Reporting this driver? Road safe or police?

[irc]

I doubt there is anything to be gained by quoting the Highway Code to bad drivers after near misses. The OP should read the Cycling Lawyer's blog to get an idea of how difficult it is for even a highly qualified professional to get prosecutions taken on for far more serious incidents than the near miss in the video. This one is going nowhere. Road user had to brake because of misjudgement by other road user? Happens thousands of times a day.


http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/

[thirdcrank]

aspiringcyclist

I'm wasn't making excuses, just trying to help.

My advice would now be to have a ride down to your local police station (check before you go because police stations are being closed faster than Tesco supermarkets) and report your concerns. Please let us know how you get on.

[aspiringcyclist]

Well my original question was whether to report this to Roadsafe London. It seems like the better option, but it needs to be done within 48 hrs. I technically have just over 3 hours left to report this.

Edit: The form asks for facts about the driver. Where would you say he was from by his accent?

Edit2: I contacted the company the person on the phone said he would speak to the driver. I'm not sure what to think of this.

[Heltor Chasca]

Whoever you report it to I think you might just find there are too many holes in your case. There's your first incident (which doesn't need any more explaining) and then you involve yourself in the second incident which doesn't affect your ride. I think they might just find a report a little hypocritical.

Perhaps you and the van driver were having a bad day. Perhaps the 2nd cyclist is having a good day and has ignored the close pass and through experience and level-headed thinking has taken avoiding action by cycling defensively.

In my (bitter) experience you may not be treated so well by the next driver you yell at.

Put it down to experience and move on.

[irc]

In my (bitter) experience you may not be treated so well by the next driver you yell at.

Put it down to experience and move on.

This +1

This cyclist got punched after stopping beside a car to shout at the driver. There are people that don't like getting shouted at and will do something about it.

From 1:05

http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/27/youtube-f ... t-4278578/

[The fat commuter]

The first incident in the OP's video, it looks like the van driver realises that he's in the wrong lane, crosses over to get into the correct lane and then waits. Whether he is waiting because he's realised that there's a cyclist (the OP) there and he's waiting to let the OP past, or whether he's waiting for something else, I can't see. However, to me it looks like he is pulling over and is waiting for the OP to go past, when he doesn't, the van driver continues his manoeuvre but times it just as the OP sets off. Bad timing, one of those things.

Second incident with the third party cyclist - it does look like the van driver either cuts up the cyclist or overtakes and closes the door on him/her. Happens quite often that. I'd get annoyed about it (if I could be bothered to) as, if there was a gap there I could move forward a few yards. However, I often find that even if there is a sufficient gap to filter past safely, the next vehicle, or the one in front of it, won't have left a gap. I do agree though that the second cyclist if far too close to the kerb, had he/she been a bit further out, maybe the van driver wouldn't have created an extra lane to get past.

I can't be bothered having raised voice conversations with drivers. The only time I've had words is when they've had a go at me first - both times when I was riding primary, very close or maybe over the speed limit, and they beeped and gesticulated or shouted to use the pink lane down the side of the road.

[snibgo]

In the second incident, the driver appears to misjudge distance and relative speed. He isn't moving much faster then the cyclist, so squeezes him when the van needs to pull in. It is "must get past the cyclist" syndrome.

Would the police take any action on this? Only if nothing else was happening in the world.

[aspiringcyclist]

There seems to be a lot of negativity around reporting incidents to the police - understandably. However, it looks like 'roadsafe' London seems to work fairly well, with youtube cyclists claiming that by reporting to roadsafe, at the very least, letters are sent to the drivers. Cyclegaz claims his videos have resulted in over 200 convictions.

I had an idiot punishment pass me today, so I will report it and will comment here to say what the result is.

[Flinders]

In the second incident, the driver appears to misjudge distance and relative speed. He isn't moving much faster then the cyclist, so squeezes him when the van needs to pull in. It is "must get past the cyclist" syndrome.

Would the police take any action on this? Only if nothing else was happening in the world.

It's dangerous if you're cut up, but a lot of drivers have no idea how fast a bike may be going; some of them do seem to think that every bike goes at the speed of a sedate old granny on a sit-up-and-beg with a basket full of shopping. And in this case, as you point out, the driver was moving slower than they usually would have been doing, which might have affected their judgement.
No excuse, of course, but a possible explanation.

[Heltor Chasca]

There seems to be a lot of negativity around reporting incidents to the police - understandably. However, it looks like 'roadsafe' London seems to work fairly well, with youtube cyclists claiming that by reporting to roadsafe, at the very least, letters are sent to the drivers. Cyclegaz claims his videos have resulted in over 200 convictions.

