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Near Miss of the Day 483: Audi driver makes close pass while beeping horn

Our regular series featuring close passes from around the country - today it's Staffordshire...

If you follow our Near Miss of the Day feature, you're probably familiar with Rule 163 of the Highway Code, which tells motorists to "overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so," and that they "should give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car. 

There's scant trace of either of those in today's video, in which the driver of an Audi car being overtaken by another motorist does not slow down and barely deviates from their course to overtake the cyclist in front of them - and any doubt that this was a deliberate close pass is dispelled by sounding the horn at the rider during the overtake.

It happened on the A34 between Stafford and Stone, with road.cc reader Mike, who filmed the footage, telling us: "The Audi is keeping up with other traffic so likely to be travelling close to the permitted speed limit of 60mph.

"The driver of the Audi had a clear line of sight to me but didn't alter their speed or course on approach and then aggressively sounded the horn when performing the close pass.

"Unfortunately I almost expect to get a close pass every time I go out, however if a vehicle is also going to sound the horn aggressively it comes across as a punishment pass and a spot of education is therefore needed.

"I submitted an online report with the Staffordshire Police, who then contacted me to send the recording and although I am not permitted to know the outcome they did speak positively that action would be taken against the driver," he added.

Finally, is it just us, or does it strike anyone else as a bit of a coincidence too that there are two cars there, from the same marque if not the same model, both in the same unusual colour?

> 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

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quiff | 3 years ago
0 likes

I would say the driver of the Suzuki in front contributed to that - rather than slow and wait for space to overtake, they straddled the lane divider (which I would have been pretty pissed off with if I was driving the car in the outside lane) to squeeze through. It's just about possible the driver of the following Audi wouldn't therefore have seen the cyclist until very late. I'm not suggesting that excuses what they then do though.   

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wtjs replied to quiff | 3 years ago
2 likes

 It's just about possible the driver of the following Audi wouldn't therefore have seen the cyclist until very late

As we know, this excuse gets you off driving over and killing a cyclist near Aberystwyth, if the driver in front of you has just knocked him off. And that driver gets off because the sun was in her eyes. Before someone informs me that 'she didn't get off'- a short suspended sentence and short driving ban is getting off, when the dead cyclist is an old bloke in a reflective jacket out for a ride in the sun

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hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
0 likes

What's with the body-shaming?

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iandusud | 3 years ago
1 like

I think you've all missunderstood this poor Audi driver. I don't think he was sounding his horn at the cyclist, he was sounding at the other driver who had the temerity to also drive a red Audi AND to be overtaking him thus preventing him from giving the cyclist a safe passing distance. (I think I can see where my argument might fall down. He probably wouldn't have given the cyclist a safe passing distance even if the outside lane had been clear). 

My wife and I had a lovely ride out on our tandem on Sunday. Mostly very quiet roads up on the moors. We had one section of relatively busy road coming out of Pately Bridge where we had a stream of about 6 or 8 cars overtake us when the road ahead was clear. They all gave us a safe passing distance except for the first and last ones - both were Audis. You couldn't make this stuff up. 

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Captain Badger replied to iandusud | 3 years ago
2 likes

iandusud wrote:

(I think I can see where my argument might fall down. ....r). 

I think it was where you said poor misunderstood Audi driver....

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Velo-drone | 3 years ago
7 likes

Bloody driverists, insisting on going two abreast.  If they just remained sensibly in single file at all times even where the road is clearly wide enough to do otherwise, then this would all have been avoided.  

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Projectcyclingf... | 3 years ago
1 like

Typical callous BoyGirlracers revving their engines and showing off how fast they can go and racing each other, that is untill they loose control and crash, or even kill or injure someone innocent.
And typically, will come up with all sorts of excuses, quite often backed up by anti-cylist cops, scandoulously acting as defence team for these dangerous drivers👎

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Shades | 3 years ago
2 likes

Yep; crap overtaking. Bad driving......but tbh how sh*t is that cycling.  Grinding away (looked a bit uphill) in grey, damp conditions with traffic thundering by at +60mph.  If I want to get close passed, harassed and scared sh*tless by motorists I know exactly where to go and a dual-carriageway is a good place to start.  Ref that it's the only option between Stafford and Stone; I've never been there but there's a Route 5 NCN route.  Probably got some bike path on it and if you suggest to some ultra-roadie that using a bike path to avoid a busy road could be a quieter/safer option you get a look (personal experience here) akin to personally insulting them.

