The real impact of close passes on cyclists — my children were nearly left fatherless due to the actions of one callous driver

It feels like it's getting worse. 

It's not the 'amount' of close passes, there doesn't feel like a change there, but the deliberateness of odd 'really bad' pass.

I think this year has possibly been the most dangerous year for me on the roads.. I can vividly think of about five passes in the latter half of this year which have really shaken me.

I read the article above and thought 'twelve inches, what I've give for twelve inches' (Monty Python - Four Yorkshiremen sketch).. but seriously.. on my last road ride of this year a couple of weeks ago, me and a mate on a very social little loop on coutry roads.. there's a one car width down hill road/lane which sees very little traffic usually, either side of the road there's some very rough grassy ground and a ditch, it is straight and clear. My mate is in front by about 20meters going downhill, a van is coming towards us, the van doesn't slow down and passes my mate who has moved himself as far as he could possibly go to the very edge of the road (as you do), it was very close, but it was after the van passed my mate that he veers towards me, not by a lot, but it was clear the van had moved out from his previous line, I had nowhere to go I was already as far over as I could be, I'd slowed a little but in the time this all happened there was no time to stop, I ended up doing a sort of shimmy to push my body away from the van and it's door mirror and managed to somehow keep the bike upright, the van 100% would have hit me if I'd not moved my bodyweight, I felt the mirror go past my head, it all happened so quick and I have some peripheral memory of the van driver gesticulating behind the wheel..  but it's the 'commitment' of these passes which shakes me the most.. the driver I believe 'decided that he would push or scare me into the ditch', however no rational person could possibly conclude the outcome, what the driver did know is that in that split second that he was prepared to hit me with his van.  

We need some real action to change how cyclists are percieved. 

The worst close pass I have ever had was a Porsche 911 not because he was closer to me than others but because he clearly did not know where he was in relation to me. It was on a national speed limit road and he was speeding I would estimate over 80mph. He passed me with probably 500mm of space maybe a little less at the mirror projection point and I felt the slipstream, but the really frightening thing was that he continued pulling out to overtake me when he was well past me in fact if he had got the timing right it would have been a good pass as he crossed completely into the other carriage way but only when he was about 250 metres in front of me. Unfortunately he started his overtake move when he was alongside me. That was when I realised he was driving the car well behind the speed he was travelling which made it just plain dangerous for everyone. The fact he missed me was purely random luck which the more I thought about it the more I thought strike a light that was a close run thing!

The very nature of cycling is that it is not exactly for the faint hearted...descending at high speed, little to no protection in crashes, a lot of pain, and generally not the sport or transport mode for wimps. 

Part of the thrill of cycling is the day to day avoiding the hustle and bustle - in London, there's nothing better than slipping through gaps between cars waiting at traffic lights to beat them all. 

If you're put off by a couple of sketchy incidents then I'm sure there are other, gentler sports such as chess you could take up. That's very low risk. 

In more seriousness - generally to avoid close passes, when I know someone is coming up behind, I move over, closer to the middle of the road, then when they overtake, pull back in to the side (if possible) to mean that if their original line was close, it is better for me to move over and get more distance between me and the car. 

This article sums up exactly how I felt the day I quit road cycling a few yrs ago. It was the final nail. Usual lunchtime loop around Chester and country roads, 35min. First incident right out of the gate towards lights, I heard him coming, accelerating hard, as the lights were on green and he wanted to make it, I got there first and was in the primary as I knew what was coming and took the position in attempt to keep myself safe, thinking he'd be blocked but no, he came past so fkn close and cut right in to squeeze through otherwise he would've crashed. I had to swerve hard to the curb or I would've been toast. I was beyond angry. I shot after him and as we all know we often catch them at the next hold up. And so ensued a massive argument. Absolutely ZERO recognition of what he'd done. All the usual tropes. Swearing, angry AF, threatening. He drives off and at the next lights he stops on the pavement to block me! I just ride around and say to him you would NOT have done that if I were a car. He had nothing. I continued on, shaken and ranting to myself. Then, coming back down my road towards the end of the ride, within the final km, I'm going straight on past a side road. I see a car coming and as I get to the junction and then half way across the side road, he's looking right at me and then turns at speed into it. No indication of course and he just misses me, must have been by mm. Remember I'm all riled from earier so I swing round and he's parked up at the shops so I ride right up to him. He was a nasty piece of work, he comes right into my face threatening me, denying he was anywhere near me telling me to FO now before he loses his sh1t. People are watching the argument. I'm trying to hold it together telling him look, you almost killed me. I've got kids and you looked right at me. You clearly saw me. He didn't give a flying fk. I left, swearing at him and felt horrible because of it. I got home and said that's it I'm done. Almost died twice and through the actions of others, my two girls would be fatherless and my wife alone. Even writing this it's all coming back. The absolute denial and aggression sickens me. People have said oh they've won if you stop. That's BS. You have to weigh it up. Now I just MTB away from cars and it's getting worse and worse out there. Can't even say "stay safe" to fellow riders as it's out of our hands. It won't change until it's taken seriously and real prosecutions are happening. Lengthy driving Bans. Crushed cars. Huge fines.

