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Near Miss of the Day 92: Police decline to act on close pass

Our regular feature highlighting close passes caught on camera from around the country – today it’s Northamptonshire

Today's video in our Near Miss of the Day series shows a motorist overtaking a cyclist at speed, leaving no more than 30 centimetres of space - but despite that, police declined to take any action against the driver.

It was filmed by road.cc reader Dave Dawes, who told us: "It was on Sunday 4 February on the A6 bypass between the A5028 and John Clark Way in Rushden Northamptonshire.

"I reported it to the Force Control Room and sent them the footage, they called me back on Monday morning saying that an officer had reviewed it and '[despite it wasn't ideal distance wasn't considered to be a close pass' so no action would be taken.

"This was a high speed pass around 60 mph and I was given less than 300mm.

"I found the incident very distressing and intimidating as a vulnerable road user, as the driver showed no consideration to me at all, and drove in an aggressive manner.

"The standard of driving fell well below what would be expected of a competent driver but was not supported by the police, who do not run any #OpClosePass enforcement campaigns," he added.

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.

  

 

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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29 comments

Avatar
Butty | 6 years ago
2 likes

Its on my home patch and I know exactly where this is on the A6. The hatch area is leading up to a RH turn across his lane with island coming up imminently.

The wide angled camera doesn't do justice to show that this is a close pass, though there have been much, much worse shown.

A forward facing camera shot may show the car cutting in sharply to avoid the island coming up.

Perhaps a "Vigilante" model of camera is needed with scaled distances marked on the picture (like car reversing cameras) to help lazy arsed coppers make their decisions correctly.

Avatar
Boopop | 6 years ago
8 likes

Pavery1 wrote:

Love reading the comments on these clips. Daily Mail for cyclists. Hysterical militant cyclist brigade who give no mind  to the context of the situation.

 

The situation is vulnerable road users are regularly treated with short shrift by impatient drivers, who think their 30 seconds is more important than the cyclist's well being and health.

Perhaps you think it's funny when people complain about their lives being regularly put in harms way by idiotic drivers, compounded by police forces who often do very little to stop it. If that's the case, you do you, but you're in the minority here.

Why do some people think giving a damn when someone else puts my safety at risk makes me a "militant cyclist"? Good grief.no

Avatar
Pavery1 | 6 years ago
2 likes

Love reading the comments on these clips. Daily Mail for cyclists. Hysterical militant cyclist brigade who give no mind  to the context of the situation.

Avatar
Zjtm231 replied to Pavery1 | 6 years ago
6 likes
Pavery1 wrote:

Love reading the comments on these clips. Daily Mail for cyclists. Hysterical militant cyclist brigade who give no mind  to the context of the situation.

Please go back to reading the daily mail

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
3 likes

Plod yet again showing themselves to be a bunch of merchant bankers who'll only do something when it suits them and their agenda. No doubt if they were overtaken in such a manner whilst on a bike or on foot they'd be all over the driver in a flash.

God knows how they'd react to a 'terrorist' driving in the same manner, fucking armed unit and helicopters.

Have to take this further and everyone must make complaints otherwise nothing will ever change.

Avatar
smcc1879 | 6 years ago
4 likes

Northants Police just don’t undernstand road safety when it comes to cyclists. I just wish they’d think & act like West Mids and Surrey.

I’ve reported numerous close passes, only to be fobbed off time and time again. They’re not interested unless you get knocked off and are injured.

And when I have been hit by a car, they think I was to blame. Aparartently in this instance they judged that I drifted into centre of the road, and therefore the 2 ton vehicle clattering into me was my fault. Complaints get looked at by the same people who make the decision. Justice? Go figure...

https://youtu.be/CvVyJHY7KQ4

And in case anyone’s wondering why I’m in the centre of the lane, it’s because there are parked cars ahead, and so I’m in riding in the primary road position to avoid moving out when I’m alongside them. Just a shame that Northants Police don’t understand that, as recommended by Bikebility and the Highway Code.

Avatar
Pudsey Pedaller replied to smcc1879 | 6 years ago
6 likes

smcc1879 wrote:

Northants Police just don’t undernstand road safety when it comes to cyclists. I just wish they’d think & act like West Mids and Surrey.

