Does anyone have a solution to the close pass? In the absence of segregated infrastructure, you can buy all manner of high-vis tops, flags, stickers and lights designed to remind inattentive drivers about their legal (not to mention moral) responsibility to leave a gap of 1.5m when overtaking people on bikes, but scientific research reveals most make no difference at all.
To highlight the problem – and inspired by our inflatable pop-up zebra crossing – we’ve cobbled together a blow-up backpack designed to dissuade drivers from overtaking too close.
The design is patently ridiculous (in fact, because of its shape, we’ve codenamed it The Epic Flail), but so is the fact cyclists have to tolerate close passes in the first place.
Why do drivers close over take too close?
Nobody knows for certain why some drivers insist on overtaking cyclists too close. However, it’s rarely because they’ve failed to spot the person on the bicycle.
Environmental psychologist Dr Ian Walker conducted research to monitor cars as they overtook cyclists wearing a variety of high-visibility and disruptive pattern clothing.
He found that outfits in the study (except the one with the word ‘police’) were treated exactly the same, almost to the centimetre.
It seems likely that, ‘punishment passes’ aside, close overtaking is a product of ineptitude on the part of drivers. It doesn’t help that so few people in Britain now cycle. When we travelled to the Netherlands last year to shoot our documentary about road danger, Stop Killing our Children, we spoke to Vim Bot – national and international policy adviser for the Fietsersbond, the Dutch Cyclists’ Union:
“Foreign observers notice that behaviour of car drivers in the Netherlands is better than in their own country, and certainly than that in Britain – I think it has to do with the fact that cycling is part of everyday culture in the Netherlands. It means that most car drivers will cycle themselves, or they will have cycle as a child, or they will have their children cycling so they know that there are cyclists everywhere.”
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Stephen
In my years of experience of daily commuting by bike, most drivers will pass at a reasonable distance away. However, the times when I have been close passed is when drivers pull out to overtake me and realise that a car is coming in the opposite direction! They choose to close pass the cyclist rather than just wait for a safe time to pass….
Fiona McLuckie
I cycle to work most days on busy city roads in Edinburgh. It’s no exaggeration to say that on every commute my life is put at risk multiple times by close passing drivers. I would happily wear one of these backpacks – I would rather look ridiculous than end up having a nasty accident. Seriously, where can I get one?
Robert
Actually, you’re wrong to say that Ian Walker “found that outfits in the study (except the one with the word ‘police’) were treated exactly the same, almost to the centimetre.”
In his paper (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457506001540) he found “wearing a bicycle helmet led to traffic getting significantly closer when overtaking.”
The ETA
We believe that was a different and earlier study, but, yes, Dr Walker found that drivers left less room for cyclists wearing helmets.
Kardenal mendoza
Very nice
I had been toying with a slightly more nasty idea .. a stainless steel flexible rod 1.25 m in length. If a car is closer than the legal distance.. they will feel it.
Yes many cars are fine and increasingly so but it only takes one fool to thanks you out, b or worse, one of your kids
Penny Price
I concur with Stephen, I cycle along the same stretch of road 3-4 times a week, and find most drivers leave plenty of space, of the the rest some seem oblivious to my existence and others have misjudged how much space they need when a vehicle is coming in the other direction. Funnily enough it can be small car drivers who are the worst offenders, whereas vans buses and lorries are generally OK. Perhaps some drivers of small cars have an ill informed idea about how small i.e. wide, their vehicle actually is!
lonpfrb
I suggest that there is a relationship between small cars and drivers experience both of driving and cycling. Ignorance is dangerous.
Dave
Just cycle on the cycle path or don’t cycle at all.
A B
What a ridiculous comment
Arthur
What cycle path? A lot of roads don’t have one. Besides, cyclists are allowed to use the full width of roads and road lanes, including A roads, according to the highway code. We have every right to be there.
Mike
What about where there isn’t a cycle path? I bet you’re one of those people that makes comments like that then moans whenever new cycle lanes are put in
Adrian Wicks
Could be something to put off those drivers who accelerate as they pull out too close and are still moving out when passing your handlebars who then leave plenty of space for a cyclist to jet boost into as they take up their original line much further along the road.
David thompson
The epic flail, will it prevent cyclists from passing motor vehicles at less than 1.5 metres? It would be fantastic. So that is why cyclists would not use anything that would prevent them scraping past a bus/ lorry or car at traffic lights etc!
Chris
So now they just pass the inflatable too close, in effect still being too close to the entire ‘package: of rider and bike. Piece of rusty angle iron across the rack might work better.
