I prefer a high-viz colour with good reflective detailing.
I saw an A5 Quattro Sportback in Decathlon Stockport the other day, I guarantee they weren't looking at bikes. But it is a stunning looking motor, especially in white. Must make a note to have a chat with the fleet manager.
I can see how Audi drivers get their bad rep.
However, not all white, middle aged men are like Jimmy Saville, either.
But a white Audi crossover (or 4 wheel drive as they would call it). No, a thousand times, no.
This is clearly the cyclists fault. The driver was in a car so has the right of way.
How do I turn off Daily Mail mode?
Mini-roundabouts are a nightmare, so many drivers just ignor them.
That is on my route. and it is a lot worse from the other direction coming down the hill. I had a very close shave there once coming down the hill, I hit somthing and puntured the front tyre so could not stop for the roundabout. Luckly the car turning accross my path (who had right of way) stopped. Which I then did to change a front innertube in the cold and dark. not fun. But yes I have loads of people pull out or squezze past round there.
Must have been pretty scary at the time, but I'm afraid I see nothing there that I don't see every day. Motorists coming out onto a mini roundabout are looking for other cars, and will look right through you (a mere cyclist) no matter how retina burning your lights or hi-viz jacket...
AND AGAIN, the usual suspect, yet another arogant's status elevation car brand (AUDI, MERCEDES,BMW mplah mplah mplah) in another close call... why there are no fiats and
They are still at home waiting for Tony....
(Fix It Again Tony)
I’ve had my fair share of close passes, attempted left hooks, brake checks and smidsy’s from drivers of ‘low end’ vehicles. It’s all down to the individuals attitude towards other road users when they get behind the wheel of a car regardless of what spec it is. Over the last few weeks the Skoda Octavia has been high on the offender ranks followed closely by Toyota Yaris and Renault Clio!
Just love Northern eloquence....
Part of the problem with mini roundabouts is that it is difficult to signal and brake as a bicycle when approaching the roundabout. Ideally you want to signal for the entire turn, but who wants to do a sharp right turn with one hand on the bars?
Most/all drivers, Audi drivers... or, perhaps, just the dangerous idiot drivers who should have their licences revoked?
~85% of people who can drive have a driving licence
~50% of the whole population have an IQ lower the 100
You can work the rest out for yourselves
Audi.
Are their drivers the worst on the roads ?
I'm sure I remember seeing a fella doing a u-turn on a dual carriageway (A494 Garden City) in a Rover. That's up there with the worst, surely?
Audi.
Are their drivers the worst on the roads ?
Yes, all Audi drivers are terrible, and all cyclists jump red lights.
Yours,
A careful* (but no means perfect) Audi driver and non RLJing cyclist (well, apart from one set of lights where the induction loop doesn't detect cyclists wanting to turn right)
* trouble is, the majority of drivers see themselves as this, but the reality is somewhat different
My experience is that most drivers are totally clueless at mini roundabouts, whether I'm riding or driving. They'll sit there gormlessly when it's their right of way or plough on when it's not.
Well done the cyclist for assuming the worst, best course of action at mini roundabouts
Mini roundabouts are a massive pain in the arse - drivers think they can just drive straight through them.
One near me used to be a t-junction and most drivers still treat it as such. To turn right from one direction, it's blind as there's a building on the corner and road angles slightly away. It's almost like a leap of faith when people are going full pelt.