I’ve reported numerous close passes, only to be fobbed off time and time again. They’re not interested unless you get knocked off and are injured.

And when I have been hit by a car, they think I was to blame. Aparartently in this instance they judged that I drifted into centre of the road, and therefore the 2 ton vehicle clattering into me was my fault. Complaints get looked at by the same people who make the decision. Justice? Go figure...

https://youtu.be/CvVyJHY7KQ4

And in case anyone’s wondering why I’m in the centre of the lane, it’s because there are parked cars ahead, and so I’m in riding in the primary road position to avoid moving out when I’m alongside them. Just a shame that Northants Police don’t understand that, as recommended by Bikebility and the Highway Code.

I'd like to think you wouldn't need to explain your reasons for being in the middle of the lane on this forum.

Having said that, even if you were cycling like that for your own amusement or to annoy other road users, that wouldn't give the driver the right to collide with you.

As for your video, I can't see the 'drifting' the police seem to think you did and neither can I see a suitable gap in front of you for the driver to move into. 

Avatar
Hirsute replied to smcc1879 | 6 years ago
1 like

smcc1879 wrote:

Northants Police just don’t undernstand road safety when it comes to cyclists. I just wish they’d think & act like West Mids and Surrey.

I’ve reported numerous close passes, only to be fobbed off time and time again. They’re not interested unless you get knocked off and are injured.

And when I have been hit by a car, they think I was to blame. Aparartently in this instance they judged that I drifted into centre of the road, and therefore the 2 ton vehicle clattering into me was my fault. Complaints get looked at by the same people who make the decision. Justice? Go figure...

https://youtu.be/CvVyJHY7KQ4

And in case anyone’s wondering why I’m in the centre of the lane, it’s because there are parked cars ahead, and so I’m in riding in the primary road position to avoid moving out when I’m alongside them. Just a shame that Northants Police don’t understand that, as recommended by Bikebility and the Highway Code.

It's must get to the back of the queue before the cyclist.

Were the police watching a different video clip?

Avatar
Stuk | 6 years ago
9 likes

Re: cyclist moving away from the white line. 

This is precisely the reason why the car needs to give more room and pass when it is safe to do so giving "vulnerable road users as much space as you would a car". If there is oncoming traffic it is clearly NOT safe to do so. 

 

Avatar
SteveAustin | 6 years ago
1 like

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

Avatar
scouser_andy replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
9 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

 

Absolute tosh.

Avatar
alansmurphy replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
13 likes
SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

I think you need to hand your license in, you are clearly not fit to drive a vehicle.

Avatar
Bikebikebike replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
11 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

Oh you are a tiresome individual. 

Avatar
SteveAustin replied to Bikebikebike | 6 years ago
1 like

Bikebikebike wrote:

SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

Oh you are are a tiresome individual. 

 

watch the video again.

watch the cyclist move from riding on the white line, what do you suggest the car does?

hold its line, haul on the anchors, run the risk of hitting the cyclist? or follow the line forced on them by  the cyclist moving outwards its path?

i understand some of you are really passionate about the rights of the cyclist, so am i, but never really thought to throw childish insults about on the internet, its a waste of time, and says more about the kind of person throwing them than the person on the end of them.

happy to discuss the wobbly cyclist in the video, and the not so close pass that we can see

 

Avatar
Hirsute replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
2 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

Bikebikebike wrote:

SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

Oh you are are a tiresome individual. 

 

watch the video again.

watch the cyclist move from riding on the white line, what do you suggest the car does?

hold its line, haul on the anchors, run the risk of hitting the cyclist? or follow the line forced on them by  the cyclist moving outwards its path?

i understand some of you are really passionate about the rights of the cyclist, so am i, but never really thought to throw childish insults about on the internet, its a waste of time, and says more about the kind of person throwing them than the person on the end of them.

happy to discuss the wobbly cyclist in the video, and the not so close pass that we can see

 

At no point is the cyclist riding on the white line. Do you have a point?

Avatar
CXR94Di2 replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
5 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

Bikebikebike wrote:

SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

Oh you are are a tiresome individual. 