I completely understand how this made George feel. It caused me to revisit the worst close pass I have experienced personally, now 10 years ago. It did result in prosecution and conviction: https://youtu.be/GcGMcWqf53g?si=EvbLIdt83f6GHnz1 (It's all over fairly quickly so I recommend you freeze frame the pass whereupon you will be able to see how close he is at very high speed).

In the 40+ years I've been cycling on UK roads (and European ones) I have had seven riding colleagues 'murdered' by thoughtless and stupid drivers. These murders brushed aside by the police and judges as 'accidents' and the worst penalty was £400/6 points. 

In the last ~10 years the level of vitriol poured over people who use a bicycle for transport has escalated unchecked to such toxic levels, it's not believed by ministers or DfT directors. This hatred is reinforced by the media, judges, CPS, policing, and breakfast show interviews. 

It's so bad, I always refer to these incidents as murder, or attempted murder because 9 times out of 10, it is premeditated - that is what a close pass is. 

Very poignant article for me. Reading it on the anniversary of being used as target practice. And emotions all up in the air.

Even since getting back on the bike after it all, still having to deal with involuntary flinches as somebody blasts by and doing my best not to have a complete meltdown while they allow scant inches space. Yet ironically remaining stoic. Even when a mirror catches my elbow and being grateful it wasn't a bonnet. The phrase "don't let the buggers grind you down" comes to mind and holding onto the fact that if I quit cycling they've won. 

As it goes, in general a good chunk of drivers are pretty competent with another group that are just plain inept. It is the small handful who ruin it for all road user as they simply drive with no care, consideration or courtesy to any road user. 

Great, honest article George. Stay safe out there and may you always have fair winds. And remember don't let them grind you down. 

Plenty of complaints about lack of police action, what about a personal civil claim? Would such a claim for compensation for distress work in the UK? Often a civil claim has a larger impact on the criminal that the sentence from the criminal courts.

In the past French drivers were considered amongst the worst and Parisians even worst than that. However I cycle 50km a day through Paris going to work and as long as I take my place in the road (a metre from the curb) I never see these close passes or punishment passes that you are talking about. It sounds mad what is going on in the UK, this behaviour is not normal in the rest of the world.

Still reminding....use "punishment pass AKA cowards pass" or just "cowards pass" ...that's what is.

Glad the writer is OK.

This is why I know cycle with front and rear cameras and why I report particularly agregious dangerous driving to the relevant police body.

I almost got wiped out last week by a driver, had a Luton van nearly crush me earlier in the year, had 2 reportable level close passes just on a 5 mile commute this morning, had to get Vine levels of shouty to stop a 3rd, and that's with a PassPixi displayed. It's just endemic.

And I've known several riders the past 2 years who were killed or seriously injured on roads I've ridden alot on, which really does make you question your own philosophy about cycling.

But none of the stats people quote ever show that aspect.

Edit - and we can add 1 more to the tally from the ride home tonight

You captured the feelings perfectly. Thanks. 

Every now & then I get a very nasty close pass which makes me question the wisdom of cycling to work and back, and they make my wife worry too.

I originally got a camera chiefly because I wanted there to be evidence, were I to be injured or worse.  We shouldn't need these things. Record & report only goes so far.