Collision After Close Pass

[[XAP]Bob]

I'm not sure I can see hazard lights on at any point - I see the brake lights, then a much brighter light on the left, which I think is the reversing light.

Once that turns out I can see the left indicator - but I think that's because it's washed out in the video...

[beardy]

Hazard lights are greatly over used, I agree.

Hazard warning lights. These may be used when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it is temporarily obstructing traffic. Never use them as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking.

I would say that he fitted the criteria for use from the highway code and the fact that somebody still managed to drive into him despite applying them suggests he made the right call turning them on.

[Mark1978]

In what way was the cyclist blamed? Don't say the cyclist wasn't because the cyclist is always blamed, just wondering what made up nonsense they thought of this time

[Audax67]

Too busy looking back to see how much they'd managed to annoy the cyclist.

+1. Poetic justice. Sorry for car owner, though.

[AndyBSG]

One things for sure, I bet the car drivers insurance company will gladly accept the cyclists video as evidence of bad driving by the van... Unlike the police who seem to continually reject video evidence unless it's backed by a PR public media campaign!

[brooksby]

Too busy looking back to see how much they'd managed to annoy the cyclist.

It's surprising how often you see a face in the rear view mirror staring after a close pass.

I'd always assumed that was them checking that they hadn't knocked you off. Mind you, if - as a driver - you feel you have to check that you haven't knocked someone off then you probably know that you were passing a bit too close...

[brooksby]

Yep.

That's the van driver not looking at the road ahead.

Cos that never happens, does it? Far too many times I get overtaken by someone who then has to slam on the brakes because they'd completely failed to notice what was ahead of me / ahead of them. A long traffic queue to the traffic lights, usually...

[kwackers]

I'd always assumed that was them checking that they hadn't knocked you off. Mind you, if - as a driver - you feel you have to check that you haven't knocked someone off then you probably know that you were passing a bit too close...

I had one guy who 'buzzed' me at speed quite deliberately and as he zoomed off into the distance there was a perfectly framed pair of eyes watching me all the time in the rear view and the 'tell tale' finger being given.
Not sure what his problem was, I'd never seen him before, empty roads so I'd not passed him at any point and the road was wide and empty.

I think some folk deliberately overtake too close and like to 'enjoy' their moment by watching how you react. Whether this driver did or not we'll never know, but IME there's a fair chance his eyes were on the mirror...

[Postboxer]

Give a cyclist as much room as you would a car! Maybe this is why.

[tykeboy2003]

Give a cyclist as much room as you would a car! Maybe this is why.

I think its time that this bit of the Highway code was reworded and made more specific, ie

Give a cyclist at least 1.5m if you are traveling at less than 40mph and 1.8m if traveling faster.

After I have been subjected to a close pass I normally gesture with my right arm to be given more room. A very decent proportion (30% or so) react by making a rude gesture in return. This tells me that these drivers are very well aware of what they've done and are checking in their mirror to see my reaction. This may well be what happened in the incident in the OP.

[drossall]

We should keep this video as a demonstration of why the HC wording is so useless. The van gave the cyclist more room than it gave the car, which is proof that the overtaking was fine.

[toomsie]

Whata relief:) I never seen a bicyclist rear ended on video.