Please give me advice

[Boris Bajic]

I think the coach-firm chappie has been very diplomatic and understanding in his responses to date and I am 112% with the other replies: Take this no further. Under any circumstances. Not a millimetre.

His letters are carefully and (to the outsider) amusingly couched. He shows respect whilst keeping his tongue firmly in his cheek. His casual mention of 'your other 107 videos' online is a good example of his restraint and humour. He manages a couple more wry comments too, whilst keeping the overall tone professional and respectful.

I certainly wouldn't offer to come and speak to professional drivers (these or any others). This partly for the reason he gives and partly because you may still (at 18 or 19) be a little young to offer the views and experience of a seasoned cyclist. It is clear from your videos that you may still have a thing or two to learn about the big, bad highway. It's not a crime; we all did at your age.

I'd read and re-read all your drafts, too before writing to other firms. This phrase from your second letter would have been clearer if corrected: 'Brompton Avenue is a particular road which I have never been keep on'.

But for now I'd walk away secure in the knowledge that there is nothing you can add in that matter.

 

[Matthew_T]

It is difficult to show with the field of view exactly how close these passes were. If you use the bottom of the wheels as a reference to the kerb, then it is close as the amount of room there is between them is the amount of room they should be giving to me.
Larger vehicles should be giving more room than typical cars.

I am surprised that people are saying that I should be further away from the kerb. Am I really that close? I dont feel like I am, however most of these videos were on the same narrow road so I might have got used to a more guttered position.
Next time I am on that road, I will try to be more into the lane. Hopefully it might stop a few people trying to chance an overtake.

 

[Typhon]

Next time I am on that road, I will try to be more into the lane. Hopefully it might stop a few people trying to chance an overtake.

I do that and it works 99% of the time but then you do get punishment passes by motorists who I can only guess feel you should be further over. Obviously I can't be certain they're being deliberately vindictive but they do seem a lot worse than when I used to ride in the gutter.

You've reported a lot of close passes to the police haven't you? Out of interest, do they actually ever do anything about them? I ask because just yesterday I was overtaken by someone who missed me by at most 3 inches, then a split second later the police car who was behind him then overtook me too. Having clearly seen the near accident, he didn't pull the guy over. And 200 yards later he had the perfect place to pull him over as the road is long, straight and quiet.

The copper moved out a little bit for the overtake, not enough for my liking but still a country mile compared to the previous guy. So he clearly knows you can't pass like that, but didn't pull over the guy who did. Made me wonder whether the police do anything about things unless they've actually resulted in an accident?

 

[Spinney]

Matthew - leave it for now. But keep making the videos (not posting them on YouTube). And in (say) 4 months time, take a look and see if the standard of driving by that bus company has improved. If it hasn;t, then you could approach your contact again. If it has, a nice email to him might be in order!

 

[Dave 123]

At 1.40 in the video you appear to be breaking the speed limit and making noises like a smurf. We already have one on here with a blue face. Just stop it.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Please give me advice.

Don't eat yellow snow.

 

[400bhp]

And get rid of that airzound.

 

[Matthew_T]

You've reported a lot of close passes to the police haven't you? Out of interest, do they actually ever do anything about them? I ask because just yesterday I was overtaken by someone who missed me by at most 3 inches, then a split second later the police car who was behind him then overtook me too. Having clearly seen the near accident, he didn't pull the guy over. And 200 yards later he had the perfect place to pull him over as the road is long, straight and quiet.

The copper moved out a little bit for the overtake, not enough for my liking but still a country mile compared to the previous guy. So he clearly knows you can't pass like that, but didn't pull over the guy who did. Made me wonder whether the police do anything about things unless they've actually resulted in an accident?

I havent reported close passes to the police unless they have been very extreme cases.
When I first started cycling on the roads and was receiving close passes, I tended to report them. The message that I got from the police is that no matter how close an overtake is, the driver is not breaking any laws. And for them to take action on any incident, it needs to be clearly deliberate. Even in the video above where the bus failed an overtake then punished me by doing a very close overtake had no action taken because the driver didnt break any laws.

The only incident that I have reported where the police took action was this one:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxvErixVGL4&list=WLC6274A9E2C9ED5B8&feature=mh_lolz

And I only ended up reporting that because the other person uploaded their footage and incriminated themselves.

 

[Matthew_T]

And get rid of that airzound.

Why? It has saved many people pulling out on me and it works. It is a hell of a lot better than shouting because I dont get wound up as much.

 

[400bhp]

Why? It has saved many people pulling out on me and it works. It is a hell of a lot better than shouting because I dont get wound up as much.

No, it doesn't save anyone from pulling out as the device is used afterwards.

Waste of time, no need for one if you ride properly.

