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Near Miss of the Day 493: Aggressive close pass on cyclists riding two abreast
Today's video in our Near Miss of the Day series shows a cyclist riding side-by-side getting a close pass from a particularly aggressive driver who leans on the horn during the overtake. The incidents were filmed on Saturday by road.cc reader Rob, who said they struck him as particularly relevant given the recent focus by some parts of the media about cyclists riding two abreast.
> Fleet Street fury over campaigners' calls to clarify ‘two abreast’ cycling rule
"My first ride out with for a while with a friend and we were having a good ride on country lanes. The first incident was a Volvo and they couldn’t wait 10 seconds for an oncoming cyclist to pass before they tried to overtake.
"You can see they hesitated for a split second but then promptly drove through a tight gap giving little space to both us and the oncoming cyclist. It must have been worse for them. At least this pass wasn’t at speed and we weren’t riding two abreast.
"The second incident was very scary. I had literally just cycled up next to my friend to chat; throughout the ride we often rode two abreast aware of cars coming from behind or up front; we would move back into single file quickly once aware of a car.
"However, with this car there was no warning as they did not slow down at all and drove past at considerable speed (in excess of 40, probably 50 mph) and so close.
"You can see from the video that the car passed at speed within 50cm of me., probably nearer 30cm. To make matters worse they beeped the horn as if we were doing something wrong or to just intimidate us.
"I’ve had a quite a few bad experiences and this is probably one of the worst. This idiot needs to know they can’t drive like this and put people’s lives in danger so I have submitted to Surrey Police in the hope that they take action…….this is my first submission so fingers crossed.
"I’ve read the ’Near Miss of the Day’ reports on road cc for while and I thought this last miss was topical given the discussion around riding two abreast. I’m pretty sure that had we been riding single file the driver would have probably given us more room, although unlikely that they would have slowed down.
"The fact they beeped the horn makes it appear that they thought we were doing something wrong by riding two abreast which supports the fact that the Highway Code is not clear or that most drivers have their own version of what the Highway Code is/should be or they simply don’t care."
> 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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81 comments
I almost invariably ride solo, but I would be reluctant to ride 2 abreast in the narrow back roads of North Lancashire out of self-protection. It's no consolation to go down thinking 'at least the b******d will be severely punished' because in Lancashire, he won't.
OK. Here's my opinion.
You should ride two abreast on narrow country roads unless approaching a bend. When a car comes up behind single out to let it past WHEN YOU THINK IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. Say thank you as the car passes. In the first example if I had seen the cyclist coming the other way and I was on the outside I would have stayed two abreast until the cyclist had passed. Sometimes you need to help drivers make the right decision. Some, most, of them don't like it though so be warned.
In the second example the car should have slowed down to the cyclist's speed, done a "polite beep" to let the riders know he was there if they didn't start to single out, and then waited for them to single out when THEY considered it safe. What is the difference between a polite beep and an aggressive beep? Hard to describe but I think we can all tell the difference 99% of the time.
If a car is coming the other way wait until it slows down and then single out and say thank you. Be warned about this strategy as well as I have had quite a few close encounters at speed when they don't. Haven't actually been hit yet but most of my friends think I will soon.
I agree with everyhing you say Bungle (not a phrase I thought I would type as I was growing up, and I really disliked zipppy)
That diffference in the use of he horn does confuse me, I agree we can normally tell the difference, and I believe it to be the case if I use the horn when driving as well, but how do we do it when in is siply a tone operated by a switch, ther is no volume or tone adjustment simply nd on off swich
Because the highway code (Rule 112) is quite expicit about use of the horn being used only to warn other road users of your presence and specifically never to use it aggressively.
Probably best to default to that understanding, bit like indicators. For the most part they get used for the purpose intended and experience teaches you when to be suspicious that they are not being used when they should be or are being used incorrectly.
So the result of submitting to Surrey Police is that each driver will receive a written warning. Was hoping for more but that is better than nothing and if it makes them think twice in future then that can only be good news. (big IF though).
