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news
'Near Miss' of the Day 118 - Tractor driver gets VERY close
Today's video in our Near Miss of the Day feature technically doesn't qualify as such, given that the cyclist who filmed it told us that the trailer being towed by the tractor driver who overtook him brushed against his knuckles ... a sobering thought, when you consider how that may have ended up.
The video was shot by road.cc reader Haydn during his lunchtime commute. He told us: "Tractor with trailer overtaking, me skirting the edge of the road probably further over than I should've been (smooth tarmac and avoiding drains), Just before turning left but not having yet signalled at the point of the overtake.
"Oncoming car and the tractor driver who's underestimated my speed (and overestimated his own) cuts in, missing me cleanly... Not so much his quite long trailer following - the rear of it actually rubbing my knuckle (while I'm easing up to around 20mph).
"I could 'see' it coming as some experience with towing trailers myself, I just knew with the tractor right across my line the trailer could only follow. Thankfully I'd eased up a little, running my line even closer to the verge and am quite a handy bike handler."
We've seen several videos now that involve tractors pulling trailers where the driver pulls in far too early ... time to get the National Farmers' Union to reinforce how cyclists should be overtaken?
> Near Miss of the Day turns 100 - Why do we do the feature and what have we learnt from it?
Over the years road.cc has reported on literally hundreds of close passes and near misses involving badly driven vehicles from every corner of the country – so many, in fact, that we’ve decided to turn the phenomenon into a regular feature on the site. One day hopefully we will run out of close passes and near misses to report on, but until that happy day arrives, Near Miss of the Day will keep rolling on.
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 [at] road.cc or send us a message via the road.cc Facebook page.
If the video is on YouTube, please send us a link, if not we can add any footage you supply to our YouTube channel as an unlisted video (so it won't show up on searches).
Please also let us know whether you contacted the police and if so what their reaction was, as well as the reaction of the vehicle operator if it was a bus, lorry or van with company markings etc.
> What to do if you capture a near miss or close pass (or worse) on camera while cycling
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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27 comments
I was on holiday in Lincolnshire last year. Very much an agriculture based local economy. Alot of the smaller B type roads have very wide verges. I discovered why, as on more than one occasion I witnessed a mega-tractor and trailer (it was harvest time) meeting oncoming traffic and just swerve onto the verge and carry on. No slowing down or anything. A real 'the post must get through' attitude. Frightening.
Good luck with this Roady, this looked truly terrifying. In my experience (Lake District), some tractor drivers are okay, but there are definitely some who barge their way through no matter what the room, either coming through from behind, or coming towards on narrow country lanes where they take up practically all the tarmac.
Thanks. To be honest it didn't scare me (and that itself is slightly worrying!).
I knew the tractor had cleared me, but then could hear him towing a trailer. Once the tractor cut across my line I knew it could only follow him so I knew it was coming my way - I breathed in, eased over and dropped speed. I was confident I could maintain control even if he clipped me. Less confidence and any panic I'm sure would've had a far worse outcome!
A green tractor tooted me yesterday evening in a different spot and I just wonder if it was the same driver apologising. No footage/reg as he was behind me before I turned off (only have a front camera). I only have a 2.5 mile commute so it's entirely possible.
I sometimes indicate that I'm turning very early, maybe 50-100m away, to try and dissuade drivers from attempting a stupid manoeuvre. I would also have moved to strong secondary/primary road position here, with tractor behind. None of this takes away from what seems to be a very reckless and dangerous overtake.
'That was some near miss, 118'
'Very much so, 118'
Sorry.
Tractors towing trailers like this are essentially HGVs and should be driven with the same awareness. This guy was a Grade A Wanker.
The tractor and trailer actually made contact with the cyclist?! Isn't that a reportable road traffic collision? I hope the police have been informed/taken action on this, before Mr Tractor Driver kills someone.
Only needs reporting, by the driver of the motor vehicle (i.e. the tractor driver) if someone is injured or something is damaged. Scuff marks to the glove? Light bruising to finger?
