Close pass campaign comes to London

[Cudzoziemiec]

I’d also like to see the lorry ban reversed. Instead of forcing lorries to work in the daytime, when everyone else is working, swap it over to limit daytime to urban HGVs and allow nighttime access for heavies.

On that point, some countries have a general rule that lorries over a certain weight and/or all artics have to trans-ship on the outskirts of large cities to smaller lorries which complete the delivery. I'm not sure it would work in UK with our jit delivery dependency.

[Jakob W]

Until roving bands of cyclists are bodily pulling professional drivers from their cabs and hanging them from the nearest lampposts, can we shelve the talk of persecution? Im not sure how enforcing safe overtakes penalises them. I'm sure most pros are good, well-trained drivers, but it's clear that there are a minority who don't give a fuck about vulnerable road users, as can be seen from the KSI stats and from a persusal of the 'daily commute' threads on cycling forums and close pass vids on YouTube.

[Wowbagger]

Until roving bands of cyclists are bodily pulling professional drivers from their cabs and hanging them from the nearest lampposts, can we shelve the talk of persecution? Im not sure how enforcing safe overtakes penalises them. I'm sure most pros are good, well-trained drivers, but it's clear that there are a minority who don't give a fuck about vulnerable road users, as can be seen from the KSI stats and from a persusal of the 'daily commute' threads on cycling forums and close pass vids on YouTube.

I can see how it leaves them in a difficult/impossible situation. EU/UK law has allowed their employers to put them in a vehicle which cannot be driven safely in an urban street. It's too big an unwieldy. If legislation enforced all-round cameras (my car's got them so the technology is there) and a second pair of eyes in the cab, or outriders, then they would become rather safer. As things stand, it is no surprise at all that HGVs are responsbile for a disproportionate number of cyclists' deaths in London - and other paces no doubt.

[grams]

Dealing safely with cyclists at junctions is very stressful

You'd think this would lead to groups like the Road Haulage Association welcoming cycle infrastructure and segregated junctions at consultation. It never happens though.

[ian]

Dealing safely with cyclists at junctions is very stressful

You'd think this would lead to groups like the Road Haulage Association welcoming cycle infrastructure and segregated junctions at consultation. It never happens though.

That being the ultimate problem. We shouldn't be mixing up lorries and vulnerable road users.

[TigaSefi]

Black cab drivers are doing my head in. They still want rid of all segregation because it takes a lane away. I remember them moaning about us filtering back in the day. I honestly think that they regard London as their own personal fiefdom. Will also be reporting every close pass now directly to the police.

[danhopgood]

Not in London, but my one experience of reporting a close pass to the Police isn't yielding much success.  Car gave me zero space overtaking at pedestrian crossing the other day where I was giving way to someone on the crossing.  I put my arm up to say "keep back".  He kept coming.  I then tapped his A pillar, with the result as soon as there was a bit more space, he tried to "swerve" me off the road.  He then drove up the road, got out and punched me as I was cycling past.  The whole thing is on video.  Several days after reporting it, and Police saying they would be pursuing it, Police then left a message on my mobile saying "not in the public interest£ to pursue as there's no CCTV. "

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MdzH8VnZH6LCFTXCJDA9SuXNrbpwEmpG/view?ts=5aba0a59

I've queried that saying "what about the video that I told you about?" and await a response.  Sounds to me like they're so strapped for cash, unless there's a significant injury they do nothing.  What does that say about society?

Dan H

[Whitedown Man]

Suggest you get in touch with Martin Porter mporter@2tg.co.uk He’s keen to take these cases on

[danhopgood]

Police agree video evidence is clear but say they haven't got the resources to prosecute.  I wrote to my (tory) MP to ask she campaign for more Police resources as I think that's the answer.  I got a reply, but only suggesting she'd take up with the Police, but that "they're taking a long time to respond at the moment".  I said that the government had the power to fix this, not the Police.  I haven't had a reply to that (!) 

[benborp]

Making a submission to road.cc for their Near Miss of the Day with details of the police response has a tendency to get things moving. The style is a little sensationalist but I think the campaign is effective at highlighting unacceptable behaviour. When drivers behave outrageously, as in your case, then the police inaction sits in stark contrast to what is becoming the improved norm after years of indifference.

If you’ve caught on camera a close encounter of the uncomfortable kind with another road user that you’d like to share with the wider cycling community please send it to us at info@road.cc or send us a message via the road.cc Facebook page.

[adenough]

I can remember in the long and distant past, a system where goods arrived at mainline stations and were off loaded directly onto BR's fleet of small three wheeler artics. Perfect for city deliveries as the turning circle was unique. There is a Utube video somewhere. One wonders sometimes how far we have  actually advanced.