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Nutter in van

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 JimR 08 May 2017

Yesterday I was cycling on a quiet road when a maroon transit van went past nearly knocking me off my bike, he missed me by less than 1 inch and was swerving inwards (no other traffic about). I shouted "OY" and a hand appeared out the window giving me the V sign and he tooted his horn. when I got to the railway crossing the barrier was down and the van was there so I took a photo. The driver , a large bearded chap, got out the van and told me it was my fault because I was 3 foot out from the edge of the road and that he had a dashcam. I replied "Good, I'm sure the police would like to see it." He then got back in the van. (He also had a passenger).

I feel this chap will kill someone soon if he drives like this. I was cycling perfectly normally and there was absolutely nothing I was doing that was provocative. I'm also a driver with over 1,000,000 miles of driving experience so I cycle defensively and with respect to other road users.

Is it worth reporting this to the police on the basis that although there was no injury they may have history of this guy and it will build to their picture



Post edited at 17:15
3
 toad 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR: I'd say always report these incidences. There isn't a cat in hells that anything will be done, but with any antisocial behaviour, it's important to build a picture which may help down the line.

 rj_townsend 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Oh FFS, here we go again. Do a search for all the other cyclist "should I report this car/van/lorry" threads and copy and paste the responses.

To shortcut all the drivel, yes, report it.
21
 buzby 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Id agree with toad, most probably wont do anything but if they at least give him an informal warning it might change his driving in the future if he thinks he's on their radar. ask the police for an incident number and it may push them to chasing him up.
 buzby 08 May 2017
In reply to rj_townsend:

charming.
1
 GrahamD 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Report it by all means, but making statements like "he missed me by less than 1 inch" would need a bit of justification. That's a hell of a difficult estimation to make, especially as the driver was "swerving inwards" at the time.
OP JimR 08 May 2017
In reply to GrahamD:
> Report it by all means, but making statements like "he missed me by less than 1 inch" would need a bit of justification. That's a hell of a difficult estimation to make, especially as the driver was "swerving inwards" at the time.

well he nearly hit my handlebars and then nearly hit the verge just in front of me! Edit: just looked up my speed at time of incident, I was doing 25 mph and it was a 40 zone.
Post edited at 18:04
 Yanis Nayu 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Report it.
 MonkeyPuzzle 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

I believe Cambridgeshire police have been conducting a close-pass initiative recently so they should at least pretend to be interested.
 nniff 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Yes. I had an altercation with a motorbike last year and reported it to the police. They tracked him down and interviewed him under caution. If he had not been contrite and accepted the error of his ways, they were going to charge him with common assault.

He'd taken exception to me going faster on a bicycle than he was and thought trying to punch and kick me was a suitable response). He tried to kick another cyclist too and then carved up a third on a roundabout. I reported it to a motorcycle policeman initially, who was not impressed - put the reg. into his ANPR camera and set off with his colleague to try and find him. The policeman had just finished doing motorcycle escort duty on the Tour of Yorkshire, which helped.

In the end the Surrey police passed it to Sussex, who went to his home address.
 Greasy Prusiks 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Yep report it.

On it's own it won't do anything but if he's got a dozen other reports them it might.


It's quite a phenomenonaly poor excuse he gave you. It basically boils down to "you were cycling where I wanted to drive my van therefore you were at fault".
abseil 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

> ....Is it worth reporting this to the police....

Really sorry to hear about what happened to you.

I would say definitely report it to the police.
 Trangia 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:
> The driver , a large bearded chap, got out the van and told me it was my fault because I was 3 foot out from the edge of the road

Then by his own admission he was driving dangerously. He shouldn't have attempted to overtake a cyclist who was "3 foot out"

I'm not saying you were, but his statement doesn't help his case.

Report it.
Post edited at 19:59
 Dave the Rave 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

To be honest, if you weren't aware of the risks involved with cycling on roads, then you are now.
Do a risk assessment and ask yourself if it's worth it?
It's Russian Roulette played with folk that are thick/drunk/drugged /tired/blind/aggressive/don't give a feck about others.
You can get one banned but there's plenty of others to take on that role at any given moment!
Glad you were not hurt
18
OP JimR 08 May 2017
In reply to Dave the Rave:

I've been cycling for 50 years and am well aware of the dangers. This is the worst incident I've experienced.
In reply to JimR:

Report it but as others have said, without evidence nothing is likely to happen. I have been knocked off my bike 3 times by car drivers and have accepted that keeping my head down and avoiding confrontations at all costs is the best way to survive. I was once knocked off by a car pulling out on me from a side road.The driver then accused me of deliberately hitting his vehicle by failing to swerve around him. He was stood over me shouting when a passing police officer, who'd seen the whole thing, stepped in. The man was charged with driving without due care but if the officer hadn't been there he probably would have hit me. It's an insane world out there.
1
 Dave the Rave 08 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

> I've been cycling for 50 years and am well aware of the dangers. This is the worst incident I've experienced.

