Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news
Miscellaneous
Undertake

Near Miss of the Day 298: Undertaking driver + passenger throws paper cup at cyclist

Our regular series featuring close passes from the UK and further afield - today it's New Zealand...
by Simon_MacMichael
Mon, Aug 19, 2019 12:32
9

Our Near Miss of the Day series sometimes features videos submitted by readers from outside the UK - and today's comes from as far away as you can get from here, New Zealand, and shows a driver undertaking a cyclist before stopping to try and give some 'advice'.

It was submitted by road.cc reader Kerry, who told us: "I thought you might be interested in the New Zealand standard of driving.

"This undertake happened on my way to work this afternoon [Sunday]  at 12.00 on State Highway 1 40 km south of Taupo in the Central North Island.

"Pretty funny as the girl pulled over to give me a lecture about being in her way and when I didn't stop, she overtook again, and her passenger threw a paper cup at me," he added.

> What to do next if you’ve been involved in a road traffic collision

> 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.

Near Miss of the Day
Simon MacMichael

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.

Add new comment

9 comments

Avatar
CyclingInGawler | 5 years ago
2 likes

Judging from the apparent closing rate of the car in question compared with those travelling in the opposite direction, I’d agree that it seems to be travelling way too fast. By my count, it’s also something over five seconds between the car becoming visible and it catching up with Simon, so plenty of time to react. And yet the driver was so unaware their only options were to collide with the bike, do a stupid undertake, or go for a head-on collision with oncoming traffic. Not their greatest day driving (we can only hope!)

Avatar
ChrisB200SX replied to CyclingInGawler | 5 years ago
2 likes

CyclingInGawler wrote:

Judging from the apparent closing rate of the car in question compared with those travelling in the opposite direction, I’d agree that it seems to be travelling way too fast. By my count, it’s also something over five seconds between the car becoming visible and it catching up with Simon, so plenty of time to react. And yet the driver was so unaware their only options were to collide with the bike, do a stupid undertake, or go for a head-on collision with oncoming traffic. Not their greatest day driving (we can only hope!)

Seems to me that she wasn't looking at the road ahead, as there was a slight swerve into and away from the middle of the road early in the bend. This type of driver never accepts responsibility for their actions and obviously will blame the cyclist to self-justify their delusion, hence the lecture. This type of driver needs their licence revoking immediately before they kill or injure someone.

Avatar
Hirsute | 5 years ago
0 likes

What do the double yellows in the middle mean? And what speed is the rider ?

Avatar
kiwi_gravel replied to Hirsute | 5 years ago
0 likes

hirsute wrote:

What do the double yellows in the middle mean? And what speed is the rider ?

 

Double yellow is "do not cross" if you are a vehicle to pass another vehicle.  In NZ's case, a car can pass a cyclist on double-yellow, if its safe but cant pass a motorbike, car etc.

I suspect cyclist took lane as previous encounters of staying close to that barrier have forced cars to try and squeeze between other lane and cyclist.

Gotta say, brave taking the lane on NZ's State Highway #1 - its the main road that goes from top of North Island to bottom of South Island - 

Avatar
grumpyoldcyclist | 5 years ago
0 likes

Hope it was reported?

Avatar
HoarseMann | 5 years ago
9 likes

It’s his commute, probably had numerous iffy overtakes where the road narrows (looks like a bridge), so is taking the lane. I would do the same.

Amazing how many people are in such a rush they can’t wait a few seconds to overtake, yet seem to have plenty of time to stop for an argument.

Avatar
zero_trooper replied to HoarseMann | 5 years ago
1 like

HoarseMann wrote:

It’s his commute, probably had numerous iffy overtakes where the road narrows (looks like a bridge), so is taking the lane. I would do the same. Amazing how many people are in such a rush they can’t wait a few seconds to overtake, yet seem to have plenty of time to stop for an argument.

 

Defo taking the lane. There’s a pinch point and afterwards the cyclist resumes in the verge area. The driver was going way too fast .

Avatar
Sriracha | 5 years ago
0 likes

How come there was space for a car on the inside, but not space for a bike?

Avatar
burtthebike replied to Sriracha | 5 years ago
0 likes

Sriracha wrote:

How come there was space for a car on the inside, but not space for a bike?

Looks to me as if the rider pulled out to avoid the railings, but maybe a bit too far.

Latest Comments