 

watch the video again.

watch the cyclist move from riding on the white line, what do you suggest the car does?

hold its line, haul on the anchors, run the risk of hitting the cyclist? or follow the line forced on them by  the cyclist moving outwards its path?

i understand some of you are really passionate about the rights of the cyclist, so am i, but never really thought to throw childish insults about on the internet, its a waste of time, and says more about the kind of person throwing them than the person on the end of them.

happy to discuss the wobbly cyclist in the video, and the not so close pass that we can see

 

 

First, brake and slow down, to give more time and importantly distance to assess when its safe to overtake. Once you train yourself to touch the brakes when seeing a cyclists then everything else is easy to impliment.

I tell my kids, who I taught to drive, Pass Slow, Pass Wide, Pass Safe.    runs off to copyright slogan and make millions with a sticker for cars

 

This is the probably the sole reason why cyclists are injured or given a close pass.  'God given right to maintain speed irrespective of what hazards lay in front'

 

Avatar
Bikebikebike replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
3 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

Bikebikebike wrote:

SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

Oh you are are a tiresome individual. 

 

watch the video again.

watch the cyclist move from riding on the white line, what do you suggest the car does?

hold its line, haul on the anchors, run the risk of hitting the cyclist? or follow the line forced on them by  the cyclist moving outwards its path?

i understand some of you are really passionate about the rights of the cyclist, so am i, but never really thought to throw childish insults about on the internet, its a waste of time, and says more about the kind of person throwing them than the person on the end of them.

happy to discuss the wobbly cyclist in the video, and the not so close pass that we can see

 

Oh you really really are a tiresome, tiresome individual. 

Avatar
oldstrath replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
5 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

Bikebikebike wrote:

SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

Oh you are are a tiresome individual. 

 

watch the video again.

watch the cyclist move from riding on the white line, what do you suggest the car does?

hold its line, haul on the anchors, run the risk of hitting the cyclist? or follow the line forced on them by  the cyclist moving outwards its path?

i understand some of you are really passionate about the rights of the cyclist, so am i, but never really thought to throw childish insults about on the internet, its a waste of time, and says more about the kind of person throwing them than the person on the end of them.

happy to discuss the wobbly cyclist in the video, and the not so close pass that we can see

 

The only "wobble" i saw came as he was pulled in by the slipstream of the speeding car. As to what the motorist should have done - slow the fuck down, and overtake when there was no traffic coming the other way. Just like he would have done if there were a tractor in front of him. 

Avatar
Russell Orgazoid replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
3 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

 

watch the video again.

watch the cyclist move from riding on the white line, what do you suggest the car does?

hold its line, haul on the anchors, run the risk of hitting the cyclist? or follow the line forced on them by  the cyclist moving outwards its path?

i understand some of you are really passionate about the rights of the cyclist, so am i, but never really thought to throw childish insults about on the internet, its a waste of time, and says more about the kind of person throwing them than the person on the end of them.

happy to discuss the wobbly cyclist in the video, and the not so close pass that we can see

 

Classic trolling behaviour.

FYI the reason more room is required for bikes is precisely what happened here...bikes wobble for a multitude of reasons. Wind, potholes, inexperience. Would you pass a young boy/girl that closely at that speed...No to both.

Read that Highway Code

Avatar
Griff500 replied to Russell Orgazoid | 6 years ago
2 likes

Plasterer's Radio wrote:

Read that Highway Code

Speaking of which, isn't the hatched area in the middle of the road, which the car clearly drove into, a no go area? 

Having said that, it doesn't look like an unusually close pass to me. Unacceptable, yes, but pretty much a daily experience from my memory of UK roads.

Avatar
srchar replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
7 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

watch the cyclist move from riding on the white line

You must be watching a different video.  At no point is the cyclist on the white line.

SteveAustin wrote:

what do you suggest the car does? hold its line, haul on the anchors

Look ahead further than the end of the bonnet, adjust speed on approach to the cyclist so that they can overtake at a safe distance when there is a gap in the oncoming traffic.

Any more stupid questions?