Grahame Horne
In my view the solution applies to about all law breaking ,crimes or dangerous behaviour.
That is increase the punishment and make it known in the TV news channel and newspapers,that Mr Bloggs was caught by police overtaking a cyclist dangerously and has been fined £1000.00 plus six points on licence
Perhaps then other offenders might just think twice
Grahame
Glynn
Perhaps it’s something to do with the roads are two narrow in this country. And cycle lanes are taken out of the existing lanes . It’s different when walking on the pavement and cyclists are on the pavement and just miss the pedestrian.
Arthur
No, the roads are fine. The issue is drivers not giving enough space to cyclists who also have the right to use the road.
I have never been close passed or punishment passed by a police car or police motor bike. Not once. If the police are capable of passing cyclists safely, even at high speeds with their blues and twos on, then so can everyone else.
Cezar
This is amazing. I would wear one every day, I ride in London. This close passing is happening around 5 times per 15 miles ride which is my comute each way.
I believe the most offenders are the ones that look in their phones rather than the road. And this is regardless of the car they drive. If anything, the delivery vans and utility vans (I. E. Road maintenance vans) are the most careless drivers.
Martin Lee
In some instances it can’t be avoided, condition of the road, cyclist dodging a pothole suddenly changes line etc. Some cyclists consider a close pass to be one that another doesn’t bat an eyelid. The rules and the publicity are there and have been well advertised, not much else except fining those drivers that are seen heavy amounts.
Arthur
It can absolutely be avoided. If the road is narrow, then allow the cyclist ahead plenty of space to maneuver, (the highway code states you should leave a 2 second gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front, anyway). Every so often, ideally before every maneuver the cyclist makes, the cyclist should be looking back and checking their surroundings. The cyclist will see you behind them, and that you are giving them plenty of space. When the cyclist feels that it is safe to do so and that there is enough space, they will allow you to overtake them by moving to the side of the road out of courtesy. Just make sure that when you pass, you move as far to the right as you possibly can, and as safely as you can, to repay that courtesy. And if you’re on a main road with multiple lanes, then allow the cyclist plenty of space. They may be intending to turn right or travel straight ahead, instead of turning left. So allow the cyclist space to use the width of the lane.
Mick
How about a decusion on cyclists going through red lights
Sean uddin
What about cyclists riding next to cars too close, when the cars already waiting or slowly moving and bike so close its clipping wing mirrors. tailgating cars when clearly the lights are about to turn red. But wait as cyclists havent read the highway code they dont know the correct sequence of the traffic lights. In my opinion cyclists do not understand the rules of the road and are making this a lawless country. Constantly running through red lights. No wonder so many hooligans are wheeling through red lights at speed on footpath and road as they’ve learnt from their parents who have been doing the same just with 2 wheels on the ground
Arthur
I’ve been in these situations, as well. The car stops in the road, at a set of red lights, and there’s an advanced stop zone ahead, but no cycle lane, and the cars are taking up a lot of space, blocking the way to the asz, or leaving very little room for cyclists to filter through to the asz, where the cyclist will be safely able to turn left, go straight ahead or turn right without having to worry about getting killed or paralysed in order to do so.
You wanna stop cyclists clipping your wing mirrors while they filter? LEAVE MORE SPACE!!!!
Paul Carlton
As a driver, Motorcyclist and occasional cyclist we’re all to blame as we all want things done fast, and everyone is impatient then cyclist wind drivers up by not stopping at lights and it’s starts all over again. Also the 1.5m rule doesn’t mean anything as most cycle lanes are less than a metre wide so people get use to driving close
Tom Tregenza
Interesting having POLICE on your back helps. Presumably that’s banned under ‘impersonating a police officer’? What about ‘POLCE’ or something else that drivers may mistake for POLICE?
Arthur
Having the word police written on your back doesn’t equate to impersonating a police officer. For example, you could write “POLICE will be notified if you close pass me”. This is not impersonation, this is warning others of what you will do in certain situations.
Dickon Savage
I have been a cyclist for, almost, my entire life.
Took cycling proficiency test in the 70’s, raced BMX, time-trial, criterion, triathlon. Was a central London courier, and then commuter.
Also ride a motorbike, drive a car, van, lorry.
I forget how many “impacts” I have been on the wrong end of, still wear the scars. If traffic avoided cyclists by 1.5m it would be bliss…
…I’ve spent the last 12 months raising 3 children, pushing a push chair.
Being more vulnerable than when I’m cycling, and carrying the most precious cargo.
