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news
Near Miss of the Day 142: Cyclist hears screeching wheels ...
Typically, when a driver makes a close pass on a cyclist, the rider has no warning until it happens.
The latest video in our Near Miss of the Day series however relates to an incident in Wakefield, West Yorkshire earlier this week where the sound of screeching tyres behind him alerted a cyclist to what might be about to happen.
It was sent in by road.cc reader Dominic, who said: "God knows what he was doing to pull out of the junction into the path of the oncoming car.
"But it alerted me to some mad driving happening behind, and I was tight and straight as I felt the draft of the BMW go past."
"It's been reported to West Yorkshire Police, who are investigating," he added.
> 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 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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22 comments
OK, maybe not 'exemplary'.
Does that make everything alright now?
I see nothing at all wrong with the white van man - that all felt safe - if I had that gap every time I'd feel a great deal safer. The issue was about the speed and how little space the BMW driver gave me - I felt him go past me - Obviously pumped with adrenaline from thats crazy pull out trick he had just done - I bet the driver of the silver car had a few words too as he crossed his path
and an update : West Yorkshire police now have the stills and video and confirmation of the registration. I sort of hope a knock on the door would be traumatic enough for this guy, but then the Police may know of other issues with this car, in which case maybe this might be the spur for further action....
and the irony..... well I drive a BMW 3 series too
A little bit of the internet has just broken.
Knowing how close cyclists will pass other cyclists without warning, and knowing how close cyclist are prepared (only one is prepared) to cross each other on cycle paths, I can fully understand why there is no agreement on safe distances for other vehicles.
As long as no one is injured or killed to death or had an eye poked out.
I can only assume you're deliberately avoiding the question - I even edited my reply to try and clarify it. I think BTBS has summed it all up quite neatly in the meantime however, and touches on the point I was trying to make more clearly than I obviously did.
The van drivers spacing looked fine to me - why would he have to 'get fully over into the other lane' ?
it would remove uncertainty if the law were changed to state that you must fully enter the other lane when you're overtaking; if you can't do so then don't overtake, whatever type of vehicle or beast of burden is in front of you. If there are no lane markings then don't overtake until the vehicle in front moves out of your way, eg into a layby, to let you past.
You guys need to get over your prejudice against BMW, Audi, or any other brand drivers. It's no different to "all you bloody cyclists are the same".
Ssssh! I know, but as night follows day....
Don't tell anyone, but I used to drive an Audi, I'm not sure that anyone knows that though. I mean, you've got to be pretty thick to have a beef with a car marque and drivers of said marque.
Obviously on the way to the Audi garage...
Only if he was planning on ascending the knobhead ladder...
Two examples of driving without due care and attention (at least) within seconds. Plenty for Her Majesty's Police Force to get their teeth into.
White van's exemplary pass further shows up the red BMW driver's appalling driving. Obviously no oncoming traffic as he passed the cyclist, absolutely no reason not to move into the RH lane and give the same consideration that the van driver did.
( I realise that the white van driver's actions may have been informed by the crap driving he'd just witnessed, or some reaction by the cyclist, but at least he appeared to be looking and thinking!)
As a West Yorkshire rider ( and driver) I look forward to seeing some action by the police.
You beat me to it!
Clearly fake footage then !
I had to watch it twice!!
another tool in a BM. Seems to be a theme for me BM,Audi,Range rovers,Jags anything particulalry expensive has a knobhead behind the wheel... the van driver in the vid actually made a good pass. Kudos
Outraged! I was held up yesterday on a quiet narrow country lane by horses riding three abreast. Bloody horses, coming over here and taking all my road space. Not a hint of high viz, a bell or front brakes. I bet they weren't insured. They don't even pay road tax! I'm voting for the first politician who tells me they'll put registration plates on horses arses. However I was glad to see the riders had helmets on. It took me an hour to calm down when I arrived home, when I checked strava I'd missed a PB by 20seconds, I had to sit down at that point and my wife brought me a cup of tea and a cold flannel. Shoot the lot of them!
One (generally) common theme of these close pass vids is that they are all roads where I'd 100% expect to have a close pass incident; fast, busy A roads. I avoid particular roads around me because close passes make me annoyed; it's not right, but that's unfortunately the way it is and it isn't going to change overnight. I'm sure some people don't like riding down (quiet!) twisty bumpy lanes. I was commuting home last night and have 2 options towards the end; one through a fiddly, traffic-free town bike route, that involves carrying the bike up some steps, or on the roads. Both take the same time. Chose the road route for a change; close-pass followed by mild altercation with the motorist and arrived home grumpy muttering "should have gone through town". It's a shame but if you want to look for trouble with motorists, it's not hard to find. Similar things happen when your driving but you don't feel as vulnerable; still annoys me though. Sadly there's not a lot of courtesy on the roads these days, whoever you are.
We all have roads we avoid but this is not the kind of road we should have to avoid. Drivers need education on how they should pass cyclists, most have no idea, I would love for some of the drivers, including lorry drivers, that close pass me to have to ride a bike as somebody did the same to them. I have a feeling they would never do it again.
Spot on. I avoid a section on my route home in Durham (A167). While most of this route is perfectly fine with either good cycle lanes or enough space for cars to overtake, there's one section slightly up hill, very rough surface with 3 pinch points. The way the road curves round and has open visibilty seems to encourage faster driving (I'm also guilty of this when driving on the same road). Because of this, drivers typically don't want to have slow right down when going through the pinch points.
I now take a 1 mile detour with more climbing and forget the more direct route exsists, will probably only have 1 car overtake too. Get home feeling much more human and fitter.
Actually very few of these close pass videos are on A roads. Chevet Lane is a B road. The idea that cyclists "want to look for trouble" is popular with motor supremacists but obviously has very little truth in reality.