Police let down

[GGJ]

My take on this situation is the driver was looking for an argument, why else would he give a close pass and almost break his neck to watch the reaction of the cyclist

 

[hatler]

Agreed. That wasn't a look of concern ("Oh bless me, I really did pass that cyclist a little too closely") or one of surprise ("Oh my word, where did that cyclist appear from ?"). That is someone looking for a response to his deliberate bullying.

 

[Johnno260]

My take on this situation is the driver was looking for an argument, why else would he give a close pass and almost break his neck to watch the reaction of the cyclist View attachment 148417
View attachment 148418 View attachment 148419

When you see those stills the guy was 100% looking for a reaction.

 

[GGJ]

He must have driven at least two car lengths with his head turned to the left looking at the cyclist and not paying attention to the junction ahead

 

[marknotgeorge]

I bought a cheap laser distance finder, but as it shoots a red visible light laser I can't use it on my bike (might blind a road user,) handy for DIY though.

there are plans for an IR Arduino one which would be a cool project or you could make a LIDAR.

I have a vague idea for a project using a Raspberry Pi, an ultrasonic sensor and two cameras. The sensor and one camera points sideways and are mounted at the back of the bike, and the other camera points forwards. The sensor sets off both cameras, so you get images of the side of the vehicle and the back with the all- important reg plate.

 

[dim]

I have a few sections on my commute where I take the centre of the lane due to the road narrowing, or bad potholes

I know where these areas are, and if a car is behind me, I put out my arm to show my intentions, then peddle like crazy.... move to the left once the road is fine, and give a friendly thank you wave

no probs so far, but I suppose there is always a dick who will try and squeeze me out of the way one day ....

thats cycling .... but if more and more people get video camera's, drivers will be more aware of the consequences if police take a tough stance

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Careless/dangerous has such a woolly, subjective definition that one CPS lawyer would gleefully run something like that, the next wouldn't countenance it. A minimum overtaking distance written into law would knock that dead.

We'd all like to think that. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the case in Queensland, Australia. This very long discussion thread in the BNA fora contains numerous accounts of close passes, and I get the impression from it that the close-passing law hasn't been very effective:
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=72155&p=1368818#p1368818

 

[johnnyb47]

If I was the driver of that car and the cyclist started having a rant at me ,I would of stopped further up the road and apologised to him and took the flack , simply because its more difficult to judge spacial awareness whilst driving, and the fact I may of driven to close without realising it. It would of taken the heat out of situation and hopefully a lesson learnt for the motorist. For the motorist to get out and have a go at this guy makes me think he knew he was in the wrong or maybe it was done deliberately to p the cyclist off. Just the other day I confronted a bus driver who barged past me
leaving inches between us. His attitude was appalling and is now under investigation by his company. If he would of been genuinely concerned and worried about his bad driving and apologised I would of just let it go knowing he would be more sympathetic towards cyclist in the future ,,simply because we are human beings who will make mistakes from time to time

 

[Smokin Joe]

The problem with "Having a rant", however tempting it might be is that it puts the other party on the defensive. Nobody likes being shouted and sworn at, particularly in public and they are more likely to confront you if only to cover their own embarrassment at being given a dressing down. People are more likely to either acknowledge their mistake if you suffer it calmly, and if they don't they may take what they've done on board and absolve to be more careful in future.

I'd never risk a fight with a driver when I'm on my bike for obvious reasons, you are too vulnerable. And if it kicks off on the pavement when the guy has jumped out a punch up while waddling round on cleats is never a good idea. Like a good general, only ever get into a fight you know you can win. The courage to walk away is just as noble as the courage you need to have a fight.

 

[Justinslow]

I had someone more or less "aim" at me coming from the other direction at speed on a rural back road (without central white lines) in an Audi a few weeks ago. I honestly thought I'd get hit and rode in the gutter in the few seconds I had to do anything, as the car passed I shouted Feck off! as loudly as i could, it was a fearful shocked reaction and just came out. The Audi continued as if I was invisible.

Back in the summer a few of us rode to London for the Dunwich Dynamo, I had a car overtake on a dodgy long bend in Essex, unfortunately some other traffic came the other way and the overtaking car drove next to me at the same speed for several seconds in no mans land close enough for me to take my hand off the bars and touch it, (I didn't, but could have done) frightening, my mate behind couldn't believe it.

 

[stalagmike]

The problem with "Having a rant", however tempting it might be is that it puts the other party on the defensive. Nobody likes being shouted and sworn at, particularly in public and they are more likely to confront you if only to cover their own embarrassment at being given a dressing down. People are more likely to either acknowledge their mistake if you suffer it calmly, and if they don't they may take what they've done on board and absolve to be more careful in future.

I'd never risk a fight with a driver when I'm on my bike for obvious reasons, you are too vulnerable. And if it kicks off on the pavement when the guy has jumped out a punch up while waddling round on cleats is never a good idea. Like a good general, only ever get into a fight you know you can win. The courage to walk away is just as noble as the courage you need to have a fight.

You could give someone a nasty scrape down the shins with your cleats tho

 

[benb]

if more and more people get video camera's, drivers will be more aware of the consequences if police take a tough stance

And as we see daily, it's a big if.

 

[benb]

If I was the driver of that car and the cyclist started having a rant at me ,I would of stopped further up the road and apologised to him and took the flack , simply because its more difficult to judge spacial awareness whilst driving, and the fact I may of driven to close without realising it.

And if the driver had done that, I would have accepted his apology and probably parted with a handshake.

 

[Apollonius]

The underlying problem here, and it is by no means uncommon, is that the driver of the car genuinely believes he has a greater right to use the narrowed lane than the cyclist. He has no understanding of the reason for the road being intentionally narrowed. His Clark***ist sense of entitlement possibly derives from his ego investment in his (to him) high-status car (no laughing at the back please.) He believes inferior "vehicles" should get out of his way.

 

[vickster]

The underlying problem here, and it is by no means uncommon, is that the driver of the car genuinely believes he has a greater right to use the narrowed lane than the cyclist. He has no understanding of the reason for the road being intentionally narrowed. His Clark***ist sense of entitlement possibly derives from his ego investment in his (to him) high-status car (no laughing at the back please.) He believes inferior "vehicles" should get out of his way.

or he's just a bit thick?