Age and experience are no defence against the nutters out there.
2
 nutme 09 May 2017
Out of curiosity what report like this would do? Even if police will interview the driver likely officer would hear something like "I don't remember driving past any cyclist on that day".

As far as my personal and friends experience goes British police is not really interested if you are alive. Last time a drivers hit and run my girlfriend (and she had a witness) driver was not charged with anything and police silently closed the case. Our suspicion is that driver kept silent or state he was not driving and had no knowledge of incident and police decided it was a weak case so backed out..
In reply to blackmountainbiker:

> Report it but as others have said, without evidence nothing is likely to happen.

That is simply not true, in my experience. I have reported incidents with no 'evidence' other than my personal verbal statement, and the police have responded using Section 59 of the Police Reform Act. The threat of having their car confiscated and potentially crushed can be a bit of a wake up call to people who drive like f*ckwits.
 Brass Nipples 09 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Report it, a terrorist in a van must not be allowed to get away with it.

In reply to captain paranoia:

Let's hope so then but in my experience nothing happened.
Rigid Raider 09 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

ALWAYS report this kind of incident; the driver may already have other reports on the Police computer. Lancashire Police have encouraged residents in our street to report speeders and short cutters (access only street used as a rat-run) and we have dealt successfully with several habitual speeders and two moped yobs in this way - if a reg gets more than three reports they will be stopped if seen by a car with ANPR or they will get a home visit and a Section 59 notice, which works very effectively because it means one more report will get the vehicle confiscated. It's about using technology in the most effective way possible.
 krikoman 09 May 2017
In reply to rj_townsend:

> Oh FFS, here we go again. Do a search for all the other cyclist "should I report this car/van/lorry" threads and copy and paste the responses.To shortcut all the drivel, yes, report it.

Ha ha, I've only come here to complain about your complaint about another thread on cycling and it's dangers.

I could have just ignored it but I'm taking a leaf out of your book and actually taking the time to Oh! FFS! back at you. thanks for the input.
1
 Xharlie 09 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Then you're bloody lucky, mate - long may it last! I wasn't so lucky on UK roads - I've had about a dozen similar experiences.

Never caused me to trade in my bike, though. The existence of idiots is no good reason to stop riding.
 rj_townsend 09 May 2017
In reply to krikoman:

> Ha ha, I've only come here to complain about your complaint about another thread on cycling and it's dangers.I could have just ignored it but I'm taking a leaf out of your book and actually taking the time to Oh! FFS! back at you. thanks for the input.

And thank you too - I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

However, let's not be under any illusions, these posts aren't started to raise awareness of the dangers of cycling - those dangers are entirely apparent. Nor are they really started to ask whether the incident should be reported, as again it is purely common sense that the police should be involved to try and prevent future incidents.

At best these posts are started to vent the poster's [understandable] rage, and at worst they are started to seek attention and sympathy. In the latter case it is just the same as doing a Facebook check-in at an A&E department and waiting for the "hope you're okay hun" comments to start rolling in.

A post with a less disingenuous "i'm so fu**ing annoyed and need to vent about..." approach wouldn't have received my flaming - a hand-wringing "should I report this" one unfortunately does.

Rant over.
10
 krikoman 09 May 2017
In reply to rj_townsend:

Why not just change channel, drive passed, whatever you feel like.

Was there really any need for the Oh! FFS!

Two things:
You didn't have to read it.
You didn't have to reply.

If you don't think they are worth any attention or sympathy, then don't give them any attention.

Keep taking the tablets.
3
In reply to GrahamD:

> Report it by all means, but making statements like "he missed me by less than 1 inch" would need a bit of justification. That's a hell of a difficult estimation to make, especially as the driver was "swerving inwards" at the time.

I think you'd notice if a vehicle got within 1 inch of you when riding a bike
 GrahamD 09 May 2017
In reply to DubyaJamesDubya:

I bet within 12 inches would feel like "within one inch" at incident speed ! problem with this sort of claim is its very precise and can easily be dismissed as hyperbole.
OP JimR 09 May 2017
In reply to rj_townsend:

> And thank you too - I appreciate you taking the time to respond.However, let's not be under any illusions, these posts aren't started to raise awareness of the dangers of cycling - those dangers are entirely apparent. Nor are they really started to ask whether the incident should be reported, as again it is purely common sense that the police should be involved to try and prevent future incidents.At best these posts are started to vent the poster's [understandable] rage, and at worst they are started to seek attention and sympathy. In the latter case it is just the same as doing a Facebook check-in at an A&E department and waiting for the "hope you're okay hun" comments to start rolling in.A post with a less disingenuous "i'm so fu**ing annoyed and need to vent about..." approach wouldn't have received my flaming - a hand-wringing "should I report this" one unfortunately does.Rant over.

