Broadcaster Jeremy Vine has posted footage of a couple of near misses suffered within moments of each other while riding home on a new pop-up bike lane this week.
The incidents occurred while Vine was riding along Hammersmith Road yesterday (Friday).
After first manoeuvring around a motorist who emerged from a side road and positioned their vehicle across the bike lane, Vine continued on his way.
He then almost immediately suffered a driver turning left across his path – and almost into him – from the adjacent motor traffic lane.
Tonight … on my way home … and the black car distracts me. pic.twitter.com/K4Hq5Km3uj
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) June 19, 2020
“What the hell?” said Vine as the driver pulled over.
“Oh my God, I didn’t see you at all,” she replied.
Vine then told her not to worry.
Writing on Twitter, he explained: “I just could see she was anxious, and alarmed, and I didn’t want to make things worse. An apology always helps.”
Social media being social media, a number of people have replied to Vine’s video asserting that he was somehow to blame for the incident.
The Surrey Roads Policing Unit was unequivocal in responding to this.
Driver. Every time. They’re the ones turning.
Mirror, signal, blind spot check, manoeuvre.
— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) – Surrey Police – UK (@SurreyRoadCops) June 20, 2020
…can’t just indicate and have a partial check for other road users.
You must be:
Observant of your surroundings,
Look,
Check mirror,
Signal / indicate,
Check blind spot,
Then and only then (when safe and clear),
Manoeuvre.— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) – Surrey Police – UK (@SurreyRoadCops) June 20, 2020
They did however add:
Although it does show the importance of riders checking at junctions what is going on around them and avoiding passing any vehicle on the left at a junction. Especially if they are indicating to turn left. Driver should atill check the mirror before turning.
— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) – Surrey Police – UK (@SurreyRoadCops) June 20, 2020
11 thoughts on “Video: Driver turns across Jeremy Vine’s path on new pop-up bike lane”
At least she had the decency
At least she had the decency to be shocked by what she’d done and didn’t try to blame jezza for her careless mistake (yes, it was a mistake, not “punishment”)
If the cycle lane was marked
If the cycle lane was marked that wide properly and the red and white things weren’t there:
– the black car would probably not have pulled out so far
– the cyclist can be further right then, …
– start going round the back of a left turning car earlier
Do those barriers really improve things over a proper width of cycle lane – I’m very suspicious of the physically separated lanes because it adds significant obstacles to the cyclist.
I’m in the market for a loud horn – has road.cc done reviews.
Why do you think that about
Why do you think that about the black car? I don’t think that pulling out like that improves the sight lines on a straight road and the driver can surely see over the plastic barrier.
But you make an interesting point about physical separation – I had not thought that it can reduce escape options. On balance I think I prefer the protection from close passes, but clearly care at side roads is as important as ever.
I believe the horn he had was
I believe the horn he had was the AirZound, probably II, I have had a couple, they are excellent and you power them up with your bike pump.
Shockingly loud, you can converse with the insulated motorist in the “language” they understand.
Uninhibited by bodywork it has real volume. I have yet to hear what it sounds like in front of the bike, but it is louder than behind.
If anyone knows where I can buy the metal bottled one, that’s the one I would like for my Ultimate Commuter.
Protected infrastructure gives less confident cyclists more confidence. Paint very rarely stops drivers ingressing into cycle lanes. Just look at all of the wear on the paint on even mandatory solid white lines.
I’ve got one. I never use it
I’ve got one. I never use it as I don’t have to dodge traffic. Don’t test it out indoors. Ear splitting!
That Twitter feed shows how
That Twitter feed shows how incompetent most drivers are. It’s ok to change lanes if you are indicating. (In a coned off lane ) he was coming up the inside. You can’t see people in your mirrors
Both those ‘incidents’ are
Both those ‘incidents’ are just another day in the life of an urban cyclist.
Terrific reaction from JV,
Terrific reaction from JV, all to easy to let adrenaline take over and rip off regardless. The driver is clearly really upset with herself, no need for any further lecture. Wish I had his self control!
Oh to be a celebrity eh? I
Oh to be a celebrity eh? I was smashed to bits by a van turning left on me on the Millbank cycle lane (exactly the same as the recent Tesco van incident).
I had two and a half years of stress whilst the police did absolutely nothing (apart from wait months to review the incident and then say too much time had passed).
“Driver every time”….yeah, right!
The black car pulling out
The black car pulling out definitely in the wrong.
The silver car was ahead all the time and indicating left. I would have waited.
Well done for accepting the apology and moving on.
Agree. You’ve got to ride
Agree. You’ve got to ride defensively. He was sat in the silver cars blind spot for exactly the wrong space of time. Sit and wait to see what the vehicles are doing – especially in that sort of traffic. Many drivers think they’re going so slow that they don’t need to signal and won’t perceptively slow while manoeuvring so will just turn.
That doesn’t absolve them of blame, and it’s shit driving. I just don’t want to be an oversized piece of road kill, nor anyone else. City riding requires a lot of observation.