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How'd you go about it ?
Just turn up at the police station and show them your video ?
On a scale of 1-10 (where 1 is 'sub-zero' and 10 being 'hardly at all') how interested were they ?
Yes, mate has too and they were interested.
If you're in London,
https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/rti/report-a-road-traffic-incident/
I assume other forces have similar.
I thought generally just upload it to YouTube and link on your local force's Twitter...
I've thought about it (Avon and Somerset also have an online reporting mechanism) but in the end decided against it.
I guess if they are having a push on it, then they may visit the driver but a prosecution would be unlikely.
I guess if they are having a push on it, then they may visit the driver but a prosecution would be unlikely.
Avon and Somerset ran an Operation Close Pass, stopping drivers passing to close to cyclists and also using camera footage from police on bicycles; a great idea but it operated for a single day (and then I suppose it's on to other things).
Yes, Avon & Somerset.
10 - Very interested. It was on CCTV from the suspension bridge cameras.
Got the bloke in for an interview, which was a PITA for him as he was from Essex and his employer was contacted as it was a lease car.
They didn't mention the dents in the rear wing of his car, which may or may not have been about the same size as my hand. He got a warning and his reg. put on their register
Went to police station after calling up and after speaking to the CCTV operator.
I guess it's always worth reporting even if you think nothing will come of it just for statistical purposes...you know nothing will ever get doesn't about it unless the statistics back it up.
Yes; another A&S resident and it was a few years ago. Van driver was visited by P.O., so possibly a 6 or 7 on your scale, and I was told that I'd get a letter of apology. Still waiting, but noticed that the van gave me proper space on passing subsequently, so the effective outcome was acceptable.
I had a guy in a van throw a can at me, swerve in front of me then verbally abuse me as I was passing a police station. I went in and reported it with the reg number and they promised it would be acted on. Nothing. And when I called back they had no record of my report. It was a while ago so hopefully things have changed.
Phoned em, told what had happened - was the 2nd time with the same vehicle, otherwise Hants Police don't care (read it on their website "Once? We don't give a tiny malteser of a squeezed out turd"). Told them I had both incidents on video and gave the reg. Got phoned back by a nice woman who checked the reg, turned out the van was from Birmingham and had no tax or mot so they couldn't trace it.
It's usually vans, it seems! Have had better results from phoning or emailing the company written on the side of vans - few apologies and "driver will be spoken to" which is usually enough for a one-off close pass.
I had a girl with her mates in a convertible slap my arse when I was 15. I was flattered. Didn't go to the police to brag about it.
Yes, police Scotland in Aberdeen. No video to support me. So just my word against drivers. Driver was still spoken to after I gave a statement though no more than this. I called 101. Think things were greatly helped by the fact that the call handler was a regular bike commuter so was very sympathetic.
Should add that the close pass was very close involving me being run off the road and some frank words exchanged when the driver decided to stop after i gesticulated. Got the guys reg.
sparks - given where you are it wasnt the local nuisance on the hirn road a certain self employed joiner was it ?
he must be up to his limit by now , i do hope he picks on the wrong person someday,
@trail_rat not that time, but I've had him as well - let it pass as I was desperate to relax.
Yes - I have reported a very close/near miss.
Long straight road; middle of day with good visibility; approaching car over took car in front of it at well over 70mph .. decided to stay on my side/wrong side of road for longer than was required, and came about 6" from my bars ... shit myself fair play!
Telephoned police; invited down to station to show them the video ... police then called around to speak to driver. He told them he didnt see me till he had overtaken ... despite video evidence clearly showing he would have had to be practically blind not to have seen me ... I assume he said sorry to the police ... nothing else came of it.
I would rate it as a 4 ... I guess he will think twice about doing such a manoeuvre again; whether it will stop him is another thing though.
If it's Derbyshire, don't bother, they couldn't give less of a shit if they tried.
Nottinghamshire were much better. They actually had a "chat" with the driver.
No one is interested with a view to a prosecution.
The day after reading this thread I had a particularly close pass on my commute home. It had happened at the same spot many times before, but this time I thought I would report it.
I used the Met Police online reporting system but didn’t hear anything for a few days (I did submit it on a Friday evening), but they did get in touch and I sent them the links to the videos I had posted on YouTube (front and back cameras).
A few days after that I got an email from a different department asking for the raw unedited videos, which I shared with them via Google Drive. The next day the same department said they are sending the registered keeper a Notice of Intended Prosecution and asked me to remove any pictures and videos I have posted on Social Media.
After I had submitted the Police report I also put in a Road Safety Suggestion Form to the council, pointing out that they had recently repainted the lines at this particular junction and in doing so had removed the Advanced Stop Area (ASA) that was there before (but most drivers ignored as the lines were virtually invisible).
