Near Miss of the Day 572: West Midlands Police take swift action against close pass driver

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Question for the OP: How were you told this? I have submitted multiple videos over the years and sent in two a few days before yours which included a close pass less then a mile from yours (Walsall road by four oaks gate) and a car overtaking me as we both turned left into a junction and have heard nothing. I even chased up the other year and was told by Stuart Baker( I think was his name) that they didn't have the staff to chase up info for people submitting these. I did see a stat from a newspaper that WMP do receive the lions share next base portal submissions (8k of 20k submitted since 2018) and about 4K a year. Unfortunately the reporter didn't ask how many had been processed with NIPs etc.

I originally sent this to a WM Police email address I had previously used to correspond with an officer who dealt with my case when I was knocked off my bike back in 2016. i've used it on & off since but infrequently. This was my first submission for over a year, emailed it in & was asked to resubmit via the Nextbase portal. I did but went back with the reference number & asked for their opinion. Immediate response back saying they were going to send the driver on an 'education course'. I've submitted previously via Nextbase & whilst its an easy process, the lack of feedback did not provide any confirmation that the submissions were not going into a 'black hole'. At least it does look like WM Police do action them.

Thanks for the info. I suppose I should have kept the email details of the officer when I was knocked off in 2017. surprising on the ref numbers though as they were from next base and wmp didn't comment on them being numbers they used. 

My previous interactions (plural) with Stuart Baker has lead me to the conclusion that he is a moron.

and FWIW the officers last time insisted that (1) they couldn't investigate let alone prosecute for careless driving unless there had been a collision, and (2) that was despite the video soundtrack clearly evidencing that there HAD been such a collision.  It's footage that has previously been used here on "near miss of the day" with several people able to point out that the evidence was clearly of a collision and not a near miss.  
Not sure that the road traffic policing unit is staffed by the Force's finest TBH.

This link is to an article about the amount of submissions (which are also by motor vehicles as well as cyclists). It is dated Jan2021 although I'm pretty sure most of the quotes are from a press release in October. At least this reporter followed up and it seems West Mercia followed up on 90% of cases but the line from the egress rep is troubling to me as only 52% of all cases had some followup. So maybe some FOI from Road.cc / Cycling UK / whoever to find out submission vehicles, actions followed up on broken down by Police Force and then maybe requests for comment might be a good story.

Also, this is a Car websites take on the news. Not sure on thje discrepency of 52% of all submissions were actioned on then being less then 1in five not actioned on. However the comments show some of the worrying  conditions we know from Drivers. 

Just added the same about the state of the road elsewhere. When I saw the recent road closure signs I expected more then the one square and the island, especially as they have now done the main high street by the college. 

At 1400, the traffic wouldn't be there though apart for the last 20 metres by the lights where the cyclist probably still would have caught up with the car again.

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Just added the same about the state of the road elsewhere. When I saw the recent road closure signs I expected more then the one square and the island, especially as they have now done the main high street by the college. 

At 1400, the traffic wouldn't be there though apart for the last 20 metres by the lights where the cyclist probably still would have caught up with the car again.

Correct. I did catch up with him at the lights, pointed out the camera & said it was all on video. 

brooksby wrote:

Clearly the driver's train of thought went something like:

1. "I've been good;
2. I haven't pushed through but have waited like a responsible person;
3. oh christ, look at the time!;
4. this is ridiculous, I have places to be!
5. F**k it, I'm going to go for it..."

I would say it's definitely down to lack of education, evidenced by the fact they didn't ever attempt to overtake in the oncoming lane, which means they could have arguably overtaken the cyclist sooner.

It doesn't look maliscious, it's just one of a significant number of drivers that don't know any better despite it being their responsibility to when operating a potential killing machine!

It was almost as though the driver waited for oncoming traffic...

That road is awful as a cyclist with plenty of broken surfaces and small potholes that have been there for years. They resurfaced the island and one section as shown on the video (right on the close pass) yet 20 yards further on in the other lane and a cyclist has to do a slalom to avoid the worst of the it across the whole lane and also to avoid the gravel build up where the broken bits end up near the kerb. 

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

That road is awful as a cyclist with plenty of broken surfaces and small potholes that have been there for years. They resurfaced the island and one section as shown on the video (right on the close pass) yet 20 yards further on in the other lane and a cyclist has to do a slalom to avoid the worst of the it across the whole lane and also to avoid the gravel build up where the broken bits end up near the kerb. 

Yes, Lichfield Road is dreadful both ways. It was going to be resurfaced back in early March, signs went up saying 'no parking, road being repaired overnight etc.' then all the signs disappeared...

Sounds like there are at least three of us here who are very local, and probably either know one another or have at least nodded at one another as we pass by.

Yep, I  do 13, 16, or 20 mile loops most days containing the back end of Sutton along that road in one way or the other depending on time.