The advantage of a reportable RTC is that the police are then duty bound to investigate it. Whereas a 'close pass' can be fobbed off easier.
He brushed the outside of my glove/knuckle with the end of the trailer. I reported it as 'Dangerous Driving' as I can do that online and supply West Mercia with footage. Filling it in as an RTC cannot be done online and would take a 3-4 hour visit to the local station. I've done it before.
For some reason, the rider thought that he was too far over. Whereas he was quite entitled to be even further over. However, that still didn't entitle the tractor driver to pull such a dangerous manoeuvre. You can see the oncoming car before you can hear the tractor revving away. Must have been very frightening. Please report this to police.
Herefordshire or Herefrodshire?
Does not help that the cyclist is cycling in the 'gutter'. That encourages passing like that. Get in the way of them - the primary position - the safe way. If a driver sees a path through, they will take it.
I had that exact same conversation today...and i have it many times...
I'll admit I'm riding slightly further over than I should've been (and how I normally ride). I'd gone around several drains but there is one right in my line I generally skip to the left hand side (you can see before the overtake). The tarmac is also smoother at the side so on wet days like this it's a drier place to be. I'm overtaken on this stretch of road a couple of times per day (ride it twice a day) and could hear the engine pick up so did drift over a few inches further than usual. I fully believe the driver would've attempted the same pass with me further over.
You really need to be further over to the right. This will make the drivers go further over to overtake and even if they don't it means you have some room to your left for an evasive manouevre should it be needed.
You'll find attached my fairly usual position (this one from the day before the incident so totally unbaised) is slightly further over. I'll admit yesterday and this morning my position is even further over (biased by experience!). I get much abuse for not using the shared use pavement (this direction, I use it the other) so I have been subconsciously gutter riding far more than I should.
This is an annoying stretch of 0.5 mile link road with 30mph limits both ends, yet signposted as 40mph that most vehicles speed on (good road surface & visibility). It used to be national speed limit. The council have previously refused to extend one of the 30mph limits past the entrance I'm using (small business park) which I'm sure would solve much of the speeding problem (drivers seeing the limit in front, rather than it 'hidden' behind the corner 350ft away).
position.jpg
Exactly what I was thinking - a clear please come through signal although it does not mean common sense should be thrown out of the window by overtakers. The onus is still on them to do it safely.
I see cyclists, moped riders and learner motorcyclists doing this (riding in the gutter) all the time. Take up a position in the road where the tin box drivers have to change lanes to overtake. It would also give you more room to move to the left if you are passed too closely. It's your lane, use all of it.
barstools!
It's astonishing how many drivers seem to have no idea how long their vehicle is including trailer. I've had a similar experience to this video. Maybe towing a trailer should be a separate qualification, not part of the ordinary driving licence?
Fairly certain that changed in 1997. Definately an extra test for the category now.
HarrogateSpa wrote:
Maybe towing a trailer should be a separate qualification, not part of the ordinary driving licence?
atgni wrote:
Fairly certain that changed in 1997. Definately an extra test for the category now.
That only applies for anyone who passed their driving test after that date! I passed in 1992. I could legally go out and drive my farmer husband's tractor and trailer on the road if I wished.
I won't. It would terrify me.
Also rules about agricultural vehicles are quite lax.
A seventeen year old can pass a test in a normal car and then just go out and drive a tractor on the road the same day, not with a trailer though. It's also legal to drive a tractor with L plates from the age of 16.
Very scary.
Please confirm it's been reported.
Can confirm it's been reported (later that day by email as 'Bad Driving'), but have yet to hear anything back
I've had similar (but not quite so bad) with a tractor and trailer.
In theory the police can sieze and crush vehicles that are driven dangerously like this. Tractors like that are incredibly expensive.
Very restrained language under the circumstances.
Lots of turnip-pullers in that part of the world.
That should be a ban at the very least. Not reporting a collision, leaving the scene of a collision... Dangerous driving as far as I'm concerned.
Wow! That is frightening. In my experience, agricultural vehicle drivers are far from perfect, so is it time for some education aimed specifically at them?