Yesterday I got an email from the Senior Transport Planner saying they are going to reinstate the ASA at the “earliest opportunity”.
A big thank you to the Met Police and Hillingdon Council for taking this seriously, and hopefully this action will make at least one road a little bit safer.
Twice. Both times the cops checked the cctv cameras ( I didn't have a camera or the reg no) and neither time did the cctv show anything useful. Helpful and sympathetic cops and I am sure if the cctv had shown anything or if I had had a witness they would have prosecuted.
If I did I would be spending more time on the phone than riding. I don't have a camera on the bike and there is no CCTV where I live so I fear it would be in the 90%+ of not bothered looking into 'crimes'
Reported one in Bristol with reg no, CCTV locations that would have caught part of the incident. Got a cheers for reporting, no future action being taken. I'd give it a 3.
Can't even describe it in terms that make it sound credible. Completely unprovoked tailgating /horn /revving and deliberate swerve into me and another rider when we pulled over within about 10 seconds to let the lunatic pass
I don't usually ride with my camera on (unless making rad MTB cuts of course), however last night has got me thinking again. I was out for a 25 miler on the roads, nice enough night dry at the time but was close passed then cut up by a citroen. Close enough for my elbows to contact his rear window and c pillar.
I was on the same road as him for around another mile and at every light and junction he made sure to park in the bike lane (where there briefly was one) on sit almost or the curb unlike all other traffic that came by.
Anyway the moral of this tale is, if your going to be a ****er driver don't get yourself a vanity plate K100LES cos I will find you with my particular set of skills (sales and marketing, but hey ho) and take revenge etc etc
My concept of close pass has change since this thread
"https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/have-we-done-the-mx5-vs-cyclists"
I'm now happy just to be missed.
Long time ago I got threatened with being reported by the police for gesticulating at a car that made a close pass (police car was following & pulled me over to illicit an apology from me despite offending car having long since gone 🤔) glad times have changed.
A close pass was reported to South Yorkshire Police, this is what happened:-
Yes.
Three years ago a bloke did a punishment pass at me and then stopped, got out of his car and threatened me with a metal pole. I talked to him for a while, just long enough to get a full description of him (even down to the style of tattoo on his arm) and calmly rode straight to the police station to report it. The first copper I spoke to was an absolute tool - he searched for the wrong reg number and made an excuse when I told him he'd made a mistake and informed me that it was costing Kent Police money to do so. He implied that I was at fault for being there, despite the fact that once he finally got the reg no input correctly he divulged that the driver was known to the Police.
A couple of weeks later, a nice lady police constable took my statement, interviewed the chap, recovered the piece of metal I'd described from the back of his car and he was given the option of a face to face apology and explanation for his behavior or a formal caution and some sort of compulsory awareness course. He took the latter.
Yes.
Three years ago a bloke did a punishment pass at me and then stopped, got out of his car and threatened me with a metal pole. I talked to him for a while, just long enough to get a full description of him (even down to the style of tattoo on his arm) and calmly rode straight to the police station to report it. The first copper I spoke to was an absolute tool – he searched for the wrong reg number and made an excuse when I told him he’d made a mistake and informed me that it was costing Kent Police money to do so. He implied that I was at fault for being there, despite the fact that once he finally got the reg no input correctly he divulged that the driver was known to the Police.
A couple of weeks later, a nice lady police constable took my statement, interviewed the chap, recovered the piece of metal I’d described from the back of his car and he was given the option of a face to face apology and explanation for his behavior or a formal caution and some sort of compulsory awareness course. He took the latter.
That's interesting.
A few weeks ago now, I was getting squeezed off the road (they were overtaking where there is a kerbed keep left island in the middle of the road) & hit the car with my hand as it passed as I was about to be taken out.
The car then stopped & the angriest woman in the world got out of the passenger side started to have a right go at me about damaging hard earned property. All the while her partner staying in the car. She then said how would you like it if I damaged your property, pushed my bike which knocked me off balance into the road. I got my phone out & took a picture of her number plate to report her while down on the floor.
Phoned the police etc.. told them what happened. They apparently got in touch & they denied everything so the police couldn't do anymore.
Annoyingly quite a crowd had built up - no one offered to be a witness & I stupidly didn't ask anyone for any details.
Glad you managed to get a result.
Shit, that's amazing. I really don't know how you lot get into such scrapes.. and I'm the one with a camera who "goes looking for it"!
I am really tempted to get a camera for commuting - But I know I'd end up just starting a youtube channel & spending all day on the internet arguing.
That Audi reg number produces some...interesting...results in Google. Don't search it if, like me, you're currently at work!