I had an idiot punishment pass me today, so I will report it and will comment here to say what the result is.

I'm not surprised there is so much negativity. Spend 5 minutes on YouTube and you will see a trend. All these robo-camera-wannabe-cops are confrontational and aggressive. Almost ALL of them swear and use profanities to get their point across. They are bullies and give the majority of us cyclists a bad name. Is there any wonder drivers take a defensive or even aggressive stance? Perhaps they do/did want to be police officers but never made the grade and are now trying to live the dream.

However it's your journey and if you aspire to be a YouTube sensation that's your choice. I also get the feeling that with less than a year's experience of commuting in London you are just going to end up disillusioned and disappointed. A shame.

Be safe out there...hc

P.S. I'm all for camera evidence being used if an infringement ACTUALLY occurs. Not NEARLY. Police resources are stretched beyond belief. I'll also say again: It's the culture and infrastructure that needs to change.

[aspiringcyclist]

reporting drivers =/= becoming a youtube sensationalist, whatever that means. I don't intend to start posting videos on youtube of every example of bad driving I see.

Different people react in various ways to feeling threatened by someone driving a 1-2 tonne vehicle dangerous around them. Some get angry and swear. I also take issue with the idea they 'give cyclists a bad name'. It's not their fault that some people can't tell the difference between an individual and an activity that individuals share.

There is no doubt that police are having to increasingly cope with more limited resources, but they somehow find the time to stand around junctions all day fining people for minor infringements.

[Vorpal]

I'm not surprised there is so much negativity. Spend 5 minutes on YouTube and you will see a trend. All these robo-camera-wannabe-cops are confrontational and aggressive. Almost ALL of them swear and use profanities to get their point across. They are bullies and give the majority of us cyclists a bad name. Is there any wonder drivers take a defensive or even aggressive stance? Perhaps they do/did want to be police officers but never made the grade and are now trying to live the dream.

However it's your journey and if you aspire to be a YouTube sensation that's your choice. I also get the feeling that with less than a year's experience of commuting in London you are just going to end up disillusioned and disappointed. A shame.

Be safe out there...hc

P.S. I'm all for camera evidence being used if an infringement ACTUALLY occurs. Not NEARLY. Police resources are stretched beyond belief. I'll also say again: It's the culture and infrastructure that needs to change.

Maybe you could apply a little less negativity? It seems a bit unfair to take the OP to task for all the 'robo-camera-wannabe-cops'. Anyway, I don't see how the culture can change without better enforcement.

[Heltor Chasca]

I'm not surprised there is so much negativity. Spend 5 minutes on YouTube and you will see a trend. All these robo-camera-wannabe-cops are confrontational and aggressive. Almost ALL of them swear and use profanities to get their point across. They are bullies and give the majority of us cyclists a bad name. Is there any wonder drivers take a defensive or even aggressive stance? Perhaps they do/did want to be police officers but never made the grade and are now trying to live the dream.

However it's your journey and if you aspire to be a YouTube sensation that's your choice. I also get the feeling that with less than a year's experience of commuting in London you are just going to end up disillusioned and disappointed. A shame.

Be safe out there...hc

P.S. I'm all for camera evidence being used if an infringement ACTUALLY occurs. Not NEARLY. Police resources are stretched beyond belief. I'll also say again: It's the culture and infrastructure that needs to change.

Maybe you could apply a little less negativity? It seems a bit unfair to take the OP to task for all the 'robo-camera-wannabe-cops'. Anyway, I don't see how the culture can change without better enforcement.

I can see how my written words come across negatively. I don't mean it to come out so strong or do I wish to blame the OP for this new breed of camera cyclist. I am on his/her side. I guess I just can't understand the mentality of these people. I must have personal issues with confrontational, antagonistic types so maybe it's me who should be more tolerant.

I don't believe though that it's up to civilians to enforce the rules of the road. Follow and obey them, yes, that's it.

I also can't get it round my head how any of these angry commuters can be enjoying themselves. Dare I say it: Why cycle if it makes you so mad so much of the time?

I'm glad my commuting days in London are over. It seems like warfare out there for some. I'm happy out here in the sticks even if the hills are so blinkin' steep[emoji615]️

[aspiringcyclist]

Well obviously videos that are showing the dangerous driving aren't going to be a good representation of their cycling experience. Most of the time cycling in London is fine. I'm sure they would agree, otherwise I don't know why anyone would do it, as you say.