My "positive outcome" police reports to Avon & Somerset in 2025

[Arjimlad]

I put together this brief video of the few close pass reports I submitted in 2025 which resulted in more than a warning letter.

I don't know the actual outcomes. I haven't been asked to give a witness statement for court for any of them, so presumably the drivers didn't contest whatever action the police took.

Avon & Somerset's judgment on these is pretty good, in my opinion, if I'm right in interpreting their spartan data. Of course, one or two cases which I thought would merit prosecution ended up with warning letters, but the majority of the cases where I felt scared & in danger were met with more than a mere warning.

Most drivers who I see again after a successful report take more care around me, so the warning letters can work.


View: https://youtu.be/UPQ7BRt3bM4

 

[Gwylan]

Well done.
I recognise the white van syndrome types.

The excessively large pick up truck merchants with the matching low IQ lurk around here too. They work on the " you're not in front of me you don't count"

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I think a certain type of driver gets very annoyed because they cannot understand that you cannot - and should not - ride as close to the kerb ona road if the hedge/wall is right up to, or even over, the edge of the road.

I used to have it round here a lot going up and over one railway bridge

the speed limit is 20 because it is quite a sharp hump on the bridge
AND it goes over a 90 degree turn

but ona bike there used to be an extra problem with a hawthorn hedge that overgrew the edge of the road by several feet by the end of summer

a lot of drivers did not seem to understand that on a bike you are totally selfish and self centred and refuse to ride through the hawthorn branches - and so end up taking the whole lane!

The other side was no better as it was downhill but patched to Hell and back so - to a bike it feels like riding over a frozen version of the Somme after a bad night!
but that side was downhill so you go faster
and the speed limit is still 20 but you always get some moron who wants to pass you before the traffic lights 100 yards down the road

 

[Arjimlad]

Well done.
I recognise the white van syndrome types.

The excessively large pick up truck merchants with the matching low IQ lurk around here too. They work on the " you're not in front of me you don't count"

Yes, I think you're right in that the common theme seems to be bigger vehicles which get Notice of Intended Prosecution rather than warning letters. It's probably an exacerbating factor. One nasty close pass from a Mini driver only got a warning letter.

 

[Arjimlad]

I think a certain type of driver gets very annoyed because they cannot understand that you cannot - and should not - ride as close to the kerb ona road if the hedge/wall is right up to, or even over, the edge of the road.

I used to have it round here a lot going up and over one railway bridge

the speed limit is 20 because it is quite a sharp hump on the bridge
AND it goes over a 90 degree turn

but ona bike there used to be an extra problem with a hawthorn hedge that overgrew the edge of the road by several feet by the end of summer

a lot of drivers did not seem to understand that on a bike you are totally selfish and self centred and refuse to ride through the hawthorn branches - and so end up taking the whole lane!

The other side was no better as it was downhill but patched to Hell and back so - to a bike it feels like riding over a frozen version of the Somme after a bad night!
but that side was downhill so you go faster
and the speed limit is still 20 but you always get some moron who wants to pass you before the traffic lights 100 yards down the road

Yes, same for the door zone overtaking parked cars.

 

[raleighnut]

Yet 20 or more years ago my mate Pete failed his class one driving test for not 'close passing' a cyclist and his claim for it not being safe to do so due to other traffic was 'pooh poohed by the examiner who said "You should have passed the f*****g idiot, they shouldn't be on the road"
Needless to say Pete passed his class one the next time with a different examiner.

 

[Arjimlad]

Yet 20 or more years ago my mate Pete failed his class one driving test for not 'close passing' a cyclist and his claim for it not being safe to do so due to other traffic was 'pooh poohed by the examiner who said "You should have passed the f*****g idiot, they shouldn't be on the road"
Needless to say Pete passed his class one the next time with a different examiner.

We can only hope that the examiner is no longer employed as such! Good for Pete.