Avatar
Accessibility f... replied to SteveAustin | 6 years ago
7 likes

SteveAustin wrote:

if our intrepid cyclist wasnt riding near the middle of the lane, the car would have loads of space to have go past without appearing to be so close.

check the cyclist swerve from being on the white line, to somewhere near the middle of the lane.

cant blame cars for everything, especailly if wobbly cyclists cant hold their line

Stick to riding your Asda mountain bike at Centerparks mate, it's all you know.

Avatar
HLaB | 6 years ago
3 likes

It wasn't a close pass by the book, hence no police action :-o 'Give as much room as you would passing a small car', the numptie gives a small car 30cm too :-o :-o We need a clear consistent and enfored legal rule!

Avatar
zero_trooper | 6 years ago
5 likes

Dave, I hope that you are reading this. Re-contact Northamptonshire Constabulary  ASAP and say that you are not happy with the initial decision. Point out the aggravating factors - the speed of the overtaking vehicle, the 'closeness' of the pass and that there were oncoming vehicles. Ask for a Notice of Intended Prosecution be sent to the registered keeper of the offending vehicle pending a review of the decision, otherwise the opportunity to actually prosecute may be lost.

Do you have a corresponding forward facing camera?

My issue with Northamptonshire is the sheer volume of ANPR and 'safety' cameras in the county. I've driven along the A428 many times and as soon as you enter Bedfordshire the cameras disappear, as tho' the road has suddenly become safer and crime free  3

 

Good luck and stick with it!

Avatar
smcc1879 replied to zero_trooper | 6 years ago
1 like

zero_trooper wrote:

Dave, I hope that you are reading this. Re-contact Northamptonshire Constabulary  ASAP and say that you are not happy with the initial decision. Point out the aggravating factors - the speed of the overtaking vehicle, the 'closeness' of the pass and that there were oncoming vehicles. Ask for a Notice of Intended Prosecution be sent to the registered keeper of the offending vehicle pending a review of the decision, otherwise the opportunity to actually prosecute may be lost.

Do you have a corresponding forward facing camera?

My issue with Northamptonshire is the sheer volume of ANPR and 'safety' cameras in the county. I've driven along the A428 many times and as soon as you enter Bedfordshire the cameras disappear, as tho' the road has suddenly become safer and crime free  3

Good luck and stick with it!

 

Don’t get too frustrated with the cameras, they’re all turned off!

Avatar
burtthebike | 6 years ago
9 likes

Of course it isn't a close pass, if you're sat in a control room in a comfy chair sipping tea.

We need more police who ride bikes, as they clearly don't get it.  I wonder what the outcome would have been if this had been reported by a policeman?

And thanks for keeping it mercifully short.

Avatar
Mototarka replied to burtthebike | 6 years ago
1 like

burtthebike wrote:

Of course it isn't a close pass, if you're sat in a control room in a comfy chair sipping tea.

We need more police who ride bikes, as they clearly don't get it.  I wonder what the outcome would have been if this had been reported by a policeman?

And thanks for keeping it mercifully short.

 

I ride bike every day and yes, this is far from close pass...

Avatar
Bikebikebike replied to Mototarka | 6 years ago
4 likes

Mototarka wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Of course it isn't a close pass, if you're sat in a control room in a comfy chair sipping tea.

We need more police who ride bikes, as they clearly don't get it.  I wonder what the outcome would have been if this had been reported by a policeman?

And thanks for keeping it mercifully short.

 

I ride bike every day and yes, this is far from close pass...

No you don’t ride a bike every day. (Your missus doesn’t count). Yawn.

 

Avatar
grumpyoldcyclist replied to Mototarka | 6 years ago
7 likes

Mototarka wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Of course it isn't a close pass, if you're sat in a control room in a comfy chair sipping tea.

We need more police who ride bikes, as they clearly don't get it.  I wonder what the outcome would have been if this had been reported by a policeman?

And thanks for keeping it mercifully short.

 

I ride bike every day and yes, this is far from close pass...

 

Childish....

 

If you do challenge the decision, and I hope you do, copy in the local poice commissioner and also send them a copy of the photo from section 163 Highway Code, just to remind them how it should be done. We cyclists know what a good overtake is like, but those that don't cycle quickly forget the bits of the Highway Code that might delay them for perhaps two seconds

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