In the second case - clearly the driver was WAY over aggressive
He blew his horn - which is will probably claim was to warn you - but more to order you to get out of his way
Which raises a question
If someone comes up behind a cyclist - or pair of cyclists - who do not seem to be aware that the car is there
or a car is passing a long group of cyclists and wants to warn the people at the front that they are passing - on the far side of the road - but the front may not be aware
What should the driver do. A toot on the horn can be a polite "I'm here' - but could easily be interpreted as "Get out of my way you morons"
Any opinions???
Actually happned to me onece - I tootled along behind a large group - round several corners - turned right at a junction etc etc
Then we came to a long straight section wide which was way wide enough so I accelerated and passed on the far side - loads or clearance
gave 2 quick toots on the horn to warn them
people at the back gave me friendly waves and several thumbs up - they knew I had been behind for some time and had hung back
When I got to the front some yelled "F**** off you C***" - they clearly didn't know I had been there - and interpreted the horn toots as aggression - exactly the opposite to the people at the back
Personally I don't sound the horn when approaching riders from behind. I hang back to allow a safe stopping distance and overtake when safe to do so, ensuring that I would give the riders no cause to deviate from their path. If I can't be sure of that I have no business o/taking. Rules 162-9 HWC if followed correctly should enable this.
Think of it like this, under what other circumstances would you sound your horn prior to o/taking? Caravans? Tractors? Horses? I suspect the answer would be none of the above. Why then for people on bikes?
Use of the horn is to make other road users aware of your presence and I usually interpret it in this way and occasionally use it myself, though from a good distance behind and holding same speed as the cyclist(s) to be clear that it is not intimidatory. It is the same as calling out to horse riders or pedestrians up ahead to make sure they are aware of your presence and putting them in control of facilitating an overtake if it is safe for them.
Personally I appreciate a courtesy beep as I cannot always hear a car behind and maybe don't look back as often as I should. Being aware of the vehicle is one thing, what you do or don't do about it is quite another, but even just indicating to the other road user that you are aware of their presence can be helpful.
That sounds like you're all lovely, but what it really means is you're telling them to get out of your way, something they have no obligation to do. If you hang back and do not overtake until it is safe to do so then you don't need to warn them of your presence.
This is why cars need bells, preferably nice sonorous ones like trams. And cows (cos their horns don't work).
I'll get my coat.
Pull the udder one...
I can't see from the video but why were the cyclists two abreast? I cycle allot and usually get one close pass per ride however I see cyclists two abreast just chatting and think there is no need for them to be two abreast. One of the clubs I occassionaly cylce with are very good and always shout car back so people can adopt single file where it makes sense.
No need for them to be on the road cycling.
?
If you are going to object to them cycling side by side, why stop there ?
Do you even cycle or drive? if they are cycling two abreast just to have chat then be more considerate when there are cars around - it's not hard & good clubs encourage this already.
Nobody has to justify how they legally ride to you.
In addition, it's very clear that the second vehicle had no intention to wait to see if they would move. It blasted through with a close pass and abused the horn as well. The driver clearly believed that two abreast is illegal and decided to take the law into his own hands.
I never said they did. I am not condoning close passes which are unacceptable in any circumstance.
Do you think it's acceptable to cycle side by side just to have a chat when there are several cars around?
When the car driver has the simple option of merely deviating their overtake line by an extra metre or so to move completely into the opposite lane (as they should do anyway regardless of one cyclist or two side by side) then not only is it entirely legal but also within the spirit of the highway code and therefore completely acceptable.
The only danger here is that caused by the incompetence / ignorance / attitude of the driver. Remember, it is not just cyclists who end up on the wrong side of these people, almost 100% of road traffic collisions, injuries and fatalities are caused by driver error.
Asking the motorist to turn their steering wheel bya few degrees??? - are you quite mad, sir?
Do you think it's acceptable to cycle side by side just to have a chat when there are several cars around? I don't but I sense many here do. Agree to differ.
