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news
Near Miss of the Day 378: What is it about overtakes on straight roads into oncoming traffic?
Some drivers really are very reluctant to touch their brakes. You’d think they have to get back up to speed using their own leg power.
Today’s near miss took place on Trench Lane in Gloucestershire. It’s a close pass so commonly seen in this feature it almost doesn’t need describing.
Several motorists overtake safely on a long, straight road – and then one tries to squeeze past after them, even though there’s an oncoming vehicle and therefore nowhere near enough space.
James said: “I have had a lot of similar close passes on this road, but I find it hard to avoid on days when I drop my daughter off at school and need to take the shortest route to the office.
“The police refuse to update me on their actions other than to say that the driver has been warned, sent an NIP or prosecuted (without saying which). So the three or four incidents I've reported in the past couple of months are a closed book to me.”
> 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
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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12 comments
These days I'm cycling more & more in a strong secondary, to discourage some idiot drivers from closepassing. Also find that new bar end mrror is quite helpful in adjusting road positioning well in advantage. I also tend to cycle on the offside of iron work, so I move out rather than in...
The first car nearly hit the oncoming vehicle so the second doesn't even consider touching the brakes. The rear camera shows it was going to be a close pass, then made even closer by the driver deciding the riders life was lee important than their own...
I think the reason this continues to happen is three-fold. Firstly, people are not taught how to drive any more, they are taught how to pass the driving test. Secondly, modern cars are so cosseting, with so many convenience features, along with heated seats and a great heating system, that many people do not concentrate as they should. Anyone of a certain age remember their first car? Perhaps an old mki escort, or vauxhall viva? These needed driving, you had to concentrate. Finally, and most importantly: We have no traffic police any more to watch over the dickheads.
You may have a point, here.
It takes a lot more concentration to drive an older car, one which doesn't have auto super techno steering or super duper mega brakes; all this modern tech in cars lulls people into a false sense of security about the whole thing, so they feel able to just check FB / send that text / etc.
(Mind you, to a degree that applies to bikes too - I am aware that I ride much more carefully on my old Dawes with centre pull canti brakes than on my not-so-old commuter hybrid with v-brakes. I dread to think what I'd be like on a bike with disc brakes...
)
Yep, my first car was a MKI Escort as it happens. It's the same for motorbikes too and I can really see the difference between my modern Suzuki and my early 80s vintage Suzuki two stroke. The biggest difference is in the braking.
I'm sceptical of the safety benefits of the safety features in many modern vehicles. One key issue is with visibility. While stronger roof supprts mean they're less likely to collapse in the evnt of a roolover, they also obscure the driver's vision. This was really brought hme to me some years ago when I rented a classic Porsche 911 from the late 70s. The all-round view was increadibly good compared with a modern car.
I do think drivers are also far more impatient now than in previous years. It's part of the modern day living.
There is good evidence that drivers use safety improvements as performance benefits, driving faster and taking more risks if the car has lots of safety features. As has been stated many time, the safest car would have a rusty 12" bayonet sticking out of the steering wheel and no air bags or seat belt for the driver.
When the seat belt law was introduced, more pedestrians and cyclists died.
This is on my commute too. The driving is always ass. Every single day. I've cycle commuted for a decade and never had a part of my route as bad as this.
I've used it frequently and I totally agree, it is one of the worst roads for dangerous overtaking. I think it is used by commuters avoiding the clogged up A38. BTW, it's in South Gloucestershire, not Gloucestershire, so it's the A&S police.
Hi, this is my video. I had a clear run along here this morning, unusually.
I have been wondering whether there's any scope for highlighting the dangerous driving along here to the Council and asking Highways if something could be done to help. I guess it would only be a bit of paint though. Having an idea of how many cyclists use this road would be helpful. I have put a FOI request into ASPolice for the outcomes of my reports. I'm contactable on Twitter @jimswheels
Complete BS by Gloucestershire Constabulary. If you make a complaint to the police eg a close pass, they should tell you how they've investigated it and a result. Not, we might do one of these things.
yep, whilst the decision on the charge is down to the police. the victim has the right to be kept informed.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
Exactly HoarseMann. Even if the police don't prosecute, they should still be telling the complainant/victim (cyclist) what they have done. Maybe they couldn't trace the driver, or the driver has accepted a driver safety awareness course.
This way Glos police can do sweet f.a. and the cyclist will be none the wiser.