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alymac71 replied to Shades | 3 years ago
17 likes

There's a motorway running parallel with that road, why aren't all the drivers on there? 

If you suggest to a driver they should use the motorway instead of speeding on a road, in the inside lane, while other road users are trying to make their way to their destination, you get a look like they think they are entitled to all the roads and priority too!

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Steve K replied to Shades | 3 years ago
10 likes

Nice victim blaming. NCN 5 runs alongside the A34 for a short while, but it's a crap shared path. A couple of years ago, when I was riding fairly regularly from South London to the North West, the A34 near Stone was part of my regular route. I'd have to say that, despite it being a fast dual carriageway, I didn't have any problems with close passes and always felt (surprisingly) safe. Visibility for cars is pretty good and there was always plenty of time and space for them to get in the outside lane to overtake, as the driver here could have done.

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Secret_squirrel replied to Shades | 3 years ago
13 likes

@shades. I wish road.cc would enable downvotes just for people like you.

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NZ Vegan Rider replied to Secret_squirrel | 3 years ago
0 likes

Free speech is more important than you disageeing with someone's words.

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alexls replied to NZ Vegan Rider | 3 years ago
0 likes

NZ Vegan Rider wrote:

Free speech is more important than you disageeing with someone's words.

1. So what's wrong with downvoting?  Surely that's an expression of free speech?

2. Free speech extends only to government (non-)interference and is not universal.  It certainly doesn't mean private entities cannot censor you - just look at FB/Twitter and Trump.

In the UK, there's no such thing as free speech.  There's freedom of expression (and thought), and there are limitations beyond which the state can intervene.

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Hirsute replied to NZ Vegan Rider | 3 years ago
2 likes

Is this meant to be an example of an oxymoron?

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cbrndc replied to Shades | 3 years ago
12 likes

Dual carriageways should be the safest of all roads for cyclists; there's a whole other lane for drivers overtaking. When commuting (now retired), there was no way I could cycle to work without using one.

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Jimmy Ray Will replied to cbrndc | 3 years ago
0 likes

So much this...

Not many roads can boast the safety advantages of most dual carriageways. They are wide, they offer two lanes to enable safe overtaking. They generally lack any significantly tight or blind bends, hidden brows or indeed any oncoming traffic... visibility is nearly always very good.

Yet, it is deemed inappropriate and unsafe for cyclists to use them. 

And it is unsafe, as too many (more than none) drivers feel entitled to demonstrate their displeasure at your presence on 'their' carriageway by acts of aggression such as shown in the video.

Not forgetting the small, but not to be ignored, number of drivers who, on being provided with a safe carriageway to get swiftly from A to B, see this safe environment as a great opportunity to lower their concentration levels to abysmal levels. 

I've tried discussing this with a number of motorists over the years but they just look at you funny when you try to challenge the whole dual carriageways are dangeroud mantra. 

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yupiteru replied to Shades | 3 years ago
11 likes

Trouble is many bike paths are covered in glass and dog shit, and if a road is legal to cycle on then, you should be able to do it without putting your life at risk from tossers with a small penis driving their big boys toys.

 

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Captain Badger replied to yupiteru | 3 years ago
0 likes

yupiteru wrote:

Trouble is many bike paths are covered in glass and dog shit, and if a road is legal to cycle on then, you should be able to do it without putting your life at risk from tossers with a small penis driving their big boys toys.

Has anyone else noticed how big boys toys are so frequently driven by tossers with small penises? 

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Captain Badger replied to Shades | 3 years ago
0 likes

Shades wrote:

Yep; crap overtaking. Bad driving......but tbh how sh*t is that cycling.  Grinding away (looked a bit uphill) in grey, damp conditions with traffic thundering by at +60mph.  If I want to get close passed, harassed and scared sh*tless by motorists.....

Yeah cos sh1t riding is all about being out on a hill in the wet when every fule know that it is impossible to ride uphill when raining. The temerity...

Would the conditions you have described not suggest that the driver, oh I don't know, slow down? Especially the condition of having a vulnerable road user in front....

 

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wtjs | 3 years ago
5 likes

I submitted an online report with the Staffordshire Police, who then contacted me to send the recording and although I am not permitted to know the outcome they did speak positively that action would be taken against the driver

I don't believe it- if the police won't say  what they have done or will do, it means that they're covering up doing not very much. I think this is a 'we'll have a word with the driver' which then won't be recorded against the name of the vehicle or driver.