During this time I/we have been subjected to countless “close passes” by cyclists on the pavement. Have also been hit a few times. Nothing more infuriating than being forced off the pavement by a high-viz helmet wearer too scared to use the road so terrorising a father and toddler.
(And then the threats I have been on the receiving end of for daring to complain)
Pass a static vehicle by “a door’s width”.
Pass a pedestrian by “an arms width”.
Pass a parent and child “by a mile @ a snail’s pace”
I am a cyclist.
Being a parent has taught me to truly despise a lot of people on bikes.
It is dangerous out there, look out for everyone.
Arthur
I do have to say, while I’m not a driver myself, others in my family are, and some drive as their job. I’ve grown up cycling, and have just started cycling again end of 2022, after a few years of not riding. There are some roads that I am very wary of riding on because of how dangerous they can be for cyclists (Adelaide Road in Swiss cottage comes to mind). Half the time, I don’t use the road, but use the pavement instead in order to ensure my own safety. And I have the right to do that, according to responsible cyclist 1999 which states that a cyclist is allowed to mount the pavement when they have genuine safety concerns or when there is an obstacle in the road. When I see adults using the pavement, I make my presence known by ringing the bell, and I make sure to travel at a slower speed and give them space. When I see dogs or children/babies, I make my presence known by ringing the bell, slow right down to a crawl, and try to give as much space as I possibly can. If I can’t give much space, I stop my bike until they have passed.
If I can give pedestrians plenty of space when I’m using the pavement as a cyclist, why can’t drivers give cyclists enough space when they’re using the road?
Adam Cattle
My experience is that the further out I cycle, the less likely I am to be close passed. After being close passed by a succession of Amazon vans on a steep hill in Bristol, when using the cycle lane (painted narrow). I have taken to riding in the primary position, (outside the cycle lane) making myself inherently more obvious to motorized vehicles. This seems to massively reduce the number of close passes, and make me be treated like a road vehicle.
Das
Tbh all you need is a bracket, a spring, a piece of bamboo about 3 ft long and a 6″ nail and your sorted.
Jok
I have a solution ban cyclists from the roads they pay zero road tax have zero insurance but have the same potential to injure and damage padestrians and vehicles they have no registration to be tracked down when they do damage sombodies vehicle they have zero right to be on the roads they contribute to congestion and pollution by holding up traffic causing ques of traffic accumulated one area for long enough periods of time to cause pollution vehicles that can keep moving freely cause lower pollution than vehicles stuck in slow moving ques because they can’t pass a damn push bike if you don’t want cars doing close passes get off our roads we pay to use them you don’t
The ETA
Get with the times, Jok – ‘Road Tax’ was abolished in 1937
Mike
Where to start Jok. Firstly as has already been noted Road Tax does not exist, you pay an emissions tax which is why neither cyclists like myself or electric car drivers pay it. Secondly how has a bicycle got the same potential to cause damage as a car? A car can cause considerably more damage. Thirdly we all pay to use the road as it is covered by general taxation, you pay for the privilege of driving an emissions producing vehicle on said road and whether somebody pays or not does not give you any right to put people in danger. Drivers like you should have their licence taken away as it’s a matter of time before you hurt someone (if you haven’t already)
A B
Wow! Congratulations on stupidest comment on here. 👍
Gary
We all pay for use of the roads through general taxation.
Cyclists have more right to use the roads than drivers. Cyclist are on the road by right, drivers are only on the road by licence.
Road tax hasn’t existed since 1937 and what you pay is for your emissions not to use the road.
Ged McHale
I picked up a tip some years ago that seems to make a difference: if you don’t cycle next to the gutter you can’t be pushed into it. I notice that when I cycle further out from the kerb, cars tend to leave more room when they pass me. I imagine I have a cycle lane about a metre wide and cycle about half way across it. However, that doesn’t stop some people driving like idiots…
Tim Cooper
The sun was shining I was wearing a bright orange coat and was still hit by a car on the A500 roundabout in Nantwich i was hit side on nearly broke my hip and arm she said I didn’t see you it’s pathetic
Joe
What a ridiculously invention most cyclists are not conciderate and think they are entitled to ride 2 and3 a breast by road tax insurance like the rest of us causes more polluty than it saves vehicles on low tick over qued behind them get real
The ETA
Wrong on every count, Joe
Steve
Drivers seem nervous when on the right hand side of the road even on empty roads, they seem to feel the need to return to the left as soon as possible. Not venturing to far right and returning asap thus cutting in to soon. It is frustrating as a cyclist and poor driver training.