Van driver narrowly avoids cyclist

[saaby93]

What's going on here?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-beds-bucks...
Anyone know the layout and why everyone wants to be in the offside lane?

[Your Dad]

Looks like a filter lane for a right turn.

Cyclist pulled out of side road onto main road and moved straight across into filter lane ready to take the next turning right, WVM was already on the main road and approaching at speed and didn't see/decided not to see slow moving cyclist ahead.

[saaby93]

Ok understood - going to turn right up ahead
is it a filter lane or just a normal offside lane?
Would anyone else be taking a line closer to the central reservation to do that?
However the van driver could get in the nearside lane much better than that too!
No bunnies harmed

[anonymous-user]

Another non event being used by the media to play to the 'poor persecuted cyclist' fraternity! FFS, when will it end?

[Hoofy]

The van driver probably wasn't paying attention. No excuse really. But one idiot's mistake could have resulted in a tragedy.

[Prizam]

Your Dad said:

Looks like a filter lane for a right turn.

Cyclist pulled out of side road onto main road and moved straight across into filter lane ready to take the next turning right, WVM was already on the main road and approaching at speed and didn't see/decided not to see slow moving cyclist ahead.

Yup, exactly this. Whilst not the best piece of driving and observation in the world its is hardly crime of the century. Little pettle needs to stop being professionaly offended. The police IMO handeld this one correctly.

[Integroo]

It looks like a right turn filter lane to me. The cyclist crossed the road to move into the filter lane. The van driver looks like he was driving far too quickly, especially if he intended to take the filter lane, and didn't see the cyclist till too late, so swerved round him after committing to the lane. I think the problem here is the vans excessive speed, though perhaps the cyclist should have not crossed into that lane without taking that into account (as the fan could be seen when he pulled out of the side lane).

[Integroo]

Prizam said:

Your Dad said:

Looks like a filter lane for a right turn.

Cyclist pulled out of side road onto main road and moved straight across into filter lane ready to take the next turning right, WVM was already on the main road and approaching at speed and didn't see/decided not to see slow moving cyclist ahead.

Yup, exactly this. Whilst not the best piece of driving and observation in the world its is hardly crime of the century. Little pettle needs to stop being professionaly offended. The police IMO handeld this one correctly.

Well apart from the fact that if the van hit the cyclist, the cyclist could have been killed.

[M-SportMatt]

WVM clearly speeding, deliberately swerved as close to the cyclist as he could manage to intimidate. Very poor and should have a visit from plod for a verbal slapped wrist at the very least.

[Prizam]

Hoofy said:

The van driver probably wasn't paying attention. No excuse really. But one idiot's mistake could have resulted in a tragedy.

Probably, and he should maby be given a finger wagging for not paying enough attention.

The speed differential is substantial, you can see the van pitch under braking, the van is still breaking once past the cyclist, then gets off the brakes.

I wonder if the previous 30 seconds of footage shows a cyclist getting annoyed about not being able to pull out in too fast moving carriageway traffic. Then going for a sub optimal gap in the traffic.

[Integroo]

M-SportMatt said:

WVM clearly speeding, deliberately swerved as close to the cyclist as he could manage to intimidate. Very poor and should have a visit from plod for a verbal slapped wrist at the very least.

I agree he was speeding, but I don't think he was out to intimidate the cyclist - I think he was taking the filter lane and didn't see the cyclist till the last moment, and swerved.

[Killboy]

Lol at anyone thinking that was not deliberate.

[Integroo]

Actually on another watch I am not sure there is a filter lane. Still don't think it's deliberate, just excessive speed and poor awareness. Still dangerous driving though, as next time the cyclist may not be so lucky and may be killed.

[Byker28i]

Why was the cyclist to the left of the lane, why not ride more to the right? He must know it's a long filter lane and traffic will be coming up behind to use it. Trying to defend the lane from other traffic?

[Peperami]

I don't think that was deliberate, just careless. He just hadn't seen him.

Looks pretty bright in the background. There's a lot to be said for 'daytime bright' rear lights on bikes.

[saaby93]

Killboy said:

Lol at anyone thinking that was not deliberate.

Are there 3 deliberates there?
Cycling - left of centre of offside lane - deliberate?
Driving - close pass to left of bike - deliberate?
Driving - avoid collision - deliberate?

Speeding? is there a lower than NSL limit there?

[Integroo]

Byker28i said:

Why was the cyclist to the left of the lane, why not ride more to the right? He must know it's a long filter lane and traffic will be coming up behind to use it. Trying to defend the lane from other traffic?

I'll always take the lane if cycling on the right to take a right turn - you're not where cars expect you to be and you dont want them driving past you without noticing you - it makes you easier to see and part of the traffic (in theory)...its not normally for very long,as you're turning right

[saaby93]

Integroo said:

I'll always take the lane if cycling on the right to take a right turn - you're not where cars expect you to be

Doesnt that mean theyre more likely to run into you, if they havent noticed?
Surely youre best off to right of lane, so if they havent, theyre past.

[bigandclever]

You get a bit more of the start, and a couple of extra angles, of the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtBrCM3wggU

[Integroo]

saaby93 said:

Integroo said:

I'll always take the lane if cycling on the right to take a right turn - you're not where cars expect you to be

Doesnt that mean theyre more likely to run into you, if they havent noticed?
Surely youre best off to right of lane, so if they havent, theyre past.

Normally I do this on a road without a central embankment, so it doesn't feel particularly safe to be to the right of the lane with cars passing close on both your left and your right. So the point is to slow the cars behind you down from passing you at normal speed on your left, whilst you are making your right turn.