Back on topic, the GF had a couple of aggro close passes from a bus driver a couple of years back while cycling home from work (Aberdeen). Police were called when she got home, statement taken. It got down to court day some months later and the driver took points / fine / dangerous driving conviction at the last minute before it got into the courtroom.
(A witness on the bus and bus CCTV were likely instrumental to the outcome)
That Audi reg number produces some…interesting…results in Google.
What's that all about?!?! 😆
That Audi reg number produces some…interesting…results in Google. Don’t search it if, like me, you’re currently at work!
That's epic - I checked through the government site to see if they were taxed & insured, but have never straight up googled it...
Yes, motorbike not cyclebike. Wet day and in right hand lane due to oil on the road when a car passed me on the right ina filter to turn right lane, then cur in front of me to get back into the straight ahead lane. Visited police station with the make, model and most of the reg number. Policelady was already aware of the car but said that the situation being my word against driver's there was little they could do about it. i suggested that that kind of driving was going to cause an accident (I had to brake hard to avoid one) and that maybe just seeing the cops turn up at the door would give the driver cause to think - especially if there was family in the house ("daddy daddy, why were the police here?"). Policelady agreed and said someone would visit. Never followed up but attitude was friendly and helpful so I believe they did visit
EDIT Stonehaven police so it looks like Aberdeen(shire) cops take this sort of thing seriously
EDIT Stonehaven police so it looks like Aberdeen(shire) cops take this sort of thing seriously
They really do seem to. About a year ago, I was riding down Union Street, made my way over to a right lane to turn right in a bit. A car on my left didn't like it, and tried to force me into the oncoming traffic. I held my lane, gave them a bit of verbal, and turned right.
I knew what time it was, so sent the local police an email with the details, expecting to hear nothing of it. I had a call back that lunchtime from a friendly police dude, who'd checked the CCTV, and saw it happen. Unfortunately he couldn't get the reg number from the CCTV, and they did appeal to the bus company of a nearby bus to see if their CCTV could get anything.
I didn't hear back again, but it was nice to know things were taken seriously, and a decent attempt was made at finding the driver.
Shit, that’s amazing. I really don’t know how you lot get into such scrapes.. and I’m the one with a camera who “goes looking for it”!
Hand gestures after they have gone past gets some drivers to stop. They are the aggressive drivers though so you have to be up for a row
Phoned the police etc.. told them what happened. They apparently got in touch & they denied everything so the police couldn’t do anymore.
Annoyingly quite a crowd had built up – no one offered to be a witness & I stupidly didn’t ask anyone for any details.
You might think that this is a fail, but for most people having it escalate even to that level is enough to make them think it wasn't really worth it, even if they won't admit it to themselves. Keep on reporting it and things will change.
I guess that's always the danger of a confrontation, most people will back down but you get some who go full on crazy if thier actions are questioned .
Avon & Somerset police force experience - very close pass earlier this year. Had my Aldi rear light/camera on, footage showed driver almost ramming us from rear and then passing ridiculously close (old bloke who was looking directly at us when he passed on a wide A road with no on-coming traffic).
Uploaded footage, response within 12 hours saying they were issuing a fixed penalty to the driver and if he disputed it would I be prepared to go to court.
Thumbs up A&S!!
Shit, that’s amazing. I really don’t know how you lot get into such scrapes.. and I’m the one with a camera who “goes looking for it”!
This. Ever since I bought a camera a year ago I haven't seen a fraction of the nonsense I used to. Which is good, but boring !
That Audi reg number produces some…interesting…results in Google
i tried to show someone that these evening and the results are all different now! How does that work?
I was lucky in that when it happened to me, the aggressor happened to have previous with the police. The best advice that I can give is to report it quickly and insist on following it up, as annoying as it may seem.
How does that work?
Google search tailors the results returned based on your profile (previous searches etc).
No, that is definitely not it. Results earlier: weird porn; Results later: medical stuff
Neither have anything to do with my browsing or searching (honest!). It's very odd.
Anyway, not anything to do with close passes!
I got knocked off my bike by someone who didn't stop at a junction and actually turned into me on the wrong side of the road. He slammed on, scratched his car pretty badly on my pedals. I got up, rather angrily and asked him what the **** he was doing?
He just wheel span around me and drove off sharpish! I got the make, model, reg, colour and even where he worked!
Reported it to the Police and filled out a form etc. Got a reply a week later saying he said he wasn't at work at that time etc (despite them having a clocking machine), and he didn't do it.
Guessing they couldn't be arsed looking into it, but the weird thing was when they sent me a letter saying all this, they included his full name and address?
Imagine if I was some nutter and wanted revenge. Is the address thing normal?