Another pavement cyclist jailed
- Thread starter PK99
- Start date
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Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Which is very much risking a collision. The close pass is a conscious decision not to slow, stop and wait till it’s safe to make a wider overtake and avoiding that risk.
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I am certain there are people who do that.
I still think most are mistakes.
And I still stand absolutely by what I said initially on this. I do not know anybody who has the attitude you describe.
That doesn't mean they don't exist, but your statement implied they were the norm, and I do not believe that to be true.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
How on earth do you make the mistake of trying to close overtake someone on a bike as the road narrows. Or fail to wait when there are parked cars obstructing their side of the highway, and someone on a bike is coming towards them? It’s a conscious decision not to slow, and if necessary stop and wait.
Mistake would imply they didn’t intend to refuse to stop or change their line on the road. They accidentaly forget to turn the steering wheel and apply the brakes.
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I think it more often a case of not paying enough attention to realise they are going to be in the narrow bit, or even not noticing the cyclist until too late.
Absolutely bad driving in either of those cases, but not really a case of deliberately thinking "I'm going to choose to squeeze that cyclist".
albion
Guru
- Location
- South Tyneside
I do suspect the problem drivers then become problem ebikers.
Not sure if it applies here. However, sunny Saturday was full of problem drivers, myself thinking myself quite lucky to be here posting now.
Not sure if it applies here. However, sunny Saturday was full of problem drivers, myself thinking myself quite lucky to be here posting now.
PedallingNowhereSlowly
Senior Member
In which case you must have a very narrow circle of acquaintances.
I'm saddened to know a van driver who will drive as close as he can to cyclists 'for sport'. I'm sure he's not the only one.
There's also a huge difference to how people say they drive, how they do drive when they may be scrutinised (passenger in the car/law enforcement present/CCTV) and how they drive when they think they can get away with it.
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Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I'm sure you are right, he is not nearly the only one.
But I do not think people with that sort of attitude are at all common.
albion
Guru
- Location
- South Tyneside
I get far too many close passes. The worst of recent was en-route to the cricket along the A167 Great North Road.
Strangely the same, I assume, bus coach close passed just after the match, but at a more acceptable level.
The 'returned to operations' bus company, it seems has a very chequered history. However, it made me wonder.
If I had a bike cam that it is the very first close pass I would have actually reported.
Strangely the same, I assume, bus coach close passed just after the match, but at a more acceptable level.
The 'returned to operations' bus company, it seems has a very chequered history. However, it made me wonder.
If I had a bike cam that it is the very first close pass I would have actually reported.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
I agree
It is just that when you meet one you remember them
one the same day you pass (in some way) hundreds of other drivers that you immediately forget
albion
Guru
- Location
- South Tyneside
Could be worse. Cyclists have not been yet been defined as witches.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
"Not paying attention" is a conscious and, for a road user, an unacceptable choice: "careless" is the applicable adjective: escalating to dangerous depending on the circumstances. "Be in the narrow bit"! Drive on the "bit of the road" that vehicles coming the other way will be using, but not 'deliberately'?
"Not noticing the [other road user]" - give us a break! Are these people 'not noticing' a car in front of them "until too late"? What do you mean "too late"? Too late for what? Braking?
These are Precisely cases of deliberately thinking 'if I have a problem (vehicle coming the other way for instance) I'm sure I can squeeze across a bit!'
The driver is deliberately overtaking, are they not? They 'deliberately'/carelessly leave themselves no option but to 'squeeze' the cyclist.
I had this with a coach on a lovely fast straight slightly downhill A road last month: rolling along in top gear at 40 odd kph this coach comes past, close then closer as the driver "pays enough attention" to spot that there was a truck coming the other way. But the squeezing wasn't deliberate, though, oh no: the driver didn't have any other option.
His mate in the (green) coach behind, same firm: Slacks of Matlock, kindly (and properly) gave me a wide berth a minute later.
Fastpedaller
Über Member
Yeah - Just like the Post Office!
Fastpedaller
Über Member
We were driving on the A1 Single carriageway from Seahouses towards Berwick-upon-tweed eight years ago when a truck driver coming towards us overtook a line of vehicles (about 300 yards away). I went as far to the left edge of the road as possible (there was no other escape) as did the car behind and waited for the crash ........ he missed by about an inch. What was going through his mind (did he even have one)? I just hope the truck at the front of the queue he overtook had a dashcam and reported it. I was shaking for a good few minutes after. My (at the time) 18 year-old Daughter said afterwards " we wouldn't have survived would we"
So yes, there are absolute nut cases out there who don't care!