They seem to be the angry cyclists weapon of choice.

 

[Typhon]

I havent reported close passes to the police unless they have been very extreme cases.
When I first started cycling on the roads and was receiving close passes, I tended to report them. The message that I got from the police is that no matter how close an overtake is, the driver is not breaking any laws. And for them to take action on any incident, it needs to be clearly deliberate. Even in the video above where the bus failed an overtake then punished me by doing a very close overtake had no action taken because the driver didnt break any laws.

The only incident that I have reported where the police took action was this one:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxvErixVGL4&list=WLC6274A9E2C9ED5B8&feature=mh_lolz

And I only ended up reporting that because the other person uploaded their footage and incriminated themselves.

Ah ok, thank you - unfortunately that is pretty much as I thought. An extreme close pass is clearly dangerous driving but I didn't expect them to do anything about it - they never have when I've reported other crimes.

 

[gavroche]

Ah ok, thank you - unfortunately that is pretty much as I thought. An extreme close pass is clearly dangerous driving but I didn't expect them to do anything about it - they never have when I've reported other crimes.

I can't see anything wrong with his riding on this video. What is all the fuss about?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I've had a look at your compilation video and i'd only be unhappy with 2 of these incidents.

The first would be the one where the bus overtook you on the approach to the island. I'd have preferred him to hold back until after you'd cleared the island then overtook when it was safe to do so.

The second was the one where the bus jumped the red light.

The others don't seem particularly close passes in my personal opinion. Maybe it's just that i'm used to a different (lower) standard of driving that you generally find in a bigger city on the basis that there's more cars so likely more bad drivers as well.

I can understand what the Managing Director meant by "champion of the roads" and feel that this was said in a very diplomatic way. I use a helmet cam myself (but only on the commute) and have never felt the need to post any of the video clips onto youtube (let alone 107 videos!!), even when I have experienced close passes etc. The only reason I use one is for peace of mind that if i'm ever involved in an accident and need evidence i'll have a record of the incident for insurance purposes. My clips get deleted from my camera on a weekly basis.

You are never going to change the way bad drivers behave by moaning at them so why put yourself in a position of confrontation whilst out on the road. After all you'll immediately be the one that's in the vulnerable position. And posting the clips to youtube isn't going to do anything other than make you look like a "champion of the roads"

After saying all that, my advice to you would be to not take things any further with this company. I would have been quite happy that they took the time to respond to me in the first place. A lot of companies wouldn't have bothered. Whether they raise this issue with their drivers and implement any improvements in training is another thing. But I would like to think that they would as i'm an optimist.

Please don't take my comments as a personal attack on you as I don't know you. I'm just letting you know how others may perceive your actions.

I watched the video all through and agree with you.

***

To the OP - your respondent is being reasonable. Your points have been well received. That's the end of the matter really.

 

[Dewi]

Worrying stuff, it seems you regularly cycle passed the end of my road!

I try to never let anyone pass me at the entrance to the roundabout you were cut up at (known locally as fiveways) coming down hill from the traffic lights off the A55 I am usually moving fast enough to easily slip into primary however I appreciate its very busy during rush hour as the buses go to Llandrillo Tech. Brompton Avenue is a busy road not helped by the slight uphill drag, random parking to both sides restricting road width then the traffic lights and short sharp hill and bend.

Nothing excuses a close pass but having some consideration for other road users doesn't hurt, not suggesting you don't but being a former wagon/white van driver I know driving a commercial vehicle is much harder than a car. On my bike on that road I tend to keep out more when I hear a large vehicle behind and I don't want to be passed (due to parked cars etc) but equally if I can tuck in quickly and let them pass safely I will and wave then through.

 

[Matthew_T]

Worrying stuff, it seems you regularly cycle passed the end of my road!

I try to never let anyone pass me at the entrance to the roundabout you were cut up at (known locally as fiveways) coming down hill from the traffic lights off the A55 I am usually moving fast enough to easily slip into primary however I appreciate its very busy during rush hour as the buses go to Llandrillo Tech. Brompton Avenue is a busy road not helped by the slight uphill drag, random parking to both sides restricting road width then the traffic lights and short sharp hill and bend.

Nothing excuses a close pass but having some consideration for other road users doesn't hurt, not suggesting you don't but being a former wagon/white van driver I know driving a commercial vehicle is much harder than a car. On my bike on that road I tend to keep out more when I hear a large vehicle behind and I don't want to be passed (due to parked cars etc) but equally if I can tuck in quickly and let them pass safely I will and wave then through.

The road is right at the end of my commute (to the college) from Prestatyn (some 16 miles away) so by then I am pretty pooped. But I will try to interact with drivers a lot more on that road, or one day it will be the death of me (literally!).