Spanish language Instagram page Trafico Zmg recently shared a video showing drivers getting a taste of what a close pass really feels like.
You can see the Instagram post here, but we’ve found a YouTube video showing a similar, and equally scary exercise.
It amazes us that even today, in an age where almost everyone has a camera either mounted on them or on their person, that some drivers feel that it’s still ok pass as close as possible to cyclists on the road. Whether it’s squeezing by a rider before a corner, overtaking ahead of a traffic island or simply not giving the required passing distance. It’s a common and terrifying experience we’re sure every cyclist has encountered at some point in their life.
If only drivers knew the dangers they’re putting cyclists in. Imagine for a moment that those tables were turned and that idiot who just brushed past your bars had a taste for their own medicine.
Well, it looks like at least some drivers are getting to experience this as evident in the above video. According to this Instagram post, the video is from a training facility in Mexico City and the terrified individuals on the exercise bike are potential bus drivers.
Do you think a similar experience should be involved in driver training in the UK? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments (7)
Comments Closed
“Do you think a similar experience should be involved in driver training in the UK? ” Of course it bloody should. Also should be part of driver awareness courses. Well, obviously people would have to be caught and punished for close passes first and that certainly doesn’t happen round these parts.
Taller bus drivers enjoyed this exercise even less, I reckon.
The need to experience moving on a bike and the bus pulling back in because the driver hasn’t allowed enough time to pass and not realising that it is only moving a few mph more than a bicycle.
This video is used by lothian buses . In my time in the city I have seen lothian buses go from being a total menace to cyclists to being the best drivers on the road towards cylists. I have had buses stiopping to let me out of junctions, waiting patiently behind me coming up to stops and never doing the overtake and cut in thing
https://youtu.be/b3c7GMx5IBc
I’ve long held the view that everyone must have to ride a bike or small motorbike for at least a year on roads before being allowed to learn to drive a car.
It gives the rider waaaay more road sense + realisation that everyone IS out to kill you so you start to anticipate things – and that drivers may start to look more than 5 ft in front of their bonnets.
But of course politicians have no spine or moral compass to do what’s right and good instead of protecting their votes.
@tjagain thanks for sharing that video – it has certainly made me think about how I interact with buses although to be fair they are not a big worry in my neck of the woods (Gloucestershire) as most seem to be driven sensibly.
Seeing as ST have just relinked to this: can you imagine trying to implement this as driver training for HGV and Bus drivers (or any drivers) in the UK.
We want to put our employees on static bikes and then drive past them as close as possible with a large vehicle. I can’t imagine it would get far, especially if you then put the employees on bikes and let them ride down a road that has not been checked beforehand for pot holes and dropped drain covers. But cyclists have to take that risk if they want to get any where by road!