Bollocks, I was seeking advice as to whether it was worth reporting. You, OTOH, seem to have a lot of rage in your system. Don't judge everyone by your own standards.
1
 Tony the Blade 09 May 2017
In reply to rj_townsend:

> And thank you too - I appreciate you taking the time to respond.However, let's not be under any illusions, these posts aren't started to raise awareness of the dangers of cycling - those dangers are entirely apparent. Nor are they really started to ask whether the incident should be reported, as again it is purely common sense that the police should be involved to try and prevent future incidents.At best these posts are started to vent the poster's [understandable] rage, and at worst they are started to seek attention and sympathy. In the latter case it is just the same as doing a Facebook check-in at an A&E department and waiting for the "hope you're okay hun" comments to start rolling in.A post with a less disingenuous "i'm so fu**ing annoyed and need to vent about..." approach wouldn't have received my flaming - a hand-wringing "should I report this" one unfortunately does.Rant over.

You ok Babe? DM me if you need.
 rj_townsend 09 May 2017
In reply to Tony the Blade:

> You ok Babe? DM me if you need.

Thanx hun!
 rj_townsend 09 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

> Bollocks, I was seeking advice as to whether it was worth reporting. You, OTOH, seem to have a lot of rage in your system. Don't judge everyone by your own standards.

Who's standards would you rather I use?
1
 Dave the Rave 09 May 2017
In reply to Xharlie:

> Then you're bloody lucky, mate - long may it last! I wasn't so lucky on UK roads - I've had about a dozen similar experiences.Never caused me to trade in my bike, though. The existence of idiots is no good reason to stop riding.

Tick tock
1
OP JimR 09 May 2017
In reply to rj_townsend:

> Who's standards would you rather I use?

perhaps best not to leap up the ladder of inference to reach judgement at all!
1
 freeheel47 09 May 2017
In reply to JimR:
I think you need to think about what happened, what you did and what the effect of not reporting will be.

You felt very frightened because of his driving. You caught him up and photographed him- in effect you threatened him (I'm assuming a he given the beard) with reporting his (dangerous) behaviour to the police.

If you do nothing then he will think that driving like that is just fine and that cyclists who get upset and remonstrate will do nothing more. No need to change his behaviour.

If, as you threatened, you report him to the police then he will have to have a little think about his driving, the points he almost certainly has already, his livelihood and whether he wants to chance it next time.

There is no point at all in threatening people if you don't follow through. In fact it is totally counterproductive. It is a different question altogether as to whether or not you should have challenged and photographed him- but given you did - I really think you must follow through- or your action will just have the exact opposite of what everyone wants.
Post edited at 22:31
In reply to GrahamD:

> I bet within 12 inches would feel like "within one inch" at incident speed ! problem with this sort of claim is its very precise and can easily be dismissed as hyperbole.

I don't know if you ever ride a bike but it differs considerably to most other vehicles in that the handle bars are the bit that come within an inch of the vehicle that passes and these are right in front of you. If something is within an inch of them you don't 'feel' that it is you see that it is.
 LastBoyScout 10 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

Definitely report it - I've spent the 1st 1/2 hour of my working day reporting the bus that nearly knocked me off my bike this morning to both the police and Reading buses. Fortunately, in this case, they will be able to get the CCTV fro the bus's cameras, which will show the bus appoaching from behind, overtaking me and immediately turning left in front of me - (s)he was even indicating left as they overtook me!
 itsThere 10 May 2017
In reply to JimR:

There could be a camera at the crossing showing he was driving and getting out the van, so the police might be able to do something about it if you report him.
In reply to LastBoyScout:

> Do you think this “sole unit” exists for a 17-19 year old berghaus boot?

I generally find Reading bus drivers to be pretty good. The last time I had to complain (after one cut me up between traffic islands and then stopped dead in front of me at the bus stop 20m down the road, saving himself perhaps 5 seconds delay), they responded quickly. Earlier in the same journey, one driver had waited at a mini roundabout (where he had priority), to let me go through, so I didn't have to stop dead; bit of a contrast in driver attitudes.
 Timmd 10 May 2017
In reply to rj_townsend:
> And thank you too - I appreciate you taking the time to respond.However, let's not be under any illusions, these posts aren't started to raise awareness of the dangers of cycling - those dangers are entirely apparent. Nor are they really started to ask whether the incident should be reported, as again it is purely common sense that the police should be involved to try and prevent future incidents.At best these posts are started to vent the poster's [understandable] rage, and at worst they are started to seek attention and sympathy. In the latter case it is just the same as doing a Facebook check-in at an A&E department and waiting for the "hope you're okay hun" comments to start rolling in.A post with a less disingenuous "i'm so fu**ing annoyed and need to vent about..." approach wouldn't have received my flaming - a hand-wringing "should I report this" one unfortunately does.Rant over.

I think that's a really determined way of getting annoyed. Quixotic comes to mind.

'Ah, a nutter in van thread on a cycling forum, I can guess what the content is, but I'll read it, think negatively, and then post about it from feeling annoyed'
Post edited at 15:47

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