Sorry, I thought I was crystal clear. Yes. In most circumstances, it is perfectly acceptable to cycle 2 abreast for whatever reason the cyclists like, including having a chat, when sharing the road with traffic. Reason being that it is utterly irrelevant how much of a lane the cyclists occupy when the overtaking driver has access to using another lane, either dual carriageway wise or by crossing completely to the other side of the road.
You should be focussing your energies on educating the drivers who find it hard to operate their vehicles safely around other road users.
It's legal for now but I don't think it's generally considerate just to cycle two abreast just to have a chat if there are a number of cars around & you wonder why cyclists are not sometimes liked.
Driving close to people and sounding your horn whilst doing so in order to intimidate them is not only inconsiderate but is also currently illegal, and you wonder why some car drivers are not liked?
Agree but should not car drivers and cyclists aim to get along? or are both simply happy to take the them & us apporach.... why can't car drivers and cyclists aim to be considerate?
When I'm on my bike, I'll accept drivers driving within the highway code and not trying to kill me.
When in my car I don't need anything from riders - they can't hurt me, and I'm capable of driving safely around them
A badger of few needs, me....
In the above video the cyclists were being considerate. The first driver passed them close and also put an oncoming cyclist in danger when they were cycling single file. Indeed it would probably have been better had they taken the lane and actively blocked such a stupid overtake.
In the second situation they were cycling side by side when there was no traffic around until a speeding motorist approaches fast from behind, appears to make not the slightest attempt to slow or any effort at a decent pass putting the cyclists in danger without even giving them the option of singling out. Given that there were 2 bicycle users and 1 car driver one has to ask the question who was inconveniencing who?
I'm not defending the behaviour of all people whilst riding a bicycle in all situations, however if you think that the drivers such as those featured in the video accompanying this particular NMOTD or the vast majority of the others in this particular long running series would be placated into not driving like arseholes because "wouldn't it be nice if everyone was nice to each other" then you need to sit yourself down and give your head a bit of a wobble. The cyclists, horse riders, disability scooterists, runners, dog walkers, pedestrians and other people who use the public highway under the classification of vulnerable road users are overwhelmingly not the problem. Aggressive, incompetent, ignorant arsehats with a God given right to bully anyone who has the temerity to temporarily impede their progress off the road due to holding a driving licence are a problem. Your attempt at equivalence between legal, normal use of the road and illegal, dangerous, aggressive behaviour is non-sensical in any world view that does not come down to "might is right". Your characterisation of cyclists and car drivers as "Us and Them" is also non-sensical given that a higher proportion of regular road cyclists also regularly drive than in the general population.
do you think it is safe to overtake cyclists riding single file, if there is oncoming traffic in the other lane? I don't, but it seems you think singling out provides some benefit to drivers.
Generally when I overtake cyclists I cross the line fully as if I were overtaking a car or a horse. When I do this I don't really care if they are riidng single or double.
On the vast majority of UK roads riding single file makes dangerous (squeeze past) overtakes easier and safe (crossing the white line) overtakes harder. Whic sort of overtake do you want to encourage and facilitate? It doesn't take too much searching to find reports and videos af cyclists riding single file being taken out by a driver who would not cross the white line to overtake.
I ride about 8000 miles a year and drive slightly more. I have never had a problem with cyclists when I drive, I wish I could say the same about drivers when I am cycling. If all drivershad to cycle before being allowed to drive they would probably improve their traffic awareness and they would certainly realise the danger and fear of a close pass. Close passes which in many cases achieve nothing as the cyclists catch the car in the next traffic queue.
I don't like Man United fans but it's not considered acceptable to drive my car at them!
Also, yep I can cycle 2 abrest if I want a chat, or are you suggesting cars shouldn't have 4 seats unless all 4 are occupied or that the passenger should sit behind the driver and cars be halved in width...
As a driver, I have not one iota of objection to riders 2 (or more) abreast. it makes no difference to me at all.
Seriously, if a driver cannot deal with this safely, they are incompetent and need to surrender their licence
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