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0-0 | 3 years ago
0 likes

It looks like that road could do with a bike path, for the sake of cyclists.
There looks to be lots of spare ground on the left side of the road (camera right).

But maybe the council need new carpets/office equipment yet again, and can't afford it 😝

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essexian replied to 0-0 | 3 years ago
4 likes

There is a cycle path on the other side of the road which runs from the Marston/Salt turn off to just before the roundabout just before Stone. From the hockey club, the NCN5 follows a back road to Stafford Ring Road. A nice (if poorly paved) route IMHO, although slower than the main road. 

I use it frequently and while its okay to use, as there are few peds who also use it, I do with the local council would sweep it now and again as it is covered in grit/rubbish from the road. 

Personally, I would not use the road at that point but that's my choice. I have seen many cyclists using the dual carrageway without issue. 

 

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Dao replied to essexian | 3 years ago
0 likes

I went from stafford to tittensor along the A34 and had absolutely no issues, every car that passed me was in the other lane well before nearing me and I was doing my part to maintain the highest sustainable speed to reduce how long I spent on the road. That said dual carriageways really do depend on the when and where in particular. I had decently clear skies until I left and the visibility was great the whole stretch, but I wouldn't dare ride the A50 through meir-fenton as it's a walled deathtrap IMHO, the A500 it connects with not much better, but both have stretches further along that are again great for riding because of the well distanced overtakes from considerate drivers.

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paulrattew | 3 years ago
6 likes

Shit aggressive driving where the driver obviously doesn't give a shit about the life of the person on the bike. 

The A34 there is pretty horrible. Dual carriageway which means that even though the speed limit is 60 most traffic (when its not snarled up) is going much faster. The lack of a bike lane or hard shoulder means that you're forced to ride in with the fast traffic. 

Before anyone comments that riding on the dual carriageway is stupid, it's worth considering that if you want to ride between stafford and stone there aren't that many options that avoid the A34 without having to go many miles out of the way.

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HoarseMann replied to paulrattew | 3 years ago
0 likes

paulrattew wrote:

Before anyone comments that riding on the dual carriageway is stupid, it's worth considering that if you want to ride between stafford and stone there aren't that many options that avoid the A34 without having to go many miles out of the way.

Between Stafford and Stone, NCN5 is 8.9 miles vs. 7.8 miles for the A34 - but NCN5 is a flatter route. So as cycling infrastructure goes in the UK, it's actually a reasonable alternative to the busy dual-carriageway.

I suspect it was more likely that the rider was travelling west-east on minor roads and unfortunately had to do a stretch of the A34 to link up their route.

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KeithBird replied to paulrattew | 3 years ago
1 like

If it is a proper Dual Carriageway the limit will be 70 for cars.

Not that it matters in case of dreadful driving. Zero excuses, just aggression and incompetence in one particularly unappealing package.

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essexian replied to KeithBird | 3 years ago
3 likes

It's a signed 60 with several speed cameras along between Stafford and Stone. It was a 70 until five years or so ago.

 

 

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rjfrussell replied to paulrattew | 3 years ago
0 likes

paulrattew wrote:

The A34 there is pretty horrible. Dual carriageway which means that even though the speed limit is 60 most traffic (when its not snarled up) is going much faster. 

Unless there is a specific restriction on that stretch, the National Speed Limit for dual carriageways is 70mph, not 60mph.  

That's why I find cycling on dual carriageways so scary-  even if a car gives you a good 2m passing distance, something whizzing past at 70mph is just too brown trouser making even if objectively pretty safe.

 

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alexls replied to rjfrussell | 3 years ago
0 likes

rjfrussell wrote:

Unless there is a specific restriction on that stretch, the National Speed Limit for dual carriageways is 70mph, not 60mph.  

And you can clearly see such a restriction in the video.

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Dao replied to alexls | 3 years ago
0 likes

I recently rode that stretch and it varies, I went through patches of 60mph, 50mph and 40mph sections along the A34 when heading up to tittensor. But I also got decently quiet traffic with pleasant weather and everyone who passed me was already in the other lane well before they neared me. I tried my best but I could only maintain between 20-28mph, so at least wasn't going 10-16mph where I face the worst overtakes inside towns and cities.

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